This evening I had an opportunity to take a 450 yd shot at a doe. Before I tell you anything about the set up and situation, is this an ethical shot? Btw, I did not take the shot but not for the reasons you may think. This is my view and the doe came out on the farthest tree line on the right.
Before I let someone hunt on my property or property I manage, I ask two things. That they use fall restraint. And that they demonstrate marksmanship from the position that they will be using. Usually that means a ladder stand, or from a chair using a bipod. In scrub brush, that meant offhand.
I used to be surprised at the number of grown men who had never used fall restraint, and the number of men who resisted using it. I took that as an opportunity to educate. But some would not listen. So they were invited back to dinner instead.
Newsflash. We don't carry 18 lbs guns in the field and we don't often shoot off a bench when hunting.
I have a 165 yard range. At that range, I have the top section of a ladder stand positioned on a tree. I use a piece of paper as a target. It is 8.5x11, positioned horizontally. This is a very close approximation of a white tail kill zone. We shoot from the ladder stand, the stool with a bipod, off hand.
Talk is cheap. There is nothing more truthful than bullet holes in a target.
Let us stipulate that ranging is perfect and the dope is perfect, no wind. Those are very generous stipulations. In this case, we would have to confirm that the shooter could use his hunting rifle, with hunting ammunition, from a field rest, and hit 2x2 inch target at 100 yds. Is this possible. Sure. But having worked with a lot of shooters, there are very, very few that can do this on demand.
