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Hey Guys

Forgive me if these questions have already been asked.
I had done a search and didn't find what I was looking for.
I have some questions.

First question: I would like to become a better gun hunter.
I think that becoming a better shot would help with this.
How do you guys practice shooting to get ready for hunting season?
How much do you practice?
What is considered a good group?

I understand that practice would make me a better shot but do you shoot offhand, from a bench with a rest or how?

When I am hunting I try to find a rest to use to take a shot (tree, steady stix, stuff like that) but sometimes it is not possible. How do I become a better offhand shooter?

Also, I have some rifles that the shells are expensive so shooting these shells all the time would be pretty costly but I also have a .22 rifle which I think you can get the shells pretty cheap. Is it possible that I can start with the .22 and work up to the bigger caliber rifles. Can anyone give some advice. What is a proper shot sequence?

The next thing is my .22 is a semi-auto and the range requires people to pick up their empty casings after they are finished. Do any of you know a way that I can stop the empties from flying all over the place and staying in a group?
I appolgize for such basic questions but I don't think I ever learned the basics of Shooting.
So I'm trying to fix that starting now.

Thanks for any and all replies.

Jeff