68 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [OCTOBER 2019]
‹Woodcockarehardtohitbutbypracticing,theauthorwasabletomake
theshotwhenitcounted.‹Sinceyoudon’tknowwhenopportunitieswillariseinthe eld,itisgood
practicetoshootfromdi erentpositionswhenyou’reattherange.your breathing is still not under control. You rush the shot, shooting just under the deer and, just
like that, your opportunity is lost.
This has happened to all of us, but it doesn’t have to. Many factors could have played into this
scenario. Was it opening-day jitters? Was it buck fever? More than likely, it happened because
you were not one with your firearm.
I bet you hadn’t picked it up since the end of last season. Oh, maybe you went to the range
last week and put five rounds down range and called it good, but it wasn’t. Let me tell you
from experience that firing off a few rounds a week before the season starts is not enough. To
be successful, whether you are hunting large game or small, waterfowl or upland birds, takes
practice. Your firearm, whether it is a rifle or a shotgun, needs to be an extension of your arm.
The movement of bringing the firearm to your shoulder, getting your sight picture, clicking off
the safety and firing should be second nature before you head to the woods. It is called muscle
memory and that only happens with constant practice.
For me, hunting is not a sport; it is a way of life. With much of the food my family eats coming
from what I can harvest from the wild (hunt, fish, forage), I can’t afford to miss those opportu-
nities when they present themselves. Sure, I miss; we all do, but normally it is not from the lack
of training. I am very comfortable with my abilities and with my firearms. I know my limitations
and the limitations of the firearm that I am using, because I practice.
I shoot all year around. During the winter I use an indoor range, but in the summer you will
find me shooting at outdoor rifle ranges or on the sporting clays course. I go through a bunch of
ammo, but that is fine with me. In the big scheme of things, the ammo is the least expensive
thing about the hunt. When you take into consideration the costs of your licenses and special
permits, the gas used to get to and from your location, food, lodging and other overhead, ammo
should be the last cost you’re concerned about. Better to spend a few dollars now than to blow
the shot of a lifetime.REALISTIC TRAINING IS CRUCIAL
When I go to the rifle range, I don’t just settle for shooting at paper targets from a bench rest.
That is fine for zeroing in your rifle, but it does not present a real-life hunting scenario. I like
to change things up. After zeroing, I will try different things. I’ll fire from standing, sitting and
kneeling positions and I will do this at different angles and at different distances. I will shoot
both with a scope and with open sights.
To simulate a stressful situation, like seeing that buck walk out of the woods in front of you, IH
ere is the scenario: For the
past two weeks you have
been out scouting for that
great deer or turkey location
and you finally found that
perfect spot. You decide that this is where you
will hunt. It is still dark when you make your
way into the location. At first light you can’t
believe your eyes; a nice four-pointer steps
out into the open, only 100 yards away. You
fumble a bit as you bring your rifle to your
shoulder; your breathing is labored. You waste
precious seconds as you mess around with the
safety. Your jerky movements alert the deer
and it takes a step. Your heart is pounding and› Right: Jake Bowen, the owner of
Manchester Firing Line, advocates
the concept of “aim small; miss
small,” which suggests that you’ll
become a better shot if you prac-
tice shooting at smaller targets.