Whooo NV called me!

[Tom Petterson]

I know 740 sounds far fecthed but it happened the gun I was using is sighted in at 500 yards and had a drop reticel in it. Belive me or not the bull is dead and I was there and I shot it.

 

[Lurediver]

WHAT? You missed 4 times are you kidding?

 

[Tom Petterson]

No I missed three time twice on the first bull and once on the bull I shot after I hit it the first shot. I hit the bull 3 out of the four shots, hope this clears it up.

 

[Tom Petterson]

I know 500yards is a odd sight in and it was not my gun it was the giudes only for long shots I also had my gun on hand sighted in more reasonalbly at 200yards. It was 30 cal shooting 200grain bullets at well over 3000 fs with a 4.5-14 leouplud BC and the guide knew where the gun shot very well. Even I think that it is odd to have a gun sighted in like this but thats what he does and I don't tell other people they are shooting wrong when they are helping me on my hunt.

 

[Lurediver]

Yeah, you sound like a ethical hunter.

A lot can go wrong w/740 yard shot.

 

[Kentuck]

This would be a good gun on that hunt....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-378_Weatherby_Magnum

 

[jlostrander]

Nice bull. Let us know how it scored.

You didn't have to tell us the distance, but you did.

I don't hold it against you. Looks like a great bull and a hunt you won't ever forget.

Let us know how it scored.

Logan

 

[el_vaquero]

Congrats on the bull...nice pics.

 

[DEERSLAM]

Great bull

Thanks for sharing your story and glad it had a happy ending.

 

[One Track]

Dude:

That's a great bull. Congrats! Guides have a way of making you think you can shoot very long distances. And, now you know you can. Good job.

 

[Zim1]

700 yards? Dang. I drew an archery tag in that same unit this year and shot mine from 25 yards.

Since you can't return, where exactly did you hunt? I hunted unit 114 Moriah Wilderness. Curious if you hunted 222.

 

[Tom Petterson]

Guides talk a good story and make you think alot of hunters can make long shots and that they can make them eazily too. I have gone on enough hunts to know that they miss too and most hunters can't shoot very far. It is eazy to say you can shoot 400 yards perfectly every time and it is another thing to actualy do it. I have gone on a few hunts were the guides are upset that you wont or cant shoot a long ways. In Africa they wanted the cull animals shot in the head to save the meat. They said they could do it ,but they shot them in the sholder when it came down to it.

I was confident that I could make the shot and I took it. I do not plan on shoting that far ever again. My guns are not sighted in for that range and under most hunts I wont shot past 400 yards. This was a one time thing, well actualy I shot 4 times but never again. The conditions were right steady rest with no wind and it worked out great for me but I do not condone shooting this far. Just because I did it once does not mean that is my new effective range.

I was not in 222 I was in one of the 111-114 units I hunted in 3 or 4 units durring the hunt. I wish it was a rut hunt with bugling bulls and 25 yard shots. I want to go hunt Elk with bugling bulls some day and it would be nice to harvest one also but I really want to be in the hills when the bulls are bugling I have never done that yet.

 

[Zim1]

I have hunted just about every critter except for sheep and I can tell you I think the chances of taking a nice bull is better in September with a bow than December with a rifle. I have done lots of hunting with all weapons: bow, rifle, muzzleloader & shotgun. On my hunt in 222 I passed on about 20 bulls in bow range before taking mine. I think many hunters who don't bowhunt might not know that it's not that difficult a way to hunt. I've been on about 8 western bowhunts and taken a 320", 336", & a 350" from 40, 40 & 25 yards. I am a flatlander from Indiana.

I think the most important aspect is to be in great shape so you can run to get ahead of the elk, and move up & down the mountain quickly. I work out all year long.

 

[Speckmisser]

Congrats on the lucky draw (re-draw) and on the really nice bull, Tom.

I don't think most guys who weren't there have much room to criticize too much. It's one thing to sit here in front of our computers and say, "no way." It's another altogether when you've got the guide breathing down your neck, a trophy animal in your sights, and the prospect of going home empty-handed from a hunt that many guys would give their eye teeth to draw. I believe a lot of folks here would have taken the shot, no matter what they say on this forum.

 

[Glass eye]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom Petterson @ Dec 18 2006, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

The conditions were right steady rest with no wind and[/b]

....and snow on the ground.
A few years back I drew a G6 tag and I awoke opening morning to a foot or more of snow. I saw a buck with a doe very far away, not sure of the yardage as I didn't have a rangefinder back then, but my 7mag is zeroed at 300 yds. He was high up on a steep slope and I was at the bottom, when I tried to get closer he immediately spotted me against the white background and he began his move. I took the long shot only because of the snow on the ground, I knew that I wasn't going to lose him in any case. It turned out to be my best shot ever, double lung hit. Congrats on your great bull!

 

[paulc]

What Speck said!!!!!

Guy trys to tell us about his hunting story and noses go in the air.

 

[Zim1]

Not me. Just trying to encourage Tom to try once with a bow. I think he'd love it. Nothing beats bugling bulls and close encounters.

 

[muskeg]

Nice Bull .... Tom

In this day and age with being able to know what a bullet does and very superior optics ...... more and more hunters are shooting long ranges very accurately.

I have a repeat hunter that belongs to a long range shooting club in PA. they shoot gallon milk jugs regularly, with accuracy, at 1 mile.

He is a disabled hunter and makes up for it by being a long range shooter. He uses the Turret system. Uses a high end long range, range finder. Has a chart on the stock of his gun, adjust the clicks and there it is. He uses lots of powder and lots of bullet and delivers it long range with distinction, even in wind.

I shot his gun last spring and I am not a long range shooter. I hit at 200 yards first shot and was hitting target at 500 yards 2 shots later !!!!!!!

It's all in the proper tools.

He took a Moose at 635 yards. One shot, in the neck, flop dead.

 

[Tom Petterson]

Zim1

I will hunt ELk with my bow some day that is for sure. It is one hunt I really really want to do. I am just not sure when or were it will take place yet, but it will take place.

Thanks everybody!

 

[Zim1]

New Mexico is a great place for a first timer. You can draw a great archery tag without waiting since they don't use bonus points and set aside 22% of the tags for nonresidents. Stay away from 15/16 since they went to 6 day hunts (that is crazy for archery). Stay with their lower priced units. Check out unit 49 for a drive in or 52 for backpacking. You will have a blast.