Tristate
Long Time Member
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Since there is a lot of speak on here lately I thought I would share the only three experiences I have with "long range" shooters.
Experience 1:
Mule deer hunt in New Mexico. One of the other hunters had purchased what he referred to as a "no stalk weapon" package from a well known supplier. He located a good buck, measured windage and range. He then did some type of calculations on a telephone and set up for the shot. The range was about 700 meters. He missed the target by close to eight feet. I will admit that I do not believe he practiced religiously with the weapon before going on the hunt. I think that practiced shooters would do better than he did. How much better I am unsure. Thankfully the deer was not wounded and lost.
Experience 2:
The outfitter that I guide antelope hunts for sold a pair of spots to two men which were investors/ part owners of a weapons company which specialize in "long range" weapon systems. I was not assigned to guide them but my friend was. We split up in the morning. That evening back at the skinning pole my friend returned with a perplexed and depressed expression on his face. He had located a good buck for the first shooter. The range was slightly over 300 meters. The shooter stated he wanted to back away from the lope to a range over 600 meters to shoot. My friend finally obliged him. The antelope was shot through the guts and never recovered. My friend learned a valuable lesson also that day. The customer is not always right.
Experience 3:
Guiding an antelope hunt I was paired with a couple of "long range" shooters. One is part owner of a well known "long range" weapon manufacturer. The other person was his friend and an enthusiast. I was assessing a buck that was about 1200 meters in one direction. One of the men noticed 2 coyotes eating grasshoppers about 120 degrees another direction. They asked if they could take a poke at them. I determined the buck was not going to make the hit list and told them to go ahead. They ranged the pair of dogs at around 900 meters. They took turns shooting and shot probably around 25 rounds between the two of them since the coyotes literally had no idea what was going on. Since I already had a scope set up I got to watch the show. Sometimes they would miss by a couple of inches and then the very next shot be five feet off.Finally the coyotes had enough and began to trot. Since they couldn't tell where the noises had come from they were trotting right at us. With one of the coyotes within 200 meters the expert blew it's left front leg off between the wrist and the elbow. Later when we located an antelope for him to shoot at he was offended when I stated I was going to get him in closer than 200 meters. I did and he killed the antelope, and I doubt I will ever here from him again.
Experience 1:
Mule deer hunt in New Mexico. One of the other hunters had purchased what he referred to as a "no stalk weapon" package from a well known supplier. He located a good buck, measured windage and range. He then did some type of calculations on a telephone and set up for the shot. The range was about 700 meters. He missed the target by close to eight feet. I will admit that I do not believe he practiced religiously with the weapon before going on the hunt. I think that practiced shooters would do better than he did. How much better I am unsure. Thankfully the deer was not wounded and lost.
Experience 2:
The outfitter that I guide antelope hunts for sold a pair of spots to two men which were investors/ part owners of a weapons company which specialize in "long range" weapon systems. I was not assigned to guide them but my friend was. We split up in the morning. That evening back at the skinning pole my friend returned with a perplexed and depressed expression on his face. He had located a good buck for the first shooter. The range was slightly over 300 meters. The shooter stated he wanted to back away from the lope to a range over 600 meters to shoot. My friend finally obliged him. The antelope was shot through the guts and never recovered. My friend learned a valuable lesson also that day. The customer is not always right.
Experience 3:
Guiding an antelope hunt I was paired with a couple of "long range" shooters. One is part owner of a well known "long range" weapon manufacturer. The other person was his friend and an enthusiast. I was assessing a buck that was about 1200 meters in one direction. One of the men noticed 2 coyotes eating grasshoppers about 120 degrees another direction. They asked if they could take a poke at them. I determined the buck was not going to make the hit list and told them to go ahead. They ranged the pair of dogs at around 900 meters. They took turns shooting and shot probably around 25 rounds between the two of them since the coyotes literally had no idea what was going on. Since I already had a scope set up I got to watch the show. Sometimes they would miss by a couple of inches and then the very next shot be five feet off.Finally the coyotes had enough and began to trot. Since they couldn't tell where the noises had come from they were trotting right at us. With one of the coyotes within 200 meters the expert blew it's left front leg off between the wrist and the elbow. Later when we located an antelope for him to shoot at he was offended when I stated I was going to get him in closer than 200 meters. I did and he killed the antelope, and I doubt I will ever here from him again.
