270.Rose
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2020
- Messages
- 267
I just wanted to share how glad I am to have been doing the local NRL .22 shooting matches this year and how much they have helped in the field. Being able to put thousands of rounds downrange for very little expense, shooting many different distances and having to transition between positions has been great training for hunting. There's the pressure of a timer and a whole squad standing there watching, and you have to make shot after shot, but no lives are at stake and a critter isn't going to run off wounded.
This is only my third year hunting. I didn't grow up around guns so I still feel like a newbie because of the relatively short time I've been shooting. But this year as I've been blessed to harvest animals it's taken a lot of stress out of the getting into position, taking a smooth shot, and being comfortable around my rifle. There's been a lot less fumbling and my fundamentals are way more solid. My desire is always to make an ethical shot and give the animal the quickest possible end, and I think that competing in these matches has helped enormously to make that possible. I've been able to practice distance perception, reading the wind, how to best utilize awkwardly shaped supports, and how to safely handle my rifle as I get into multiple positions for each stage.
I know I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go before I'm an expert shot. But I'm really thankful for the opportunity to work on something that's really important if we want to keep having meat in the freezer, and I'd highly recommend finding a match or two if you are getting an inexperienced person into the field.
This is only my third year hunting. I didn't grow up around guns so I still feel like a newbie because of the relatively short time I've been shooting. But this year as I've been blessed to harvest animals it's taken a lot of stress out of the getting into position, taking a smooth shot, and being comfortable around my rifle. There's been a lot less fumbling and my fundamentals are way more solid. My desire is always to make an ethical shot and give the animal the quickest possible end, and I think that competing in these matches has helped enormously to make that possible. I've been able to practice distance perception, reading the wind, how to best utilize awkwardly shaped supports, and how to safely handle my rifle as I get into multiple positions for each stage.
I know I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go before I'm an expert shot. But I'm really thankful for the opportunity to work on something that's really important if we want to keep having meat in the freezer, and I'd highly recommend finding a match or two if you are getting an inexperienced person into the field.
