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RE: Need advice on helping new hunter

Bob and everyone else
Thanks for the advice. In retrospect I did a lot of things wrong with my friend, and this whole process became a huge learning experience for me. NEVER take things for granted. Like when I stopped the deer in a gap for her she could only see the hind quarter. Well I whispered in her ear to move over two feet so there was an open lane. An experienced hunter would've just done it. Of course this is something we should have practiced before hand. We spent about half an hour at the range shooting 100 yards off a bench. We should have worked on aquiring the target more and shooting out to 200. Again my mistake. Finally she was using my roommates gun which is a 50 year old 6mm with a 1X scope. Its a great deer gun, but I just wonder if she would've had an easier time with my 30-06 and Leupold 4X10 scope that has a 50mm objective. Again, my call to use the 6mm because it didn't kick as hard.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Bob H in NH

[edited his great story about what a brand new hunter goes through and why they need help getting talked through that shot]

We left it at you NEVER make a mistake NOT shooting, when you're not sure you don't pull the trigger. Simple as that.

Different people react differently to the rush when there's a deer there, took my son about 10 minutes to stop shaking. Be patient, keep it fun and they will keep hunting.

That still happens to me after many years of hunting -doubt and hestiation, often causing an opportunity to go away. A new situation that isn't cut and dried - what's the actual distance? Is the thing moving too fast or not? Can I really get steady enough in this position? Can I move to a better position without spooking the animal? I think it is excellent that he has learned that when in doubt at all, don't shoot. I just see so many leg shots, gut shots, missed shots, etc. by supposedly experienced guys who's philosophy is when in doubt, get a shot off, that it is better than not shooting. I just don't understand the attitude that it is more important to give it a try rather than just pass on a poor shot.

The down side of course, as your story shows, is missed opportunities,but to me that's the far lesser of evils. To me the downside of an ugly bad shot is far greater than the downside of not getting a deer. Heck, there's enough of a chance of bad luck making a bad shot happen (a deer jumping just before the shot, or an invisible twig deflecting it, for example). Every thing else should be just right before the trigger is pulled. Great story and lesson, thanks.

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter

Quote:

When I asked my son why he tried to go prone when he's never shot a gun that way in his life:

"I don't know" was the reply. Adrenanline, gotta love it.

does he play shooter video games? they all teach that the prone position gives a bonus to hit (even the hunting simulations)

after a while it's instinctive to dive to the ground upon contact

RE: Need advice on helping new hunter

Get a scoped pellet gun and let her practice with that. throw objects out in the yard and tell her which one to shoot, or shoot walnuts or pecans out of trees.