Developing a ELR hunting area.

[yobuck]

good long range hunting locations are to a large degree created. and the off season is the time to do that. some (pruning) if necessary and a level spot to set up on are essential for accurate long shots.

virtually all pa long rangers are bench shooters. many of us shoot from our knees off small portable benches. we sometimes stash small benches at remote locations we use frequently. they remain there from year to year. theres no doubt most of us shoot better from a bench. follow up shots will also be faster and more accurate.

as mentioned marked photos or some type of note system works very well for ranges. sometimes there just isnt enough time to get ranges. familiarity with ranges can be the key to success at times like that. the oppurtunity could be gone by the time you even find it in your rangefinder. especially with an elevated heart beat.

painted 5 gallon buckets with tight fitting lids will hold a few short pc. of 2x6 and sand bags. they will stay in good shape for years. weve been known to leave ammo in them also for the season. i know guys who have an old coffee pot at every location they hunt. some go so far as to burry a large pc of pvc pipe so they can stash their heavy rifle overnight.

as with most things in life success usually involves more than luck.
sometimes even more than luck and good shooting skills.

[shepardsonp]

Very similar story here! For years I was one of those 300 yard shooters and woudld sit on the canyon rim watch the shooters all the way across on the other side. After 17 years of trying to put the "sneak" on them and having less than good luck at getting close enough i decided to "re-tool" and come at it a different way. I was surfing YouTube and saw Shawn Carlock's 1,602 yard practice shot on a 12" disk. After that, i was on a mission and thousands of dollars later I am now quite confident out past 1,000.

The best money i have ever spent was a basic and advanced LR Class taught by Shawn and Bob Carlock at Defensive Edge. I have been back every year since to take their Advanced Course just to keep the "Edge". I see a trip to Rathdrum, ID again next year as soon as the dates are posted.

[royinidaho]

Here's some stuff regarding development of my Hide #1 spot. Ranges can be from 500 to a bit over 1400. Have developed/shot to the 1177 mark thus far. Odds are that the "opportunity will come @ around 650 or a bit over 1k. Maybe this year, the elk will favor me as this is my closest hide. #2 is only moderate distance, #3 is a right fur piece!

Shooting the 270 Allen Magnum. 169.5 Richard Graves Wildcat RBBTs. Chrony says 3400 but Shooter says 3075 FPS MV and bc of 0.7. (I'd really like to know why I can't match chrono vel w/Shooter vel! Have never been able to do that with any of my rifles and bullets.

Here's a range chart of drop validation distances.



The Leica 1600 has no problem ranging any distance up to 1800+ yards at this spot. Early morning and late evening are best. That's when the range chart is updated.

Wind is a bear. I was concentrating, this day, on who knows what, that I neglected to notice the severe wind difference from where I was to over on the other side. That is, until I got home and reviewed the vids on the computer, then it was the first thing I noticed. This fella is gonna have to score a bit more field experience.


200 yd zero:




First distance: 669 yds

Hit was a bit to the right of the white spot on the rock. Wind kicked my butt big time on this one.


Second distance: 980 yds.

Again wind call was wrong.


Third distance: 1177 yds. Seem to have done a better job on windage.

POI is the little white spot in the lower right quadrant of the shadow.


Went up there this morning and validated drops again. This time with someone else doing the shooting.

Less than a month and it's for real. The elk are bugling back behind the house. Why don't I just go there and shoot one?

[jmden]

What a great spot, Roy! Good luck this fall! Jon

[joe0121]

Originally Posted by yobuck

good long range hunting locations are to a large degree created. and the off season is the time to do that. some (pruning) if necessary and a level spot to set up on are essential for accurate long shots.

virtually all pa long rangers are bench shooters. many of us shoot from our knees off small portable benches. we sometimes stash small benches at remote locations we use frequently. they remain there from year to year. theres no doubt most of us shoot better from a bench. follow up shots will also be faster and more accurate.

as mentioned marked photos or some type of note system works very well for ranges. sometimes there just isnt enough time to get ranges. familiarity with ranges can be the key to success at times like that. the oppurtunity could be gone by the time you even find it in your rangefinder. especially with an elevated heart beat.

painted 5 gallon buckets with tight fitting lids will hold a few short pc. of 2x6 and sand bags. they will stay in good shape for years. weve been known to leave ammo in them also for the season. i know guys who have an old coffee pot at every location they hunt. some go so far as to burry a large pc of pvc pipe so they can stash their heavy rifle overnight.

as with most things in life success usually involves more than luck.
sometimes even more than luck and good shooting skills.

I don't understand why more hunters don't use Range cards like I used in Machine Gun Positions. They are easily adapted to long range hunting. Snipers use them to do the same basic task just we have four legged prey and not 2 legged prey. I am working on a format that prints on 11x17 Papers to put in a tree stand.

Mext week I will be making one for my Father in Law for Deer season.