How good is good enough to hunt...

[Weevie]

This is something that I've been thinking about for a while.

The sensible consensus seems to be that your maximum hunting range given a particular shooting stance is the maximum distance you can consistently group your shots within a 1'' (25mm) circle.

So mine for instance are:

(in still, ideal conditions but unsupported)

Standing 10 Yards ( )
Kneeling 25 Yards
Prone 45 Yards

(and I mean stable versions of each position, not kneeling in a 1 in 3 hill for instance)

as I said that's in still conditions - the greater the wind the closer my ranges get (my maximum ranges if I'd been hunting in the conditions that prevailed at BAGS would have been...oooh...about a yard ).

Okay...so we have a nice still day (for example the kind of day we had at the UKAHFT Bisley shoot last year) and we see people consistently recording scores at UKAHFT rounds in their 30's.

Well that's okay, great in fact, everybody has to start somewhere and HFT is a great 'place' to start and HFT is all about fun as well.

But...

A lot of these people are possibly hunting live quarry.

Is this something to be concerned about?

Okay, I hear a lot of people say that it's different when hunting.

'I never wound quarry, when I hit an animal it's lights off'

Maybe they mean it matters more so there's more focus. Perhaps just the fact that it's a living animal somehow raises the game in some psychological/mystical manner.

Or is it perhaps in some cases that, what is thought to be a miss (after all you'd have to be pretty arrogant to say every shot you take always goes where you aimed it) is in fact a wounded animal, just boosted enough on adrenaline to get away?

I don't think I have an answer BTW and I'm certainly not saying anybody who posts a 34 at a UKAHFT round should have their hunting kit taken off therm I just thought I'd ask what people thought.

[Dagaros]

When i hunt i only take the shot/s i feel comftable i can make (use a bipod and prone mosty) where as in HFT for example you are forced to diff positions etc so scores may be much lower than desired. Obviously didnt answer all your questions but this is my current input into the subject.

[Mad Pierre]

How many shots in an HFT comp? Around 60? All have to be taken from the peg.

When I hunt I take maybe 3 or 4 shots max, I see many more bunnies that I know I can't hit, so I don't take the shot. In HFT you don't get that 'choice'.

[JJSTEALTH]

not shure what my long barrel t.d.r would do ,prob 1" groups at 65 yd's prone and bipod but i obviously wouldn't hunt at that range,
standing, i can group into 1" at 20 yd's (average) sometimes better ,sometimes worse
its not just about accuracy its also about power at the point of impact,

i think thats right

JASON..

[Forth]

we see people consistently recording scores at UKAHFT rounds in their 30's

Never even been to one, but wonder could it be that some people are actually better shots without other people around?

[Mad Pierre]

Never even been to one, but wonder could it be that some people are actually better shots without other people around?

Good point, and those that aren't would probably not take the more difficult shots, they'd manouver into a better/closer position, like I do. HFT is a good sport, but shouldn't be confused with real hunting.

[baxterbasics]

You already have your answer
In the field,if the shots not on,you don`t take it. In competition,you don`t take the shot,you get Nil Points.
When hunting,i take 90% of my shots Kneeling-always have-shooting at clubs/comps has certainly increased my competance in the field

[Shed tuner]

Well, on the plus side I think all this HFT shooting will result in far better shooting and less woundings - I know my range estimation has got much better as a result..

[johnnystorm]

re: other post...

http://oldbluejacket.com/CarlosHathcock.htm

Probably good enough I'd say!

[Weevie]

You already have your answer

Do I? Then why did you post?

Great input so far...Especially the one about the number of shots. Of course if you test something fallible (like we all are, especially me ) 30 times then you'll get more fails than if you test something 3 or 4 times.

[muttley]

Hi,

and interesting point raised, baxterbasics is right, most shots in the field are taken kneeling I'd say. I can't recall taking a shot at closer than about 25 yards and wouldn't take one at much over 30, so my range of technique is much narrower than that called for in hft.
I'm a good shot in the field and practice what I'll need - kneeling shots at 25-30 yards, I have markers to check distances to as a warm up and my airgun is zeroed for these distances specifically. If I ever did it this wouldn't necessarily make me good at Hft though as its disciplines are wider.

hope this helps


muttley

[Gary C]

Old chestnut.

Hunting is 2 sports - Stalking and Target shooting. You stalk then shoot at a target.

The thought that people shoot better hunting than at targets makes me laugh..as if some mythica ability is endowed when you're alone. . Nobody sees you miss.

The first test is your ability to group as above.
2nd is to group as above with wind
3rd is to group NOT knowing you range.

I hunt with FAC and as such can shoot out to 75 yards in perfect conditions BUT need a rangefinder for this. "Free" hunting I'm out to 55 to 60 yards tops.

Woundings occur. All you can do is minimise them

[Forth]

The thought that people shoot better hunting than at targets makes me laugh..as if some mythica ability is endowed when you're alone. . Nobody sees you miss.

Gary, I cannot say re effect on other people, but if you (or anyone else unknown) were standing (out of my sight) behind me while I aimed - yes, it could be off-putting.

[max headroom]

got to go along with gary c here. to a point. i like to hunt alone. as the man said, no-one sees you miss.
but wont take a shot I am not happy with. if my telescopic sight says yes and i say no, then its a non shot.
most of my young shooting was prone with the two lee enfields.
now it is mostly standing with the sprigy thingy and the pcp.
and forth, comping with the lee enfeilds, i did used to feel uncomfortable with people watching. that included the referee.

[Brian.Samson]

I agree with Gary to an extent...

The thought that people shoot better hunting than at targets makes me laugh..as if some mythica ability is endowed when you're alone. . Nobody sees you miss.

There's probably an element of bulls hit when you hear people saying they never miss while hunting but then put in a low score at HFT. There is definately a psychological element in target shooting that isn't there when hunting. Part of that is down to the fact that other people are watching.

There's also the fact that in HFT you have no choice but to take the shot. A 45 yarder in a stiff crosswind isn't a shot that I'd attempt while out hunting but you have no choice in HFT.

It's hard to say how many dropped points those factors would equate to on an HFT course, but I'd certainly say that if you're getting a score of 30 on a 30 target UKAHFT course (max score of 60) then you need lots more practice before you even think about going hunting.

Should we be concerned? No I don't think so, in fact quite the opposite.
When you speak to someone that's just come off an HFT course with a lower than average score the first thing they'll admit to themselves is that they need more practice and that's definately a good thing.