gleason.chapman

Just for the record, long range shooting and bullet performance (or lack of it)tend to push folks buttons---folke get "wedded" to their choices. For bullets--some love Powerbelts some love SW, those two bullets push people's buttons.

If you have hunted a while you know, we have all shot shots that we wish we had not taken and we have all wounded in this sport and not recovered. What we try to do is minimize those things, and that is thru experience. If you have a solid rest (shooting rail or sticks etc),have practiced and know where your hitting, have an excellent scope, know your bullet drop or have a BDC, use a very accurate bullet with enough energy (> 800 fpe) to get the job done, then you have done "due diligence" to attempt a long shot, if your confident. Just know your own personal limits, just like drinking, just like going fast in a car, etc. If you wanna shoot 300 as you asked in your origonal post, that is possible with the right rifle, right bullet, right powder, right scope and some practice on your part. I know my limit with my Savage, which I bought for long range shooting, you should know yours and plan to shoot based on that knowledge of yourself and your equipment. I do not think long range shooting with known drops, known bullets, known powder with solid rest is unethical, as some have stated or claimed. I believe it is unethical/immoral to take shots WITHOUT knowing where your bullet will hit, i.e. "I think I will aim 6" over it's back at 230 yards and hope for the best." That type ofshooting is unethical/immoral for me or anyone in my humble opinion. The fact that game departments state a minimum bullet size (40 cal)and a minimum load (50g of BP) is an attempt to put a floor on MLer shooting, howeverI hope you notice that there is no "max powder limit" or "max bullet size" or"max speed" for MLers, the Bad Bull MLer is an example of a gun that exceeds most commoninline limits. Isitunethical to shoot a Bad Bull 300 yards? I don't think sowhen the gun was designed for that range. So bottom line, just like archery know how far you can shoot and always hit in the kill zone, that is your personal limit for you, your gun and your equipment.
Best Wishes on your setting of skill limits, it is important to know our limits.
Chap

BIG.PAUL

Spaniel,
To answer your ? first
#1 Yes I have wounded a deer at less than 150 yards, it was at twenty yards,Because back then,I too thought I knew everything and would not take the advise of an elder hunter when given.
#2 Yes I have hunted small acreage like that, as of right now I hunt a 15 acre piece.
I HAVE hunted the midwest, that is where I grew up. In 30 years I have hunted MN,WI, IA, MI, ND,SD,AK,CO, TX, and OR,. I have hunted fed, state ,public walking and private land....NEVER guided all on a blue collar salary!

Usually the guy crying foul the most, is the guy still commiting the foul. Even though I spent my younger hunting years have to put food in the freezer because at times thats all there was, I'm glad I was taught to have more respect for the hunt than the kill.

gleason.chapman

Were you taught this:

Proverbs 12:10 (Whole Chapter)
A righteous man hath regard for the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

Chap