Alaska Average 1st Shot Distance

[DrMike]

Point well taken (and articulated) April. I have more disposable income now. As a youth (and as a young married man), there was no extra money. I used an old single-shot Western Auto .22 and shot a lot of shorts! I did have a 410 which was used for cotton tails and squirrels. My first center fire rifle was an '03-A3. Later, I was able to pick up a .303 at an auction that went very cheaply. My first nice rifle was a Model 94 .356 given as honorarium for a funeral service I performed. Many rifles have followed those, but those would come many years later. All these rifles required me to become a hunter rather than a shooter. Meat was not to be wasted as I had a growing family to feed. If I went out, I was expected to bring something home.

 

[salmonchaser]

April, I started on my own tags at 12. At 6 dad started packing me with him on day trips out of Fairbanks. I carried a Stevens youth rolling block. He sacrificed his effectiveness for my memories. I got a .22 round into every thing he shot, moose, bears and caribou. I was deadly on grouse, ptarmigan and ducks ( legal issues aside) with that little rifle. I put one .22 round right between a grizzly's eyes.
Where did the years go, hell I don't know but at 62 I better get busy, I figure I only have 30 good years left.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[longrangehunter]

Over the last 36 years Big Game hunting the terrain and getting closer just depended on did it work out in the end? By that I mean I've guided people to within feet of game, and had it blown, same for some long range shots too. They weren't experienced hunters though, but did end up getting their quarry.

For me the long range shot(s) was due to lack of cover, and being seen in the wide open...... I'd rather shoot a standing or sitting animal then running! I have made some of those work too, i.e. a Black Buck at 350 yards running dead away which is why I took the shot.

That said, all the up close and personal shots were the most memorable for me, and the closer it was the more excitement I felt afterwards about the hunt! Sure I've shot a lot of Game well past 400 yards, but I've also ruined the hunt attempting to close the distance too by getting busted!

I lost one of the biggest Bears I've even seen attempting to do just that in Newfoundland, and it was in the same place I took a Moose the year before at 319 yards. I could have shot it prone, off a bi-pod using a 8.59 Galaxy I was very comfortable shooting out to 600+ yards. I already dropped a Woodland Caribou at 447 across a very windy lake two days before while waiting for the float plane to come pick me up! I even hiked up a very steep cliff and drainage to within 8-10 of a very small Bear on that trip too!

So the LR shooting can pay off big dividends when the hunter is skilled enough, and knows their limits under the right conditions. In hindsight the best option was the first choice: I would have had a huge advantage from the mountain top shooting prone, and having the ability to track the Bear from my position for any further shots had they been needed........ instead I never saw the animal again, and the rest of our crew watched us run it off from that mountain top, never to be seen again. But that's hunting, and why your choice can alter the outcome!