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Old 11-17-2019, 10:11 AM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
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Default Practical Practice

You have your hunting rifle zeroed to less than 1in at 100m.What about freehand shots,when jumping deer?A 4litre milk container works well,you can give it a orange spray,for better siteing.Start off at 6om,standing,fire three quick shots,then out to 80n--100m.When hit,there is no doubt,it jumps high in the air.At 200 m plus,good shooting stick practice.The idea is to get the "feel" of the trigger,when the crosshairs on target.It now becomes more of a pull than a squeeze.The quarry off times will only "freeze for seconds.These seconds can mean the difference between bringing home a trophy,or a sad story.
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Old 11-17-2019, 11:21 AM
Bushleague Bushleague is offline
 
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Fine, I'll bite.

I do a ton of dry firing throughout the year. My yard is about 100 yards long and I have a small piece of orange duct tape stuck to a tree at the end of it. I try to shoulder the rifle, flip the safety off and "shoot" the piece of duct tape in less than 3 seconds. After the shot I cycle the bolt and put the safety back on with the rifle still shouldered.

In the field, I don't think about any of the individual actions required to shoot an animal anymore. I simply decide to kill the animal, and everything pretty much happens automatically without conscious thought. All I need to worry about is getting the crosshairs on the boiler room.

I don't mean to downplay the importance of range time, but I've found that "shooting" my piece of duct tape a half dozen times every day coming into the hunting season builds up the familiarity and muscle memory for quick offhand shooting far more effectively than less frequent range sessions.
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Old 11-17-2019, 04:22 PM
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I shoot on crown land and private land. I can shoot out to 1600 yds on one or the other. I often use 48" lath with 4 8" balloons pinned 2 on each side. Sometimes I use a short piece of string or ribbon to allow the balloon more " movement". I can do this at any distance and will often go from 50 -100 yds offhand to 6-700 supported. Timing yourself adds a level of difficulty only first shot brakes count. Starting with rifle slung give yourself 5 seconds to break a 50 yd balloon, re sling and go supported to 300 in the next 10 seconds. So on so forth. You quickly learn your limits on game.
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Old 11-17-2019, 04:57 PM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushleague View Post
Fine, I'll bite.

I do a ton of dry firing throughout the year. My yard is about 100 yards long and I have a small piece of orange duct tape stuck to a tree at the end of it. I try to shoulder the rifle, flip the safety off and "shoot" the piece of duct tape in less than 3 seconds. After the shot I cycle the bolt and put the safety back on with the rifle still shouldered.

In the field, I don't think about any of the individual actions required to shoot an animal anymore. I simply decide to kill the animal, and everything pretty much happens automatically without conscious thought. All I need to worry about is getting the crosshairs on the boiler room.

I don't mean to downplay the importance of range time, but I've found that "shooting" my piece of duct tape a half dozen times every day coming into the hunting season builds up the familiarity and muscle memory for quick offhand shooting far more effectively than less frequent range sessions.
I agree.and over the years incouraged my hunting partners,to pratice with dummy bullets and dry fireing,to make shooting a reflexive motion.I have a friend in ont who comes to AB for a period of gopher shooting--an expert sling shooter,who can consistantly from a standing position hit gopher out to 100mc--has to be seen to be believed.
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Old 11-17-2019, 05:01 PM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Bushleague View Post
Fine, I'll bite.

I do a ton of dry firing throughout the year. My yard is about 100 yards long and I have a small piece of orange duct tape stuck to a tree at the end of it. I try to shoulder the rifle, flip the safety off and "shoot" the piece of duct tape in less than 3 seconds. After the shot I cycle the bolt and put the safety back on with the rifle still shouldered.

In the field, I don't think about any of the individual actions required to shoot an animal anymore. I simply decide to kill the animal, and everything pretty much happens automatically without conscious thought. All I need to worry about is getting the crosshairs on the boiler room.

I don't mean to downplay the importance of range time, but I've found that "shooting" my piece of duct tape a half dozen times every day coming into the hunting season builds up the familiarity and muscle memory for quick offhand shooting far more effectively than less frequent range sessions.
Your not down playing at all--Practice of and kind,makes for better reflexive shooting.The end result,more game on the ground.
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Old 11-17-2019, 06:28 PM
Bushleague Bushleague is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coyoteman View Post
I agree.and over the years incouraged my hunting partners,to pratice with dummy bullets and dry fireing,to make shooting a reflexive motion.I have a friend in ont who comes to AB for a period of gopher shooting--an expert sling shooter,who can consistantly from a standing position hit gopher out to 100mc--has to be seen to be believed.
Well, I cant shoot the head off of a gopher at 100 yards, but I can thread a bullet through a whole mess of bush and get it in the front half of a deer pretty darn quickly. I've always practiced shooting offhand a fair bit, but when I started my dryfiring routine I noticed a marked improvement in my ability to take advantage of shot opportunities in the field.

Probably the best shot I've ever made was on a nice black wolf at about 120 yards, he would have crossed the cutline in less than three seconds, he paused for about half of a heartbeat and I dropped him in his tracks. My preference for low powered scopes, and my dryfiring practice are directly responsible for me being able to make shots like that when I need to IMO.
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Last edited by Bushleague; 11-17-2019 at 06:33 PM.
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Old 11-17-2019, 09:23 PM
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Any practice is good practice...range time, gopher patch, tape in a tree...we are not all blessed with unlimited places to practice...but any time behind the gun is a good thing.
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Old 11-17-2019, 09:55 PM
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Like 6.5 stated, any practice helps.

One big one that helps with flinch on top of dry firing is, get a partner to either load your gun or don't load it then put it back on the bench with the safety on.
You will see in a quick hurry how much of a flinch you really have.

One that has helped me with my form. The wife likes to do slow motion video at the range. Reviewing that has helped me big time.

Practice shooting from a sitting position, on your knees and off hand.

Another thing I made note of this year. Clothing. I do most of my shooting in the summer. I went to shoulder my rifle with my jacket and day pack on, what a difference. I'm going to have to practice that.
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Old 11-18-2019, 08:55 AM
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when i'm with a new hunter i get them to dry fire on an animal that we are looking for, but don't necesarily wanty to harvest. (too small, too far, ). especially in mule deer country where we have tags for them. we see a good amount of the smaller does or deer on the move. it forces the new hunter to think about a rest, get his nerves under control, make sure his scope caps are up, check his safety. and wait for that broadside opportunity. Also I range the deer for them so they can get a good idea how far things really are.
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Old 11-18-2019, 09:50 AM
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One shot centerfire, bunch through the 22, couple dry fires, couple more with the 22, then back to the centerfire. All different positions. Let’s the barrel cool and the brain focus

Also lots of dry fire at home and shooting the bow several times a week.
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Old 11-18-2019, 10:06 AM
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I have my youth and new hunters using my trigger sticks tripod, and I use it for most of my shots on game as well, so we do practice off of the trigger sticks, not only the shooting, but how to quickly adjust the trigger sticks.
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Old 11-18-2019, 11:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coyoteman View Post
You have your hunting rifle zeroed to less than 1in at 100m.What about freehand shots,when jumping deer?A 4litre milk container works well,you can give it a orange spray,for better siteing.Start off at 6om,standing,fire three quick shots,then out to 80n--100m.When hit,there is no doubt,it jumps high in the air.At 200 m plus,good shooting stick practice.The idea is to get the "feel" of the trigger,when the crosshairs on target.It now becomes more of a pull than a squeeze.The quarry off times will only "freeze for seconds.These seconds can mean the difference between bringing home a trophy,or a sad story.
I am firm believer in practice is very important but I respectfully disagree with your last couple of statements. If you are "pulling" a trigger on a 200 meter shots you are going to end up with a lot misses and/or wounded animals. If the animals only provides a brief window of opportunity for a shot that forces you to rush, then that is a shot that shouldn't be taken.

The saddest story is a wounded animal that is never recovered.
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Old 11-18-2019, 11:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11 View Post
I have my youth and new hunters using my trigger sticks tripod, and I use it for most of my shots on game as well, so we do practice off of the trigger sticks, not only the shooting, but how to quickly adjust the trigger sticks.
Love the trigger sticks in the grass and blind, hate em in the bush. Willows on hollow aluminum sounds like a dull knife being sharpened. Overall great shooting aid, and agree they should be used in practice. Other nice thing is they don’t seem to affect POI the way a bipod can.
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Old 11-18-2019, 11:35 AM
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We used to put cardboard targets in old tires and roll them down a coulee, hitting a bouncing tire at 50-75 yards is very challenging.
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Old 11-18-2019, 01:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushleague View Post
Well, I cant shoot the head off of a gopher at 100 yards, but I can thread a bullet through a whole mess of bush and get it in the front half of a deer pretty darn quickly. I've always practiced shooting offhand a fair bit, but when I started my dryfiring routine I noticed a marked improvement in my ability to take advantage of shot opportunities in the field.

Probably the best shot I've ever made was on a nice black wolf at about 120 yards, he would have crossed the cutline in less than three seconds, he paused for about half of a heartbeat and I dropped him in his tracks. My preference for low powered scopes, and my dryfiring practice are directly responsible for me being able to make shots like that when I need to IMO.
Wow,wish I had been with you to see that shot--The end result of practice to the point it comes reflexive---Right On.
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Old 11-18-2019, 01:58 PM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 3blade View Post
Love the trigger sticks in the grass and blind, hate em in the bush. Willows on hollow aluminum sounds like a dull knife being sharpened. Overall great shooting aid, and agree they should be used in practice. Other nice thing is they don’t seem to affect POI the way a bipod can.
The saying practice makes perfect--Applies for sure in this case---With game on the ground.
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Old 11-18-2019, 02:01 PM
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We used to put cardboard targets in old tires and roll them down a coulee, hitting a bouncing tire at 50-75 yards is very challenging.
Would like to try that--Big old mulie bounceing down the hill---Bang --Freezer.
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Old 11-18-2019, 02:11 PM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
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Originally Posted by brendan's dad View Post
I am firm believer in practice is very important but I respectfully disagree with your last couple of statements. If you are "pulling" a trigger on a 200 meter shots you are going to end up with a lot misses and/or wounded animals. If the animals only provides a brief window of opportunity for a shot that forces you to rush, then that is a shot that shouldn't be taken.

The saddest story is a wounded animal that is never recovered.
If you read the thread more closely you will notice I said shooting sticks at 200 m In this case of course it is breath and squeeze.I have let numerous animals go not only because of distance,but because of position--For example a moose walking straight away,is a no go---I found many many moose rotting hit in the hind quarter.What a waste because of hunter stupidity.
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Old 11-18-2019, 05:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter View Post
Any practice is good practice...range time, gopher patch, tape in a tree...we are not all blessed with unlimited places to practice...but any time behind the gun is a good thing.
Was able to drop a pigeon at about 50 yards with my old cooey .22
Easy you say. yes, but this one was flying and it was a hail Mary passthrough shotgun swing.. guess 1200 fps bullet to 1450 fps shotgun bb's don't have that much difference in travel time.

Like most tools in the trades... the more time you spend with it is the difference between a craftsman and an apprentice.
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Old 11-19-2019, 09:15 AM
coyoteman coyoteman is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Foonus View Post
Was able to drop a pigeon at about 50 yards with my old cooey .22
Easy you say. yes, but this one was flying and it was a hail Mary passthrough shotgun swing.. guess 1200 fps bullet to 1450 fps shotgun bb's don't have that much difference in travel time.

Like most tools in the trades... the more time you spend with it is the difference between a craftsman and an apprentice.
Holy smoly--Now that was something else--Either that pigeon was unlucky or you should be in the Annie Oakly show.
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Old 11-19-2019, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Mateo View Post
when i'm with a new hunter i get them to dry fire on an animal that we are looking for, but don't necesarily wanty to harvest. (too small, too far, ). especially in mule deer country where we have tags for them. we see a good amount of the smaller does or deer on the move. it forces the new hunter to think about a rest, get his nerves under control, make sure his scope caps are up, check his safety. and wait for that broadside opportunity. Also I range the deer for them so they can get a good idea how far things really are.
Nerves,buck fever--For sure the cause of many misses-woundings.I saw a hunter fire two shots into the ground,Looking at a bull moose.At the bear camp,for many years,While many hunters told me they did,Many did not--I found the brass--Miss or wound a bear at 30m or less.
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Old 11-19-2019, 09:41 AM
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On the general subject of practice--And reflexive shooting.Seal hunting from a moveing boat,at the head of a moveing seal.The ultimate challenge.I sailed with a guy--Pee wee who shot hundreds if not thousands under this conditions.I did get my share,But probably missed more.Pee Wee burnt out many barrels,At maybe 5ft,he could out shoot and out fight the best of them.
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