Do you practise shooting off hand?

If you can hunt with the same PH a few times, or with the same outfit you can get some reputation transfer.

On my first hunt I had 3 animals down in the first 2 hours with one shot apiece, and the PH still was suprised that I would even consider takeing a 300ish shot at a gemsbuck on hour three. I told him that I could make that shot on the worst day I ever had, then dropped to sitting and poked a .375 through its ribs. After that, I did what I wanted.

One thing that I found was that by the time a PH eyeballs a trophy and mentally scores it to 1/4" it starts getting a little antsy by shooting time and often bolted. What I started doing was getting into shooting position while he was evaluateing, then if he even got "shoot" partway out it got loud in a hurry. Sh-boom. It works quite well, and heads off any discussions of shooting positions in a hurry.

I've had few heart to heart talks with PHs, and frankly they don't believe that clients can shoot because most of them can't. When they do realize that they have a shooter their job gets easy, but the hunt is half over. Telling them at the beginning about your shooting ability does no good because everyone says that. Putting all your sight-in shots in the same hole might offer a glimmer of hope, but only really proves that you can shoot from a rest.
 
Dogleg said:
If you can hunt with the same PH a few times, or with the same outfit you can get some reputation transfer.

On my first hunt I had 3 animals down in the first 2 hours with one shot apiece, and the PH still was suprised that I would even consider takeing a 300ish shot at a gemsbuck on hour three. I told him that I could make that shot on the worst day I ever had, then dropped to sitting and poked a .375 through its ribs. After that, I did what I wanted.

One thing that I found was that by the time a PH eyeballs a trophy and mentally scores it to 1/4" it starts getting a little antsy by shooting time and often bolted. What I started doing was getting into shooting position while he was evaluateing, then if he even got "shoot" partway out it got loud in a hurry. Sh-boom. It works quite well, and heads off any discussions of shooting positions in a hurry.

I've had few heart to heart talks with PHs, and frankly they don't believe that clients can shoot because most of them can't. When they do realize that they have a shooter their job gets easy, but the hunt is half over. Telling them at the beginning about your shooting ability does no good because everyone says that. Putting all your sight-in shots in the same hole might offer a glimmer of hope, but only really proves that you can shoot from a rest.
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:D

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Sticks are for kids... Im perdy sure most everything Ive shot has been off hand, except the odd ground hog with a bipod on the rifle.

The 300 ultra mag was invented for bench shooters wishing they could be off hand shooters.:p
 
7mmlefty said:
The 300 ultra mag was invented for bench shooters wishing they could be off hand shooters.:p
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About 10 years ago I was hunting for a few days with a couple of buddies in their moose pasture. We ran into a 65 year old guy with a new truck and a new quad and a new 460 Weatherby Magnum. We saw this fellow a bit later in the day, parked in the middle of the road, visibly shaken. It turned out he had just shot a black bear, that spring's cub, at about 40 yards, and it had taken 3 shots as the first shot hit it in the foot, the second shot missed, and the third shot killed it. We were not sure at first he was ok, thinking maybe he had a heart attack or something.

I could just hear the salesman who sold him that rifle laughing. It turned out their moose pasture was no better than mine, as we only saw cow moose, but we have had good fun remembering the guy with too much money and a rifle that was much too big for him. That remains the only 460 I have ever seen outside a store.
 
I'm late to this thread, but I'm a hunter first and foremost not a target shooter, so the only bench shooting I do is for groups and sighting in. Sitting, elbows on thighs I can manage 3" or so at 100 with consistency. Standing, I'm very happy with 6". I use sticks typically or sitting or prone when hunting, and practice those three styles most. Sitting or standing off sticks, I shoot very close to as well as off a bench and use this method for hunting whenever possible. Prone, I shoot equally well as off a bench over a pack, and it's my preferred position but long grass and brush often makes it impossible.
 
All shooting I do is offhand with open sights except to sight my gun in, never get a chance for a rest when I hunt. If there's not dogs chasin it then I'm the one doing the dogging and gotta be good and fast enough to flatten that deer before it gets out of sight. I usually see them before they see me but that's just cause they aren't as smart as people think they are.

I've killed 2 ducks and 1 partridge flyin with my 22, and yes I was trying to do it. Not gonna mention the ones I've missed while also trying though:p
 
I've even abandoned the bench for sighting in, preferring to shoot slung up prone. Field marksmanship should include all of the supported positions as well as off hand. When I was hot with my .375, on occasion I could keep 3 in 2" at 100 off hand, but I wouldn't say I could have ever done it on demand. Conversely the group would seldom open to 4". Kneeling was my preferred position as it was high enough to keep me above natural barriers, stable when using a sling, and almost as fast as off hand. But since I've had a bum knee that won't allow me to rest on my heal, I've resorted to sitting, and much of my range tie is attempting to master that; I would like to be able to shoot as well sitting as I do prone.

I had to smile with Dogleg's description of the PHs who don't expect their clients to be able to shoot particularly well. When I rugged my warthog, it was running away quartering to the right at something over 100 yards, but less than 150, and I dumped him with an offhand shot from my left shoulder; to which my incredulous PH asked, "Did you just shoot left handed??!!" as if it was something special.:eek: I guess practicing ambidextrous off hand might not be that common.
 
I don't shoot much offhand at game, as the type of hunting and surrounding terrain doesn't require it (open fields from stationary position). I'm usually in a blind/treestand or I have a bipod. I do practice off and on with my 22's and I'll have to admit that more practice is required. :redface:

It's been my experience over the years that those who feel the need to boast about their shooting abilities are generally the ones that screw up, be it a miss or wound, it never fails.
 
bearkilr said:
I don't shoot much offhand at game, as the type of hunting and surrounding terrain doesn't require it (open fields from stationary position). I'm usually in a blind/treestand or I have a bipod. I do practice off and on with my 22's and I'll have to admit that more practice is required. :redface:

It's been my experience over the years that those who feel the need to boast about their shooting abilities are generally the ones that screw up, be it a miss or wound, it never fails.
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That is the point of practice though isn't it; to minimize our mistakes in the field. Anyone who shoots misses from time to time though. I had a perfect set up on a wolf on the sea ice a while back, broadside, good light, but he wasn't quite as far out as I thought he was. I put the front sight (iron sighted .30/06) on the line of his back, and thats where the bullet went. At the time it felt like a beginner's mistake, but I'm not embarrassed by it. While we learn from our mistakes, we learn little when things go right. I've done lots of shooting and lots of missing, so I've learned a bunch over the years.;)
 
I've had few heart to heart talks with PHs said:
Absolute truth, my very first hunt in Africa, the first morn we drove out to camp and the PH said first priority was to get 6 impala hanging for leopard bait. We entered our concession area and within 3 minutes we were driving past a large herd of impala which he pointed out to me, but was not slowing so I told him to stop. He questioned why and I said I thought you wanted 6 impala baits, to which he replied they were too far, so I insisted he stop and then queried how far and he said about 350 mtrs, which I agreed with. I got out and sat down on the edge of the track and levelled 4 with 4 shots from my Sako 300 WM and 180 parts. The smiles and looks exchanged between PH and tracker were priceless.

You are correct dogleg, the bar really isn't set too high!!
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Yes.

A good standard for the average NA big game hunter to achieve is 3 consecutive shots into a dinner plate sized target at 100m within one minute shooting offhand (with the rifle they will be using, of course)
 
blasted_saber said:
Yes.

A good standard for the average NA big game hunter to achieve is 3 consecutive shots into a dinner plate sized target at 100m within one minute shooting offhand (with the rifle they will be using, of course)
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This is where knowing your trigger comes into play, if the rifle fires when you touch the trigger, and you touch the trigger the first time the crosshairs cross the target, it should not be a problem.
 
c-fbmi said:
Absolute truth, my very first hunt in Africa, the first morn we drove out to camp and the PH said first priority was to get 6 impala hanging for leopard bait. We entered our concession area and within 3 minutes we were driving past a large herd of impala which he pointed out to me, but was not slowing so I told him to stop. He questioned why and I said I thought you wanted 6 impala baits, to which he replied they were too far, so I insisted he stop and then queried how far and he said about 350 mtrs, which I agreed with. I got out and sat down on the edge of the track and levelled 4 with 4 shots from my Sako 300 WM and 180 parts. The smiles and looks exchanged between PH and tracker were priceless.

You are correct dogleg, the bar really isn't set too high!!
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What is easy to some can seem impossible to others. Often its just as simple as they've never put in the effort, or never been exposed to those situations. Perhaps both.

I was out playing today at my own little range, shooting 2-800 with a variety of rifles. I hauled a burning barrel out for old targets and needed a few drain holes in the bottom. Of course the time honored method has always been to shoot them in, but how to have some fun with it? I positioned it against the 400 yard line and poked a 7 1/2" group in the bottom, shooting offhand.

While I was out there one of my land renters dropped by, being the friendly sort he is. The long range shooting that I do seems to interest him, and before he knew it he was snuggled in behind my Carlock rifle, center punching the 650 gong. He doesn't know a bipod,rear bag or Mark 4 from his ass, but with a bit of guidance and someone else dialing elevation and dopeing wind the unlikely suddenly turned easy.
 
Dogleg said:
Don't enter any competitions I guess.
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You sir, are one of the most pragmatic gentlemen I have ever had the pleasure or corresponding with. You take insult in stride and have sage responses to those nay sayers. I take my hat off to you.

To bearkillr, I have made a called shot at 500 yds and shot my Altai Argali sheep through the heart, one shot.....called.....at 457 ranged mtrs. Approx a 5" target at 500 yds, with witnesses with my 300 Wby and 168 gn TTSX shooting .7" groups at 100 mtrs with a velocity of 3500 fps and a single duplex reticle in my Zeiss Diavari 3-9 scope. That sir, was the culmination of a $60,000 hunt, if I didn't make that shot I likely would have come home empty handed, holding the last Altai Argali tag ever issued in the world.
It's called knowing your rifle and practice, practice, practice. It's not brain surgery it's practice. It is unfortunate that you think this type of shooting is BS and braggery as you will no doubt influence younger shooters to think as you and never develop the skills for long range hunting.
 
A friend of mine down the road raises WT deer.
Sell's lotsa trophy racks, want his number? Could improve that trophy room...
When other folks speak of your shooting prowess it carries weight.
When you speak of it...not so much so.
 
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