Bad luck seems to haunt some pretty good deer hunters who may very well deserve the tag “hard-luck” hunters. Even avid hunters can possess all the new gear and tactics, yet, when the moment of truth arrives, they are unable to make a good shot. And, a shot that is not good is bad in so many ways.
In the bad-shot scenario, the hunter should consider not only his prey, but also himself, as being lucky, if his errant shot misses his target completely. The animal escapes unscathed, courtesy of the inaccurate shot, and the hunter has no tracking chores.
If, however, such a hunter places his shot beyond the fringe of the fatal zone, he must begin to track his wounded quarry and the stark reality is that not all deer are recovered. I’m not going to speculate on percentages, but I know there’s a fair amount from personally harvesting many deer that have been shot previously – either by gun or by bow and arrow.
The subject is one hunters don’t like to talk about: missing or wounding game, so let’s take a look at a technique that may help you get past the jinx you may have begun to believe in. Before doing so, however, certain assumptions are in order.
The first assumption is that you are able to fire consistent, accurate groups from a bench rest at paper targets. It is important to possess a firearm that is accurate. Proper bench testing, which may involve experimentation with different ammunition, will bolster a hunter’s confidence.
Since most hunters are not able to tote their shooting bench afield, it’s a good idea to practice in the standing (off hand) position. Using a 6-inch circle as a 100-yard target, most anyone would be hard-pressed to get 9 out of 10 on the mark. Find out what your maximum range is by moving the target closer until you make the 90-percent grade. Then, use this same barometer afield. Be honest!
The off-hand position is the least stable, so shooting from a good sitting or kneeling position will normally increase your accuracy immensely – enough to pass the test beyond 100 yards.
At this point, it’s fair to assume your gun and technique are good enough. It’s time to translate the ability you already have to the field.
Circumstances are sure to complicate your plans, as you spot a buck worth harvesting. Your fingers are cold, your toes are cold and the wind is pushing against you. Your heart redlines to the point you begin to shiver uncontrollably. There’s no way to steady the barrel. Ethics compels a sportsman to pass this shot.
But let’s say the weather is mild, you have a decent rest and your chosen buck strolls along at 75 to 100 yards. The disciplined hunter will only take such a shot after having practiced at moving targets. A used tire with a cardboard center and a 6-inch circle can be rolled in a safe environment but who really does this? Probably not you, if you are the “hard-luck” hunter. If you haven’t practiced on moving targets, you shouldn’t start doing so afield. Once again, you must be honest with yourself.
It’s difficult enough under controlled conditions to make the perfect shot – and that is the goal of any true sportsman. And, here is the key to the practice sessions: For each shot, the shooter must be aware of exactly where the crosshairs are when the gun goes boom. To do this requires extreme concentration on the target. If you are using a variable power scope, twist it up to full magnification. Some people don’t like the effect and claim the gun moves around too much. Guess what? It moves around just as much on low power; you just can’t see it as much.
Your mind will intuitively command your muscles to settle down. As you relax and begin to slowly squeeze the trigger, you pay particular attention to the exact location of the crosshairs at all times. You must hold on the target to the best of your ability. Just keep concentrating on the position of the crosshairs relative to the target. Keep squeezing. Your only thought is being aware of your sight picture. When the gun goes off, it must surprise you.
You then call the shot’s position on the target without confirming its location. The only way a shooter can do this is to have already verified that his firearm is accurate, is sighted in, and that he has mastered the concentration aspect of shooting and has exerted steady pressure on the trigger. These are relatively simple concepts, but with a heavy- kicking firearm typically used for deer-sized game, hanging on tightly while steadying for the perfect shot becomes problematic – even from solid bench rests.
The question becomes is the “hard-luck” hunter actually attempting shots he is capable of 90 percent of the time when afield? The answer is apparent. Not knowing what happened in a hunting situation – that is, not understanding why and how a shot missed completely – comes from not knowing how to practice.
