Its not quite as sweet as it may seem. In the open country where its easy to find spots to shoot far the wind is terrible. I usually have 20-30 minutes of decent conditions at first light, after that its a waste of bullets. Half the time its already blowing in the dark. In fact it is down right aggravating.
Truth in a post
Interesting how range envy hits, but the truth is rather different than what you might think.
My shooting is largely in the desert SW. Like Alex, the private range where we can shoot out to two miles is very windy. Typically 12-14mph from 60 degrees to the target. Perfect shooting conditions, eh? Oh, and then add dust and mirage. Mind you, this is where you sort the wheat from the chaf when it comes to optics, but that's another post.
Then there's vegetation. Unlike what most folk from back East imagine, the desert is not devoid of vegetation. Actually we have a lot of creosote bushes that can grow, oh, roughly 5 feet high, sometimes more, great for obscuring views of target.
What this means is, you have to have either an elevated firing position (best example, watch Mark & Sam after Work on YT. They basically shoot from a mountain -- my exaggeration -- down onto well-tilled farmland.) We shoot off the top of a 200 yard berm, that isn't level.
Then there's spotting where your shot went. Good f'ing luck with that with the bushes, wind, etc. We've tried shooting up into an elevated target but they are always in a rocky area where we shoot so good luck spotting those at a mile+.
LOL, the ELR shooter's lot is not a happy one.
The only spot that looks perfect, apart from Mark & Sam's (too far to drive) is on the CA/NV border that no-one who films there will identify but it's not hard to find. No vegetation, looks like the Moon, easy to spot shots. It's a 7-hour drive from me.
The best other option we have is to shoot down a very remote power line road from an elevated position. Maybe it's my training/conditioning but I am never comfortable with it even though I could see anyone coming or at risk from miles.
The best spot I have ever seen, I think it's in NY somewhere is this:
A lake is perfect, as if you drop short, at least there's a splash.
Not many of those available around here, the bass fishermen object to ducking....
