Shooting Technique

[jaybic]

Hey fellas,

I been thinking on this for a while and finally figured I would just put this out there and collect opinions on the subject.

When you fellas are shooting off-hand or off your knee or what ever UNSTEADY position you find yourself in, do you:

A: put a slow squeeze on the trigger and really try to hold on the animal(target) and hope when the trigger breaks, the crosshairs were on target. Or do you:

B: knowing that you wobble on and off and on and off the target, do you just wait for the crosshairs to wobble on the target and then pretty much "slap" the trigger before they wobble off the other side of the target?

I have found my self to be a pretty fair shot off a bench, but found out that in field position shooting that I really need to get better and burn some powder. I am just curious how others do it so I may steal a trick or two and tip over a few more coyotes instead of them always running away laughing.

Jaybic

[bucksnbears]

Good question Jaybic. unfortunatly i can't give an honest answer as i really don't know.. i grew up shooting jackrabbits off hand at runners. litterally shot truckload of them. went through many thousands of rounds of .22lr. i still shoot off hand today if need be but i can'y really put into words how i do it. maybe its because some days i do quite good and the next time out i do horrible.

[LeviM]

Nothing worse than shooting free handed!!! I try my best to get the coyote centered in the scope and squezze the trigger. Of course that didnt work real well for me this past weekend

[Tbush]

Jay thats what happened when we were on that coyote at the classic, I pulled up and fired at it running 3 times then sat down used my sticks and got him, my best guess is that I punch the trigger on off hand shots

[LeviM]

The more I just thought about it, when you have to shoot free handed usually means the coyote caught me off guard or my bipod fell through the snow !! Then panic usually sets in, and like Tbush mentioned I am probably punching the trigger in panic mode.

[bucksnbears]

good point on the panic mode. when i'm out and see a jackrabbit i like to get close enough to flush it so i can take (try) it on the run. many times i've missed the first 2-4 shots withought really concentrating on them. if i can tell myself to stay calm, take a deep breath and REALLY focus my percentage goes way up.

[Optimax90]

2nd shot is always my huckelberry For the last three years deer hunting, most of the shots have been running and its always the second shot that gets them. But I know that I leed them way to much on the first shot, then once they have been shot at and pick up the pace and get on a nice and steady run, they ussaly always go down.

As far as coyotes, I hate straight away shots I would rather shot crossing shots, if you are pulling one way or the other, there is lass chance of wobble, for me any way.........

[lyonch]

personally when i shoot free handed i always start on the right or left side of the target, or start high or low, then as i slowly bring the corss hairs too the target i seem to punch the trigger. This is free handed standing still shots though. When i shoot at a running animal i will always try to get my lead down and squeeze the trigger and follow through. The follow through is the most important of that part. However i found myself this year passing up a free handed shot, just so i can get into a sitting or prone laying position and it never panned out for me this year, so for the minot hunt i will be standing up and taking that 130 yard shot of a sitting coyote.

[devildogg]

shooting free hand on a running coyote inside of 200 is where i shine it seems to be instinctive you dont have time to punch the panic button you just pull up swing and shoot now on a stationary coyote free hand thats a whole different story those suckers get me i would just as soon have them stretched out running seems like you are more steady with a fluid motion in your swing. but you need to practice on those shots with bunny rabbits or even shooting trap in the off season it makes a big difference.

[jaybic]

I know that a running coyote at nearly any distance is a challenge but what I am actually talking about is this.

Your sitting on a stand and a coyote comes in and hangs up at 350 yards or so facing right dead at you like they seem to do. You got the shooting sticks or bipod, whatever you use, down and you get on him and he is just far enough out that you cant seem to hold on him without the crosshairs falling off one side or the other of him. I generally just punch the trigger when I get that "right wobble" and hope to hear the smack of the bullet. I am thinking that maybe the actual "punching" of the trigger is pulling me off target and thats why I am missing shots that for the most part, I should make. I am thinking about trying to train myself to do the slow squeeze but then you dont exactly know when the trigger breaks and you may be "off fur" by then. I am going to do some searching on this topic on some shooting websites like benchrest central and maybe get the opinions of some of the NRA Highpower/F-class/Palma long range guys(they use iron sites for this stuff too!!!!) and see what techniques they use when it counts.

This is not even factoring in getting buffeted by wind while your trying to hold steady but them fools( my word for really good shooters in this case) shooting M14s and ARs off hand starting at 100 and going out to 600 or 1000 yards and shooting 10-20 inch groupls gotta know something useful.... no?

Me thinks there is something to be learned here.

I will post anything I find out.

Later fellas,

jaybic

[bucksnbears]

a good, light trigger is worth its wieght on gold

[LeviM]

a good, light trigger is worth its wieght on gold

Yes Sir!!!

[Tim Anderson]

If i'm shooting free-handed and the coyote is just sitting there i put the cross-hair just above the coyote and then lower it to where i want the cross-hair and then squeeze the trigger..

For runners i will also do the same, i start out aiming high and match the speed of the coyote with swing of the rifle and then bring the cross-hair down and squeeze when i get the site picture i'm looking for.. By dropping the cross-hair this movement will reduce youre wobble. If you aim low and try to bring the cross-hair up onto target you are fighting to lift youre rifle ( flexing to many muscles) and this will cause you to wobble.. Also don't forget to breath, take youre time and then when its right just squeeze...

years ago i used to hunt with a XP-100 pistol chambered in 221 F.B. if you tried to man handle the pistol like you would a 44 mag you would get very large groups. Youre heart beat and tite muscles will cause you to wobble. Relax when holding the gun and try to lock up youre joints and let the butt of the stock just touch youre shoulder..

[ducksmuggler]

I have found that all of my 100+ rounds a week of trap shooting has "helped" me shot moving animals... other than just birds. I use the swing through technique it has greatly up'd my kill #. One thing I have noticed is that I am just looking at the coyote, fox or deers, shoulder,neck ear, or the gap between their eyes and don't even pay attention as to where my cross hairs are at..... But I have put in a lot of time practicing proper shotgun mounting, so my gun comes up right every time.
It is easy to do!!! just look at your right eye in a mirror shoulder your gun. If you mounted your gun right you should be looking/aiming at your eye, if you have to move your face, or the gun "your not mounting your gun right". Hence the shooting were your looking.

[rorycoyote]

this comes from missing my share of critters. SETTLE DOWN AND BREATH then squeeze the shot. jerking the trigger when your heart is thumping will not put as many coyotes, rabbits, deer, or anything in the back of the truck. sure i have hit stuff that way, for instance your driving down the road and you spoke up a coyote. my first reaction used to be shoot as soon as i seen it in the scope fearing it might get to far away, or over the hill, ect. i have learned that if i can remember to slow down and think, that i am more inclined to make the shot even if they are a little farther away. this is what i can say from my experience.

good triggers help a bunch.