Bocajnala

Think back over your past hunts, what shooting position have you used the most?


My guess is that it's a regional thing for how most people shoot due primarily to the type of land being hunted.


Most of my hunting has been still hunting for deer in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Most of my shots have been off hand.


I like to lean against a tree if I can but I really can't even think of any deer I shot while leaning on a tree. Lots of squirrel that way.


I've shot at least two while kneeling. I've shot several prone while doing crop damage permits ( Prone on the edge of a field waiting for deer to come out to feed.) and probably 25 or so off hand.


How do you like to shoot and how have most of your shots been taken?


-Jake

MudderChuck

I always use some sort of rest, either a tree or the rail on a high seat or shooting tower, my left knee while sitting on or near my right leg or my favorite, sitting legs crossed using both knees. I do have a bi pod on my rifle, mostly for long range varmint shots.

I've only taken two off hand shots I can remember in the last thirty-forty years. One was on a trotting Deer at around forty yards and right through the ten ring, the other was a second shot at a Buck that stopped to blow and look back, at around 70 yards, after already being shot once. Again right through the ten ring (and surprisingly an inch from my first shot). I still wonder if that shot was skill or luck. My normal rifle is around ten pounds loaded, sling and bi pod, not much chance, at my age, of holding that sucker steady free hand (for long).

If I don't have a steady shot I usually pass, on game animals. I'm a little more flexible with varmints and will take shots I'd usually pass on for game animals.

I've got an odd thing going on here, I'm the lone American in a mostly totally German purview. I screw it up and it is a major event. The Germans are basically, at the core, some of the more racist people on the planet. They rarely pass up a chance to criticize if you are a foreigner. I try to give them as little ammunition as possible.

I'm a decent instinct shooter, Rabbits and Hare. And a decent wing shooter.

Oldtimr

For rifle hunting I like taking a rest if possible, short of that leaning against a tree does a good job of steadying, that said, the last three deer I shot were offhand.

Nomercy448

Horses for courses...

If I'm ambush hunting, sitting in a stand/blind/set waiting for game, then I'm usually sitting, using a monopod. If I'm spot & stalk or still hunting, usually I end up standing or kneeling, preferably leaning against a tree/fencepost, ALSO using a monopod. If I'm varminting, I'm either laying prone on the ground or in the truck bed, or on a shooting bench, using either a front rest, a ski-pod, or a bipod, and typically a rear squeeze bag. I've used shooting sticks (2 or 3), bipods, and tripods for field shooting off and on for a long time, but usually I come back to a monopod for the convenience and speed, AND because I can shoot well enough for my hunting range from a single leg. For longer range sets, where I'm intentionally placing my "kill zone" away from m shooting position, then I set up the same as when I'm varminting, prone or at a bench.

I shoot offhand regularly; I guess I want to think I could jump back into HighPower matches again some day, but I don't really have much intention of hunting game that way. Field supports are available, so I use them.

younggun308

I strap a portable air cushion to my waist while still hunting (think they sold them in the Wal-Mart hunting section); this provides me not only with cushion if I decide to take a stand, but also the ability to sit stably when squatting: the cushion literally fills the area behind the knee in such a way that you feel like you're in a chair the moment you squat down.
I rest my elbows on my knees to stabilize my arms while aiming my rifle, and it does a good job---my accuracy problems last year never had to do with my aim, but with my trigger pull.

The advantage of "squat-shooting" is you can quickly assume the position even when you flush a deer, but still have better stability than shooting offhand.

jeepkid

Prone for me...

Nomercy448

This is only true if you have sufficient dorsiflexion in your ankles to assume your squat with your heels on the ground. As soon as your heels lift and your weight breaks onto the balls of your feet, the squatting position becomes a boat rocking on the waves. For this reason, the kneeling position has remained to reign over the squatting position for game shooting.

More ground contact, and less muscle recruitment mean greater stability. The squatting position is poor on both points, even with the "catcher's wedge."

Alsatian

Very interesting question. For me this is often determined by the game animal. I like to shoot at moderate range from a sitting position, with my elbows on my knees.

Sometimes, however, the game doesn't cooperate. I may have to shoot at running game. One time I had a deer at close range and I had to mount my rifle to my left shoulder and shoot left handed, though I shoot right handed. That sounds radical and even irresponsible, but it was only 25 yards away, and I couldn't change position. I made the shot successfully.

I had an elk at about 150 yards this year. I passed on the shot. I think I should have popped up and shot off hand at the elk. I could probably have gotten off 3 shots. But I was uncertain of making a killing shot. My point is that you need to have many shooting competencies. By all means use the best rests the environment gives you.

Bocajnala

If I sat, kneeled, or tried prone in 95% of the places I hunt I'd never be able to see beyond my front sight.


As I guessed, it largely seems to be a regional difference depending on the type of land being hunted.


I'm going to Wyoming next year to hunt and I bought a shooting stick to take, Have been practicing off that a few times this year and it'll help allot I think.
-Jake

younggun308

True.
I always have my heels on the ground, and the cushion adds stability by keeping the behind from slipping off the ankles. I am somewhat surprised at how many people marvel at being able to squat with ones feet flat on the ground.