Great article! I hunt a lot. I absolutely HATE having a wounded animal. Hunting, I take shots that I am 100% confident with, skipping the ones that are 99, 95, and lower. Remarkably, `things' still can happen, but way less often. I have taken 40 deer on my property, losing only one. Still puzzled how the one got away (wounded). I care too much about the animals (and maybe my reputation), to want to cause messy situations. And I try to hold pretty `tight' on waterfowl hunting, also. Not to mention the high cost of good waterfowl ammo. Upland birds are a bit different, perhaps. On handguns / `self defense', I consider the best gunfight to be the one that I avoid altogether, and hope that I am successful forever doing so. I go though seasons of practicing a lot, going up and down in proficiency. But the idea is, in a sense, the same ... if I can't place all my shots in a head- or heart-size target, albeit at very short range, I shouldn't be taking the shot(s). In my mind the use of handgun is only for getting me out of an immediate situation, and/or allowing me to get to rifle. Again, hopefully never needing to realize either. My wife and I from time to time discuss scenarios. She knows that shooting a pistol (and hitting a target) is not like the `movies'. But perhaps she can make enough noise, and smoke, and mess ... to get to her shotgun. (Thanks for letting me blab.)
My first formal pistol training was with the firearms instructor of one of the local police agencies. He told us on day 1 that the police qual passing score was 75% but that he expected us to shoot 90% or higher. That expectation and a focus on fundamentals worked for the majority of his students.
He is 85 now and still a tough shooter in a bullseye or ppc match.
Many years ago I discovered a practice that made me a better handgun shooter on the range. I started shooting the most powerful handguns I had, working very hard to improve my trigger squeeze and accuracy. Then, when I switched to shooting the lighter stuff, recoil disappeared as a factor. It made shooting a .44 mag, let alone a .357 feel like shooting a stout .22. I make no claims of being a great shooter, but this helped me a lot.
Regular practice is necessary to maintain shooting skill. Its why I acquired airguns as well as 22's (rifle & pistol); to maintain the neuromuscular skills necessary to put shots on target. And develop and practice tactical skills. Oddly enough, it translates when I pick up centerfires.
Richard, you touched on a great subject with not taking shots you are not certain to make in the field when hunting. Did it cost me meat? Yes. Sometimes, later on, I replicated the conditions on the range; I made the shot (a few times over).
Hunting is about getting closer enough to make the 100% shot. That's the real bragging skill!
Your replication of shot opportunities not taken is very practical. When you make a shot while hunting it should not come as a surprise.
Humans are lazy creatures and rarely if ever deliver beyond expectations. The old man was wise.
Some techniques work better for seam shooters, that's for sure.
Great article! I hunt a lot. I absolutely HATE having a wounded animal. Hunting, I take shots that I am 100% confident with, skipping the ones that are 99, 95, and lower. Remarkably, `things' still can happen, but way less often. I have taken 40 deer on my property, losing only one. Still puzzled how the one got away (wounded). I care too much about the animals (and maybe my reputation), to want to cause messy situations. And I try to hold pretty `tight' on waterfowl hunting, also. Not to mention the high cost of good waterfowl ammo. Upland birds are a bit different, perhaps. On handguns / `self defense', I consider the best gunfight to be the one that I avoid altogether, and hope that I am successful forever doing so. I go though seasons of practicing a lot, going up and down in proficiency. But the idea is, in a sense, the same ... if I can't place all my shots in a head- or heart-size target, albeit at very short range, I shouldn't be taking the shot(s). In my mind the use of handgun is only for getting me out of an immediate situation, and/or allowing me to get to rifle. Again, hopefully never needing to realize either. My wife and I from time to time discuss scenarios. She knows that shooting a pistol (and hitting a target) is not like the `movies'. But perhaps she can make enough noise, and smoke, and mess ... to get to her shotgun. (Thanks for letting me blab.)
Richard,
My first formal pistol training was with the firearms instructor of one of the local police agencies. He told us on day 1 that the police qual passing score was 75% but that he expected us to shoot 90% or higher. That expectation and a focus on fundamentals worked for the majority of his students.
He is 85 now and still a tough shooter in a bullseye or ppc match.
Many years ago I discovered a practice that made me a better handgun shooter on the range. I started shooting the most powerful handguns I had, working very hard to improve my trigger squeeze and accuracy. Then, when I switched to shooting the lighter stuff, recoil disappeared as a factor. It made shooting a .44 mag, let alone a .357 feel like shooting a stout .22. I make no claims of being a great shooter, but this helped me a lot.
Regular practice is necessary to maintain shooting skill. Its why I acquired airguns as well as 22's (rifle & pistol); to maintain the neuromuscular skills necessary to put shots on target. And develop and practice tactical skills. Oddly enough, it translates when I pick up centerfires.
Richard, you touched on a great subject with not taking shots you are not certain to make in the field when hunting. Did it cost me meat? Yes. Sometimes, later on, I replicated the conditions on the range; I made the shot (a few times over).
Hunting is about getting closer enough to make the 100% shot. That's the real bragging skill!