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Gunwerks LRU (Long Range University) First Day of Class

Nick Filler

| June 19, 2019

Nick Filler
June 19, 2019

Confidence is a key component of marksmanship and even more essential in long- range shooting. In situations when doubt creeps into your mind, it’s almost as if your brain “finds a way” to assist in missing the shot.

I was hoping Gunwerks Long Range University (LRU) would increase my knowledge base and help me become a more confident trigger man. I’d never had any formal marksman training and I was more than a little apprehensive. The days leading up to LRU had me wondering, would I fit in with the rest of the students? Would I struggle to make good shots? Or, would it feel perfectly natural? I had no idea.

I’ve been a big game hunter for many years now, but when I began, like most new hunters, I started out with a basic rifle, a low-end scope and inexpensive binoculars. I did manage to harvest a few animals, but due to my equipment choices, I was severely limited in my effective range. In the last several years, I’ve upgraded all the pieces in my hunting kit and have moved into longer range shooting, with 400 yards being my longest successful shot. Most in the long range hunting community would not consider this a long range shot and I wanted to find out if I have what it takes to stretch it out a bit farther. I was hoping this class would round out my knowledge base and help move me from a fledgling long range shooter to one with more confidence, skill, and ability.

The team at Worldwide Trophies Adventures had signed up to join a Gunwerks LRU with a focus on the basics; think “Long Range 101” and hunting foundation tactics. I was familiar with the group of colleagues that I was going with but I had little idea what to expect regarding the instructor or the exact details of the class itself. Before we left for our trip, however, we got an email from Phil V., the lead instructor, and he did a nice job breaking down the class and giving us a better idea of what to expect. I realized I had nothing to fear and I just needed to have fun and be a sponge.

We departed early in the morning and it was a 7-hour drive from Sidney, Nebraska to Cody, Wyoming, but it seem like we got there in the blink of an eye. The trip was incredibly scenic and as a group we had a lot of laughs and took a bunch of pictures along the way! I had never been to that part of northwest Wyoming, but I guarantee I’ll be back!

After the drive, we checked into the beautiful The Cody Hotel the night before our first class began. The hotel staff was anxious to tell us about the great restaurants in town and we had an awesome dinner, while settling into the Cody atmosphere.

Getting up early the next morning was easy, as we were anxious to see what the LRU was all about. Classes begin at 08:00 sharp at the Gunwerks range facility in Burlington which was approximately 45 minutes away. Upon walking into the building, I felt like I was at a ranch home with awesome mounts on the walls. This was an amazing way to start the day and I was right at home. The coffee, doughnuts, snacks, and stocked refrigerator were a great touch as well.

When we met our instructor Phil, it was readily apparent that he had taught many students in the past. Phil is exactly what you would expect from a former military sniper, in his earlier career, and sniper instructor, in his later career. True professional. He was confident, knowledgeable, and someone who was extremely easy to follow. Our class began with a lot of the fundamentals of distance shooting, with a focus on using technology vs. “old-school” methods. We also learned which factors were important to focus on and which factors just add “noise” to your long distance firing solution. I thoroughly enjoyed the classroom session and I took several pages of notes that I’ve already gone back to reference. The second half of the first day was spent on the range applying the classroom learnings to live fire bench shooting.

As mentioned before, 400 yards was my longest successful shot and I considered that “pretty far,” to use rookie terms. When we walked outside to the Gunwerks range, the closest target was at 400 yards and the farthest was 1125 yards. I honestly laughed a little to myself, however, we were all feeling good about the lessons learned before lunch. We went through a series of exercises and by the end of the day, most of us were sending rounds that impacted our targets at the farthest distance.

I think we were all amazed (even humbled) with what a day’s worth of instruction on tactics/technology and quality equipment can do to change one’s skill level. We were able to use Gunwerks rifles we had never fired and feel like proficient shooters. This is a testament to the quality rifles and the great instruction given by qualified individuals. Phil took difficult shooting concepts and made them simple. When an instructor can master that, they build their students’ confidence and help make them better.

In a future blog, I’ll discuss what we learned in the hunting portion of the course and how that will make a difference in my upcoming hunts this fall.

If you are interested in learning more or booking one of these classes, click here – https://www.gunwerks.com/experiences or give us a call at 1-800-346-8747

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Hunting Austria’s Alpine Ibex

At 19, fresh off of winning Cabela’s Young Hunter of the Year Award, I landed in Austria with a little knowledge of the German language and a lot of ambition. Decades later, I’m still here, married to an Austrian who regularly outshoots me and raising two daughters in the mountains. I’m also guiding America’s most dedicated hunters in pursuit of the Alps’ ultimate prize: the alpine ibex.

The ibex isn’t just another mountain goat. It’s the king of these peaks, a symbol of European wilderness that survived near-extinction to reclaim its throne. We hunt them in Austria, where centuries of game management have created the world’s premier ibex destination. Switzerland presents complications, Slovenia offers extremely limited permits, but Austria delivers consistent opportunities for serious hunters.

Each season, WTA secures 6–8 free-range alpine ibex tags, more than most American outfitters see in a decade. These tags aren’t easy to acquire, which makes our Austrian partnerships invaluable for hunters who refuse to settle. When we secure a permit, you’re hunting class one ibex: 10-year-old monarchs with horns that sweep back in perfect curves, masters of terrain that humbles hunters.

The country defies American expectations. Moving here from Alaska, I expected the European mountains to feel tame and developed. Austria proved me wrong. These peaks rival Alaska’s grandeur while offering infrastructure that makes the experience accessible. Chairlifts, mountain huts, and trail systems don’t diminish the wildness. They reveal it by transporting you to where the game lives.

Our hunts typically run five days with three hunting days, though success often comes sooner, thanks to Austria’s superior game management. Unlike America’s hit-or-miss hunting, where timing determines everything, Austrian seasons open when animals are available. If we have tags, the ibex are there. It’s a guarantee that results from centuries of perfecting wildlife management.

Hunting in Austria ranks among the world’s most challenging. These animals are free-range masters of vertical country, much like the sheep country you might be familiar with. Dawn starts with spotting scopes and serious climbing. Success requires physical conditioning, mountain experience, and patience for shots that can extend beyond what most expect.

What separates Austrian ibex hunting from American mountain hunting is the certainty factor. Tag prices reflect this reality. You pay more because the success rate approaches a guarantee. It’s the difference between gambling on opportunity and investing in experience. Many hunters spend fortunes chasing tags with questionable outcomes. Here, you pay for what you get, which makes world-class hunting more accessible.

The season runs from August through December across different regions, each offering unique advantages. August brings alpine flowers and moderate weather. September adds red stag roars echoing from valleys below. October combines ibex hunting with opportunities for alpine chamois. December delivers stunning snow-covered peaks.

For budget-conscious hunters, we offer alternatives that maintain authenticity while reducing costs. Class three ibex, up to four years old, provide genuine alpine hunting at a fraction of the cost. Older females past breeding age offer similar mountain experiences while supporting management goals. These aren’t consolation prizes; they’re smart entry points into Europe’s premier mountain hunting.

The supporting cast enhances every hunt. Alpine chamois provide day-hunt opportunities that rival North America’s best mountain hunting. Red stags roar from valleys in September, adding another dimension to mountain adventures. Marmots offer entertaining breaks from serious hunting, their whistles echoing across meadows like natural alarm systems.

Austrian hunting culture creates experiences impossible to replicate elsewhere. Mountain huts with centuries of hunting history, local guides whose families have hunted these peaks for generations, and traditions that turn hunting into a cultural exchange. The food alone justifies the journey. Mountain restaurants serve game with wines that are both world-class and inexpensive.

What Americans may not understand is how affordable this hunting becomes compared to domestic alternatives. Factor in guide fees, equipment costs, and success probabilities, and Austrian ibex hunting often costs a fraction of American sheep hunting, while often delivering a superior experience.

Standing on an Austrian peak at sunrise, watching ibex move across faces that drop thousands of feet, you understand how hunting can become an obsession. These animals are symbols of European wilderness that survived everything history could throw at them. Hunting them connects you to traditions older than American civilization itself!

The Alps offer more than hunting. They offer perspective. Coming from vast Alaska to the structured beauty of Austria taught me that wilderness takes many forms. Sometimes it’s endless space; sometimes it’s ancient traditions perfectly preserved in modern settings. In Austria, it’s both.

When American hunters ask why I stayed in Austria instead of returning to Alaska, the answer stands on every ridge: this is where hunting history lives, where game management works, and where mountain hunting achieves its highest expression.

See Ibex Hunts in Austria