Do you often walk away from the hunting ground or shooting range with some frustration? You’ve probably tasted the bliss of getting the perfect shot—and now you’re battling to duplicate the experience.
What are you doing wrong?
Yes, there are many factors at play when you shoot. You can’t control the wind and sometimes you’re simply having an off day where you can’t seem to do anything right. Guess what: everyone has these days.
But on the other days, these few tips will help you to instantly improve your aim and results.
Get the Right Clothing
Comfort is a top priority and that often starts with your attire. Your gear should work to prevent you from being seen by animals you hunt. But it should also work for YOU by making you feel at ease: allowing for movement and keeping you cool or warm enough. Top brands like Kryptek spend time researching what you really need, so you don’t get distracted by uncomfortable clothing.
Change Your Stance
Perhaps someone told you to stand a specific way when aiming at the target. And since the advice came from the experts, you stick to it. Certain rules apply to everyone, such as not tensing your shoulders, keeping your arms extended (not locked) and leaning forward rather than backward.
But everyone’s different!
Take some time and try out different positions. Placing your dominant foot behind the other foot usually affords great balance, but what helps you feel comfortable? How can you evenly distribute your weight based on your unique form and build?
Also remember that out in the field it’s different than the shooting range, so practicing shooting from different sitting and standing positions is essential.
Learn to Control Your Breathing
Your breathing should help, not hamper, your shooting. The general guideline is to inhale, then exhale, and to squeeze the trigger while you hold your breath.
This works because your muscles relax for a short period while you’re not breathing. But of course, your body will want to automatically start the breathing process again, so pull the trigger as soon as possible after exhaling. Holding that breath too long can even blur your sight, so fast actions are essential.
Remember the Follow Through
The definition of follow-through is all about what happens after you pull the trigger. You should keep the same position with your body and arms. You must also keep depressing the trigger unless you’re using an automatic rifle.
Not making sudden movements means you won’t interrupt the bullet’s trajectory. Yes, even allowing your finger to bounce back from the trigger can force the gun to move. The slightest movement could mean you won’t hit where you originally aimed. Shooting is all about the details!
Use Dry Fire to Practice
All these tips are useless if you don’t practice them. Hours at the shooting range are essential so you get used to your new stance or pulling the trigger at the right moment.
Our tip: use dry fire so you don’t waste money on bullets. Yes, it can seem a bit boring, but it means you can practice at home too. Simply make sure you practice gun safety and make sure you take all the bullets out of the gun.
Practice, practice, practice. Yes, that is what it comes down to. But incorporating these tips during your next practice session may already provide you with impressive results and motivate you to keep going.
Share your experiences with us to help others get it right too.
