Long-Range Hunting: Defining Success Beyond the Shot
True hunting success means ethical execution and respect - not just a filled tag or long shot.
Bob Smith
Bob Smith is a hunter with over 30 years of field experience across two continents. Born in Moldova, he learned to hunt in Eastern Europe before relocating to Northern Nevada, where he now hunts the Great Basin high desert and California's mountain ranges. His specialties are long-range big game hunting, varmint and predator control, and wildcat cartridge development. Bob is an active gunsmith who builds and tests custom rifles. His articles on ProHunterTips draw from real field experience - not theory.
Baiting Regulations State-by-State – Legal Complexity
Bear baiting legal status varies by state with complex rules on sites, quantities, and timelines requiring annual verification.
Long-Range Hunting: Shot Angle and Presentation Requirements
Learn why broadside shots are required at distance and how to read true 3D angles.
Cooking with Bear Fat – Using Rendered Lard
Learn how to cook with rendered bear fat as a 1:1 substitute for lard or butter in frying, baking, and sautéing.
Long-Range Hunting: Ego, Peer Pressure, and Doing What’s Right
Learn why resisting peer pressure and ego leads to cleaner kills and real respect in the field.
Traditional Bear Recipes and Historical Uses
Historical bear recipes from Native American and pioneer traditions adapted for modern food safety standards
Long-Range Hunting: When Conditions Say No
Conditions like wind, mirage, and fading light can make an ethical shot impossible - learn when to pass.
Making Jerky from Bear Meat – Drying and Safety
Learn to safely make bear jerky with required 160°F heating to kill trichinosis before or during drying.
Long-Range Hunting: Field Testing Your Real Capability
Find your real hunting range with cold-bore field tests - not bench groups on paper.
Bear Meat in Stews and Chilis – Hearty Winter Meals
Learn to make hearty bear stews and chilis with cubed meat, long simmering, and root vegetables for winter comfort food.
Long-Range Hunting: Vital Zone Knowledge by Species
Know vital zone sizes by species - deer 8-10 inches, elk 12-14 - before ranging a shot.
Slow Cooker Bear Recipes – Easy, Tender, Safe Cooking
Slow cooker makes bear meat tender and safe with 6-8 hour low heat cooking methods.
Long-Range Hunting: Defining Your Maximum Ethical Range
Know your true ethical hunting range - it's about reliable vital hits, not your best bench group.
Bear Ground Meat and Sausage – Best Use of Trim and Tough Cuts
Turn bear trim and tough cuts into flavorful ground meat and sausage with pork fat.
Cooking Bear Roasts and Steaks – Achieving Tender, Safe Meat
Learn low-and-slow roasting and safe cooking methods for tender bear meat at 165°F minimum temperature.