Getting good at shooting an air rifle is only half the battle. Staying good is the other half and it does not happen by chance – it requires constant attention. As well as getting to know your combo, hunters need to maintain a motor/muscle memory in order to get the best out of hunting. Knowledge of how your set-up performs is the first step. Then learn how your trigger ‘feels’ and how to shoulder your gun correctly so that your face meets the cheekpiece in the same place every time, and that eye-to-scope alignment is consistent.
These processes need to be practiced so that they become intuitive and you no longer need to think about it. Shooting from different stances and positions, at different distances and angles should be practiced so that nothing surprises you in the field.
As a consequence of all this, most hunters will either have a practice range in their garden, on the farmland or be a member of an airgun club. Hunters might also be interested in target shooting competitions, but even if they’re not, hunters still need target practice to gain proficiency and maintain a sufficient level of shooting skill.
If I haven’t been shooting for a few weeks, I notice it immediately when I pick the gun up and have a few practice shots at a target. It matters not that I have been shooting for 35 years, the consistency in my shooting will have deteriorated – albeit marginally – and so a few test shots and thoughts about technique serve as a timely reminder until it all starts coming back to me.
“Hunting in the field is not the place to experiment”
この記事は Sporting Gun の July 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Sporting Gun の July 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Thermal spectrum
Paul Austin explores both ends of the thermal market with latest high-end release from Zeiss alongside a surprising entry-level offering from Xinfrared
Roe, rucks and new ground
Jon Snowdon and his team have much to keep them busy and a new tool to help them
Tales from a lifetime of foxing
Join Mike Powell as he explores the evolving world of fox shooting, drawing from a career that spans seven decades
Fox rot about Charlie
Patrick Hook responds to claims that fox numbers are dangerously on the wane
The sniff of success
Join Ryan Kay as he navigates the fascinating dynamic between a handler and their canine companion
Adventures of Nick & Ted
A new chapter in the histories of Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter has Nick Ridley reflecting on the dogs he has trained over the years he has been associated with the magazines
The problem: Inflammation in the nervous system
Vet's advice
Gundogs Q&A
No problem goes unsolved as Sporting Gun puts your questions to the gundog experts
Stop-start!
Fran Ardley continues her training tips on disciplining your dog to the stop whistle and the exercises you need to do
Gundogs at the Game Fair
Organising the Game Fair's prestigious gundog competitions: behind-the-scenes with Francesca Prentice