mchughcb
Well-Known Member
I am because I hunt. Therefore with constant practice you know what your skill level is.
Shooting freehand
- Thread starter Dave881
- Start date
I am because I hunt. Therefore with constant practice you know what your skill level is.
Hi,
This post is in no way me advocating shooting deer offhand and extended ranges. This is a follow up from another thread about gaining higher skills in marksmanship and as a part of that thread shooting off hand came up and the discussion was about how difficult it is to hit a 4 inch circle at 100 yards offhand with a deer stalking setup. I for on am interested in learning as many different shooting techniques and styles as I can so if I ever find myself in a situation where I have to take an out of the ordinary shot I understand how to take it safely and humanely. I mention in my previous post that until this attempt I had taken one off hand shot, this is a prime example of how sometimes things aren't always textbook. I shot a roe buck about 4 years ago offhand at 20-25 yards, with the combination of terrain (steep hill, heavy woods and bracan in front of me) and the distance between me and the buck meant that bipod and sticks were out of the question, so I ducked behind the bracan and prepared myself before slowly standing up and taking the shot, luckily because I took my time got it right he collapsed where he stood. Looking back that is the only time I have done it but had plenty of other times where I could have taken a shot if I had practiced. I fell that as stalkers we should learn as many different skills as possible to cover anything that might happen, but that is a conversation for another thread that maybe I will start up. Please don't look at this thread as advocating potentially risky shots but as a thread highlighting how important it is to practice different skills and learn new ones just incase.
Thanks for your reply,
Dave
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
So on the one hand, you advocate welfare. And then on the other you appear to have an issue with anyone practising marksmanship skills?
Why is it you're here, exactly?
Thanks malmick, I am glad you enjoyed the post and agree that practice is essential to be humane at doing this, in my mind the more skills you learn the better prepared you are when you need it or somethings has gone wrong.
Dave
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
I hunt quite a bit in germany. Your hunting test, which you have to do each year, includes off hand shots at both running and stationary targets. Most shots they take are either snap shots on driven game or from a high seat.
in theclast 20 years in the UK there seems to be an ever increasing drive to yet more kit. In the old days you carried a single long walking stick - fine for steading a shot, and if it wasnt steady you got closer.
Nowadays you need a 4x4 to carry your shooting bench, big scope etc rtc so you can shoot the same deer. Which by the time you have got your octuple shooting sticks perfectly set up the deer has died a death frrom boredom.
i know i can hit a coke can size target at 59 yds so will shoot off hand if needs be. If i can drop into a supported kneeling shot I will. If I am not steady and confident of a clean kill I wont shoot.
in theclast 20 years in the UK there seems to be an ever increasing drive to yet more kit. In the old days you carried a single long walking stick - fine for steading a shot, and if it wasnt steady you got closer.
Nowadays you need a 4x4 to carry your shooting bench, big scope etc rtc so you can shoot the same deer. Which by the time you have got your octuple shooting sticks perfectly set up the deer has died a death frrom boredom.
i know i can hit a coke can size target at 59 yds so will shoot off hand if needs be. If i can drop into a supported kneeling shot I will. If I am not steady and confident of a clean kill I wont shoot.
The intention is not to recommend the offhand shot Sd, no one should advocate such an option at 100m or so unless it were the only one available. Say, for instance, a wounded animal that stops momentarily at that distance and the stalker has no time to assume a better, more supported position? The ability to make such a shot accurately, quickly and with a degree of certainty (i.e. humanely) is a valuable skill to have, but as mentioned by others it is very much a perishable skill and therefore requires regular practise.
In line with what you have said above it is very much from a deer welfare point of view that one should practise such a shot. As the old saying goes "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst".
I can't shoot off hand over 100 with any consistency so i don't, its dead easy lol. I'll shoot at distances Im happy with, if there's any doubt I don't take the shot. I don't see a problem in that in the slightest. Same goes for headshooting which no doubt you will also disagree with, i used to do it on rabbits regular as clockwork, if i didn't i wouldn't have a rabbit to bring home. If i can head shoot a rabbit at 100 im dam sure I can head shoot a deernthat far. That's for a different thread as this one is getting derailed. To the OP, I find snap shooting free hand tends to be more accurate, the longer you think about it the more the Crosshair moves and then you've missed lol, keep at it and you will be fine. As others have said, work on the little things (trigger control, cheek weld and stance and so on) and the rest will come with it
and I thought this was a stalking forum, get close shoot quick. Not right either! So again back to sniper position or what?
whatever one does is wrong.
edi
Myself and Bowji John off here had a quick go at this earlier today, firing just one round each, freehand from 100m.
John is too modest to say so but, basically we’re both awesome shots. I managed to hit somewhere on the 24” square piece of white card, and John managed to strike just a half inch or so below the bullseye, so I guess you could say that we’re pretty much professionals.
John is too modest to say so but, basically we’re both awesome shots. I managed to hit somewhere on the 24” square piece of white card, and John managed to strike just a half inch or so below the bullseye, so I guess you could say that we’re pretty much professionals.
Lucky shot 
Had me eyes closed
Had me eyes closed
The more you practice, the luckier you get!Lucky shot
Had me eyes closed
reiver
Well-Known Member
Ffs it’s only a 100 M not shooting at the moon !!
if you practice and are confident in your ability just crack On .
Just so you know I don’t use sticks or a bipod . I will lean against a tree or if the bonnet if I can . But most of my shooting is driven and free standing with rapid reloads as well .
if you practice and are confident in your ability just crack On .
Just so you know I don’t use sticks or a bipod . I will lean against a tree or if the bonnet if I can . But most of my shooting is driven and free standing with rapid reloads as well .
Sika-Hunter
Well-Known Member
In all seriousness I think the unsupported skill is relevant to us all
I know I have become far too reliant on some prop or other
Shooting unsupported was normal in my youth, but somewhere along the way I lost the ability
I now practice regularly to re acquire the skill
For some it might come naturally
For me it is not and I've thrown thousands of rounds down range in order to improve
The good news (for me) is that all that practice with the humble old .22LR translates directly to the 9.3 of this afternoon
I know I have become far too reliant on some prop or other
Shooting unsupported was normal in my youth, but somewhere along the way I lost the ability
I now practice regularly to re acquire the skill
For some it might come naturally
For me it is not and I've thrown thousands of rounds down range in order to improve
The good news (for me) is that all that practice with the humble old .22LR translates directly to the 9.3 of this afternoon
Just so you know, meteorites are actually pieces of moon that I have shot off.
That’s how good of a shot I am.
I practice a few rounds off hand a few times every week. At least with the 22 from my office door...
Furthest on a deer off-hand was ~160m after a friend missed and I was not sure if he missed. Shoot 5-6 deer off-hand every year mostly well under 100m. It is just a part of stalking, same as a longer range rested shot.
edi
Furthest on a deer off-hand was ~160m after a friend missed and I was not sure if he missed. Shoot 5-6 deer off-hand every year mostly well under 100m. It is just a part of stalking, same as a longer range rested shot.
edi
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