How Far is Too Far? Wyoming Legislature Mulls Shot Distance Restrictions

[Carl]

A lot of people are shooting beyond their capabilities today. A lot of people shot beyond their capabilities in the past, but the distances were lower numbers.

I think people should be more responsible with the shots they choose to take, and I’m 100% opposed to a government choosing for them.

 

[rogerthat]

I think we can agree effective range and a weapon would be different for everyone but I don’t think that’s the point. The point is when is it not hunting and if we(hunters) don’t show the ability to ethically limit ourselves than who will? Likely the government.

 

[mtmuley]

The point is when is it not hunting and if we(hunters) don’t show the ability to ethically limit ourselves than who will?

And the craze for rifles, optics, and high bc bullets to kill far out there continues. mtmuley

 

[rogerthat]

This is a pretty aweful story from back when I was still learning how to hunt but I guess I will tell it, I was antelope hunting with a buddy who had what he considered at the time a long range gun. Best of the west had just come out roughly, glorifying shooting beyond belief. He had made some really good shots with it out to probably 600 or so. We were antelope hunting and found a buck he decided to shoot. We were able to close the distance to around 400 but he decided he wanted to test the limits of the gun so we decided to sneak back to 800 yards from where he proceeded to gut shoot it on his first shot. He than missed it two more times before we thought we better scurry up closer and get this thing put down for good which we did.

But the critter suffered needlessly in the mean time. It truly was a aweful experience. That was the beginning of the end of the my and his desire to shoot farther distances while hunting. I would like to think this isn’t happening much but I’m sure it is. We were young, dumb and impressionable much like many of the guys I see posting on the internet.

 

[mtmuley]

This is a pretty aweful story from back when I was still learning how to hunt but I guess I will tell it, I was antelope hunting with a buddy who had what he considered at the time a long range gun. Best of the west had just come out roughly, glorifying shooting beyond belief. He had made some really good shots with it out to probably 600 or so. We were antelope hunting and found a buck he decided to shoot. We were able to close the distance to around 400 but he decided he wanted to test the limits of the gun so we decided to sneak back to 800 yards from where he proceeded to gut shoot it on his first shot. He than missed it two more times before we thought we better scurry up closer and get this thing put down for good which we did.

But the critter suffered needlessly in the mean time. It truly was a aweful experience. That was the beginning of the end of the my and his desire to shoot farther distances while hunting. I would like to think this isn’t happening much but I’m sure it is. We were young, dumb and impressionable much like many of the guys I see posting on the internet.

Let me guess. 7mm Magnum. Berger bullet? mtmuley

 

[rogerthat]

Let me guess. 7mm Magnum. Berger bullet? mtmuley

Yup

 

[mtmuley]

Yup

The TV show that started it all. mtmuley

 

[SFC B]

Personally I have a limit of 400m +-. This is NOT based on my shooting ability or my equipment. I shoot quite a bit with work and have been blessed by the lords of discount/freebies to have nicer equipment than I could have hoped for. I will shoot targets out as far as the range I am at allows (1200 so far....looking for that 1 mile shot ) but not animals. To sound close to what was said in a post on the first page.....I feel that if I can't get within a freaking quarter mile of animal it is not his day to feed me. The Gunwerks/BOTW etc dudes out there making money off of glorifying shooting animals in different zip codes make me sick to my stomach. You do you but I find it selfish and without regard for the animals. On a personal note, the worst thing I have seen personally (and proportionally it was not that bad) was a shot CPO took on an antelope in WY several years ago when we were hunting there. We were riding around in a gator trying to spot some goats close enough go after. Saw a group a ways off the road in a bottom with a big patch of willows between us. CPO decides to go after them. I sit in the gator and watch as he gets down into the willows. That whole week wind was howling (steady over 30 with lots of gusts) and this day was no different. We only had doe tags. I hear a shot and try to figure out what he was shooting at. With binos I finally pick out a BUCK limping away I think to myself "FFS" Turns out he tried and 520 + shot at a doe and the wind drift was over 2 feet! We spent several hours finding that buck, putting it down and CPO giving a "mea culpa" to the warden. He got a warning and the warden let the meat go to Cush with no head. If it was me I would have written him a ticket. Plain stupid.

 

[cgasner1]

I just got done shooting the extreme archery challenge or tac in red lodge. The courses had shots at over 100 yards and it had people from 47 states and 4 countries representing in it as I was told. They are proud of the literal pickup truck full of carbon that gets hauled of the mountain from people missing and breaking arrows. It was a fun shoot but things like this kinda normalize a huge issue we have in the hunting community

 

[Doublecluck]

This is a pretty aweful story from back when I was still learning how to hunt but I guess I will tell it, I was antelope hunting with a buddy who had what he considered at the time a long range gun. Best of the west had just come out roughly, glorifying shooting beyond belief. He had made some really good shots with it out to probably 600 or so. We were antelope hunting and found a buck he decided to shoot. We were able to close the distance to around 400 but he decided he wanted to test the limits of the gun so we decided to sneak back to 800 yards from where he proceeded to gut shoot it on his first shot. He than missed it two more times before we thought we better scurry up closer and get this thing put down for good which we did.

But the critter suffered needlessly in the mean time. It truly was a aweful experience. That was the beginning of the end of the my and his desire to shoot farther distances while hunting. I would like to think this isn’t happening much but I’m sure it is. We were young, dumb and impressionable much like many of the guys I see posting on the internet.

That sounds terrible but based on my own observations and experiences if we are going to make laws based on the possibility of wounding the first on the chopping block is archery at all ranges. And it’s not even close, could think of 10 off the top of my head I’ve witnessed or been apart of compared to zero with a rifle. And nearly all were inside 40.

I feel like the “top my long range shot on an animal” trend has subsided and the current is “who can shoot the animal with the smallest cartridge trend” I honestly don’t see many people out there stretching their range to some crazy distance when I’m hunting. 350-400 seems like where most have ended up knowing they will be successful a high percentage of the time. The work to find and stalk in on animals don't make it worth dropping 800 yard bombs when you can easily get within 3-400. The people that matter know that.

 

[mtmuley]

“who can shoot the animal with the smallest cartridge trend”

This is the new rage. What’s next? mtmuley

 

[cgasner1]

This is the new rage. What’s next? mtmuley

With any luck filming and people stop hunting we should really support veganism

 

[Doublecluck]

This is the new rage. What’s next? mtmuley

Box fed semi auto 8” 6.5 creed pistol with integrated Doppler radar ballistic ranging holographic weapon sight?

 

[mtmuley]

Box fed semi auto 8” 6.5 creed pistol with integrated Doppler radar ballistic ranging holographic weapon sight?

What sucks is if this was an option guys would flock to it. mtmuley

 

[BrentD]

Ra ge limitation has nothing to do with wounding rates, sfaiac.

 

[mtmuley]

Ra ge limitation has nothing to do with wounding rates, sfaiac.

So what does? mtmuley

 

[BrentD]

So what does? mtmuley

Yes, it is a fair chase issue. 110%.

I thought that is that was clearly the point from the beginning. And so it should be.

IMO, wounding rates are only indirectly connected to range, and that is another discussion for another thread.

 

[Bighorner]

Well said

 

[mtmuley]

Yes, it is a fair chase issue. 110%.

I thought that is that was clearly the point from the beginning. And so it should be.

IMO, wounding rates are only indirectly connected to range, and that is another discussion for another thread.

Pointless. No way to track it. No way to stop it. mtmuley

 

[manitou1]

Do they REALLY want to reduce over kill and increase herd numbers?

QUIT OVER SELLING TAGS!!!

That would have the greatest impact.