RIFLE HUNTERS SIGHTING IN AND PRACTICE
The most commonly asked questions I receive each year from my rifle hunters have to do with caliber
recommendation, distance of shots to be taken, and type of bullets. These are pertinent questions and all should
be addressed. But that being said, neither of these three are the number one reason for missed opportunity when
the time comes to harvest a trophy. Simply, the number one reason: Lack of proficiency with the firearm of choice.
Some suggestions I have for the summer prior to your hunt:
- Burn a lot of powder- The more you shoot, the more comfortable and accurate you will be with any gun.
- Sight in on a bench with a sandbag. Be dead sure your gun is dead on. Once you are sure your gun is
dialed in, then you will know it’s not the gun's fault when you’re off target.
- After the bench, get OFF of the bench. Lay down, kneel, use a tree as a rest, use your sticks or bipod or
shoot off hand and see how accurate you are. This will be the reality of your western hunt, and those
benches and sand bags are really hard to find out in trophy elk and deer country.
- Try laying out a sleeping bag on the ground 200 yards from your target. Lay your rifle, loaded but
unchambered, on that sleeping bag and put on your heavy coat, boots, gloves, binocs, range finder and hat.
Now back up 300 yards, then run to your rifle, pick your position, chamber and fire three shots at your target
within 20 seconds. How’d you do? Most likely, especially with trophy hunts, that is a more accurate
depiction of what your bullet pattern will be. You may not be running, but you may have to climb. You may
not be out of breath, but adrenaline will surge when you see a big buck and the result will be the same.
BASICALLY, PRACTICE IN A MANNER THAT WILL BEST PREPARE YOU TO MAKE THE SHOT WHEN THE TIME
COMES