Example: 650 yard shot at a moose across a lake. The third shot was perfect for line and elevation, only the moose had walked clear of the bullet's path before it got there. Moose took the first step just as the rifle went off, and 2 strides took it off line of impact. It could very well have been hit in the paunch, hind legs or whatever, had it taken only one step.
: I guess I'm already on record here as not liking long range big game shooting.
: .338 Ultra Mag. was used, giving false hope to the guide. The hunter didn't want to try the shot, but the inexperienced guide told him to shoot.
: I had quite a talk with this hunter upon his return to P.G. He felt sick about the whole affair due to the possibility of wounding and worse, losing the moose. Although the guide said he saw the bullet hit the brush where the moose was standing, the hunter wasn't sure he didn't poke the moose. This caused him anxiety most severe.
: I've personally witnessed 'sky shots' at moose, standing there dumbfounded as 'hunter's blasted away at a cow and her calf out in an open field, maybe 1/2 mile away. They said, "aren't you going to shoot?" "H$ll no!" The moose ran from the field, and they piled back into the trucks, saying "guess we missed" -(me) Aren't you going to go look for hair or blood? (them) "No - we missed 'cause they didn't drop".(me) "I saw the cow flinch" - (them) "we just grazed it"
: Now, I realize there are conciencous hunters out there with the skill to make long range shots. I have a very good friend who is one such person - an incredible game shot, who probably has shot more moose & elk past 300 or 400 yards than inside that range. Personally, I prefer to shoot big game inside 150 yards, 100 yards if I can, yet I routinely shoot gophers out to 450 yards to 500 yards with a .22 Hornet and .17AckHornet. So - although I have the skill, I also have a personal limit on range for big game. I prefer to do my huting before squeezing of the shot.
: There are guns available today with the power to do the job at long range. There aren't very many hunters with the capability or morals to go with those guns. Yes, there are some, but not many amonst the owners of such rifles, IMHO, of course.