02-06-2012, 06:13 AM
I think every hunter has to make a decision where that distance is for him. So long as the kill is clean, and the animal suffers as little as possible, I have no problems.
When you examine the risks, an arrow in flight for 50 yards takes as long to arrive as a Grendel bullet does at 400 yards. (300 FPS divided by 150 feet, or about .5 seconds. vs 2500 FPS divided by 1200 feet, or a little tiny bit less than .5 seconds) I know, the bullet really isn't going 2500 FPS on arrival, but the arrow is going 300 FPS either, they both slow down quite a bit in their respective flights.
The arrow has considerably less energy than the bullet does, and yet, we don't complain about bow hunters taking 50 yard shots if they are appropriately skilled. I don't see a problem with an appropriately skilled rifle hunter taking a 400 yard shot, or an even longer one under the right circumstances, and I don't consider them a "Hail Mary" shot when done properly.
When you examine the risks, an arrow in flight for 50 yards takes as long to arrive as a Grendel bullet does at 400 yards. (300 FPS divided by 150 feet, or about .5 seconds. vs 2500 FPS divided by 1200 feet, or a little tiny bit less than .5 seconds) I know, the bullet really isn't going 2500 FPS on arrival, but the arrow is going 300 FPS either, they both slow down quite a bit in their respective flights.
The arrow has considerably less energy than the bullet does, and yet, we don't complain about bow hunters taking 50 yard shots if they are appropriately skilled. I don't see a problem with an appropriately skilled rifle hunter taking a 400 yard shot, or an even longer one under the right circumstances, and I don't consider them a "Hail Mary" shot when done properly.
You seek escape from pain. We seek the achievement of happiness. You exist for the sake of avoiding punishment. We exist for the sake of earning rewards. Threats will not make us function; fear is not our incentive. It is not death that we wish to avoid, but life that we wish to live. - John Galt