Thread: Long Range Hunting and F-Class Target Shooting.

Originally Posted by Friwi

Just reading the few posts above.
I think we all agree that all the practice on paper we can get is valuable for the shots we take in the field.
Regarding the 3/4 position shooting, or shooting of sticks, all of it is good as long as we recognise the limits that each positions give us:
I.e, you might be able to take a standing 75m body shot ( talking about deer here), 100yard kneeling shot, a 150 yrds sitting shot and a 300 yards prone shot. Some might be able to strech those distances some not.

The difference with paper shooting, is that when you are hunting an animal, you lose a certain amount of your shooting abilities due to the adrenaline and the excitement of the hunt ( and also maybe from the mountain you just climbed or the 12 km you just walked). I have heard of a French guy who regularly goes to Scotland with his flash blaser , zeiss scope and all the gizmos , who shoot pretty well on paper, at fairly good distances. But when it comes to shooting an animal… let’s just say that the bullet rarely touches what he intending to shoot at. Obviously the excitement is taking over . That is one aspect of what can restrict our abilities that a lot of us are denying or conveniently forgot, it could be a male thing ,not willing to show emotions , that could be perceived as weakness…

Regarding the aspect of long range hunting and the chances of wounding animal, they do seriously exist. And the saying that “ plenty of animals have been lost at close range due to fuckups as well”, which indeed is true, is quite often an excuse used by guys who don’t want to be criticised for the shots they take at longer distance at animals , be it with a bow or a rifle . One example is the longrangehunting forum in the USA, which will close if not ban any discussion of the ethics of long range hunting… I guess it is not good for business .

One last thing I wanted to mention , is an example of the shoot we had today.
We had 11 teams of two shooters , shooting at 1000yrds. More than half of the guns on the lines were highly priced custom competition rifles ( prs or f class/f-pr) with fine tuned loads in good wind bucking calibers. Some of the shooters were very well seasoned shooters.
The course of fire was all shot prone. No time limit.
First target was an nra electronic target. 5 shot each (10 shots per team). Which effectively allows you to adjust for each shot to be as close to the center as possible.
The second target was a 1000 yrds benchrest target, again electronic, so you can refine as much as you possibly can where your shots are going within the atmospheric conditions.again 5 shots each.
The third target was a full size deer, side way. The aiming point is a 10” circle in the vital zone with activating plate in the background connecting to a red flasher. You are allowed three shots per shooter. And your team mate can spot for you.
Out of the 66 shots (11 teams of 2 x 3 bullets each), there was no more than 6 bullets that hit the 10” target, and only one got it on the first shot ( if I remember the stats well).
And again there is no adrenaline , no hunting pressure and no time limit.so you could pretty much pick your best wind moment within reason. Your scope dialed for the existing conditions and the distance .
I forgot to mentions the wind flags halfway and at the target.

This just to illustrate, that the long distance shots on animals , in hunting conditions is way harder than we think it is and that the success can quite often be attributed luck and that you will probably will never be shown the fuckups on videos.

So the more knowledge I gather the more I realise how much luck some lr hunters have.
Having been in the lr game way before it was the thing to do I have been regailed with stories of amazing shots at incredible distance for said calibre/chamberings.
The more I shoot the more I realise where my ethical shooting distances finish but that knowledge has given me the choice to adjust those distances as conditions allow.
I am fortunate enough that I can shoot steel and paper when ever I want and I do.
I now don't really worry about other hunters taking long shots that are beyond their skill level and equipment they are using as it would do my head in.
As a matter of interest friwi what distance was that deer target with the ten Inch plate.
I'm guessing 1000 yrds to have that fewer hits.
If it is, it's a good reminder that people's ability is less than what they think and should stick to rocks steel and paper at that distance.
3/4p shooting Is great practice for the unexpected which can happen often when hunting.
Sticks are bloody good to.
I use a quick detach tent pole style bipod which allows incredible stability when able to rest against an object int sitting position.
Use what you can.
M2c anyway

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