Advice On Composure When Shooting Live Targets

[jonathanjones]

Hi guys , ive been shooting for 2-3 months now and have slowly begun to get a lot better/accurate, however i recently felt i am confident/safe enough to hunt live vermin.

Like i said i can hit half inch groups quite consistantly at 30 and 40 yds, which for a novice im quite proud of.

So ive been hunting 3 times now and i enjoy the stalking/waiting element, but when a live target gets in my sights it all goes pear shaped!!!, and i mean pear shaped!. I start to panic and rush my shot for fear of losing my long awaited target. I missed several "easy targets" although luckily i missed them completely and did not cause any suffering which is important to me.

So do you guys have any tips for me???

any procedures for breathing etc??

any help to stop me shooting like a guarilla having a spasm would be much appreciated

cheers
jonathan

[kev hughes]

Adrenalin is a wonderful thing Just calm down and relax imagine your shooting a paper target, count to ten then bang
Kev

[PaulW]

Just think to yourself " if I bodge this.." it calms me down and makes me control my breathing.

[maty j]

it still happens tome now. im not as bad but it still happens. try resting your rifle on a support.eg:tree or anything thats there. one more thing take a deep breth first.
happy
hunin

[Gary C]

No amount of advice will help mate
It's just practice - get used to the live shooting

In the meantime reduce your range to minimise misses. Gradually it will come

atb

Gary

[jonathanjones]

Thanks guys, i guess its all in the mind as they say.. i will take on board what you have all said . thanks again

cheers
jonathan

[swamprat]

I think you've answered it yourself with the phrase '..afraid of missing long awaited target.' I've done it myself, treated the target in the crosshairs as if it's the last bunny you'll ever see again on this earth.

You've missed three already, and you ain't died yet, so there's bound to be another. Tell that to yourself when your mind goes haywire at the point of pulling the trigger. It'll take away the anxiety of not having 'scored' yet, which is probably what's really throwing your concentration out.

I still find that the first bunny of every hunt induces some nerves. Once I break my duck I start to relax more. Silly I know, but...

[Gary C]

on a more tangible note it's always good to learn 1 new skill at once.

So rather than trying to support the gun - rest it on something. Bipod, beanbag - fist on floor, your mates buttocks.. whatever floats your boat.

All you have to do then is squeeze. (The trigger that is). After you've got few this way you will relax and start to move onto more difficult shots.

[Doobin]

Originally posted by Gary C
...your mates buttocks.. whatever floats your boat.

All you have to do then is squeeze. (The trigger that is).

LMFAO!

Seriously mate, try taking a couple of deep breaths (but no so deep as you start hyperventilating ) Try tying this in with breathing control, ie. deep breath first, in, out, in again, then out again almost all the way, hold it for a split second and squeeze off the shot.

[Thunderbolt A10]

Hi,

I can only agree with what have been said earlier that, you need to calm down and use a stable rest for your shooting. Especially a good and stable rest will give you more confidence of hitting what you are aiming at.

I think, we all have tried from time to time to feel this "target shy problem" - we are all just human beings !

Rgds,
Thunderbolt A-10

[gaazzz.t]

you could try stalking without your rifle a few times. see if you can get within range and watch your quarry.
then when you're out with your rifle you might be alittle bit more composed.
worth a try

[starrysmoothhound]

its the same princible in fishing, i've seen many a nice fish lost at the net or at some point in the battle,due to adrenaline surges, plenty of fish in the sea, just enjoy the moment, you can say your just enjoying the air and scenery.

[Scarecrow]

You could also force yourself to just watch old bugsy for a couple of minutes without even thinking of taking a shot. After that you then realise that, barring any sudden movements or noises on your part, they will remain in your sights for quite some time, and you soon learn that there is absolutely no time to rush your shots.

I've often found that by taking my time like this another rabbit (or more) will often pop out for an even easier shot. Even if more do not appear, by the time you take your shot you feel as if you have all the time in the world, which ultimately makes for better results.

HTH

[gaazzz.t]

scarecrow - thats what i was doing at the weekend. i was stalking a rabbit near some stinging nettles. laid there watching him for about 5mins, waiting for him to come out abit or wait for some others when some idiots started firing off a rimmie a few hundred yards away

[stillair1]

Help yourself by getting into a stable seated position preferable with a tree as back support. Relax and think of the basics of marksmanship, ie sight picture, breathing and trigger control. Go for the ones that are at point of zero to start with. Once you knock a few over your confidence will grow.