Light and fast or slow and heavy

[Squeeze]

I think if you threw a marble at me at 110, it would hurt less than a 80 mph baseball.... :lol:

Ive been shot with paintballs at ~300 fps, it stings a bit, but an 80 mph (117.333 fps)baseball would hurt. ( i know, way more weight variance)

Actually I like and use both ways, either works for me. (bullets)

 

[bestill]

Its all about conditions and knowing your rifle.
As bob stated elevation is easy part with quality range finder and proper gun setup and scope with turrets.

I setup for late season on very long standing bean field which i place wind flags down middle of field in early November and a shooting house with my bench and rest that i practice with all year.
If conditions are right i have no problem cleanly dispatching game at 400 plus.

Key word conditions are rite.

I practice alot from this shack for one shot kills.

You have to know your equipment your abilities.
Its not for everyone. Im 47 yrs old and never took a shot over 200 yds on game until last few years so basically 30 yrs of hunting and shooting to feel comfortable.

 

[Muley Hunter]

I think if you threw a marble at me at 110, it would hurt less than a 80 mph baseball.... :lol:

Ive been shot with paintballs at ~300 fps, it stings a bit, but an 80 mph (117.333 fps)baseball would hurt. ( i know, way more weight variance)

Actually I like and use both ways, either works for me. (bullets)

How about a marble at 1000mph? That's 1500fps.

 

[sabotloader]

If the animal has time to take a step before the bullet can get there. You shouldn't be taking that shot whether you take it fast or slow. You need a faster bullet. Which probably means a CF gun.

Sorry Pete - totally disagree... All that is really dependent on your shooting abilities. If I waited for every elk I have shot to pose for me - I would have far less animals in the locker. You need to know your abilities. I have shot a lot of moving targets in my lifetime and continue to do so today.

So have I. I'm not talking about a moving animal. I'm talking about the shot being so long that the animal moves after you fire. We're talking about 500yds. Have you taken any 500 yd moving animal shots with a muzzleloader?

NO

 

[sabotloader]

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!! Long Range Shooting should be designated to Targets ONLY, NOT Big Game. I do a fair amount of Long Range shooting with my old Sidelock Muzzleloaders, fast twist barrels, and Open sights (out to 600 Yards so far) and i do quite well at it :yeah: It is lots of fun to do! But Targets are where that kind of shooting needs to stay. I have a 1:18 Twist Barrel in a Renegade Stock that i plan to push out to 800-1,000 Yards soon, Practical? No! But DEFINITELY fun to do!! Practicing Long Range really helps to Hone your Gun skills, Breathing, squeezing the shot, etc. I am in the same camp with Idahoron, he likes to practice 300 Yards with his Hotrod 45 Hawken, By doing so and becoming efficient at 300, it Makes 100-200 yards a Chip Shot

I do far less 'Long Range' range shooting that you - mostly becuse I do do have real adequate place to do it. My max ML range is 200+ but evem at that range so many things have to be evaluated - well at least evaluated by me others can just pop up and take that shot.

Nothing wrong with that!! 200 yards with a Muzzleloader is a long shot plain n simple! ESPECIALLY if you shoot open sights like myself, and many others, Every Muzzleloader i own is setup with Peep Sights, They are the closest thing i can get to a Scope and be Legal here in Idaho on a Muzzleloader only hunt. There is a part of me that would LOVE to own that .45 Cal Mountaineer you have in the Classifieds! I would Scope that guy with the best i could afford, I have a LARGE array of bullets to take that Mountaineer out really LOOOONG :yeah: Since i shoot so much open/peep sights i stay FAR away from My Scoped Centerfires, I could easily become dependent on the scope, and it would be TOUGH on me to transition back to my open/peep sights

I hunt the regular deer season with a scoped ML - I do not hunt with a rifle any longer at all. Then revert to peep sight durning late season ML deer and elk hunting...

Deer hunting - regular season or even the Greenfield elk season

Late season ML or Elk

And whomever brought up 'range finder' very nice tool... In fact the scope on the first ML has a built in 600 yard range finder...

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

When I previously posted that I did not advocate taking that long of a shot . I was talking about 500 yards and I'm talking about the average hunter . I personally think 200 yards is a very long shot for the average hunter .

Although I have only shot 1 deer beyond 200 yards I have never practised long range shooting like I have at the present time . Like Jeff previously posted . At known distances with the right conditions I would not be afraid to take a 300 yard plus shot . But we practise long range all the time . The average hunter should know their limits .

 

[ENCORE50A]

.......... I could easily become dependent on the scope, and it would be TOUGH on me to transition back to my open/peep sights

Wait until you get my age :lol: Open sights after 6 eye surgeries isn't much of an option for me anymore. I know there are clarifiers and such, but I've been shooting through scopes for so long, its second nature now.

 

[1874sharpsshooter]

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!! Long Range Shooting should be designated to Targets ONLY, NOT Big Game.

Don’t do it then , me , I have no problem with taking a long shot at an animal as well as at a target .As matter of fact when hunting the animal is my target , a better tasting one at that

 

[Muley Hunter]

How's your success rate at 500yds?

 

[Idaholewis]

I can definitely do it, i just choose not to, to many things can go wrong at extreme long range. You show me someone that has NEVER botched up an Ultra Long range shot on an animal and lost it, and I’ll show you someone that is FULL of $HIT!


Here is my little 1:30 Twist Hawken at a ranged 505 Yards, Paper Patched BACO .444-400 bullets, 3 shots in 7 inches. Target is right at 4 foot square.

 

[SEMAHunter]

We're never too old. I'm 75 and still going strong. Come on out!

Muley Hunter,
In 3 weeks I will be joining you at 75. Something to think about!

 

[SEMAHunter]

I too still hunt in northern Maine, and you and most of us hunt alike. The new cutting practices are growing in the old clear cuts to mixed growth, which is good overall I think. With the 'Bucks only' rules now, that 3 seconds to ID and shoot is tough. Miss the old 'brown it's down' days.
I hunt the northern Moosehead region. Where do you and your brother go?

bacass,
We hunt around Eustis. The hunting there took a major downturn about there about 8 years ago. There were several real bad winters with major winter kill. They also put up 43 windmills on a couple of the mountains there. Before the windmills they clearcut the whole area which made the winter kill problem worst. But my brother and I love it there so we continue to go there.
About 20 years ago we hunted around the Moosehead area. We hunted near Indian Pond and several other areas.

Usually if its a decent buck the first thing you see are the antlers. It doesn't take long to make the shot.

 

[sabotloader]

Muley Hunter,
In 3 weeks I will be joining you at 75. Something to think about!

Right behind you - 74 going on 75 and it coming way to fast - sort of like a streamliner!

 

[ENCORE50A]

I can definitely do it, i just choose not to, to many things can go wrong at extreme long range. You show me someone that has NEVER botched up an Ultra Long range shot on an animal and lost it, and I’ll show you someone that is FULL of $HIT!

The truth be known, there have been more lost animals with shots taken at ranges of less than 100yds, than there ever will be at long range, or ultra long range. And it will continue to happen unfortunately. The problems are always related to the shooter and them not understanding their capabilities, understanding the conditions and their lack of confidence. Every year, if you read the different posts on all the forums, or social media posts, hunters complain about poor bullet function and such, with statements such as, "I made the PERFECT SHOT at 125yds and we tracked that deer over 800yds before we lost the track and never recovered the deer". Really? :huh?: The perfect shot?

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

I absolutley love to hear you older gentlemen out and hunting . I'm in my 50s and hope to do the same in my 70s . You guys are a inspiration . We all have a lot to learn from your expierences.

Encore50 . I completely agree with you . Most longer shots are taken by experienced hunters that know their limits and practise. . You once quoted that a deer can be killed by a Marble with good shot placement . Your point was that shot placement is more important than bullet design although bullet design is also important. Which you have also stated . I quit counting how many deer I have shot after a couple hundred . Although this year I learned a very simple fact that I never even thought about . With a rifle I normally would center the deer behind the shoulder . My thought was . The deer cannot jump a bullet . This shot placement gives me more forgiveness up or down . The problem with this shot even with a pass through (which I almost always get) is that some times the chest cavity fills and your blood trail can be thin . I have never lost a deer with this shot but some tracks have been tuff . Encore50 along with others have stated to place your shot lower . As to get a better blood trail because it takes less time to fill the chest cavity to the entrance and exit hole DUHHHH I never even really thought about this !

My point to all this rambling . You older gentlemen are a true inspiration ! We all can learn from your experiences. Thanks guys and keep hunting and shooting.

 

[Muley Hunter]

Muley Hunter,
In 3 weeks I will be joining you at 75. Something to think about!

Right behind you - 74 going on 75 and it coming way to fast - sort of like a streamliner!

I didn't know we were close to the same age? You old fart! artyman:

 

[sabotloader]

Muley Hunter,
In 3 weeks I will be joining you at 75. Something to think about!

Right behind you - 74 going on 75 and it coming way to fast - sort of like a streamliner!

I didn't know we were close to the same age? You old fart! artyman:

Hey! hang on I am younger than you!

 

[Muley Hunter]

True..... ..............but that makes me wiser.