Shooting Skills

[motley man]

Heard many shots from hunters and they don't seem to be able to hit the sweet spot. Found deer that were wounded and died and shot a doe that someone had hit in the front quarter and was crippled up. Everyone should go to the range and practice at least a few shots at target to be sure they are shooting where they aim. Also don't spray the woods with bullets from your semi-autos after missing first shot. Make the first shot count. If you hunt in woods and don't shoot over 100 yards you don't need a scope for long range, so don't put any big fancy scopes on that you can't shoot with any way. Smaller powered scopes work great for hunting in the woods so don't overdo it. Don't want to seem negative about scopes or just missed shots but see to many that don't take guns out before season and practice.

[HookEmHard84]

Amen to that! Especially slug hunting, its amazing how many times you hear 3, 4, or 5 shots.

[bikeoutback]

We sighted in all our rifles prior to hunting season (unfortunately that's the last shot I took this season so far) and I grouped 3 with an inch at about 45 yards. I don't have a longer shot in my woods anyways. I'm proud to say two of my party hunters have taken 5 shots to date and we've hung 5 deer. We tracked no farther than maybe 50 yards to date this season. Sure makes it easy.

I don't know enough about rifles and what is considered high powered scopes but all 3 rifles have 3-9x40 scopes, I was told I'd never need anything more than that... It's set on 3 and pretty sure in my woods I'd never go any higher. Maybe one day I'll need 4 through 9.

[harvey lee]

So many just grab the gun from last season and do nothing but hit the woods.

With all 22 of my guns which 10 are rifles, I take each one to the rifle range each season b4 I use them to hunt with.

Each gun is well zeroed in and I know the range for each and the exact bullet and weight that goes with each gun.

If one wants to make a good clean kill, one needs to know and practice with his weapons.

My .223 will take out a pop can at 200 yards or maybe a tennis ball. I have these shells loaded for my gun and it's very accurate for the fox and yotes.

[hockeybc69]

My sentiments exactly Motley Man.

What I hate worse than anything is when people seemingly bragging about the deer they shot at 5 times or whatever. Add on top of that it seems that most people that have those multi shot stories always seem to have missed the deer..... Plenty are hit from those idiots.

I have to bite my lip sometimes. But its very frustrating how there is such a lack of concern from some people. They get 2 days in the woods, and by golly, they are gonna shoot something!

[Ufatz]

I really hate to get into this because it makes me angry enough to PUKE. It is one of the reasons I quit hunting in this part of the world. I know there are good guys out there, keen hunters with proper gear who know how to shoot. On the other hand we are burdened by uncaring nitwit wanna be "sportsmen". So far my brother and I have found TWO. Last year one stumbled into my driveway and dropped-a nice buck. I back-tracked waiting for hunter to come following him up. End of day nobody....nothing.....clear blood trail in 4-inches of snow. I fear IF the guy HAD showed up next day somebody around here mighta decked HIM.

Do what you can to try to get the message across will ya fellas. I've pretty much given up and we try to just stay out of the way any more.

[harvey lee]

Yes, the poor hunting ethics have chased many away from the sport.

[NEUT6899]

I also agree with everything said... If you dont have the clear shot then dont take it... Winging lead in the air is not gonna do the job. On a few occasions I have passed on deer because the right shot wasnt there. The last 3 deer i have killed have been with one shot(per deer that is ) and the tracking has been maybe 30-50 yards on each...

[hockeybc69]

I hope there are plenty of the slobs reading this thread taking some notes.

I actually have a few rules on our property to try and ensure things are on the up and up....

-You do NOT shoot at running deer. Only exception is if its obviously wounded or hurt.

-Kids or newbies should have a standing still shot. No walking, trotting, galloping. Stop the deer and make a clean quick kill. Get some experience.

-Just because a deer has big antlers, doesnt mean you caution and concern to the wind in order to get a shot. Its a clean shot, or no shot. Doesnt matter if its a fawn or a 30 pt buck.

-If you havent shot your gun to ensure its sighted in, dont even bring it.

-No deer drives. PERIOD.

Pretty common sense stuff. Are the rules hard and fast? Within reason. If a deer is running by at 10 yds in the open, hard to tell an experienced hunter that he cant shoot. Basically use your head......

[deerminator]

I think a lot of it has to do with the style of hunting as well. Many people do drives right but one guy from work told me the instructions they gave the younger, first time hunters on their first drives this year - "unload your clip when they break from the swamp." So basically, fire like heck at a running deer and hope you hit it.

[Tom7227]

I belong to the Bald Eagle Sportsmen's Association and we have to put in hours every year. It has amazed me over the years that number of people that come out and fire maybe 4-5 rounds and quit, happy that they've got it within a 12 inch circle. One guy with dangling Rolex's and a huge double was on his way to Africa and was happy with that sort of result. What percentage of rifle hunters do a site in? For that matter what percentage of shotgun hunters pattern their guns?

[LightningBG]

I belong to the Bald Eagle Sportsmen's Association and we have to put in hours every year. It has amazed me over the years that number of people that come out and fire maybe 4-5 rounds and quit, happy that they've got it within a 12 inch circle. One guy with dangling Rolex's and a huge double was on his way to Africa and was happy with that sort of result. What percentage of rifle hunters do a site in? For that matter what percentage of shotgun hunters pattern their guns?

Too funny. I know a guy that went to Africa. Shot a huge double. $15 per bullet. Said you dont spend much time on the range with those prices. He would never settle for a 12" pattern though. Did take an elephant last time he went. Makes it a little easier when your 50 yds out, shooting for the brain when the head is the size of a smart car.

For my rifle, I normally only shoot about 4-5 rounds a year to sight in. Its dead on, all them time. Not sure how more more I can do. But I'm always shooting tight patterns, and I've never missed a deer with it. If my pattern wasn't tight, I'd spend more time correcting it.

[Froggy4371]

I always shoot atleast 10 rounds through my slug gun before the season. Has never failed me yet. Took a doe at 45 yards and it left a 6' blood trail that a blind man could follow.

I can honestly say that I can shoot out a 3" circle at 75 yards with 4-5 shots.

Froggy

[bikeoutback]

Ha ha, I have a buddy that's happy with 3-5 shots on a paper plate. Myself maybe I'm a perfectionist but I want 3 shots within an inch of the red dot on a target at 50 yards which once sighted isn't difficult to do at all. I used a sportsman's club's range on one of their range days to sight it in when I first got it, best $5 I ever spent in regards to my rifle. I tried it myself and wasted couple boxes shells. Those guys had me sighted in within 12 rounds and you can't beat having a shooting bench with blocks and bags and a guy with a sighting scope over your shoulder telling you exactly how many clicks which way. Was a great learning experience for me and it's been spot on ever since, I recommend it for any first time rifle owner. If I ever knock my scope out of alignment I'd probably go back there, can't beat a safe professional set up.

[Froggy4371]

Hey bikeoutback,

I hear what you are saying about 3-5 shots on paper cause I know people like that but the guys I know only spend about 20 min in the stand in the morning and night then they are cold and have to walk around and never do see deer.

I would love shots like that but I do not have the money for a scope or even a rifled slug barrel. I just shoot a smooth bore slug barrel.

Froggy

[Tom7227]

I would love shots like that but I do not have the money for a scope or even a rifled slug barrel. I just shoot a smooth bore slug barrel.

Froggy

Slugs act differently out of every gun. You would find it interesting if you bought boxes of 4 or 5 different kinds and went out to a range and sited in your gun. If you do it use sandbags and a table to make sure things are in a good solid rest. I bet that you find one brand works really well. Then stock up 3 or 4 boxes of that brand and you'll be good to go. Cost you maybe $30 and a couple hours of your time.

[skee0025]

the guys I know only spend about 20 min in the stand in the morning and night then they are cold and have to walk around and never do see deer.

Send em my way. I'll set them up in the woods across the way from where I'm set up

[BobT]

Quote:

Slugs act differently out of every gun. You would find it interesting if you bought boxes of 4 or 5 different kinds and went out to a range and sited in your gun.

This is true for every cartridge made. That's why professional shooters load their own. They can control variables much more accurately.

[fishuhalik]

Hey bikeoutback,

I hear what you are saying about 3-5 shots on paper cause I know people like that but the guys I know only spend about 20 min in the stand in the morning and night then they are cold and have to walk around and never do see deer.

I would love shots like that but I do not have the money for a scope or even a rifled slug barrel. I just shoot a smooth bore slug barrel.

Froggy

I don't mean to be discouraging or sound like a jerk, so please don't take it that way, but I would never go into the woods or let anyone go in the woods with me if I didn't know without a shadow of a doubt that if I pull the trigger the bullet's gonna go exactly where I want it to every time. I think it's incredibly bad ethics and a poor example to future hunters to not know that you're going to make a good, clean kill every time you squeeze, even if that's only once every 5 years. Call it overkill but I'm not satisfied unless I can keep my shot group at 1" for every hundred yards. I've only taken 1 shot over 150 yards, most of my deer have been under 75 yards, but I've killed 16 deer without one lost, all with 1 shot. I did have to track one for about a mile one time, it was a running shot straight away and I shouldn't have taken it. It's all a learning experience and I was still a young hunter. That's not to say I'll never take another running shot. I'm not bragging, but I feel that I'm a good shot with my rifle through alot of practicing, and if I really feel confident I'll pull the trigger. Sorry if I sound discouraging or whatever, but the anti-hunters are trying to take away our sport any way they can, and if they keep hearing stories like this, it's just more ammo for them to use.

[96trigger]

Quote:

I would love shots like that but I do not have the money for a scope or even a rifled slug barrel. I just shoot a smooth bore slug barrel.

I shot through a smooth barrel using foster slugs for 10 years. Then I switched to a rifled barrel with open sites, the difference was amazing. This year I went to a rifled barrel with a scope, the difference between the scope and open sites was amaziing at distances greater than 50 yards. Switching to a rifled barrel for slugs is an investment worth every penny. If you watch some of the online gun sites consistently, and know how to search, you can get good deals. The best deal I ever got was just listed as "slug barrel", after reading the description, it was a $400 hastings paradox slug barrel for a beretta that I picked up for $135. They can be found if you are willing to consistenly look. Had I been searching for a beretta barrel, I never would have seen it.

I also think that you can never shoot a gun too much, however, it also helps when people know their guns. I know all my field guns like that back of my hand, shooting trap with them all summer, then hunting in the fall. I know it might be different with rifle, but one thing I would do is probably get a .22 caliber rifle with a similar stock and scope, and shoot that as much as possible, so the feel and sightlines are familiar when I pull it up.

[creepworm]

Just because you are shooting a smooth barrel gun does not mean your gun is not accurate with slugs. I have a winchester model 1300 20 gauge that can shoot a milk jug with open sights at 100 yards every time. A guy I hunt with also has a Mossberg 20 gauge that can do the same. Like others have said, shoot a few different kind of slugs and good accuracy is very possible even without a scope or rifled barrel.

[BobT]

There sure is a lot of big talk and chest banging in this thread about accuracy. To meet the criteria being spouted would disqualify virtually every hunter in the state. Here's one example.

First this was said.

Quote:

I would never go into the woods or let anyone go in the woods with me if I didn't know without a shadow of a doubt that if I pull the trigger the bullet's gonna go exactly where I want it to every time.

Then in the same paragraph he says this.

Quote:

it was a running shot straight away and I shouldn't have taken it.

And this

Quote:

It's all a learning experience and I was still a young hunter.

And this

Quote:

I'm not bragging, but I feel that I'm a good shot with my rifle through alot of practicing, and if I really feel confident I'll pull the trigger

I would venture to suggest that a large majority of hunters feel confident when they squeeze that trigger. You should never pull a trigger by the way; you squeeze it if done properly. Mistakes will be made even by the most proficient marksman or sharpshooter.

[Farley]

Well said BobT.

[fishuhalik]

BobT, as I said, I'm not bragging and I'm sorry it came across that way. I've practiced alot with rifles, and by alot I've probably shot my deer rifle about 250-300 times, and I've spent a decent amount of time prairie dog hunting and have shot thousands and thousands of rounds through my .22 when I was younger. I think almost anyone can be a good shot given the right amount of practice. When I was talking about being confident, I was talking about making sure your gun is sighted in every year, and no, i don't think being able to hit a paper plate at 50 yards is good enough, because you know if for some reason that monster steps out at 150 yards most people are gonna shoot, and chances are, they're gonna miss/wound it.

And yes, I took one shot I regret in 14 years of hunting. I'm sorry. I'm usually very, very careful with my shot placement. I still got the deer and still consider that a partial win, but I felt sick knowing that deer was suffering for hours. My dad scared the snot outta me when I was just starting when he told me that if I wound a deer, the next year I won't hunt. He told me a few years ago that he was bluffing back then. That makes a kid think twice every time he pulls the trigger, or sorry, "squeezes" the trigger....

[Musky Buck]

Agreed guys, seems like for many once they get that gun safety permit or turn 18+ there isn't a great deal of thought and practice into what was supposedly learned and taught, remember how quickly much is forgot once we pass our driving test, you still 10 and 2ing the wheel, seems it would be ideal for another firearm safety training at about 18, ideal yes, but not gonna happen, and lots of the issues isn't kids it's adults pounding away and then that's what is ok in there deer camps and the cycle goes on worst part is all these lost deer and deer that never get registered can skew the actual harvest some. Lots of the people I talked with this year broke some sort of law and it's shocking because community wise they are upstanding people, meaning didn't tag their deer, process there own, save the muzzy tag, shooting early, wife tagged my buck, I was appalled that they would even share that stuff with me.