Hunter vs. Shooter

[Browning_68]

Both,
I really like testing my limits with my trusty little .223, and I plan to custom rebuild my grandfathers hand down '06. On the other hand I find no better satisfaction then beating an animal at its senses with my .50. Getting close is what I feel hunting is about. Long or short range both take they're own set of skills, to each they're own.

If you can't hit what you're shooting at, might as well pick up knitting.

 

[vern faulkner]

I'm a shooter because I believe that it makes me a better hunter.

Vern

 

[shmrck1]

I have owned a Rem700BDL in 22-250cal in the past for groundhogs.To be honest I don't remember
what it was scoped with,but to 500yds it was effective.My longest was a 480yd head shot on a ground pig. At that time I was more proud of my
rifle,cal. and scope than my shooting ability.
That was 40+ years ago.Went B/P on deer some years ago.To prove to myself I could outsmart a deer.
As of today the deer may be a couple % ahead,but not by much.

.

 

[courdebois]

I hear ya,over the years at hunting camps i,m bombarded by long range hunting stories,till one year when it come to my turn at tall tails,rifle an muzzle hunting were about 15 to 20 yds average,the longest shot i made that year was with a bow at bout 25yds, i try every year to do the same,with my yeager(58 cal.)i,ve shot deer from 5yds to 50 yds an have never lost a deer because i wanted to try a 100yd neck shot for bragging rites, get up close an wack em hard,if you hunt bigger game get a bigger flintlock ,save the long range shooting for paper targets

 

[Birdman]

US maybe I'm a bit different then some, but to me takeing game at distances of 2 or 3 hundred yards and beyond is not hunting its just killing. Granted it fills the freezer n hold no grudge against those that do that but to me its more my knowledge against the animals instincts and boy am I at a disadvantage there LOL. I want to try n get close enough to see the wet on its nose or hear it fart so to speak. If I can do even close to that then I HUNTED that animal. I've seen guys shoot at hundreds of yards at animals n the animals have no clue to whats going on, now those shots are of course a challenge to the shooter but again to me thats just going out n killing something, trying to get real close is a bigger challange to me. Also passing up a sure shot on something just because its just to damn beautiful to take , to me spells true hunter. -just some thoughts YMHS Birdman

 

[Kapow]

I wonder if it were not for wars and mans needs/desires to kill one another would we have progressed any further than black powder muzzleloading arms? Surely it has been warfare driving the advancement in small arms.

Muzzleloaders are more than adequate as hunting tools except in areas which have been depleted in game from centrefire rifles.

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

X2 Rev Williams

 

[hoochiepapa]

I, too, used to crave the long shots, I built custom rifles and used them during the summer to "red mist" some prairie dogs. I would work up loads, spending lots of time and money on the components, my buddy and I would load all week and shoot all weekend. It was a thrill to see the 'dogs flip at 3 or 400 yards, with a deer or elk rifle. I would still do that if I had the time, but now I want the challenge. What challenge is there to sit cross-legged like snowdragon says, and drop a deer or elk at long range? Yes, it takes marksmanship, but walking into a bull's "house" and smoking him from 50 yards is more of a thrill to me. I changed who I was to learn to "hunt", and I'm glad I did.

 

[WyomingWhitetail]

To me it depends on the reason for hunting. I'm only 21 but have meat hunted for elk most of my life until recently. Growing up beef and pork were luxury meats only bought for special occasions in my house. If my dad, my brother, and I were unsuccessful at killing an elk it placed a large strain on the family. Due to this we hunted with modern rifle (although not big honking mags)dad hunted with a .308, brother hunted with a 6mm, and i hunted with a.270 or a 25-06. We normally shot the first elk we saw and would stretch the range to 200-300 yards if needed although it normally wasn't. Whitetail on the other hand was a different story. We trophy hunted for those and would typically hunt till the very last day of buck season searching for the elusive monster buck and then if we never found it we would shoot a doe. We used a wide variety of weapons for deer hunting including modern rifles and traditional archery equipment.

All of this being said now that situations have changed the necessity of filling a tag is not there anymore for me. That's why im thinking of taking my dads .54 hawken on a high country horseback mule deer hunt this fall. I feel i can experience the full greatness of hunting by using primitive equipment and having to work at it. I also come from a long line of traditional bowhunters though so that probably has something to do with the desire to hunt with primitive equipment.