All too often, a sort of “Old-Betsy-is-a-tack-driver-who-has-never-failed-me” attitude leads to disappointment in the field. Anyone who hunts with a firearm owes it to themselves, the animals they hunt and a simple sportsman’s code of ethics to have complete familiarity with their gun. That translates to spending some time at the shooting range prior to the season.
A few shots will either tell you that all is well or that some adjustments are needed. If the latter is the case, work on your scope and fine-tune until your gun and the load you are using present top-notch performance.
After all, scopes can get jarred loose, new ammunition may perform differently or there may be some aspect of your gun’s function that needs some adjustment. Discovering such things through a miss, or even worse, crippling an animal, while afield is the worst of timing. Do your gun-related homework.
The same holds true for the bowhunter, along with the added significance of practice. Only through plenty of target work will you get the needed confidence in your bow, become aware of your effective range, make sure your pins are properly placed and in general be ready for that adrenalin-laced moment when you draw back while afield. Practice may not make perfect with gun or bow, but it certainly makes you a better marksman.
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