To Shoot or Not

[Greeny]

I saw this in Field & Stream a couple of eyars ago, and someone asked me this question the other day.

The question is too long to put in the poll itself, so I'll ask it here and put an abbreviated version for the poll.

If you are deer hunting and you see the buck of a lifetime, that you know will smash the existing record, sitting at 500 yards (or past where you know you can cleanly make the shot) what do you do?

[Greeny]

I asked a friend this question today - he's been hunting deer long before I was born, and his answer surprised me. It was nothing short of "You'd better believe I'd take that shot!" Not the answer I was expecting from him.

[WC's feather duster]

First of all, unless you really had good optics, I dont think you could really tell how big of a "beast" it would be at 500 yds. It would look like a brown dot with some horns.

[Greeny]

Originally posted by feather duster:
First of all, unless you really had good optics, I dont think you could really tell how big of a "beast" it would be at 500 yds. It would look like a brown dot with some horns.

Yes, I agree, as far as my optics are concerned, between the binoculars and the scope, I'd be able to see it, and as far as my friend goes, his scope is more than capable of seeing at that distance.

However, yes, if the distance is a major factor, take it down to 400 yards or even 350, just past the point where you KNOW you're accurate.

[WC's feather duster]

I personally would take a crack.... I've been lucky (or good) at long shots with anything though. It also depends if I was in a fence or not, you need to add that to the survey

I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me.

[Idlewild]

Originally posted by feather duster:
I personally would take a crack.... I've been lucky (or good) at long shots with anything though. It also depends if I was in a fence or not, you need to add that to the survey

I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me.

Taking that long of a shot and hoping you are "lucky" enough to bag the animal is hardly a good excuse to try it. In fact, it's a very poor one. Also, why would it matter if it was fenced or not?....other than why would you be in a fence to begin with?

[WC's feather duster]

If I can see how many horns he has, he is close enough to shoot.

As for being in the fence, I would get a couple of buddies to help me pin him up against the fence where I could shoot him "jimmy houston" style. Maybe if I got close enough I would just hit him in the head with a hammer or something to that effect.

[DUCK MASTER]

Some people seem to amaze me.

[Jimmyfly]

Take a shot at his ass.....We've got way too many friggin deer around here anyway

[Green Heads Only]

If he and I could hold perfectly still, my magnum would take care of business.

[Turd Ferguson]

My ass would be set up and waiting the next day-and the day after then the week after ... then the season would be out or I would find out it was a prank by one of my buddies-- I dont think a 500 yard clean kill shot is in my horoscope--yall act like you cant hunt the next day or that hes gonna call a cab and leave hell he aint seen no pressure on my propertyso I think he will be here tomorrow -besides my adrenaline would be pounding so hard I wouldnt be able to make a 80 yard shot--besides he will be even bigger next year and hes spreading some great "jeans" genes--a deer that size aint fittin' for freezer meat! Be like skybustin' some pintails only to push em higher and further away.

[2thDoc]

[img]graemlins/iagree.gif[/img]

if you don't shoot, you know he will be alive tomorrow. If you shoot and wound him, you will never know what happened to him unless you find his decomposed body.

[Scott Dickert]

put the 450 pin at the top of his back and release. I shot one last year at 256 yards with the new quickspins. here is my pic

[Turd Ferguson]

Originally posted by Scott Dickert:
put the 450 pin at the top of his back and release. I shot one last year at 256 yards with the new quickspins.ith-18.JPG[/IMG]

and you feel competent shooting the next one (albeit a world record) at twice this distance??? You got a 875 yard pin?

OK- you'da man

[Green Heads Only]

Yea, but try that with crosswind using a recurve with no pins if you really think you are da man.

[Duckman#1]

Why not just run him down and stab him with your knife? P***Y !

[riddleofsteel]

"or past where you know you can cleanly make the shot"

key phrase

different distances for different rifles and hunters

question is of ethics, not skill

I have and will pass such shots, coyotes have enough to eat.

[SwampDunkey]

SHoot it. US Marines Train almost everyday to Make a shot at 500 yards. It can be done and CAN be done with iron sights do it... If you gonna be a BEar be a Grizzly!!!!!!!