This past deer hunt, I was very disappointed with my "game shooting" when I had deer chased to me on drives. I guess I've spent too much time at the bench, and not enough on my "hind legs" in recent years.

Years ago (during the '60's) I realized that I would have to develop the ability to shoot quickly and accurately - and make accurate follow-up shots - if I was going to have any degree of success when hunting the thick stuff in Ontario. Because of this, I developed a series of drills that I used to best prepare myself for the hunting situations I was facing each fall.

Myself and a buddy did some of the tires rolled down a bank drill, but I found that it wasn't the right place to start, so I followed this routine:

Once my rifle was sighted in at a bench, I abandoned the bench, and targets with concentric circles all together. I selected targets that were if a uniform colour and the size of the boiler works of a deer (I often used 8 1/2 by 11 sheets), and mounted them at about 80 yds - which is twice my normal shooting range.

In this set of drills, any hit on the paper was a dead deer.

I started with my rifle at rest facing the target, and then took the safety off, and shot off-hand at the target. I took time with this drill, not rushing my shots, with quite a bit of time between repetitions. Eventually I got so I had absolute confidence that I could hit the target - one shot at a time - at this range, and my speed of target acquisition increased quite rapidly.

Next, I put up a second target, and snap shot the first, and then shot at the second. I "poke" shoot rather than swing, but a modification of this method may work for swing shooters.

After I mastered 2 targets, I gradually increased the numbers until I could take multiple shots with absolute confidence.

The final test of this method was to set up a number of targets (a couple greater than the number of rounds in the mag.). I mounted them at different heights in a more or less random arrangement. I worked with a buddy, and we decided a numbering sequence for the targets. We then took turns calling out the numbers for the other in a mixed order (eg. 7-2-5-4-1). This was to simulate the unexpectedness (if thats a word) of what a deer may do next - especially when it's being shot at. I eventually developed speed with this drill, but it wasn't the primary goal - precision was. The idea was to be able to take several accurate shots at a moving game animal.

Once I could score 100% regularly on this drill, I thought I was ready to go hunting.

Since I've decided I need some remedial shooting practice after my dismal performance this past fall, I plan to start my regimen by going all the way back to a .22, working my way through the routine, then progressing to my light recoiling 6mm, to my .358 and then my new Whelen.