Is Long Range Hunting Ethical?

 

The question of how far is too far when it comes to big game hunting has been tossed around a lot in the past decade as technology has made hitting targets beyond 500 yards much easier. These advancements have also spurred state game agencies and conservation groups to ponder how to regulate long range hunting. As can be expected, there is no clear cut answer to regulation or IF it’s even possible. 

I love shooting long distances. Honing my shooting mechanics so I can routinely make first-round hits at distances from 500 to 1500 yards makes me a better shot in the field and turns 300 yard shots into layups under most conditions. That said, my personal effective hunting range doesn’t stretch much past 500 yards. 

My reasoning for this is that a hit is a hit on a steel plate, but the probability of wounding a game animal instead of making a clean, ethical kill when the distance stretches beyond 500 yards skyrockets. 

For example, this time of year I’m at the range a lot; testing new rifles, ammunition and optics for Eastmans’ Multimedia. Last week I ended my range session by stretching the legs on one of my hunting rifles with a 1148 yard shot on a 36”x36” steel plate. There was a steady breeze and it was cool enough that heat waves weren’t much of an issue. I dialed the correct DOPE, settled in and sent a round downrange. I managed to score a first round hit! Pretty cool, but…

The shocking amount of time it took my bullet to make impact at 1148 yards was more than enough for an animal to change position and my bullet to wound instead of kill. I record all my shots beyond 300 yards with a digi-scoping setup so I can examine my hits and misses over and over. When I played the video back it was plain as day that my DOPE and wind call were correct but again, what really stuck out in my mind was how long that bullet took to cover the distance. 

That alone is why I’m not a proponent of long range hunting… there is simply too much at stake. 

Now, I know that my shooting skills aren’t as solid as some of you reading this and your MER (Maximum Effective Range) may be further than mine. However, I can tell you from reading hundreds of story submissions each year that when the distance stretches beyond 40 yards for bowhunting and 400 yards for rifle hunting, the percentage of clean, one-shot harvests drops significantly. 

In my mind long range shooting is best for practice on inanimate objects and hunting should be about getting as close as possible to ensure a clean take of the target animal. 

Can we regulate it? Not likely, but we can and should regulate ourselves. Our big game animals are more valuable than ever and hunting opportunities come too dear for us to take shots on game that are maybes. We must know we can cleanly kill an animal before we take a shot. 

The old saying, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” doesn’t apply to hunting. 

As always I’d love to hear your opinion on this topic.