The rules for hunting deer, antelope, moose, and elk are simple.
- If you miss, or don’t get a shot, return to rule #1.
This is why it is called “Hunting”. You need to Seek, Search, and Scout.
Every critter has a unique path in life. Hunters need to learn where they bed, feed, water, rest, escape, mate, and nap. Once you know the habits of a critter, you can plan to get close and take your shot. These patterns change annually due to forest fires, predators, weather, drought, and development. Be a student of the sport and understand the critters biology.
While you are scouting, practice your shooting. I often carry small game points on brightly colored arrows. These arrows can have flu flu fletching s on them. When I see a huge mushroom, rotten log, or specific target, I try a shot. The colorful and large fletched shaft means that I can find my arrow. You can do the same with an air rifle. Carrying these weapons provides practice and gets you accustomed to hunting. Wear your hunting gear, binos, and pack, to get into shape and comfortable shooting while wearing the extra gear.
Marksmanship is important. If you are not a practiced shooter, stay home. Real hunters challenge themselves to make one great shot for a kill. If you are missing, needing a full clip to fill your tags, then you need to practice shooting now. Marksmanship is a perishable skill that needs annual tuning. Muscle memory is so important when shooting.
Know your reasonable and maximum range. Limit your shots and plan your hunt t o be within that range. For me, I never shoot a critter with a bow, over 20yards. I can stack arrows in a cup at over 100 yards but have never arrowed a critter further than 18 yards.
Rifles and shotguns have limited ranges. Just because the box says you can shoot a long range doesn’t mean you can. For a shotgun slug gun with saboted rounds, 350 yards is my max. For a 30-06 or 7 mm, 600 yards is comfortable but closer is better. My 50 cal. Muzzleloader is good to 250 yards. Find your comfort zone at the range, not on the hunt.
Take the first best shot you get. You may not get another. Tag the first legal critter that God sends your way. Otherwise, you may end up eating your tags. Over the course of a lifetime of hunting, you will get your trophy critters, Taking the first legal critter means that you will also feed the family along the way.
Great accuracy comes from repetition, breathing, proper mounting, tuned optics, and punching lots of holes. That one shot one kill is the outcome.
While you are practicing hitting a target, Scout the areas you plan to hunt. Critters are not always where you want them to be. You may need a different area to hunt. An elk can move twenty miles a day. If the area has no water, food, or has been invaded with wolves and predators, or other hunters, you may need to hunt somewhere else. Scouting can be as much fun as hunting. Once you zero in on a hot area, your hunting confidence and excitement intensifies.
Without Scouting, you are relying on LUCK. This can be a fruitless time investment. Locate the critters, hunt them, shoot them. Otherwise, you are wasting your limited hunting time.
Hunt hard, hunt harder!
Montana Grant
