How do you guys trian to be better shots?

Simjim33

Well-Known Member
I have been reading on this forum about custom rifles and how to get more accuracy out of this rifle or that rifle but no one seams to talk about the best way to get better shots and that is fitness. I am not talking about triathlons but do any of you have a exercise program that you have found helps?

Why spend £k? On a rifle when exercise can do wonders to a stalker with a good deer rifle.
 
I couldn't agree more.
I took a friend out the other day. We saw two good buck chasing each other and had to work quite hard to get in to a position where we could take a decent safe shot. He's not the fittest of lads and when it was time to take the shot he was still panting heavily. He probably should have taken the shot, but he did and luckily, missed completely. I should add, it wasn't a hard shot either, broadside at about 60-70 yards...

the only thing i could put it down to was his fitness levels.
 
You've really lost me here .
1.Better shots .
2.Triathlons .
3.Fitness .

1.Better shot is practice in different positions IE off sticks bipods ,fence post trees etc.

2.Yes 20 years ago ,or dragging a stag off a scottish mountain with a sssi. Where you cannot use mechanical transportation

3. Every time your out a "walk" with the rifle ,shoot something even bettering the sack nothing like a bit of load carrying to let you know your heart is still working.
 
You've really lost me here .
1.Better shots .
2.Triathlons .
3.Fitness .

1.Better shot is practice in different positions IE off sticks bipods ,fence post trees etc.

2.Yes 20 years ago ,or dragging a stag off a scottish mountain with a sssi. Where you cannot use mechanical transportation

3. Every time your out a "walk" with the rifle ,shoot something even bettering the sack nothing like a bit of load carrying to let you know your heart is still working.

i was trying to ask in the OP if any one had advise as to what can help. the fitter you are the better you can hold your out breath and such. I cant see how my OP can be that confusing.
 
I have been reading on this forum about custom rifles and how to get more accuracy out of this rifle or that rifle but no one seams to talk about the best way to get better shots and that is fitness.......

Jim. Fitness is one important aspect. Good ammunition, good optics, practice and competition help too. Rgds JCS
 
Triathlons....not sure swimming with my rifle will make it - or me - any more accurate. I'm not prone to swimming rivers or lakes to get on a stalk. I'm not known for shooting from a push bike either. Oooh, hang on though - anyone know where I can get a good rifle rest to attach to my handlebars (for a mountain bike obviously)? Do you have to let the carcass sit on the saddle on the way home???!!

I had a friend one who used to train hard for cheese rolling comps - would that count?

In all seriousness, I think you raise a valid point. Good technique and good fitness will, along with good eyesight, will do you as much for accuracy as good glass and an accurate (i.e. not necessarily expensive) rifle. Put them all together and you'll be a wizard. Is custom rifle building all about accuracy? Not in my mind - a rifle should be aesthetically pleasing too.

JMHO you understand
 
Simjim, you do raise a valid point. But your OP ties this up with an implied criticism of custom rifles and the guys who shoot them - ie I am a fat b#stard and need a custom rifle to compensate.

However, there is no doubt that a fitness regime based on keeping the weight down and improving the old cardio vascular system would benefit all of us. Combine this with a bit of practise of our shooting technique and you never know, some may even manage to shoot the odd deer.
 
Being fit certainly helps, but I think practise is probably more important being able to shoot from any and all positions
standing, kneeling prone with bipod without bipod its easy enough to produce perfect shots when you are comfortable and set up for them not so easy when you have a rock sticking in your ribs or shooting down a steep slope hanging on by your toes:D
 
As said put the time in and Practice. ( Practice Leads To Perfection) so they Say. ;)

+ HEALTHY LIVING.
Living a healthy life can do much more than make you feel better today — it can help you avoid a plethora of health problems as you age. Small, simple changes to your daily life can pay big dividends in the long run.

Rgds, Buck.
 
After missing a buck twice when I started stalking, blamed on heavy breathing from moving into a tricky shooting position and not being able to steady the cross-hairs, I quit smoking and promised myself to get so fit that I could run 100yds drop on the floor, and nail a sub MOA series of shots. I smoked for 15 years, no longer! I am now also a marathon runner and run on average 50-60 miles per week. I do a lot of mountaineering and similar excercise, and practice shooting when having just had a sprint, to teach myself how to control my heart rate quickly, and deliver an accurate downrange round.

I guess I can thank that missed buck years ago for getting me motivated to quit smoking..it might have saved my life, but the cigarettes saved his:lol:
 
Simjim, you do raise a valid point. But your OP ties this up with an implied criticism of custom rifles and the guys who shoot them - ie I am a fat b#stard and need a custom rifle to compensate.

ok i can see that. i would love a Brock and Norris custom job there rifles are stuff of legend. it still would make no difference if after trying to cover ground quickly i couldn't get my hart rate to settle before i could take aim.
 
After missing a buck twice when I started stalking, blamed on heavy breathing from moving into a tricky shooting position and not being able to steady the cross-hairs, I quit smoking and promised myself to get so fit that I could run 100yds drop on the floor, and nail a sub MOA series of shots. I smoked for 15 years, no longer! I am now also a marathon runner and run on average 50-60 miles per week. I do a lot of mountaineering and similar excercise, and practice shooting when having just had a sprint, to teach myself how to control my heart rate quickly, and deliver an accurate downrange round.

I guess I can thank that missed buck years ago for getting me motivated to quit smoking..it might have saved my life, but the cigarettes saved his:lol:

thats what i was on about i wont be joining you on the marathons though.
 
thats what i was on about i wont be joining you on the marathons though.

Put the rifle down 100 - 150 yds from your target, go back 25 yds, then sprint to the rifle, drop to prone, put 2 rounds on target. Get up walk back, stop, sprint to rifle, drop to sitting, take 2 rounds on target, repeat with sticks, then off hand.

Also, practice low, medium, high crawls for 25 yds or so, then when in 'position', but prone and sitting shots on target..............best practice you'll get apart from the 'real' thing.
 
Put the rifle down 100 - 150 yds from your target, go back 25 yds, then sprint to the rifle, drop to prone, put 2 rounds on target. Get up walk back, stop, sprint to rifle, drop to sitting, take 2 rounds on target, repeat with sticks, then off hand.

Also, practice low, medium, high crawls for 25 yds or so, then when in 'position', but prone and sitting shots on target..............best practice you'll get apart from the 'real' thing.

now thats what i'm talking about thanks mate. great suggestion.
 
Put the rifle down 100 - 150 yds from your target, go back 25 yds, then sprint to the rifle, drop to prone, put 2 rounds on target. Get up walk back, stop, sprint to rifle, drop to sitting, take 2 rounds on target, repeat with sticks, then off hand.

Also, practice low, medium, high crawls for 25 yds or so, then when in 'position', but prone and sitting shots on target..............best practice you'll get apart from the 'real' thing.

Yes and have a heart attack, what kind of bum information is that, you know nothing of the persons base fitness age health or anything else , but your telling him to sprint ,superb information and i dont think so .

Go and see your doctor get him to do a work up on your general health first ,go out and walk everyday , build a base fitness first and foremost then look at upping your exercise level.

Those that start exercise later in life have far more problems with injuries and health than those that have contributed to exercise most of there life .
 
Yes and have a heart attack, what kind of bum information is that, you know nothing of the persons base fitness age health or anything else , but your telling him to sprint ,superb information and i dont think so .

Go and see your doctor get him to do a work up on your general health first ,go out and walk everyday , build a base fitness first and foremost then look at upping your exercise level.

Those that start exercise later in life have far more problems with injuries and health than those that have contributed to exercise most of there life .

Not quite mate, I'm not telling a fat b@stard to go run a marathon, just to do a short 25yd sprint/jog to get the heart rate going! if you can't do that without falling over dead you'll never survive dragging a roe deer back to your car on your shoulders either..

not so sensitive now Widows Son...or did you adopt that name because someone like me suggested a training program that was too strenuous? not to pull a Hannibal Lector psychoanalysis of course - and no offense meant, just don't get why the response was so sharp in tone... ps. yes, a general GP recommended training programme is great, but he/she will hardly tell you how to improve your shooting!
 
To be fair, I can only recall one instance where my lack of fitness cost me a deer. I was pushed up a very steep mountain in Argyllshire very early one morning, we crested a rise to see two very shootable young stags about 80m away. I was so blown that I could not have hit the parish I was born in. Took about 3 minutes to get my breathing and heart beat under control, the deer were long gone. Of course there are probably plenty of deeer I failed to see as I could not face another hill or whatever. This is I think, a much bigger issue for hill stalking than lowland or woodland stalking.

One thing I have noticed among other stalkers is lack of urgency about engaging a shootable deer once it is spotted - within range of course. I see a lot of potentially good shots not taken as guys are very slow to take up a stable position and fire. Even once a stalker gets the rifle on the sticks or gets down prone, there seems to be a lot of "analysis" before a shot is fired.

Very early in my stalking career I failed to take a shot at a really nice Red stag in Donegal, simply because I was not proficient enough to get my sh1t together, get down prone and get a shot off. I have spent a lot of ammo trying to rectify this shortcoming.
 
Claret,

I think engaging a deer quickly probably comes with practice. I am a novice and I read and learn from the threads on here about back stops, shot placement, awareness of other deer etc. This is also a big part of DSC 1, which I have and DSC 2, which I am working towards. I am very concerned about wounding an animal by rushing. These things all add up to me taking alot of time to make sure I am happy with a shot before taking it. If that means I don't take shots that more experienced guys would I don't mind as I have to be comfortable that I'm shooting within my own ability.

I have noticed that I am getting quicker and "assume the position" more quickly that previously. However I think it will take alot more practice and experience before I can get in position and shoot almost immediately.

The ideas on fitness are useful. I work in an office and don't do as much excercise as I should. I'm not particularly over weight, but I do notice myself blowing quite quickly if I have to move up hill at speed. I will give some of the excercise tips a try.

Cheers,

Bob
 
Back
Top