First of all it is hunting. What’s the difference between sitting in a blind or tree stand and watching maybe 50 or a100 yard radius or watching several hundreds of yards. You have to be constantly vigilant watching for any sign of movement. I’ve taken game with a bow, a revolver and a rifle while stocking. The thing you’re missing is the equipment normally used has enormous amount of Kinetic energy and even a shot outside of the chest is enough to produce a clean kill.
I honestly don’t believe someone would read an article like this and run out a have a custom rifle built costing several thousand dollars and another three or four thousand dollars or more on a scope.
By the way are you a hunter and a shooter or just a shooter, just curious.
A lifelong hunter - started when I was 12 in the 60's with Dad and Grandpa. I'm a shooter too. Shot NRA competitive pistol for 30 years, qualified Distinguished Expert, AAA in Hunter's Small-Bore Silhouette. Shot a little 3 position rimfire competition a long time ago. Got into "precision rifle" relatively recently, in the 90's. Still trying to figure out the latter discipline.
No disrespect intended, but if you don't understand the difference between "sitting in a blind and tree stand and shooting 100 to 50 yards at a deer versus attempting a 1,000-yard shot at a living creature then there is nothing I can say to explain it to you.
I haven't missed the energy argument. I've seen gut shot deer with a 7mm magnum and the like that were never recovered. This as recently as a few years ago at a farm where I hunt.
Listen, I'm guilty too and I don't wish to judge anyone. I took a deer in 80's with a 357-magnum pistol at about 80 yards. Despite being an expert shot with a pistol, it was irresponsible. It was a stunt. Fortunately, I made a decent shot, but I had to finish the animal off with a neck shot. It's the last time I hunted deer with a pistol of marginal energy for deer.
The point I was trying to make it that there is very little margin for error shooting animal at the distance especially when you factor in wind and mirage let alone the skill of the shooter. As hunters, we owe to the animal to make a humane and responsible shot.
Spirited debate is healthy if done respectfully. Hopefully I've been respectful. I was trying to share my thoughts and experiences as a lifelong hunter. My family hunted for meat, not antlers. My father and grandpa never displayed racks. That's the culture I grew up in. Hunting was a way of life for my entire family.
As for someone trying to emulate this shot, I have to disagree. I see it at the range all the time, guys playing Navy Seal or Rambo, dressed in their tactical gear ready for "combat, shooting aimlessly as some perceived threat. We all tend to emulate someone; a wise man knows the difference between fantasy and reality. But this is just one old man's opinion based on life experiences. I certainly don't claim to know it all, in fact, I still have a lot to learn. Best wishes.