Am I Crazy??

huntercope · 02-04-2009, 01:27 PM

I went out shooting (rifle) the other day with a buddy, and got to thinking about my shooting skills. I was thinking about how good of a shot I was and began to realize that it seems like I am a better shot at long shots (250+ yds), than I am at short distances. I have killed my last two elk 250+ yards with zero misses, and have missed multiple shots (about 4) at animals inside 150 yards (with and without a rest). I almost feel more comfortable at longer distances, why i don't know. Is this common? or am I just weird?

Linejerk · 02-04-2009, 01:35 PM

Sounds like you are not taking your time due to it being a close shot were with the long one you are taking the time to do it all right.

SuperX · 02-04-2009, 04:30 PM

What scope power do you use, some people try an correct/compensate too much when shooting close distances on high power magnification. Longer distance you have a large field of view, mentally you don�t try and correct as much.

Dan360 · 02-04-2009, 04:36 PM

Its easy to take a "sure shot" for granted. Kinda like going into your home run trot on a fly ball that ends up 10 feet short. You have to have that same level of concentration and follow-through.

Also, make sure your rifle is zero'd at a useful range. Lots of guys zero at long range and hit too high or miss at closer ranges. Are you eye-balling your range or using a rangefinder? One problem I've seen where I hunt, which is mostly steep angles in canyons, is people greatly overestimate how far an animal is. I eye-balled a deer last fall that I swore was 400 yards. More like 300 on a downhill slope. If I had aimed 400 on that animal, it would have gone over the back.

huntercope · 02-04-2009, 04:38 PM

I shoot a VX-III 3.5-10. and its not usually on 10x. I try and keep it on 4-6x. I also have a 200 yard zero.

Dan360 · 02-04-2009, 04:45 PM

Maybe its a focus thing. I've seen lots of people that concentrate much harder when there is more on the line. My nephew can drop 3 pointers without much of a problem, but sucks at free-throws. Maybe something similar. Just gotta practice more. Any excuse to shoot is a good one!

mtn300 · 02-04-2009, 06:08 PM

I did a lot of bird hunting in my younger days and I think that really helped with my big game hunting shooting skills. Hunting fast flying birds you have to be quick on the trigger plus be smooth. My hunting buddies always give me crap because I go into overdrive when game is spotted no wasted movement close or long shots. I think a person gets so focused that everything around them is tuned out or maybe that is just me. So maybe practice fast shoting or just bird hunt more it worked for me.

358norma · 02-04-2009, 07:23 PM

You need to load a few hundred rounds and go beat up on some jackrabbits! When you can hit jacks dodging through the sage at fifty yards off hand that trotting buck at 100 will be like a piece of cake. I burnt a 270 barrel out on jacks in nevada when I was stationed there. I know that I will never get that proficient with a rifle again in this life time. The jacks just seemed to explode all on their own after a year of gunning them hard.

huntercope · 02-04-2009, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 358norma

You need to load a few hundred rounds and go beat up on some jackrabbits! When you can hit jacks dodging through the sage at fifty yards off hand that trotting buck at 100 will be like a piece of cake. I burnt a 270 barrel out on jacks in nevada when I was stationed there. I know that I will never get that proficient with a rifle again in this life time. The jacks just seemed to explode all on their own after a year of gunning them hard.

I like the idea and that would be a lot of fun!!! but 270 WSM ammo is too expensive!!!

bo4elk · 02-04-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan360

Maybe its a focus thing. I've seen lots of people that concentrate much harder when there is more on the line. My nephew can drop 3 pointers without much of a problem, but sucks at free-throws. Maybe something similar. Just gotta practice more. Any excuse to shoot is a good one!

I agree. I've found on 3-D shoots that I'll do better on a 40 yard target than a 20. 20 yards is a much easier shot, and I find myself not focus on a particular spot, which is a necessity at 40 yards.

Buck50 · 02-04-2009, 07:58 PM

I'll agree with Linejerk. I'm guilty as HE double toothpick.
Calm down, breathe, take aim and shoot...Yeah right! hearts about to explode and I'm about to soil my jeans....
I'm a far better fisherman than hunter.

358norma · 02-04-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntercope

I like the idea and that would be a lot of fun!!! but 270 WSM ammo is too expensive!!!

Buy a lee reloading kit for something around 100 dollars and start rolling your own. I think last time I figured it I was loading my rabbit rounds for 8.00 bucks a box.

huntercope · 02-04-2009, 10:10 PM

My plan is to start reloading soon, have already bought some stuff but just lost my internship so no cash flow for it at the moment. Guess I will just use what i have for now and shoot closer ranges from now on.