When isnt it hunting anymore ?

[stanimals2]

I read an interesting article in one of my hunting mags this month that claimed that with all the long range shooting going on its not hunting anymore its simply sniping. The author claimed that show like Best of the West, (which by the way I love) are causing hunters to take shots beyond their ability and beyond the range of their eq. to make clean kills. He says we no longer practice good hunting skills like stalking and stealth to enter into a closeness with the prey. While I found his article to be interesting I long for a chance to bust any big game at long range. I have grown tired of bow hunting and being limited to 200yd shoots with a muzzle loader. See here in Ohio we can only use rifles for varmits so we cant experience the rush of a long range perfectly placed shot. So I am going to ask and cant wait to hear the responses here. What do you think ? is it hunting or sniping ? Who cares ?

Shoot straight

Stan

 

[Len Backus]

Who cares ?

Yes, it is a totally academic question of interest only to those who don't want to do it...but who do want to tell the rest of us how to get enjoyment out of life.

That's like prehistoric man saying that using a (very crude) bow and arrow is not hunting...only getting close enough to use a spear deserves to be called hunting.

 

[sniperjwt]

Well this is just my thoughts but the answer is BOTH. It is hunting and sniping. First you have to hunt to locate the animal of choice until you find one worthy of being shot at. Once finding an animal you are no longer hunting because you found it. This is when you turn in to sniper and do what is necessary to make the shot no matter if it is 50 yards or 1000 yards. The only thing different is the person shooting 1000 yards must have a close relationship with his rifle and know everything about it. The person shooting 50 yards just needs to know how to point and pull. If you know your rifle then when you are taking that long shot its not if your going to hit it its where will i hit it at. I feel just as confident taking a 500 yard shot as i do a 100 yard shot because i know where it will hit on both. I think there are still a few closed minded individuals out there that dont like the sport of long range hunting and its surly not for everybody but i dont go around putting people down because they only shoot at deer inside 100 yards. To each his own. And to the arguement that they have about people just going out wounding deer trying to shoot long range. There are way way more deer wounded every year at the hands of a bowhunter than the long range shooter. Does that mean we should do away with bowhunting ( i sure hope not i love to bowhunt ) no we deal with it because it is a challenging sport. ok i am done going off now.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I believe the different strategies for hunting, are just that. Getting close enough to harvest an animal with bow, is nothing short of fantastic. Spending the time to perfect my equipment and shooting ability to take an antelope at 760yrds, awesome.

My opinion, it is all about the hunt, not the kill. If it is about the kill, then I hope it is because you need the meat. Anything else and I think you need to rethink why you hunt. If it is just to make things dead, stay home and smash ants in the driveway.

Steve

 

[cinch]

You could argue that sitting in a tree stand next to a timed, automated feeder and shooting deer at 40-50 yards is not really hunting either.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

You could argue that sitting in a tree stand next to a timed, automated feeder and shooting deer at 40-50 yards is not really hunting either.

You could, but I won't. Hunting is hunting, and we all need to stick together. Now more than ever. I don't care if you want to drop spears out of trees, I want you to be able to do that as much as I want to hunt my way.

Steve

 

[longrangefreek]

I always wonder why people in life act in this manor. we all like to hunt and we all have an equal right to how we choose to hunt. Dodge, Chevy, Ford. there is always debate on what is best, but yet we all drive. some bow hunters even argue on whether it is right to use compound bows with all of the goodies on it or just using the plane old long bow. I love dodge trucks, compound bows. and longrange shooting and hunting. What does that say for me? Well I like trucks, I like bow shooting and I like guns, I guess you could call me an outdoorsman. I don't know how many times this year alone people I know wounded animals with a bow and arrow. it was awful. the problem was the lack of preperation and the inability to choose proper shots and distances. the problem is everywhere in every aspect of hunting, if you don't prepare you won't succeed whether you shoot short range or long range the outcome is the same. if you prepare to the best of your ability and use top notch gear, and common sence,well good things happen. I call it sniping and hunting and I love every bit of it. one thing is equal about every single one of us that hunt. We are outdoorsman and hunters and we should support our hunting community no matter what style of hunting is done. We need to worry more on who in this nation is trying to take our hunting privilages away and fight to the end rather than dog each other verbally and through magazine articles about our choices for hunting. there are bigger fish in the lake to fight with right now. lets make sure we fight the good fight.

 

[MachV]

When isnt it hunting anymore ?
When you sit in front of the TV or BSing down at the local gun store instead of getting out there and spend time trying to fill tags!
Wasted time arguing about what the best way to hunt is, do what works for ya! The main thing is to get-r-done and have fun doing it

 

[Coyboy]

It is all hunting, regardless of range. When I go on a hunting trip I am preparred to take a short or a long shot to harvest the animal I have a tag for.

If I come home empty handed I don't tell the neighbors I was on a sniping trip.

The association of our sport with sniping rifles is one we should not foster. It's just like the use of the word "weapon" for a hunting rifle, I don't call a fork a weapon even though it can be used as one.

 

[Chas1]

Maybe the author just ain't got what it takes to kill effectively at longrange...I don't know. But, I do know this I don't like these threads as in fosters infighting and the left loves that...concentrate the fight on them. ****.

 

[Rimfire]

"When isnt it hunting anymore?"

When the thrill is gone. Hunt smart whether it is close or long, **** can go wrong either way.

 

[ATH]

I fail to see how sitting in a heated blind and shooting a deer with a gun shot 2-3 times all year at 40 yards is more "hunting" than packing my butt 8 miles back into the wilderness through a foot of snow carrying everything on my back over 2000 ft elevation changes and shooting one at 550 yards with a rifle I ran 100+ rounds of ammo through over the year to prepare for that one shot.

Those outside LRH don't understand the preparation required. I'll leave it at that to keep Len in the holiday mood

 

[Len Backus]

To keep Len happy let's stay away from ethics discussions, please.

 

[bigbuck]

To me their is nothing more enjoyable than setting up for a long range shot and have it to work out . I guess my favorite would be sniping something about the sniping scenario makes me warm and fuzzy on the inside. In the end anyway I can bag a trophy is hunting to me as long as it's legal!

Bigbuck