Please do before hunting

[b.c hunter 88]

Had a guy wound a bear tonight he figures since hes been hunting a life time he dos't need to keep up on shooting and take risky shots.
I personally have lost allot of animals from inexperience and learning hears my tips

-I don't care if you have a 338 if you cant shoot 2'' inch group at 100 yards its no good I personally like 1'' inch group
basically a bullet not a penis bigger not better.
-Be very comfortable shooting I start a month before go out and all I care about are 3 shots perfect cause one shot is all it takes.
-Take time making your shot remember head neck and spine shot are very risky and the kill zone is small try for a lung shot
since I have started only take lung shots I have not lost a single animal.
-Quality bullets don't cheap out.
-Theirs not a worse feeling than loosing a animal.
-Shoot your rifle before hunting just cause you harvested a animal last year don't assume its still zeroed.
-Last I have had guys tell me if you set up at 23 yards 2 inch high its zero at 100 yards don't go buy this shoot 100 yards and different manufacture of bullets hit different if you go from Winchester to Remington or Hornady shoot a couple be sure same with chaining grain.

Remember Bear session hear a wound bear can be a life and death situation fast

[scotty30-06]

Great advice....always thought it would be cool to have a suppressor for when you get into your spot you could send a "quiet" round down range to make sure the hike or drive up didn't bump your scope....but this is Canada and we miss out on all the fun stuff

[J_T]

Great advice....always thought it would be cool to have a suppressor for when you get into your spot you could send a "quiet" round down range to make sure the hike or drive up didn't bump your scope....but this is Canada and we miss out on all the fun stuff
Its called bowhunting. Toss a target out of the truck anytime and practise, shoot at a stump, shoot in camp, practise while you hunt without disturbing the hunt.

[brian]

Its not the rifles fault if a 2 MOA rifle misses a 10" target. In fact who cares how small that group is off a bench, what matters is what you are reliably shooting under field conditions. If you can hit that paper plate with the position and rifle of choice then you are good to go.

[PressurePoint]

Always sharpen your knives before u go out even if u didn't use them and carry two! Oh and please please please don't cut rope and open ur bag of twizlers with ur primary cleaning knife...

[wideopenthrottle]

Always sharpen your knives before u go out even if u didn't use them and carry two! Oh and please please please don't cut rope and open ur bag of twizlers with ur primary cleaning knife...

that is something nice about my leatherman...I can use the file/sharpener on it to keep my buck knife super sharp in the field..

[zippermouth]

due diligence people! most people lack the competence to do there due diligence. doesn't matter if its for work, hunting shooting etc. you will always have guys who don't care or are too lazy to do the hard work, or necessary work to be successful. I agree make sure your rifle is at least on before hunting season. you cant shoot too much. almost all my practice after I have my rifle dialed is free hand shooting. that's what kind of shooting I do when I'm hunting so that's how I practice. and I sure as hell cant group 1" on paper at a hundred yards freehand, but I can put it where it counts when the time comes.

[.264winmag]

Practice shooting from field positions, no benches in the bush. Shoot for the offside shoulder and you wont lose an animal...

[Bigd74]

As a first year hunter, thanks for the tips..

[J_T]

Now if everyone grew up a boy scout, with outdoor skills, and being prepared was a motto, we'd all be good I guess.

[okas]

due diligence people! most people lack the competence to do there due diligence. doesn't matter if its for work, hunting shooting etc. you will always have guys who don't care or are too lazy to do the hard work, or necessary work to be successful. I agree make sure your rifle is at least on before hunting season. you cant shoot too much. almost all my practice after I have my rifle dialed is free hand shooting. that's what kind of shooting I do when I'm hunting so that's how I practice. and I sure as hell cant group 1" on paper at a hundred yards freehand, but I can put it where it counts when the time comes.
YUP:grin: but then you have been killing not playing at the range with all the ballistic cool holes in paper .. patting yourself on the back ... buck fever seen it lots ha ha:???: bring a paper bag so they get there breathing going again .. And nice shot buddy :roll: as he does not even hear you make the kill shot.

[b.c hunter 88]

I have seen guys shoot a full paper pattern at a 100 yards and think its time to hunt like 3 bullets one 5 inch hi other 4 inch low other 4 inch low 5 inch right that what I mean by grouping.

[b.c hunter 88]

Practice shooting from field positions, no benches in the bush. Shoot for the offside shoulder and you wont lose an animal...

agreed very good info

[Vladimir Poutine]

I agree. I too do not take the time to stay familiar with the guns throughout the year. Point taken. It is not like riding a bike. If it were golf would be easy.

[TreeStandMan]

Shoot for the offside shoulder and you wont lose an animal...

I took my last mulie through the offside shoulder. There was a fair amount of meat loss on that quarter, and it has made me wary of this approach. I can see it in the mountains where you need to anchor your animal, but I generally consider the best shot to be a clean heart and lungs pass through.

[Dash]

Thanks for the great advice!

[AgSilver]

If it were golf would be easy.

Shooting's probably easier to get back in form with than golf. That game is HARD to be good at and takes a LOT of practice.

But yes, great points - stay in practice and be prepared.

[M.Dean]

If you plan on eating the animal your about to shoot, a shot just behind the shoulder facing you and coming out just behind that far shoulder and you'll have zero wasted meat. If the animal is close I go for the neck, but I shoot quite a bit more rounds a year than most guys. One thing that really helps a guy with his shooting skills is after you've got your rifle zero'd in off the bench, like others have said, try all the different positions to shoot and hit the target. We even go as far as firing your rifle free hand at the target after jogging around behind the bench, then grab your rifle, load it and fire from a standing position, try it! It's a little harder than you think, just to hit the target never mind the center! Crap, I want to go out shooting now instead of going to see my VooDoo Witch doctor today! Maybe tomorrow!

[Vladimir Poutine]

Shooting's probably easier to get back in form with than golf. That game is HARD to be good at and takes a LOT of practice.

But yes, great points - stay in practice and be prepared.

I would agree about the mechanics. Both are mind sports however. Some days you can't miss and others? I've often wondered how often a competitive trap or skeet shooter practices and how many round they might go through just for practice.

[HarryToolips]

Amen I agree with everything except you don't always have to go with the top notch ammo, my main gun for example shoots Remington Core-lokt ammo best, it's not very expensive (under $30 a box), and it takes animals down just fine, and it's the same ammo that I use when practicing on targets..

[AgSilver]

I would agree about the mechanics. Both are mind sports however. Some days you can't miss and others? I've often wondered how often a competitive trap or skeet shooter practices and how many round they might go through just for practice.

Truth. I definitely have more experience with golf than shooting, but am familiar with the "what am I doing wrong today??" sensation that you get in both.

[.264winmag]

I took my last mulie through the offside shoulder. There was a fair amount of meat loss on that quarter, and it has made me wary of this approach. I can see it in the mountains where you need to anchor your animal, but I generally consider the best shot to be a clean heart and lungs pass through.
I would say a clean shot to the brain would be ideal;) Obviuosly if the game is 100% broadside the clean lung/heart shot is preferred. I find more often than not a shoulder gets clipped regardless, quartered either way aim for the offside shoulder, it just plain works even if you wreck a couple pounds of burger. Better than losing entire animal.

[monasheemountainman]

Amen I agree with everything except you don't always have to go with the top notch ammo, my main gun for example shoots Remington Core-lokt ammo best, it's not very expensive (under $30 a box), and it takes animals down just fine, and it's the same ammo that I use when practicing on targets..

works every time...until it doesn't, Im a big believer in using a premium bullet. I think you owe it to the animal.

[gutpile]

A head shot to the side of the head is going to be ether a hit or a miss !

[moosinaround]

Having a clear understanding of a bears anatomy goes a long ways to deciding where the kill zones are. If you are a capable bear hunter who has killed many bears, and knows where the kill zones are on a bear from where it is standing, then take the appropriate shot. I dont always take a heart and lung shot, sometimes I take a head shot, sometimes a spine shot, it depends on what is presented to me! I do know where my rifle is hitting at the distance I am shooting the critter from, and yes I use a well constructed bullet. We need to know these things as I agree, we owe it to the animals we are hunting! I have lost critters in the woods, it is a sickening feeling, it is something every hunter will experience at one time in their hunting career, whether it is them that pulls the trigger, or helping a buddy who did, the feeling is the same regardless! Practice folks, dont criticize others, learn from the situations, and do better next time, field conditions change, be ready to adapt, or better yet learn to NOT take the shot? Just my .02! Moosin

[steel_ram]

Lots of good advice here.

Knowing how to cleanly kill an animal from different angles. Know your capabilities at shooting real live targets from different positions. Have the fortitude to recognize ones limitations and hold off pulling the trigger some times. It's OK to let one go once in a while. Really.

[375shooter]

I'm not a fan of head shots. The head of a mature black bear is approximately the size of a soccer ball and it's brain is about the size of a lemon. The bullet has to hit that lemon or come very close to it to be effective, every time. On a botched shot, there is just too much area of the head where the shot will be nonlethal. A shot to the jaw for example, will result in a wounded animal which will likely die slowly of starvation.

I avoid neck shots for the same reason. If the jugular or vertebrae are not struck, the animal can get away, and there's also a good chance it will die a slow death.

On broadside shots, I shoot behind the shoulder. If quartering away, I shoot for the off shoulder. If quartering towards, I shoot for the on shoulder.

Bullet construction is important, especially when doing on-shoulder shots, so I only use premium bullets for big game. Then of course, there's nothing better than a big bullet in the right place. That works every time! If using a big caliber, make sure you can shoot it properly (or a small caliber, for that matter).

[Iron Sighted]

A head shot to the side of the head is going to be ether a hit or a miss !

......or a not immediately fatal shot to the face or jaw.

[walks with deer]

Head shots are risky the head moves around alot..I have done my share.

For bears you wanna break shoulders if you have the option..with a big gun this is how it's over and out.

[.264winmag]

The most horrible hunting experiences have personally been experienced with 'headshots', an animal clipped in the neck or even worse, jaw is something I'd rather not revisit. I think I'm a fairly decent shot, and the more I shoot the less desirable a headshot becomes, if that makes any sense? When in doubt, put er in the shoulder boys...

[brian]

A head shot to the side of the head is going to be ether a hit or a miss !

Worst shot for wounding.