A Sporting Chance

Editor:

I haven't been deer hunting since the '70s when you'd go down to the liquor store and get your license and tags. Road trip to Jarbidge with limit of two, either sex. Equipment was a .30-30 carbine or sporterized Mauser and good binoculars. Maybe it's just old age making me more soft hearted, but that seemed more sporting than today's big game hunting. The object was to put the sneak on your game to close in for a 100 yard shot. That's why I've only gotten two bucks in my life, both at point blank range. You owe your animal that much. You are taking his life, as a matter of honor you owe it to him to make it quick and painless.

It angers me to see the gun magazines touting the 500 yard capabilities of the latest .338 super magnums with laser rangefinder scopes and half a minute of angle accuracy. Why would anyone take a 500 yard shot? The animal could not possibly sense a hunter at that range. You could easily close that distance in half. My ol' grandpappy always told me a man's personal range limit is the farthest he could consistently hit a 8" paper plate, the certain kill zone of a deer, under field conditions. Realistically, for me that's about 200 yards max. I've heard hunting stories of guys bragging they took a 500 yard shot, missed. Took another shot and got a hit, then another one and killed his animal. A clean miss? Are you kidding me? That means he wasn't even close enough to wound. Can you imagine the horror of being gut shot in the wild? What if you blew off his little nose?

OK, here is my challenge for 500 yard shooters. We set up five 8-inch paper plates at the range at random distances. The farthest berm is only 400 yards but the point will be made. I'm saying no one can hit all five under field conditions, standing, kneeling, sitting or prone. Certainly no sandbag rest. Make it interesting? Let's call it $100. If you use a laser I put up $100, you put up $200. I'm saying it can't be done. Here is a chance to make some easy money.

Butch Gordo


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