How good a shot are the stalkers in the UK?

[bogtrotter]

ho ho ho. actually he never had a 2nd antler, no sign of coronets or anything, biggest beast I've shot for a while, just over 300lb larder weight. testicles where like walnuts. he was an old chap.

Thats a good larder weight.

 

[Virbius]

I bet that hurt mate....

Yes, certainly did in places! Worth it though - and raised money for the CA at the same time, - 27 of us all hunters, shooters, farmers and fishermen.

 

[MONGOOSE]

Yes, certainly did in places! Worth it though - and raised money for the CA at the same time, - 27 of us all hunters, shooters, farmers and fishermen.

Well done to all you guys.......

 

[mudman]

Do you think when you do your DSC1 that shooting in to a 4inch circle is OK, I ask because I have asked people about there rifle's how it shoots (as you do) and some of them say its in a 4inch circle at 100 yards and that's a dead Deer, not sure what to make of that what's your thought's.

Al.

Well, it is true, 4" even 6" circle for the bigger species. Broadside chest shot and it is a dead deer.

 

[Paul at Fechan]

Gary, like that idea, get the lamp out on the 'cats eyes' for bonus points!

right then will sort it, Big cat is banned though because actually he can shoot... and if he wins I'll never hear the end of it. Sorry big man

 

[Heym SR20]

To be a really good shot, just like most skills, you need to learn it as a youngster. Most of us are off a vintage when nobody worried about kids cycling 10 miles to a friends farm with an air rifle over their shoulder and then spending the days shooting rabbits etc. as a ten year old I was dispatched by my grand mother with a BSA cadet down to the chicken run to shoot rats and starling that were raiding the chicken feed. I can't see that happening much nowadays - and you wonder what the next generation is going to be like?

A lot I am sure can be improved by good training and coaching, but how much is actually aimed at stalking type shooting as opposed to either target or military. And as JAYB said its just practice in field positions that really counts.

But if you are a really good stalker do you need to be a good shot? Most of us can hit a deer from 20 yds offhand!

 

[LuckyEddie]

The problem for us recreational types is time and money.
I would like to get to a range every three months but this probably ends up twice a year due to other commitments.
The range I usually frequent predominantly uses their 200m range.
I therefore have my two deer rifles set for this.
Out on the ground if I'm lucky to connect with a beast then there is no time practice as I need to get the beast to the chiller asap.
If I don't get a beast then I set up targets in a suitable area and fire off 3 shots at each 100m, 70m, and 40m target and do this twice.
To date I've had seven beast - 4 from high seats (furthest 155yds), 2 from sticks and 1 50yd free hand shot.
I've had one miss fire, missed a beast cleanly and had a through and through on the lungs (second shot put the beast down).
I would love to practice at the 100m, 70m and 40m targets more often.
But work and family come first and the cost of ammo has to be factored in as well.
So yes I'm not as good as the pro stalkers amongst you but I'm happy with my results so far.

Atb

Ed

 

[biker1]

Gary, like that idea, get the lamp out on the 'cats eyes' for bonus points!

right then will sort it, Big cat is banned though because actually he can shoot... and if he wins I'll never hear the end of it. Sorry big man

I will collect some bluebottle gonads for the 200m targets then

 

[biker1]

Never really thought much about other people's shooting until i went for my level 1 and did the shoot test there,on the test range i was shocked how bad shots there were out there,there were 7 off us and only 3 past first go,there was me ,biker 1 who came a close second and mannlicher 308 who i now class as mates but the rest were shocking.One guy was making that many excuses that this was wrong and that was wrong and eventually past just.Others were blaming there guns.but on the day ever one was told have there gun zeroed and ready ,so personaly i think theres a lot more bad shot out there than you think

The scary thing is the guy who made all the excuses had been in scotland all week shooting deer

 

[nowler]

It's the same as every hobby or occupation, some are good, some are poor, some are utterly useless and some are so talented it's sickening

 

[Jimbo 30 06]

A quote from Stag1933 in the neck shooting thread
It is a fact of life that 8 out of 9 stalkers cannot place 3 consecutive shots on to a one inch bullseye at 100 yards from a good rest with NO stress.

Now i know that all the stalker on SD think they are great shots. Not forgetting those that never miss ,wound a deer. Or the rural snipers in our midst.
I think that Stag1933 has a very valid and fair point. Now I know that you are thinking what the feck is this old fool from Sweden talking about.
I go every chance I get to shoot the running moose range. For every person who shoots well there are nine who shoot very average to down right poor. There was a young man a couple of weeks ago at the range who was dressed in all the hunting gear plus big knife and stool rucksack who looked like he could shoot. I shot 4 series and he followed after me. Fair enough he hit the standing target but when it was moving had a miss every time. Well he shot 5-6 series and then left the range quite happy with his performance.
Then there was the old chap who could not even score on the standing target. They are just two of many equally talented shot who will be out in the forest on the first day of moose hunting tomorrow.

Now I lived in Sussex for 53 years till I moved here. I belonged to a shooting club with deer stalking as its main interest that had regular range days on the Short Siberia and the BSC ranges.
Now the members of this club were just a cross section of the people who stalk in the UK. There were very few good shots in their ranks. 4 or 5 who spent range day after range day year in and year out chasing bullets round the target, twiddling knobs on their scopes. They never had any confidence in there rifles. At least one of these had Dsc2.
One member who’s reloading skills were on the verge of scary. And one, now dead who would have found it hard to hit a barn door at very close range. People who had .375 and .338 rifles that scared the shite out of them. And so on.
So Stag1933 you hit the nail right on the head.

+1 Stag1933 realy knows what he is talking about yet so many on here post that myself like Stag get HUNG UP IF WE DO NOT PUT 3 ROUNDS in the BULL. My answer to that is if you can not do it relaxed in range conditions then YOU WILL NEVER DO IT IN THE FIELD. It is called pride in your shot and so many on here do not have this pride. Their posts confirm this.

Jimbo

 

[Moray Outfitting]

We see a lot of guys shooting under stress - on assessment days etc and also an awful lot of clients out stalking.

Its been said many times, but the guy who can reliably and swiftly hit a 9 inch paper plate at varying ranges and under field conditions, will invariably bring home more venison than those solely able to do or overly obsessed with, sub 1" groups from a solid rest. Though I dread to think what state the UK gun retail industry will be in if this thought ever truly took hold!

As a personal opinion, a good shot is the person who has the judgement and character to honestly be aware of his/her personal limits - and these can change from hour to hour - and to decline any shot beyond that. It may be terrain, target size/location, equipment, physical or mental condition or a combination. I instruct rifle shooting but do not for one minute believe myself to be a particularly good shot. My field reputation is based more on carefully deciding which ones I'll even attempt than being the secret love child of Carlos Hathcock!

I instruct well ( in modesty ) because I focus on getting the client shooting to their best ability - not mine!

One of the downside of the internet is that opinions risk being taken as black or white or situations over simplified. Everyone is fully entitled to relay what works for them; but it should always be born in mind that one's readership can be very wide and everyone has a tendency to focus on the bits that suit them. From that small acorn various debates spring - range, headshots, calibre etc etc.

 

[big cat]

Gary, like that idea, get the lamp out on the 'cats eyes' for bonus points!

right then will sort it, Big cat is banned though because actually he can shoot... and if he wins I'll never hear the end of it. Sorry big man

now now ,and what about the beer after

 

[stag1933]

I shot the target below last year when I was 78 years old and with only one half of an eyeball working.
I sold this fine Sako .308 for £1100 recently with Optiloc mounts and a cheap Besonder scope for which I only paid £70.
Too much emphasis is paid to expensive glassware etc and not enough on improvement of ones skill and performance.

HWH.

 

[Heym SR20]

We see a lot of guys shooting under stress - on assessment days etc and also an awful lot of clients out stalking.

Its been said many times, but the guy who can reliably and swiftly hit a 9 inch paper plate at varying ranges and under field conditions, will invariably bring home more venison than those solely able to do or overly obsessed with, sub 1" groups from a solid rest. Though I dread to think what state the UK gun retail industry will be in if this thought ever truly took hold!

As a personal opinion, a good shot is the person who has the judgement and character to honestly be aware of his/her personal limits - and these can change from hour to hour - and to decline any shot beyond that. It may be terrain, target size/location, equipment, physical or mental condition or a combination. I instruct rifle shooting but do not for one minute believe myself to be a particularly good shot. My field reputation is based more on carefully deciding which ones I'll even attempt than being the secret love child of Carlos Hathcock!

I instruct well ( in modesty ) because I focus on getting the client shooting to their best ability - not mine!

One of the downside of the internet is that opinions risk being taken as black or white or situations over simplified. Everyone is fully entitled to relay what works for them; but it should always be born in mind that one's readership can be very wide and everyone has a tendency to focus on the bits that suit them. From that small acorn various debates spring - range, headshots, calibre etc etc.

Well put. I know for a fact that I do find having a guide/ witness or even just a friend adds another large level of stress. The worst is the guide who is saying "hurry up and shoot it" when you are waiting for it to stand in a clear position. The only words a guide should say - "just relax and take your time" - much better a clean kill than a hurried and wounded animal.

 

[stag1933]

Well put. I know for a fact that I do find having a guide/ witness or even just a friend adds another large level of stress. The worst is the guide who is saying "hurry up and shoot it" when you are waiting for it to stand in a clear position. The only words a guide should say - "just relax and take your time" - much better a clean kill than a hurried and wounded animal.

Very true !
Also when I took out guests I used to stop and glass the mountain frequently so they could re-gain their breath even though I was OK.

HWH.

 

[Tamus]

Here's one I shot yesterday at 150m. How much better a shot would be required?

Incidentally, 180grain Nosler partition from .30-06 with an MV. of circa 2750 fps. Entry wound about 25mm (hit a rib) exit wound about 15mm no other damage than to thorax (minimal bruised/bloodshot tissue) ... and the bit in between? ... as photo shows.

View attachment 20123

And... for the uninitiated, that is a red stag's heart. After the shot, he walked, rather unsteadily, for about 20 paces, lay down, thrashed around (all within about 10 seconds) and was a dead as a door-nail when the pup and me walked over to him about a minute later.

 

[bewsher500]

no braised heart for your dinner tonight then!

 

[Tamus]

no braised heart for your dinner tonight then!

Sadly, NO Ed. But my mate shot a nice Sika stag on sunday and after a long drag out, for a late lunch, we feasted on pan seared heart, kidneys and liver. Mmmm!

 

[neil_r]

A quote from Stag1933 in the neck shooting thread
It is a fact of life that 8 out of 9 stalkers cannot place 3 consecutive shots on to a one inch bullseye at 100 yards from a good rest with NO stress.

I did ask in the original thread where that "Fact" came from, I still don't know. For it to be a "Fact" one would hope there was some irrefutable empirical evidence to support it. Until there is, this is more of an opinion than a fact.