Field Shooting

Shooting a deer in the field is much different than shooting targets at the range. In the field, the distance to the target isn’t at exact intervals, the deer won’t hold still for long, and there are no benches. The basic fundamentals of marksmanship still apply just as they do on the range, but it becomes more challenging to get steady and get your shot off at the right time. Good sight alignment, trigger press, and getting steady still result in accuracy. By setting up your range sessions to simulate hunting conditions, you can greatly improve you effectiveness in the field. Hunting is exciting and when you finally get a shot at your first deer, you will most likely experience symptoms of Buck Fever, which is a term used by hunters to describe the feeling you get in anticipation of shooting a deer. When you choose to shoot a living animal, the stakes are much higher than on the range. On the practice range, a missed shot will only hurt your pride. In the field, a poorly executed shot can either mean the difference between a successful or unsuccessful hunt, or worse can result in wounding and causing undue suffering to an animal. Because of this, it is necessary to know your limits and adhere to them. Setting reasonable limitations for yourself doesn’t make you less of a hunter, but trying to exceed your limits and wounding, or losing game does.

To quote the late Colonel Jeff Cooper “The basic principle of the field marksman can be stated thus:

1. If you can get closer, get closer.
2. If you can get steadier, get steadier.” (32)

 The average hunter, no matter how much they hunt, never gets enough practice shooting at animals. To become an expert at anything requires thousands of repetitions, and shooting that many game animals simply isn’t feasible. You can however, set up your practice sessions at the range to simulate conditions that you will encounter in the field. Shooting off of a bench is fun because it makes hitting the target easier, and it makes it possible to shoot tiny little groups. For the hunter, shooting off a bench is good for sighting in a rifle and developing the basic fundamentals, but once these goals have been achieved, it is time to move away from the bench and shoot like you will when hunting. When you go to the range, take your backpack and shooting sticks with you to use as a rest just like you will when hunting. If possible, practice shooting off of improvised rests such as rocks and logs. If you are creative, there are all manner of good solid rests to be had out in the field. Practice shooting from all of the different positions, prone, kneeling, sitting, and offhand. The more familiar you are with the different positions, the better you will be able to use the position that best suits the shot opportunities that you get. You will also learn the limitations of certain positions.

Rimfire Practice

To become proficient, you will have to practice with the rifle you intend to hunt with, but it isn’t necessary, or even advisable to conduct all of your practice with a hunting caliber rifle. You can develop all of your shooting skills using a .22 rimfire rifle. Using a .22 will allow you to practice far more than you ever will with your hunting rifle, simply due to the difference in price of ammunition. All the principles of shooting are exactly the same no matter what caliber of rifle you are using. The only thing missing with a .22 is the noise and recoil, but that is a good thing. We are not physiologically adapted to having an explosion go off in front of our face and our shoulder shoved back without reacting in some way. Our body’s natural reaction is to close our eyes (to protect them) and to raise our hands in front of our face (again to protect our eyes). In shooting, this natural reaction will manifest itself as closing of the eyes and jerking the trigger, which will pull the rifle off target. This is called a flinch. A flinch isn’t unmanly or an indication that you are a wimp; it is just a natural reaction. The greater a rifle’s muzzle blast and recoil, the more likely you are to flinch. A flinch is severely detrimental to accuracy and therefore must be avoided, or cured when it arises. Starting out with a large caliber rifle can make learning difficult, not to mention expensive. Practicing with a .22 will allow you to develop all of the necessary skills without the risk of developing a flinch. If you do notice yourself starting to flinch or otherwise react, go back to the .22 and practice very deliberately until you can achieve a clean trigger break without flinching.

Both Eyes Open

The proper way to shoot is with both eyes open. Even with a scope, or aperture sight, both eyes open is the way to shoot. As long as you are looking through the scope with your dominant eye, the image you see with that eye will override the other eye. You will see two images, but the one seen through your dominant eye will be the clearest. There are a variety of reasons for shooting with both eyes open. There are physiological factors such as pupil dilation and focusing that make it difficult for your eyes to function properly when one is closed. Another reason is the fact that looking through a scope limits your field of vision. You could be intently looking through your scope at a little buck, waiting for him to present a shot while a few feet out of your field of view, a monster buck steps out into the clear and stands broadside. If you have one eye closed, you will never see the other buck, but if you keep both eyes open, you will be able to see the little buck through your scope and see the big buck step out with your other eye. Practice shooting with both eyes open and you quickly find it to be much easier and more comfortable, particularly during extended shooting sessions.

Offhand

The offhand position is when you shoot standing up, holding the rifle in both hands. Offhand is the least steady position as you are using your body to completely support the weight of the rifle. It is very difficult to hold a rifle completely still while aiming at a target. Shooting offhand, you will have to accept and grow accustomed to shooting with a slight wobble in your sight picture. A good trick to use when shooting from less stable positions is to keep your scope set on a lower magnification level if you are using a variable scope. At a lower level of magnification, your target will appear smaller, but your reticle will also appear to wobble much less. If you try to use too much magnification, your reticle will appear to wobble excessively which you will attempt to compensate for causing it to wobble further. You will still be able to shoot just as precisely if not more so, with your scope set at a lower power. When hunting, you should always carry your rifle with the scope set on its lowest possible magnification. That way, if you are presented with a close range shot, you will be able to pick-up the deer in the scope and take the shot. If you have an opportunity for a longer shot, you will likely have time to increase the magnification level of your scope, if necessary. When a close shot is presented, you will have too much difficulty finding the target in your scope if you have left it on a high level of magnification. Rarely is it completely necessary to shoot offhand in a hunting situation except to shoot over tall grass or bushes. If you must shoot offhand, be sure to get close enough that you can still place your shot precisely. Shooting offhand is challenging, and for most hunters should only be used out to one hundred yards or less. If a buck is further away than that, you most likely have time to get into a more stable position. A good rule of thumb to remember is, the closer you are to the ground, the steadier you can be.

Kneeling

The kneeling position is when you kneel on your right knee and rest your left elbow on your left knee (for a right-handed shooter, for lefties, just switch knees). This is more stable than offhand as you are lower to the ground and can use your leg to support your arm and the forend of your rifle. Kneeling works well when you need to be steadier than offhand, but you need to get the shot off quickly. It can also be used where vegetation would block a shot from the sitting position. Kneeling works, but its effectiveness is limited making it suitable for shots only slightly longer than those you would take offhand.

Sitting

The sitting position, particularly when using shooting sticks, can be almost as steady as shooting off of a bench. Sitting is probably the most commonly used position for hunting. It is relatively quick to get into, flexible enough to accommodate various shot angles, and high enough to clear most grass and vegetation. There are a variety of ways to use the sitting position, but the best is sitting on your backside, with your feet spread apart, leaning forward with your elbows over your knees. Or, if you are using shooting sticks, sit a little more upright and use your forward hand to hold the sticks and forend together, pulling back towards you slightly for stability. Sitting is very stable, while also allowing you to adjust your position and move your rifle to change shot angles if your target is on the move. The sitting position is the most useful for hunting, and as such should account for much of your range practice. Once you get good at hitting the target from the sitting position, you should practice getting into it quickly.

Prone

Lying prone is extremely stable and can be even better than shooting off of a bench. The prone position can be difficult to use when hunting, as your shot will often be obscured by grass or vegetation. If you have the option to use the prone position, you should do so every time. Lying prone allows you to rest the weight of the rifle completely on a rest which is supported by the ground. Your body weight is also completely supported by the ground, which is why the prone position is so stable. Bipods work very well for shooting from prone, and are as steady as shooting off of a bench. Prone is also the easiest position to maintain for long periods as you are lying on the ground. If you are waiting for a buck to get out of his bed, need to take a long shot, or have plenty of time to get set up, prone is always the best choice. Unfortunately, there isn’t always room to stretch out on the ground. Sharp rocks, cactuses, sticks, snow, and mud can all make the prone position uncomfortable or impossible to use.         

Improvised Rests

If you are going to shoot off of an improvised rest, be sure to use some sort of padding between the rifle and the object you are resting it on. Your pack, an extra shirt, or rolled-up coat, all make excellent padding for an improvised rest. Shooting off of your backpack works really well as it provides a lot of padding and works almost like a set of sandbags. At a minimum, place your hand between the forearm and whatever object you are using. Resting your rifle directly on a hard surface won’t be steady, will damage your stock’s finish during recoil, and is likely to throw your shot off.  Always rest the forearm of the rifle on the object, not the barrel. Resting your barrel on an object will also throw your shot off.

When setting up realistic practice, know that there are no warm up shots in the deer woods. The shot you take to harvest your buck will likely be the first time you have fired your rifle in days or weeks. When you go to the range, take your first shot as though you are shooting at a buck and see how you do. You may be surprised to find out that you aren’t quite as good as you thought with your first shot.

Establish Your Maximum Range

To ethically take game in the field, you will have to determine your personal maximum effective range. Your maximum effective range is whatever distance at which you can keep all of your shots inside a deer’s vital area. The standard test has always been a white paper plate. If you can keep all your shots inside of a paper plate, then you are still within your effective range. Practice at various distances until you find your maximum effective range. Keep in mind that your maximum effective range will be different depending on shooting position. Off hand, it may only be 60 yards whereas sitting it may be 200, and prone 300. Every shooter is different, what is important is to know your maximum distance. It is far more shameful to shoot farther than you really can and wound an animal than to simply admit that the animal is out of range. Choosing not to take a shot is never a bad choice. You can always try to get closer, and tomorrow may bring new opportunities, but once you have pulled the trigger, there is no turning back. Only through practice at the range will you be able to determine your maximum range. Also, through practice, you will be able to increase your maximum effective range as your shooting skills improve. When you do go to the range, practice  at distances farther than you are comfortable shooting in the field. At longer range, every tiny mistake is magnified. Shooting farther makes you really focus on the fundamentals and will improve your shooting dramatically. Long range shooting also has the psychological effect of making shorter shots seem really easy. Shooting at longer ranges, you will also begin to notice how wind affects your shots. Wind can play a huge factor in your ability to place your shots in the field. As you practice under a variety of conditions, you will experience how wind affects your shots. There may be a time in the field when you have to get closer because of wind, or simply pass on a shot.

Buck Fever

Buck Fever is the term used to describe the adrenaline rush that you get when you are about to shoot a game animal. All hunters get Buck Fever to one degree or another, and part of growing as a hunter is learning to control it. Typically, Buck Fever makes your heart beat fast, and makes you a little shaky. Usually, the more anticipation leading up to the hunt, or the bigger the size of the trophy, the more Buck Fever you will get. Taking deep breaths and focusing on what you have to do usually help to calm you down enough to get steady for a shot. If you get Buck Fever too bad, you may have to look away for a few seconds, or close your eyes and try to collect yourself. A good way to simulate this at the range is to run or do some exercise that gets your heart rate up, and then try shooting while your heart is really pounding. It takes more mental control, but it can be done.

The Trigger Press

In target shooting, one will typically press the trigger very slowly in attempt to achieve a “surprise break.” A “surprise break” is when you focus intently on the target and press the trigger so gradually that when the rifle does go off it surprises you. Shooting this way helps to prevent you from jerking the trigger or flinching in anticipation of the rifle’s muzzle blast and recoil. Even the best sight picture can result in an errant shot if the trigger is manipulated improperly. Unfortunately in the field, we usually don’t have the luxury of taking a long time to execute our shot. Deer move around and you may only have a few seconds when the deer is in the right position, in an open lane, and clear for a shot. You will have to be able to properly press the trigger so as to get your shot off at the right time. You will still be going for a surprise break, just in a shorter amount of time. Care must be taken when practicing this, so as not to start jerking the trigger. A simple way to practice this is to run a scenario in your head imagining the target is a buck, and only give yourself a few seconds to fire once you have your sight picture. Proper trigger manipulation is everything in shooting, and the more you practice it properly, the better you will get.

Reload

Another important skill, particularly for the hunter, is to train yourself to always chamber another round immediately after firing. There will come a time in your hunting career that you will need to take a follow up shot at an animal. If you have it ingrained in your body to always reload, you can get off another shot quickly, even with a bolt action or single shot rifle. You should practice chambering another round without removing the butt of the rifle from your shoulder. As soon as you fire, work the action with your firing hand while simultaneously reacquiring  your sight picture. You can easily practice this skill during dry-fire practice. After making sure that your rifle is unloaded, aim at a safe backstop and squeeze off an imaginary shot, then immediately work the action of your rifle and reacquire a sight picture. Practice this often and it will become second nature. That way, when the day comes that you do have to take a follow-up shot, you won’t be fumbling around with an empty rifle.

Field shooting is a skill that takes time and dedication to develop. Fortunately, shooting is fun, which is probably one of the reasons you became interested in hunting in the first place. Practicing often, under realistic conditions will help you develop the skills necessary to humanely take game. Shooting is easier to learn if you have some instruction. There are many excellent books written on the subject, but the two I most highly recommend are, The Art of The Rifle, by Colonel Jeff Cooper and Shots at Big Game by Craig Boddington. Both of these books expand upon the subjects briefly covered by this article, and provide much more detail about the finer points of technique. No matter how many animals a hunter has taken, they should always strive to become a better marksman.

Recommended Reading

Boddington, Craig. Shots at Big Game. Harrisburg: Stackpole Books, 1989. Print

Cooper, Jeff. The Art of The Rifle. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1997. Print

Works Cited

Cooper, Jeff. The Art of The Rifle. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1997. Print