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Old December 16, 2019, 09:23 PM   #26
reynolds357
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Originally Posted by jimbob86 View Post
Another old wives tale ...... I killed both my deer on the run (granted, neither ran for more than a few seconds, being jmped from a thicket) ....have sampled some of both .... delicious.

My dad shot a a doe that had just run 1/2 mile across a field and stopped in front of the blind ...... we grilled her heart and it too was tasty.
Its not a wives tale. It is well documented in cattle and swine. Killing livestock quickly while they are calm delivers a much more marketable meat.
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Old December 16, 2019, 09:24 PM   #27
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I shoot all the time, all year round. Got my own 100 yard range. So I guess I wouldn’t call what I do ‘practice’.
I have my own range, but often times I just shoot out the back door of my shop.
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Old December 17, 2019, 10:00 AM   #28
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Well, it doesn't do you much good to practice AFTER hunting season. Does it? But no, I shoot all year long. It's familiarity with the rifle that makes you a good shot, not sitting at a bench a week before you go to the woods.

Sitting at a bench is not practice. My practice is standing off-hand and kneeling.
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Old December 17, 2019, 10:05 AM   #29
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I practice off a rest for hunting - because that's how I hunt.

I practice shooting positions for CCW or other potential conflict.
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Old December 17, 2019, 03:02 PM   #30
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Sitting at a bench is not practice. My practice is standing off-hand and kneeling.
So if folks don't do it your way they aren't doing it right? There are a lot of things you can practice from the bench, and like onlinebiker, that may be how you hunt.

I actually used to have a feeder along my 400 yard shooting range and would hunting from not just from a bench, but from the very bench I used when sighting in my rifle, LOL.

I can't say that I practice shooting for hunting any more given that I hunt hogs all year long, usually out 3-4 times a week. My range time is to check zero, verify work done on gear, and to try out new gear. After that, everything goes into the field. Probably 90-95% of my shooting is off of trigger sticks, a few percent from a bench (box stand) and the other pittance percentage from the edge of trees, rested on barbwire fences, rested on T-posts, rested on my truck, and offhand.
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Old December 20, 2019, 05:26 PM   #31
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Absolutely. I’m a handgun hunter so it’s much more difficult than using a rifle with optic that’s zeroed. Should you practice with your hunting rifle? Absolutely. I don’t practice with my rifle nearly as much as I do with my pistol. I’ve also been using the same rifle since 1999. The practicing with my handgun was pushed by my dad. He knew I was into pistol hunting and we had just got done checking zero on our rifles at our 100yds range. My dad looks at me and says “you’re confident with that pistol, let’s see what you can do at the rifle range”. I’m like “oh crap” I had never considered trying a handgun shot that far. He sets up a paper plate and I was able to put all 6 rounds from my 629 .44mag on the plate. I was shocked. 4 cylinders later, I was able to cover all 6 rounds with my hand. It paid off that evening. I’m in one of our box blinds and a 7 point walks out at 75yds. I took the shot and dropped him. It was my official longest and biggest kill I have ever made with a pistol. So yes, practice does matter.
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Old December 22, 2019, 10:54 PM   #32
reynolds357
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Originally Posted by Ben Dover View Post
Sitting at a bench is not practice. My practice is standing off-hand and kneeling.
My shooting bench, with a few trees thrown on it for concealment, is my most productive hunting spot. Deer walk out on my range. Kind of helps my range is right down the edge of a beanfield.
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Old December 23, 2019, 10:17 AM   #33
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I have a ground blind that I use from time to time - that has a nice solid shooting bench I built.

I am very comfortable taking shots out to 250 yards with my barrel 12 gauge. I would go half that offhand. (Kneeling isn't a good option for me due to crippling injury).

Not all hunters are 100 percent physically.

The trick is knowing your limits and knowing ways to work around them.
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Old December 23, 2019, 11:36 AM   #34
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Shooting from the standing, off-hand, and kneeling positions are my favorite positions to shoot from. For anyone that hikes or walks with a rifle, these positions should not be neglected. I know that some people have different needs and limitations, but for me, the bench is only for load development and sighting in. I also like the sitting position, but as in Ben Dover's case, the terrain and forests where I live make the prone position impractical.
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Old December 23, 2019, 02:20 PM   #35
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My longest shot is somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 yards. I fire five rounds from standing at about half that distance (or close, not a measured range) to verify the scope has not wandered while sitting and call it good.
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Old December 23, 2019, 11:38 PM   #36
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We SHOULD be checking deer firearm. techs

a month prior opening day.
We should be ethical hunters.

Having manned my clubs' "sight-in" day, I'm amazed that the number of deer are harvested.
This year I had a "elderly" gentleman show up before closing.
He was excited that after 20 years of apply for a MIichgan Elk permit was drawn for the DEC13/14 hunt. He was trying to sight-in a Savage 110, in 7mm Mag., he had two boxes of 175gr bullets. He was having difficulty with the recoil.

I suggested he swing by the Dundee Cabelas' store and consider getting a recoil pad that he could wear under his clothes and consider trying the 150 / 162 grain ammo for more control and concentrate on good shot placement.

He thought about and said he considerate it.

I related a conversation with the SIERRA Ballistics regarding my .308 loads using the 165gr SPT @ 2600 fps for use on WA ELk, they suggested using the 165gr HPBT and bumping the powder up to get an additional 150=200fps. The HPBT are of sturdier construction for deeper penetration


Never got his name, hope he was successful
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Old December 24, 2019, 07:02 AM   #37
Nathan
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I know lots who don’t or practice very little. I do some shooting off a sturdy rest to confirm zero. I do some 100-300yd offhand, kneeling, sitting, holding against a pole, etc.

In the field, I’m normally sitting or kneeling supported.

I think the key to any practice is knowing how I can hit with a given amount of reticle movement. Then I know when to say no.
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Old December 24, 2019, 09:55 AM   #38
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Guess it depends on what you call rifle practice:

I shoot to develop my handloads some most ever year.
I shoot a 22LR some during the off season.
May shoot a CF fun shoot if one interests me - May not.

Other than that I sight-in all deer rifles before the season at 100, 150 or 200 yds depending on rifle. Most of my hunting is from a sitting position with a rest in a stand, so the bench rest sight-in is kinda like practice.
On my LR rifle, I'll sight-in at 200 yds, then shoot a group at 300, 400 and 450 on that same target.

Now, I really don't consider this a lot of shooting.
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Old January 1, 2020, 02:25 PM   #39
jackstrawIII
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I shoot considerably more than anyone else I know. Hundreds of rounds through my hunting rifles every year. Of course it helps.

That said, most folks idea of “practicing” is shooting 3 rounds off a bench in October to make sure their gun is still sighted since they put it away last December. And they wonder why they miss deer so much...
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Old January 3, 2020, 01:49 PM   #40
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I practice all year.

I go target shooting in the desert and mountains all year round. Shooting in wind and snow, hot and cold. I shoot from a bench, kneeling, prone, braced on a tree or log, offhand, and weakside.

A typical trip sees 5-6 rifles going, from .22 LR up to .375 H&H, and 6-8 pistols from .22LR to .41 Mag or .45 Colt.

Shooting at ranges from 5 yards to 5-600, at targets varying size from a coke can to deer/elk sized.

I end up shooting all my hunting rifles several times a year, in varying conditions, at various ranges enough that I don’t make special practice trips before the hunts.
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Old January 9, 2020, 04:51 PM   #41
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i do not typically practice. I do try when possible to ensure that my gun is still zeroed, but the heat fluctuation where I'm at makes that difficult as it can be 100 degrees at the range a month before season opens and then 45 degrees opening morning. I should practice more in general, but time, laziness, and rising range membership prices makes this prospect more difficult to justify.
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Old January 11, 2020, 08:56 PM   #42
reynolds357
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Who needs practice. Just put that cross where you want to hit and give that trigger a good yanking on. So long as your rifle is boresighted real good, you should hit what you pointing at. What you need to practice is working the action fast and reloading. That way you can shoot at that deer a bunch of times.

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Old January 12, 2020, 03:11 PM   #43
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I set up a couple of my rimfire rifles that feel and point very similar to my centerfire hunting rifles for practice. I mounted the same optics and adjusted trigger pulls to mimic the big game rifles.

I practice various shooting positions (off-hand, sitting, kneeling, etc) all year round using these rimfires. The only real difference is the felt recoil.
I swap the rimfires for my centerfires about a month before the season opens and continue the drill.

I’ve found this method of practice to be VERY helpful.
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Old January 14, 2020, 02:04 PM   #44
kenny53
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When I hunted I would take my deer rifle to the desert and hunt jackrabbits with it. You can get pretty good at quick shots doing that.
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Old January 19, 2020, 11:13 AM   #45
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I have not practiced as much the past few years as I normally do. Heck this past deer season I never got the chance to check the zero on my 7MM REM Mag., but it performed well on a 15 yard shot on a 8 point buck back before Thanksgiving. I know one should at least fire a shot before deer season to check the zero, but due to certain circumstances I just didn't get to the bench this year.

I have pledged to practice more in 2020 and to be ready for deer season 2020 long before it gets here. I have even been kicking around the idea of buying myself a new left hand rifle, it would be a first for me. All my bolt guns are right hand rifles. As always the new rifle will require some scope zeroing and some load development, that will be fun.
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Old January 19, 2020, 11:24 AM   #46
pete2
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I confirm my zero on my deer rifle, that's all. I do shoot handguns and .22 rifle and handgun all year long. None of it off the bench except to zero or test loads.
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Old March 7, 2020, 03:12 AM   #47
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Always; I think that you owe it to both yourself and the animal to be as proficient as possible with your firearm (or bow). You owe it to the animal to make a good shot and ensure that it dies quickly. You also owe it to yourself, as you don't want to spend hours or even days tracking a wounded animal (which you may not even find).

Like others have said, it is also important to practice shooting from a variety of positions (i.e. prone, sitting, crouching, leaning back against a rock/tree, standing, etc.).
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Old March 30, 2020, 04:11 PM   #48
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Six or seven yrs ago I ended up at the DNR range on Nov 13-deer season on the 15th.
Dont ask why. It was a bad situation. Guns the wouldnt function. Lefty guys shooting off the right shooters side of the bench.

I did get about 100 once fired 30-06 brass.

One fellow had a sporterized 03A3 pretty much like mine. I said "nice 03" and he promptly advised me it was an "ought six." I didnt argue w/ him.
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Old August 27, 2020, 08:07 AM   #49
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Not really. Most of my friends and me grew up with guns and hunting. So after about 50 years, we kind of know how to do both. So after firing a few rounds to make sure it’s sighted in, that’s about it. If I get a new rifle or shotgun, I’ll fire more rounds just to get the feel of it.

But that’s not to say we don’t shoot the rest of the year. Living in the country has its perks. Most of us can just go out back and shoot. I can’t recall being on a range since my days at Fort Hood, many years ago.

I have been shooting my 22 a little more this year getting ready for rabbit season, but the 22 gets shot a lot anyway. I’ve also been shooting more slugs lately. Mainly to get the feel of shooting in different shotguns, and I like shooting slugs.
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Old August 27, 2020, 12:34 PM   #50
ms6852
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I always start practicing free hand shooting a couple of months before hunting season. I use a Remington 513T 22lr to practice shooting hundreds and hundreds of rounds every range session at 50 and a hundred yards. About a week prior to hunting I will shoot also shoot a few rounds of my 30-30 at 100 and 200 yards and my 30-06 I only check my zero at 200 yards. I don't use sticks or shoot prone so my practice is standing , kneeling and sitting cross legged free hand. Less stuff I carry the better I'm off. Still have some elk and venison in the freezer from my last hunts.

I shoot all year round all my rifles, I just concentrate free hand shooting standing, kneeling, and sitting more a couple of months prior to deer and elk season.
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