I have hunted (deer mainly) for most of my life. Archery was always the most appealing to me. So much so, that when I hunted with my rifle, I preferred to have as short of a shot as possible. Part of the thrill of the hunt is being able to close the distance on such a wary animal. Most of my shots were within 100 yards, and some quite a bit closer (15-20 yards).
A little over a year ago, I was introduced to the precision rifle shooting. A couple of co-workers have been precision shooters for several years. Talking and spending some time at the range with them provided an opportunity to enter the world of precision rifle shooting. Since then, I have attended two different courses that have taught everything from setting up a precision rifle to using a scope reticle to measure distances (extremely accurate when done correctly) to shooting positions (tripods, bipods, improvised rests) and gear selection. Those courses taught me so much more than I could have imagined.
I modified a long-owned rifle, with relatively little expense, into a precision rifle (at least within my current skill level). There has been no small cost, but I have been able to do so over time with a few dollars here and there.
I’ve seen quite a bit of progress in my knowledge and skill. With that added skill, I am getting quite comfortable with taking game at long ranges while still being able to make well placed shots and insure a humane kill. Much more meat can be put in the freezer when you’re able to confidently take that deer that was, in the past, too far out of comfortable shooting range.
The only downside is that shooting sports are rather expensive. I certainly can’t afford to shoot as much as I would like. I am, however, able to shoot often enough to progress in skill. I am looking forward to be able to provide much more meat for the family, while also being able to enjoy hunting even more with the extending harvesting range.
Don’t just prepare, prepare to thrive.
