500 Yrds?

[KandM]

My wife and I have been really lucky and have drawn a late season bull tag in central Arizona. We are excited to get out there and scout and find a nice bull for her to shoot. We have spoken to alot of people, and we seem to hear many of the same things from most. I have read that 500+ yards is something to practice at, and 600+ is not uncommon. A friend mentioned that they took four shots at an elk that they did harvest, at over 750 yards. Are we just hearing stories?
I am a good shot with a rifle, my wife even better, but if the consensus is that we will need to prepare for 500+ yard shots, I think this may be our last late season elk hunt. I have zero issue with a 300 yard shot, and the lethality of the 308 we will use, but, that doesn't extend to 500 yards.
Just curious if those long shots are the norm, or the exception.

Thanks for reading, any responses will be appreciated.

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

500 yards is common up here in Montana !
You might need a bigger gun or put the Sneek on them Big Boys !

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Simple solution to your problem KandM is to get within your 300 yard comfort zone to fill your tag or eat it. You'll still have a ton of fun even if you don't pull the trigger on your hunt.

 

[noharleyyet]

Get a “500 yard rifle” and practice.

 

[SFC B]

Simple solution to your problem KandM is to get within your 300 yard comfort zone to fill your tag or eat it. You'll still have a ton of fun even if you don't pull the trigger on your hunt.

^^^^This....everyone has a limit and for me it is 400m. Past that, no matter what the ballistics of the weapon, that turns into just shooting for me. Again, this is a personal thing but if you have any hesitation find a way to close the distance.

 

[mtmuley]

Get a “500 yard rifle” and practice.

You quit that. mtmuley

 

[elkhnter]

Don’t sweat it. Stalk into your 300 limit and make a clean kill. You owe the bull that much.

 

[EYJONAS!]

All about your comfort zone and what your confident out to, shooting a animal is way different then paper. IMO you better be damn sure of yourself on any shot and with today's technology 7, 8, 900 yard shots seem like a lay down. Even though they seem that way there's always a margin for error... the further you get the greater the risk for error. You'd hate to wing the big one and the only story you have is ..... you were lobbing shots at 800, just could quite connect.

That being said I have seen it with my own two eyes one get popped at 987 and one at 885. I will say this guy is retired and all he does is shoot and reload and shoot some more.
I've taken 2 deer in the 750 range and probably wouldn't do it again not much of an adventure when all a guy does is flip the safety.

 

[cfree]

I can think of very few places in AZ when a 500+ yards shot would be necessary. Are you in unit 22 and planning on shooting off the Mogollon rim? If so then also better work on extreme angle shooting in addition to long range. Most places you can get under 300. I think in the 10+ elk I've killed with a rifle in AZ, only 1 has been over 200 yards. Most were 50 to 150 yards. Don't sweat it and good luck!

 

[BuzzH]

Depending on the unit, I would make sure I could shoot well to at least 400. I've not hunted there a ton, but have shot 3 bulls in AZ.

The first one was maybe 70 yards or so, but I really took a chance on stalking that bull, and just about blew it. I had a good shot at 430 yards, but elected to pass and got closer and like I say, shot it at 70 yards. The second bull I killed was at 620 and there just was no getting closer due to several things. Last years bull, I was able to get to 260.

The places I've found bulls could require some longer shooting on those late tags. My 2 cents.

 

[IEATELK]

Just gunna’ send it!!!!

 

[JohnCushman]

Get a “500 yard rifle” and practice.

Creedmoor or RUM?

 

[HalfAce]

23?

 

[KandM]

We do have a 6.5 creed, but the energy over 400 yards is questionable. We can both make a good shot on an elk at 500, but just doesn't seem an ethical chance to take.
We could go bigger. But why? We will do whatever it takes to get closer, if it is to be it will be. I have almost 3 dozen whitetails with a bow, all stalking. Thanks for all the comments.

 

[KandM]

Sorry, we are hunting 5a.

 

[BuzzH]

Probably a non-issue in 5a...have fun.

 

[EZBreazy]

We do have a 6.5 creed, but the energy over 400 yards is questionable. We can both make a good shot on an elk at 500, but just doesn't seem an ethical chance to take.
We could go bigger. But why? We will do whatever it takes to get closer, if it is to be it will be. I have almost 3 dozen whitetails with a bow, all stalking. Thanks for all the comments.

I shoot regularly out past 1000 yards. With a gun that could carry then energy I would consider 500 yards a chip shot on an elk size animal in the vitals but there are a lot of caveats. Number one is wind less than 5 mph predictably. Not 5 mph in my sheltered hide hole and 20 mph in the canyon I am shooting across. I would really have to know my wind. Next is a rock steady set up and no rushing. Having time to do my mental checks. Gun is leveled on the bubble, parallax is set and so on. Then yeah. I would feel ethical with the right gun. Haven't ever gone that route yet but isn't out of the question. Usually it is closer., much closer Last year in Arizona late rifle I was dealing with winds 20+ nearly every day. I wouldn't even have considered it. Did run into a guy that claimed he shot one down in "the canyon" over 900. That would be a luck thing or he is a hell of a lot better trained than I am to make all the necessary adjustments to be ethical on that shot.

 

[LopeHunter]

So many things can go wrong when are shooting at longer distances. Issues that do not move the bullet much off intended point of impact at 200 yards become issues at 400 yards and big issues at 600 yards. Animals take steps. Winds swirl or move in multiple directions along the path of the bullet. Scope may not be exactly aligned on rifle. Rifle may be cantered as prepare to shoot. Powder temperature. Clean vs. fouled barrel. Breathing.

Part of the challenge is being able to get close enough a bull might see, smell and hear you. At 600 yards the bull might not have a chance to do any of the three. I hear people talk about their very long shots at critters and my conclusion is a paper target is the only thing I would shoot at that distance unless my freedom was at stake.

I would never want to hunt with a bullet where you merely lock the bull in the scope, fire off the round and track on the bull until bullet flies by wire to impact. That technology may be possible at some point. I like the hunt part more than the shoot and killing. My 2 cents. Thankfully this is your tag, your hunt. You get to decide how you want to approach the hunt. You will do fine.

 

[devon deer]

but just doesn't seem an ethical chance to take.

I think you have answered your own question.


Cheers
Richard

 

[BDH]

There is a distance for everyone where hunting becomes just killing. Lets not forget we are in this for a whole lot more than just a kill and some cool pictures.