There is one person in every group that makes the rest of the group jealous. No, it’s not the person that can afford all the newest gadgets and the best firearms. It’s the person that can hit the target each and every time, no matter what adversity they are presented with. This person can pick up any firearm, do a fast sighting in routine and then put the rest of us to shame. No matter what happens that person will always be spot on and makes the most complex shot seem easy. Have you ever asked yourself, how do they do it?
The answer is really quite simple. That amazing marksman is just applying the basic marksmanship principles, either consciously or subconsciously. This guide will cover the basic fundamentals, to remind us about how to use stance, grip, sight alignment/picture, breathing, trigger control and follow-through and bring out that amazing shooter inside each of us.
Most hunters use a rifle for hunting game. The basic idea of marksmanship holds true whether you are using a pistol, rifle or shotgun. There are different things to consider when using a handgun, when using a bow or even when using a pump action shotgun, however this guide will focus on the basic fundamentals of marksmanship. These basic principles apply to any one using any type of firearm or bow/crossbow.
Contents
Safety First and Foremost
Every time a hunter handles a firearm, there is a risk of injury or death. Each year, there are unfortunate and avoidable accidents involving ’empty’ firearms. It falls to each and every one of us to ensure safety, act in a safe manner and to present a safe environment for everyone.
Each time these fundamentals are practiced, you have to ensure that the firearm is unloaded. Check the chamber, check the magazine and then check them again. Be sure that there is no live ammunition in the practice area. Be sure that where ever you point your muzzle as you practice it is in a safe direction, having a solid backstop incase you do accidently discharge. Firearms safety is everyone’s concern.
When we discuss the various shooting positions, it is vital that the shooter maintains proper muzzle control as they get into and out of the various positions. Practice makes perfect and by working with the various positions and consciously maintaining muzzle discipline will make safety an ingrained reaction when it is time to harvest that trophy animal.
For more information on firearm safety check out these sources:
Eye Dominance: Have you Checked?
Eye dominance is one of those small parts of marksmanship that is often overlooked. Everyone assumes that since you the shooter are primarily right handed, that you are right eye dominant. This is incorrect. Whether you are a new hunter or an old pro, you might have been using the incorrect eye for years. Just by doing this simple test, you might avoid frustration and confusion. Trust me, I have seen many shooters discover that they have been unknowingly handicapping themselves. The test is easy and painless.
How to Test
- Take the shooter into a well lit room.
- Find a point on the wall, usually a small picture or light switch and have the shooter stand about 10-15 feet away.
- Using both arms, have the shooter make a triangle with their hands, putting their extended thumb tips together as well as the index finger tips together.
- With both eyes open, have the shooter center the item in the window formed by the hand triangle.
- Have the shooter close both eyes
- Have the shooter open one eye at a time and take note of where the targeted item is with each.
Result: With the dominant eye open and the weak eye closed, the targeted item will not move. Closing the dominant eye and looking with the weak eye will cause the item to move out of view.
It is important that the shooter holds the item steady in the window and does not move their head or arms to keep the item centered. Remember, the eye that does not move the item is the dominant eye. This can effect how a shooter approaches the whole world of shooting and hunting, whether they are a right or left handed shooter.
Cross Eye Dominance
So you discover that you are primarily a right handed person but your left eye is dominant. This is called cross eye dominance. It is not the end of your hunting career, in fact there are several ways to overcome this disadvantage.
#1. Retrain: If a shooter is right handed but discovers that they are left eye dominant there are a few things that can be done. The best thing is to retrain the shooter as a left handed shooter. Lets face facts, your eye is how you see the world so its best to accept and use the way mother nature intended you to view the world. Today, there is no real disadvantage of being a left handed shooter. The access to left handed rifles, left handed holsters and training for southpaws is common and not cost detrimental. This method is truly the easiest and best way to overcome cross eye dominance.
#2. Crane the Neck: Another way to overcome cross eye dominance is to have the shooter crane their neck over and use the dominant eye to sight through the scope or sights. Basically, the shooter lays their head on the rifle stock and attempts to view the target through the rifle scope. This method has a few glaring disadvantages. Neck fatigue, muscle strain and just plain awkwardness are the biggest disadvantages to this method. Safe operation of the rifle is also effected. With the shooters head craned so far over, they can actually prevent their hand from operating the bolt action of the rifle effectively. Using this method can be done, it just requires more practice, physical discomfort and coordination.
#3. Force the ‘Weak’ Eye to Dominance: The most accepted method to overcoming cross eye dominance is to force the ‘weak’ eye to become the dominant eye. This is very time consuming and must be worked on constantly, not the night before the big hunt. Masking the dominant eye by using a patch is an easy way to retrain your ‘weak’ eye. Using tape on the dominant side of a pair of eyeglasses or using hairspray on the dominant side of the eyeglasses can also force your ‘weak’ eye to become stronger. All these methods have one distinct disadvantage. You lose your peripheral vision. During a hunt, this may be too much of a hindrance to many hunters. Messing with eye patches or having tape or hairspray on your eyeglasses while hunting can make any sane hunter very annoyed, so this is something to keep in mind. A trip to the eye doctor may be in order also, to establish if there is a medical reason for your vision problem and to get the official OK from your eye doctor.
More great information on eye dominance:
- http://www.guns.com/2013/09/25/dealing-cross-dominance/
- http://www.huntersfriend.com/eye_dominance_issues.htm
Consistency: The Key to Success
Any firearms coach will tell you that consistency is the key. The shooter MUST do the same thing each time. That will allow the shooter and the coach to discover what mistakes are being made and what must be done to correct them.
Learning these basic marksmanship ideas, practicing them while shooting and reading the target will all add up to a more accurate shooter. Keeping a record of scope corrections, ammunition used, weather and clothing worn might sound extreme and unnecessary however these things are necessary to ensure consistency. When you sight in your rifle wearing a t-shirt and shorts but go hunting wearing a parka and snow pants your accuracy, point of aim and even stock weld will change.
All these things effect your accuracy and consistency. To be an amazing shooter, you must be consistent each and every time.
Stance: The Foundation
The first basic fundamental to remember in marksmanship is stance, or body position. Just like building a house, the foundation makes or breaks everything else that follows. There are four basic shooting positions or stances. They are offhand/standing, kneeling, sitting and prone. Each position has its advantages and disadvantages.
Prone is an excellent position, just the view downrange can be blocked by grass, rocks and other natural obstacles. Kneeling affords you the highest position for observation without standing and shooting offhand but it is also the 2nd most unstable platform. Sitting allows you a higher view, but now it is less supported. The key to sitting and kneeling is having no bone to bone contact. Having your elbow resting on your knee cap causes the rifle to slide about, not getting any padding for support. Rest your forearm on your knee, providing a fleshy pad to stabilize the rifle. This applies to both the kneeling and sitting positions.
The best thing to do is to practice and learn each position. Lets face the facts, many of us are challenged by either old age, injuries and environment. When the shot of a lifetime occurs, you have to be fast to act, smooth to assume a stable shooting position and accurate with the shot. By practicing each position, you will be confident to make a sound choice and execute these positions in a smooth, efficient manner. Understanding how your body responds to each position, knowing what feels comfortable and stable to you as well as thinking clearly when the time comes will allow you to decide on a shooting position based on the situation, not just what you have practiced.
Before we get into more detail of the various shooting stances it is best to understand the importance of shooting aids, the natural point of aim and proper scope use.
Shooting Aids: Slings, Sticks and Branches
Assuming that you will get a perfect shot using the rifles bipod is just a recipe for missing that perfect shot. Shooting aids such as shooting sticks, bipods or any support is an excellent way to ensure a more accurate shot. It is very important when using a shooting aid to eliminate the wobble as much as possible. Pulling the rifle back into your shoulder will lock the bipod in place and eliminate wobble.
Sticks and Branches
When using shooting sticks, grasp the stick firmly and either use the hand or forearm for rifle support. Avoid using fingers to create a rest for the rifle, as fingers are fatigued easily and will shake causing inaccuracy.
This is an obvious statement but it does happen, be sure that the bipod or shooting sticks are properly locked in place and have solid contact with the ground. When using a branch or tree for support, be sure that no part of your hand can get trapped between the branch and the rifle.
Using a shooting aid is the preferred method but there are no guarantees with mother nature. Every shot is different and you must be prepared for any situation. Practicing each position both with your preferred shooting aid and without it will train your body to respond without conscious thought. All this seems like a lot of work , but in the long run, it will pay dividends.
Slings
The proper use of the sling can assist the support arm in stabilizing the rifle. For a right handed shooter, slide your left arm into the space created between the rifle and the sling, then loop your left arm back out and grab the forend of the rifle. This should be tight but not so tight to cut off blood circulation.
Like everything we do in life, practice makes perfect. If you plan on using any of the following positions, it is a great idea to practice them till they become second nature. Practice using the sling wearing your heavy coat, lighter coat and then just your shirt. You can make each variation in the slings length with a piece of tape or black sharpie. This mark will allow you to get the sling adjusted rapidly, based on what clothing you will be wearing.
There is another way to use the sling to aid you in tightening up your shooting position. Simply by grabbing the sling by the front mounting swivel and pulling it back into your shoulder will provide some level of support. This is a hasty method, and will not assist you as much as looping your arm through the sling.
Natural Point of Aim: Be Calm, Be Relaxed, Be Accurate
The natural point of aim method is an often untaught method to enhance your stance. Every stance, offhand, sitting, kneeling and prone can benefit from this technique. Basically, the shooter gets into the shooting stance they are going to use, settles in and closes their eyes. By relaxing momentarily and shuddering a bit to simulate recoil the shooter can see where their body is naturally pointing when they open their eyes.
In the prone position, adjustments can be made to the left or right by moving the legs in the opposite direction to realign the body. Sitting and kneeling can be adjusted side to side by moving the shooter buttocks and feet in a similar manner. Even offhand can be adjusted by sliding the rear foot to either side. To move the point of aim higher or lower, adjust the position of the hand on the forend of the rifle closer to the receiver or toward the muzzle as needed.
This technique can be done extremely fast if it is practiced and will provide amazing results. Using a natural point of aim allows the shooter to not ‘muscle’ the rifle into the target. By having their body in a relaxed position it will avoid subconsciously moving the rifle into the target. Muscle fatigue and strain effect the accuracy of any shot. Holding a position for too long, muscling the rifle over to the target and even shaking due to cold can effect accuracy.
Scope Use: Avoiding the Black Eye
With most hunting rifles having a scope of some kind, it is important to have a raised stock or cheek pad. As the firearm recoils, if there is no raised stock or cheek pad, the shooter will not be able to match the recoil of the rifle. This will lead to the notorious ‘scope bite’. I can see the nodding heads right now, in fact its a very sharp learning curve. Avoid the pain, purchase a good cheek pad when you purchase that nice rifle scope.
Be sure to mount the scope using the purchased scope rings. There is a lot of various scope rings heights and this can effect the level of the scope. Purchasing high scope rings can raise the scope over the receiver by over an inch, needing a thicker cheek pad to raise your face to the level of the scope eye piece. If there is any doubt, consulting a sales representative or even a knowledgeable friend will save you time and money.
Once the decision to mount the scope has been made, what does the proper scope picture look like? Everyones’ eyes are different, so adjusting the scope to the shooter is a vital step. It is recommended to use the lowest scope rings that the rifle can handle, bearing in mind that the scope MUST clear the bolt action, receiver and iron sights if needed. The scope must not interfere with any of the rifles action or safety.
Once the scope is properly mounted, each person views the world differently. Adjust the scope so that you see the complete picture, leaving no greyed out areas to the sides or top. Adjust the optics so the images are clear and sharp. There is a lot to be learned about scopes.
Offhand: The Wobble Zone
Most people find the offhand shot, or unsupported, to be the most challenging. It is the most unstable, but is the fastest of the shooting positions to assume. This position is similar to a ‘boxer’ stance. Both feet should be shoulder width apart, providing a wide stable base.
For a right handed shooter, your left leg will be forward, putting about 60-75% of your weight onto your left foot. This will allow better recoil control and will assist with a faster follow-up shot if needed. Your toes pointed downrange, with the right foot possibly pointed at a 45 degree angle away from your body. Keep in mind that all these body placements are dependent on your personal comfort and are just a guideline. What works best for you to be consistent, accurate and stable when you shoot is paramount.
The key thing to remember about the offhand shot is to understand that there will be wobble and accept it. Don’t fight the wobble; use it to your advantage. As you shoulder your firearm, get a good stock position into your shoulder pocket and put yourself in that same stock weld. Stock weld is where your face meets the stock of the rifle (more on this later).
As the rifle wobbles from side to side and all over the place, gently squeeze the trigger as the crosshairs cover the target. When the crosshairs are off the target, stop the gentle squeeze. The trigger should break as you cover the target, ensuring a solid hit. Animals tend to move about so this method is best used in a rapid but not frenzied pace.
Don’t rush the shot, but the longer you hold the rifle in the offhand position, the more fatigued you will become. The most important thing to remember about offhand shots is that they should only be used in close range and if there is no other stance option.
Do not lower your cheek to the rifle, raise the rifle to your cheek. In other words, don’t crane your neck down to get to your scope, keep your head UP and bring the scope to your eye. This will prevent neck strain and that awkward feeling of leaning over. Keeping the rifles ‘toe’ high in the shoulder pocket will assist in this.
The rifle should be firm into your shoulder pocket. A loose point of contact will cause a sudden, sharp pain in the shoulder after firing as the rifle slams back into your shoulder. An adequate amount of shoulder pocket to rifle ‘toe’ contact will be good for any caliber rifle. There is no need to shove the rifle into the shoulder. Like everything in shooting, firm is good.
Kneeling: The ‘Plastic Army Man’ Position
The kneeling stance or position is the 2nd most unstable shooting position available. There are also a lot of variations to this position. The major kneeling stances can be divided into high kneeling or commonly known as the ‘plastic army man’ position, the low kneeling and the ‘squat’.
High Kneeling
We all have played with those green plastic army men when we were kids and remember the one guy that is kneeling with his rifle. That is the classic ‘high kneeling’ position. For the right handed shooter, kneel down and put your right leg behind you, place your right foot under your rear end and put your folded right leg at a 90 degree angle to your body. The left leg is bent, foot toward the target.
In a ‘high kneeling’ position, the left arm (holding the rifle forearm) is unsupported. This is a fast position to get into but it is unstable for a long period of time. If a ‘high kneeling’ position is used, treat it as a offhand situation. Get into position, check natural point of aim if possible and acquire the target rapidly. Don’t rush the shot but be quick and confident about it. As with any of these shooting positions, the use of shooting aids and slings are highly recommended.
Low Kneeling
Low kneeling is more stable, but is a difficult position to assume for less flexible people. The major changes for ‘low kneeling’ are that the shooter rolls their right foot under their rear end and attempts to get their right ankle flat on the ground. The shooter now uses their left knee to rest their left arm upon. With every shooting position, getting support to the rifle makes you more accurate and stable.
The key to the low kneeling position is that support is given by your left arm resting on your left knee. Do not place your elbow onto your knee. This causes bone to bone contact and creates wobbling and instability. The more stable position to assume is to lean over farther and put your left bicep over your knee. If at all possible, bending your left leg and resting the left side of your body upon your left thigh creates an even more stable position. For those of you that are limber, if you place your left foot against your rear end that is resting on your right foot be sure to not get too unstable. Take up the space that is needed for the position but not less than you need for stability. Do not force your body into a contortionist position. Every position discussed and used should be easy and pain free to assume.
The Squat
The ‘squat’ is a fast to assume, fairly accurate shooting position that is new to the hunting arena. To assume this shooting position, the shooter starts by standing in an offhand position. The shooter carefully lowers their rear end toward the ground, keeping the rifle muzzle pointed downrange. Both of the shooters knees bend and their feet stay firmly planted flat on the ground.
One way to remember this stance is to imagine you are ‘driving’ your rear end directly down as low as possible without actually sitting down. Once the shooter is squatting, rest the upper torso onto the thighs, lean both forearms over the bent knees and get a natural point of aim. The one main disadvantage of this position is that it is prone to be unstable due to the shooters feet being close together. If possible, open up the stance a bit by moving the feet apart.
This position does require a bit of balancing however. Too far forward and the shooter will have both knees on the ground (another shooting position that can be used) or if they lean back too far, they will roll over onto their backs like an unstable turtle. NO matter how humorous this may be, be sure to keep the rifle muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Like every shooting position, this position needs to be practiced and evaluated. As mentioned above, if the shooter leans forward and places both of their knees on the ground, this creates a stable shooting platform also. The disadvantage of this knees down position is that there is no body support for the rifle.
Sitting: No Butts About It
The major difference between kneeling and sitting is that the shooters rear end contacts the ground directly in the sitting positions. The two major variations of the sitting positions are named the open leg position and crossed leg position. When the shooter assumes these positions, muzzle discipline is paramount due to the wildly changing body dynamic. The major difference between open leg and crossed leg is the position of the shooters ankles.
Open Leg
The open leg position is assumed by sitting on the ground, extending your legs outward and straight, then bending your knees up to about a 45 degree angle. Your feet have to be as flat as possible, both to stabilize yourself and to ensure that your leg(s) does not slide away from you, causing a changing in position.
Place your elbows into the inside of your knees and lean your body forward into your knees. This will stabilize your upper torso and help lock your body into position. By adjusting your feet forwards or backwards, you can change your natural point of aim. By sliding your rear end forward or away, you can raise or lower your shooting platform. This all might seem very confusing but once you practice this position, it will be very easy to assume and extremely versatile.
Crossed Leg
The crossed leg position requires flexibility and some effort to assume. With all shooting positions, keep your bodies injuries and condition in mind. The crossed leg position starts with the shooter sitting on the ground, legs out and straight. For a right handed shooter, cross the left ankle over the right ankle and slide both ankles toward your body as close as you can. This position creates a ‘cradle’ for your arms to tuck into.
Place your elbows into the creases of your knees, tucking them firmly into your knees and not over them. If you place your elbows over your bent knees, all they will do is slide down and all over the place, providing no support. If you think your elbows are not secure, try sliding your rear end back and leaning forward over your ankles more. By sliding your crossed ankles toward or away from your body, you can change the elevation of your muzzle. As you practice this position, change the point where your ankles cross, how far your rear end is from your body and learn what is most stable and accurate for you.
Prone: Laying Down on the Job
Ahhhh, the prone position. You can actually fall asleep in this position if you are doing it right. If a shooter is not accurate in this position, its time for them to become a vegetarian. Unfortunately, this position is slow to assume, has a very limited view downrange if there is brush or grass and can cause the shooter to fall asleep, potentially missing the game animal as it walks past. All kidding aside, this position should be used if possible.
As with the sitting positions, muzzle control is paramount for safety. A good trick to control your firearm as you assume the prone position is to curl your rifle against your body and use your weak arm to control your descent.
The first step in assuming the prone position is to turn your body about 30-45 degrees away from the target, so you are slightly facing away from the target. Face to the right if you are right handed and to the left if you are left handed. Lower to the ground by kneeling to one or both knees, while using your weak arm to support your body as you descent to the ground.
Note: It is strongly suggested to do a quick visual inspection of the area where you are planning on laying your body down on. Ant hills, cactus, snake and spider holes, sharp rocks, even cow pies and mud puddles are all inconveniently located on the ground. Do yourself the favor and do the visual inspection before you start. That being said, I know that I would throw myself down on all that if it was to take the perfect shot of the trophy animal of my dreams.
Once you have arrived sprawled on the ground, your body should not be directly behind you but slanted off to one side. If the pressure of laying down on your belly is causing breathing difficulties, try bending the leg on the downrange side (if you are right handed, that would be the left leg) a bit and rolling back slightly. Feet can be flat, insteps down or what feels comfortable as long as they are not uncomfortable. Both arms are elbows to the ground, supporting the rifle. Lets work on the rifle hold next.
The rifle goes into the shoulder of your shooting arm at a different angle. This might change your stock weld and scope relief. That is why practicing is a brilliant idea. The support hand grasps the rifle forearm at a comfortable position. As with any position, it is important your support hand doesn’t ‘chock’ or aggressively grasp the forearm. As long as the support hand controls the rifle, the less grip the better. A firm handshake pressure is good, less would be needed if there is a rifle sling or other support method used.
The support arm should be located as directly underneath the rifle as possible. If the support arm is not properly positioned, arm fatigue and instability occurs as the support arm struggles to support the gun in this position. When you fire in the prone position, there is more felt recoil from the rifle. That is due to the bodies inability to ‘roll’ with the recoil that the offhand, kneeling and sitting positions allow. A heavy caliber rifle will cause a good bruise unless the stock is fully and firmly placed against the shoulder.
If there is a bipod used, where does the support hand go? Good question. It can still hold the forearm but that would be redundant. I like to reach back and grasp the REAR sling swivel and sling with my support hand. I push the rifle a bit more into my shoulder, effectively ‘locking’ the bipod back and the rifle into my shoulder. That is my personal preference and just practicing to learn what feels right is the only way to find out what feels best to you.
Grip: Gentle but Firm
The most important thing to remember about grip is that it should be gentle but firm. A firm handshake grip or how you would hold your dance partners hand. No, not your Prom date in high school, all sweaty palmed and weak but more like confident and relaxed.
Grip location has a lot of variety. It depends on what shooting position you are using, the recoil of the rifle and weather conditions.
Standing will require a stronger, more controlling grip. NEVER muscle the rifle around, always ensure control and be in control.
Kneeling and sitting are more stable, affording less grip possible.
Prone position should have the least amount of grip. In fact, if the rifle is on a bipod, there is very little grip other than to control the rifle and using your strong hand to provide trigger control.
Recoil is a variable. Not saying that a low recoil rifle (.22 Long rifle) for example is not to be respected and grip is not vital but a .300 Remington Ultra Mag in the offhand position will take advantage of you if you do not maintain a firm, confident grip.
Using gloves can effect grip also. Light weight textured gloves allow for rain, moisture and sweaty palms and can keep your grip firm and steady. Heavy, bulky winter gloves do not give you a good ‘feel’ of the rifle and can cause an over tight grip or a weaker one, both equally bad.
Stock Weld: The Human/Rifle Interface
I have mentioned stock weld before. I hope you did not go out and buy a welding torch. A stock weld is where your cheek and the rifle stock meet, allowing you the best view through the rifle’s scope. This place, once properly discovered, should be the same every time. It is almost impossible to use the same stock weld each time for each position. Your offhand stock weld will not be the same as your prone stock weld. That being said, marking your preferred or most likely used stock weld position with a piece of masking tape and using that as a fixed guide for the other positions is a very good idea.
I have mentioned a cheek pad before. The purpose of stock weld is so that you and the rifle recoil together, as one unit. If there is no way your body is in contact with the rifle, you can not recoil fast enough to avoid being hit by the rifles scope. A cheek pad provides a raised place for your cheek to rest, allowing your body to recoil with the rifle.
What is the ‘shoulder pocket’? It is where the ‘toe’ of the rifle goes into the hunters shoulder. This location will change based on shooting position. While standing, simply raise your strong arm (right arm for right handed shooters) and find the ‘pocket’ in the shoulder area. Do not rest the ‘toe’ of the rifle on your collar bone. In the offhand position, as mentioned above, bring the rifle to you, not you to the rifle. Keep your head up. That applies to all the other positions. Try and keep your neck straight, its more comfortable and comfort is key.
Sight Alignment/Picture
Since most hunting rifles are equipped with some kind of optical scope, the discussion of iron sight and sight alignment/sight picture is rather wasted. The main thing to remember if you do use iron sights is to keep the front sight in focus as you manipulate the trigger. The human eye can not focus on multiple items so by focusing on the front sight, it gives your eye something to focus on while still allowing a hazier view of the rear sight and target.
If you are after more details on sight alignment this is a great source of information:
Breathing: Just a Huffin’ and a Puffin’
We all need air to survive. As a person breathes normally, the chest swells on breath intake and sinks on exhale. That might sound very basic but that chest movement will equate to several inches of muzzle movement when you are ready to harvest that buck you have sighted in. When a shooter deprives themselves of air by holding their breath, things can go bad quickly. Even after just a few moments, the hunter can start to suffer fatigue, anxiety, dizziness, tunnel vision and shaking.
By actively controlling their breathing, a hunter can control the situation. Adrenaline, running, heavy physical exercise, cold weather, excessive heat, even carrying too much gear and being out of shape can all cause you to breathe rapidly and irregularly. Once you arrive at the location you have moved to, calm yourself down by slowing down your breathing. Take deep breaths through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Be sure to take longer to exhale than to inhale. Rapid, shallow breath will lead to hyperventilation.
Once you have gotten your body oxygenated and calmer, its time to control your breath for the shot. The current school of thought is that the shot should occur at the bodies natural respiratory pause. As you sit there reading this, you have a slight pause after your exhale and before the inhale. That is the best place to get the shot to break. Don’t force your body to go with out oxygen for a long period of time. Don’t hold your breath for too long. That old feeling of “OH, its almost there, just a few seconds more” is a bad idea. Force yourself to breath again, recover and continue.
Another method taught is the “take a breath, let half out and hold” method. The thought process behind this is that you will have some oxygen in your lungs. Practice both, use both. As long as you control your breathing and don’t hold your breath so long that you suffer ill effects, breathing will be a breeze.
During hunting, things can happen fast. Breathing might be the last thing on your mind as you start to manipulate the trigger. Make a conscious attempt to breathe properly for the shot. When things happen during the hunt, a fast shot is all that you might be afforded. If its a good clean shot, you are confident of a good, solid, accurate hit and a secure backdrop then take the shot by stopping your breathing for that moment, no matter where in the breath cycle you are. However, if there is time, cover and distance to avoid detection, then using proper breathing will assist in a more accurate shot.
Trigger Control: THE KEY
This one marksmanship principle can make or break a hunter. You can do everything else perfect but if you have bad trigger control, its going to be a miss. If you forget everything else here and can only remember this, you might be eating meat and not camp beans for dinner. It’s that important. All the marksmanship principles are important, but this one is KEY. The proper manipulation of that little piece of metal on that rifle is what trigger control is all about.
The correct location for the trigger finger to contact the trigger is the pad before the first knuckle on the shooting hand. Look at your shooting hand. Find your first knuckle, and between the tip of your finger and the first knuckle is your trigger interface location. NOT the tip of your finger, not the knuckle.. the center of the pad.
Why do I stress this? No matter how exciting that new rifle is or what a great deal that used rifle is, if you can not get your trigger finger to meet the center of the pad to the trigger while using the various shooting positions, its a miss waiting to happen. I’m being honest, using the tip of your trigger finger is not going to work. Purchasing a rifle that fits is paramount and this is the first thing I check, well after glancing at the price tag.
Press the trigger firmly to the rear in a steady motion and hear the ‘click’ as the firing pin moving forward. That’s it, the round has been fired. Be sure to press rearward as straight as possible. Imagine you are pushing a rod with your finger back through the stock to your shoulder. If that doesn’t help you imagine proper trigger manipulation, how about imagining a tube of toothpaste and you want to get just a tiny drop out of the tube. Gentle, firm and steady are all things you should be thinking as you manipulate the trigger.
There might be some ‘slack’ in the trigger, where there is no resistance. Just take that up slowly as you start to manipulate the trigger. Notice I did not describe trigger manipulation to say jerk the trigger, smash the trigger or yank the trigger. These are all incorrect mental images to use. An important thing to remember is don’t use your whole hand to press the trigger. Try and keep the trigger finger isolated physically as you press. Don’t curl or roll your hand as you press the trigger, that will cause the rifle to move to the side. It’s a simple act of trigger pressure till the shot breaks but that act is pivotal for excellent marksmanship and hunting success.
The Firearms Safety: Use it
Every modern firearm has some sort of positive safety. This safety must be manipulated before the rifle will fire. Taking the safety off should be a subconscious thought. Knowing where the safety is, how it operates and in what direction to move it to render the rifle safe should be part of the practice. Every firearms manufacturer places the safety in different locations and in different directions, so it is vital to know your firearm.
The safety should be on at all times while hunting. Thinking that you will be fine with the rifle off safe and finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire is a disaster waiting to happen. Something to bear in mind about this. Most of us hunt deer. The average mule deer buck weighs roughly between 130-280 US pounds (59-127 kilograms). The average human male weight is say 190 US pounds. If the rifle is designed to kill a deer, it will easily kill a human. Keep the safety ON and finger off the trigger. Practice taking the safety off as you start to put your finger on the trigger.
Follow-through: Not be so Hasty
At this point, you have done everything perfect. The shot has been fired and the gunpowder is burning. Believe it or not but gunpowder takes a fraction of a second to burn, a few more fractions of a second for the bullet to start its journey down the barrel as it engages the rifling and a few more for the round to leave the muzzle and travel down range. The rifle is recoiling, and you are probably blinking. You are all done with that rifle right? Wrong.
Follow-through is vital for marksmanship and hunting. You must immediately reapply all the marksmanship principles we have discussed, re-oxygenate your body by breathing and reloading the rifle by manipulating the bolt if necessary. A follow up shot may be required. As the rifle is recoiling, exhale and start breathing normally. Work the action to reload the rifle and re-acquire your scope image. It is vital that you control the recoil of the rifle and re-acquire your target. The target may be still standing there, looking around but not running. It may be non-fatally injured, requiring an immediate follow-up shot. It should be fatally wounded and succumbing to its injury. Only once the situation has been interpreted should you reluctantly decide to remove yourself from your follow-through. This is not shooting for score on some rifle range. This is the application of marksmanship principles for hunters. The perfect bull’s-eye for hunters is a harvested animal and meat on the table.
For more detailed information on follow-through and how this is applied correctly you can check out this article:
Wrapping Up
We have covered a lot of information in a short period of time. The key ideas that I want you to take from this guide are what will make you an amazing shooter. Practice makes perfection and perfect practice makes for perfect perfection. Just by practicing some part of marksmanship each day will pay in the long run.
Assuming the firing positions and how to transition from one to the others will make it a subconscious act when the time comes.
Firearms’ safety is everyone’s responsibility. There is no reason for an accident. Take an extra moment and triple check, you will be glad you did.
Trigger control is the single most important marksmanship skill any shooter can have. Steady, firm rearward pressure will make each shot more accurate than any other principal used.
The goal of hunting is to have fun, enjoy nature and to put meat on the table for all to enjoy. Every tool that you put in your mental tool bag will increase your odds of a successful hunt. The more successful you are, the more confident and experienced you become. Hopefully you have gained some valuable insight to marksmanship and how this can be applied to hunting through this guide, and if there are any questions or if you would like to add to this I would love to hear from you so feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Good hunting and be safe.
Images by ScaarAT, fauxto_digit, Crashworks, Leaky5, Mike, Jim Greenhill and North Dakota National Guard
