Apr 13

Apr 13 Practice at Range

Hunting season is here. You pick up your range finder and focus on whatever game you’re after. 23 yards. Well shoot. You’ve only ever practiced in your backyard at 10, 15, 20, 30 yards. Maybe 25. You don’t have a 23 yard pin. Where do you aim?

Have you practiced shots that happen between your pins?

Or, you pick up your range finder, focus on the game your after and it says 362 yards. Well, you shoot at the rifle range but you only ever practice at 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 yards. You haven’t even practiced at 350. How do you aim? How many clicks do you spin your turret? Is it windy? What is your holdover? Should you even take the shot?

Wildlife doesn’t stop at a perfect even number of yards from you. Ever.

When it comes down to it, you don’t have time to walk three yards forward or backwards to make your mathematics even out to zero decimal places or perfect pin placement or reticle ticks.

If you practice every day, or every week, you should make it worth your time not only for yourself, but the wildlife you’re attempting to take deserves your practice more than you do.

Do you get bored practicing? I bet it is because you haven’t thought of every situation or position you’ll likely encounter in the field.

Get creative. Change your stance. Sit. Kneel. Crouch. Lay down. Shoot from an elevated or sunken, or low level position. Get out your blind and set targets up around it. Set up the tree stand in the yard.

Give yourself some obstacles. There are a lot of things in our backyard to distract a shooter. Sunshine on metal objects. It is always windy. It may be raining so there are various clothing options to practice in.

Will you be calm when you make the shot? Most likely not. Do some jumping jacks or pushups and pick up your weapon immediately and practice controlling your breath while your heart is going to leap from your chest and take that practice shot.

You owe it to every animal you ever take a shot at to make the best possible shot within your abilities. And you have 100% control on how prepared you are, or aren’t.