You're right. Anyone stupid enough to attempt a running two hundred yard shot probably couldn't hit an antelope at fifty yards running ... or standing still.
As always I respect both your experience and the opinions gained from them. The same goes for Mt. Muley.
Of course a standing shot is always preferred. That said, from the many responses to this post, taking shots of animals that are moving sometimes is a valid option, one that I think a hunter should prepare and train for.
Seems like shooting at running coyotes and even wild boar offers hunter's a pass however. I am not sure what or why,,,we choose to value some critters less than others. For the record I have never shot a predator of any kind in my life.
The solid research that has come out Texas just recently about the near total crash in quail populations goes against the belief that it's only about habitat loss. Shooting middle level predators, which eat lower level egg eating predators like raccoons and foxes has been clearly identified as a super factor in the quail population crash
Anyway, back to shooting at moving game
I have probably mentioned this before, but I used to attach a target with little pully wheels to an old fire service telegraph cable still on poles that once went to a fire lookout towers. Where it went down hill that target really got going fast and still so when it hit level ground.
I practiced all three techniques suggested by Jack O'Connor; fast swing, the sustained lead, and the snap shot. Each has merit and is situationally dependent as to it's use.
Where I did get bolder in taking even full out running shots a game was with huge wild boar on barley ranches. We were at war with boar.
Jack O'Connor once said that fast running antelope on level ground were pretty easy once you could adjust for speed/lead.
I have only shot one antelope on the full run. I would not have done that save for it was wounded. Just as I pulled the trigger for a 300 yard shot it stepped forward and the bullet hit it farther back. I tracked it and shot it as described above.
Hitting a bouncing up and down mule deer even up close would be a real challenge,,,that offers a "don't shoot" signal to my brain.
Where I did get a wealth of fast and moving shooting was with wild boar hunting with depredation permits on grain ranches and also in fruit orchards.
That was even a daylight and full moonlight affair, going for doubles or even a triple now and then.
I recall the last time I used a Nosler partition bullet. I never liked how they came apart. I came to think of them as an inaccurate rock that broke in two upon impact.
Anyway, I shot a 300-350 pound boar at 200 yards from a prone position with one. It was hit right in the heart but as I have often found with a heart shot an animal can really run for a bit. Not a problem but this boar was very close to a fence line where recovery was just not possible. The boar was running flat out, full speed and at that time my running shooting skills had gotten pretty honed with boar without wounding any of them, solid kills all, starting with close shots.
So I fired and his kind legs made a huge back kick and that big black Russian boar flipped right over, complete summersault, on his back he crashed with his head going where he came from. He was only 30 yards from the fenceline.
Upon field dressing him i saw that my 30-06 bullet from my old Belgium Browning, ( had it for 51 years now) had completely severed his spine.
My last thought,,,this kind of shooting skill can be best developed with a longterm relationship with one trusted rifle, of course in a caliber that is "enough gun" for when things are real world and not bench rest perfectly controlled.
Thanks for your many contributions.
