Too Far for a caliber/load, any caliber/load, is where it has lost its accuracy and/or it's energy, as we know some cartridges will carry enough energy at longer ranges to properly penetrate and humanely kill a large game animal while the accuracy of the round is so poor as to make shot placement very difficult, and some cartridges on some large game remain accurate but the penetration would not make a humane kill.
Unethical comes into the discussion (imho) when the individual making the shot does so in a situation where there is a good chance the shot will wound, or kill the animal slowly, instead of a quick humane kill. Do I have this correct?
Now how much of a chance to be inaccurate is needed to be unethical?
I think if the hunter had a 50/50 chance of wounding the animal or killing it humanely, we'd agree that was a bad situation..., but how much better should the odds be in favor of a humane kill for it to be ethical?
My observation out here in the East is that too many "hunters" attempt to make up for bad marksmanship with a heavier caliber, often recommending a magnum caliber while claiming the non-magnums won't do the job. Many folks come into the gunshop where I used to work, as hunting season approaches, and ask for magnum caliber rifles for hunting in areas within a few hours drive, because the guys who invited them said,
Get a .300 winmag or a .338 as a .30-06 or a .270 won't knock 'em down, and avoid a .25-06 or a .30-30.
I think that's where the negativity against the big magnums and long range comes from. It's not the damage, it's not the flinch, it's not the distance, it's the poor shots who pooh-pooh less than a magnum when they need to spend more time at the range, or get the deer in closer and quit (as was mentioned) taking "luck" shots.
So myself, I like to use a flintlock like Mr. Humphrey, and "too far" for my gun is some place beyond 100 yards, as the rifle will reach 100 yards far from a bench a give a good group, but we don't get too many deer on the local range. "Too Far" for myself when hunting..., is beyond 40 yards, and I
like the deer at 25 yards for me to get the iron sights on the right spot, and to place my shot.
I will be applying that range and my flintlock tomorrow as a matter of fact. OH and I too thought the last deer last year was a 40-50 yard shot..., but dang if it wasn't 28 yards (paced it several times to be sure). Funny how deer don't come uniform in size like the targets we use to practice, no?
LD