Slymule, my partner, XPHunter + i just joined this site also. We are backpack single shot pistol hunters (for portability). We have hunted the same spot close to Bayfield for about 10 yrs. now and have graduated from the factory rigs to benchrest-type pistols chambered in big cartridges (mine's a 6.5-284 Win, and my partner shoots a .284 Win., + 7.82 Patriot). We have been spot and stalk hunters for years now. Not many guys get into the spots we hunt, and our glassing experience has taught us to look into north and west facing slopes for bedded animals, which is where we get some action during midday. One spot we hunt is a knife ridge that drops into a shallow canyon and rises again to a steep, sparsely-treed north facing slope. There are always (almost) elk on this slope (a travel route that takes them from 1 basin to another), and it's about 5-700 yds. across. We have been into this long-range stuff for several years now, and i think our practice and techniques will allow us to reach across that canyon with our XP's to take some of these animals in good conditions. Of course the big question is going to be bullet performance, and we are researching different bullets to find a controlled expansion bullet that will expand well at these lower impact velocities. My partner is getting around 3000 with various 150 gr. bullets, and i'm obtaining 2900 with 129's. Unfortunately shooting from prone causes eye relief problems with the 3-12X Burris LER's we're using. But i think we can work around this with custom bases, or maybe rear grip stocks, possibly longer eye relief rifle scopes (though i doubt that's going to work on his Patriot). I guess we'll see, but we're motivated and resourceful so i think we'll find a way. Any ideas?