OK, going to play devil’s advocate here. What is the difference between a guy that taking or missing a 100yd shot, which he thinks he can make, and a guy taking or missing a 1300yd shot he thinks he can make? What is a “ethical” range to take an animal from? Are bow hunters more “ethical” than rifle hunters, because their shots are normally 10-40 yds, vice 50-100+ yds? Are the guys that run up on wild pigs and stab them with a spear more “ethical” than bow hunters?
Did the animal suffer, was it just left on the ground to rot, or was it taken illegally? If the answers are no, then anything else is just anti-hunting fodder, IMO
I like your reply. An “unethical” shot is any shot you’re not certain you can make. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever miss but you should feel confident, with your ego tamped down, that it’s a shot you are very capable of.
I prefer the term ‘ill-advised’ over ‘unethical’ as applied to this discussion but I guess that’s just semantic nit picking.
“What is the difference between a guy that taking or missing a 100yd shot, which he thinks he can make, and a guy taking or missing a 1300yd shot”
The rational probability that your shot will be inside that 10 inch or so vital zone. Those bozos at 1300 weren’t aiming at a part of the deer, they were just hoping to hit it anywhere. this cripples a lot of animals. That why its unethical.
If you want to play junior sniper, go to thunder ranch or something.