{"id":791,"date":"2018-10-22T08:30:19","date_gmt":"2018-10-22T12:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.wholesalehunter.com\/?p=791"},"modified":"2019-04-05T13:27:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T17:27:00","slug":"getting-a-tune-up-with-field-practice-craig-boddington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/getting-a-tune-up-with-field-practice-craig-boddington\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting a Tune-Up with Field Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some of us are smart enough to service our vehicles regularly to forestall problems. Others, unfortunately like me, are constantly late with scheduled maintenance. It\u2019s a testament to good design and manufacturing that I don\u2019t have more mechanical problems than I do.<\/p>\n

\"target
Boddington working out on steel targets, shooting over a pack with the rifle and scope he used in Mongolia, a Blaser R8 in .300 Weatherby Magnum with Zeiss 4-16x50mm scope.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shooting is a bit like that: Constant maintenance, meaning practice, really is essential to keeping your shooting skills honed. I\u2019m pretty sure all competitive shooters, in all disciplines, and at all levels from beginner to distinguished would agree. Practice is essential not just to get better, but to maintain skill levels.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Target Practice: More Important for Hunters Than Competitors?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I haven\u2019t been an active competitive shooter for a long time; I\u2019m primarily a hunter. But, just maybe, practice is even more important in field shooting for three reasons. First, no matter how experienced one is, no two shots at game are exactly alike, while there is repetition in most formal shooting disciplines. Second, all too many hunts come down to just one chance, one shot. Third, in the field we aren\u2019t talking about punching paper or ringing steel; we\u2019re shooting at live animals, and if we\u2019re going to harvest them, it\u2019s our job to do it cleanly and effectively, preferably with one well-placed shot.<\/p>\n

My Practice Habits<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fortunately, I take a more proactive approach to shooting than vehicle maintenance! I spend a lot of time on the range, typically at least a couple times a week when I\u2019m home\u2026and when I\u2019m not home I\u2019m usually hunting. I freely admit that much of my range work is on the bench, working with rifles, loads, and optics. All shooting is good practice, but some is better. I admit that I get pressed for time (or just plain lazy), and I don\u2019t step away from the bench as much as I should and practice from various positions and using different types of support.<\/p>\n

At least we have ready access to ranges. In California we have a range on a friend\u2019s ranch; in Kansas we can step out the door and shoot as needed. We\u2019re fortunate, and I do understand that access to ranges is a real challenge for many of us. I also know that many public ranges have extensive rules that may tie you to the bench and preclude the \u201cposition practice\u201d that will do you the most good as preparation for field shooting.<\/p>\n

Indoor Shooting as an Alternative to Field Practice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you can\u2019t shoot regularly\u2014preferably frequently\u2014then it\u2019s unlikely you can improve your field shooting skills. Experience does help, but field shooting experience is hard-won over years, and it\u2019s costly. I can\u2019t fix the problem, but I can offer some ideas.<\/p>\n

Indoor shooting, whether .22 or air rifle, is extremely good practice. Distances are shorter on an indoor range, but any and all positions can be employed. Shooting positions can also be practiced without actually firing; in the Marines, we spent endless hours \u201csnapping in\u201d from the formal \u201cNRA\u201d shooting positions before we progressed to live fire. Decades later, we still spent time \u201csnapping in\u201d before the all-important \u201crange week\u201d for annual qualification.<\/p>\n

Training Courses: For Both Tuning-Up and \u201cCramming\u201d for Opening Day<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It takes discipline to get to the range as often as we should and to practice the way we should. It probably takes even more discipline to spend time in the basement dry-firing from various positions. I\u2019m not totally convinced that Opening Day of deer season\u2014or the first day of a distant safari\u2014are exams you should cram for. However, all students know that \u201ccramming\u201d is one way to achieve the desired result and pass to the next level (or achieve the desired qualification). In shooting, one way to cram is to take training courses, which are comprised of a few days of intensive shooting under the guidance of qualified instructors.<\/p>\n

These days there are many shooting schools, some famous and others largely unknown. I have personal experience with few, but for a dozen years my answer for both cramming for an important exam and<\/em> getting a periodic \u201ctune-up\u201d has been SAAM (Sportsman All-Weather, All-Terrain Marksmanship training), conducted at Tim Fallon\u2019s FTW Ranch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"SAAM
Some SAAM training is done in the classroom, great instruction on shooting and ballistics. Left to right, Barnes Bullets\u2019 Coni Brooks, daughter Jessica Brooks-Stevens, grandson Dillon Patey, and daughter Chandra Brooks-Patey, all at SAAM for their first time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yeah, I need tune-ups, too! One of my acknowledged weaknesses is I don\u2019t have easy access to long-range targets. I do not believe in extreme-range shooting at game<\/em>, but with the equipment we have today, it\u2019s possible to take game ethically at longer distances than when I was young. The challenge is that it\u2019s essential to practice at real distance. And you probably should not shoot at game at ranges farther than distances at which you have actual (and preferably extensive) range time.<\/p>\n

\"gun
Yes, there\u2019s dirty work involved at SAAM. Before shooting the class adjourns to the cleaning room, partly to show \u201ca way\u201d to properly clean a rifle\u2026and partly to ensure that all students start out even with clean barrels and all screws tight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SAAM Training at FTW Ranch<\/strong><\/h2>\n

SAAM is a bit unique in that they do not advocate extreme-range shooting at game. Their goal is to improve your skills, but also to accept your limits.\u00a0 They are also not connected to any firearm, ammunition, or optic company. They will not try to sell you anything. SAAM instructors are all hunters and experienced long-range shooters, and most are veterans with special operations and sniping credentials. Their credo is to show you \u201ca way\u201d (or several ways) to accomplish the goal, which is consistently hitting targets.<\/p>\n

The 12,000 acres of FTW Ranch are now festooned with some 32 ranges. Almost all use steel targets, which are wonderful and fun<\/em>; ringing steel offers instant feedback! For those who wish to combine range work with hunting, FTW\u2019s deep canyons and thick brush are home to excellent whitetails and all the common and some very uncommon introduced species.<\/p>\n

\"target
Dillon Patey and his mom, Chandra Brooks-Patey, show 1000-yard hits on steel with 6.5mm Creedmoor rifles and Barnes bullets. Steel makes calling hits easy and gives instant gratification. Neither had ever shot at 1000 yards before\u2026Chandra\u2019s dead-center hit is remarkable!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using SAAM to Prepare for Big Hunts<\/h3>\n

I \u201cdiscovered\u201d SAAM years ago, when they were interested in setting up a \u201csafari\u201d course. It\u2019s awesome, with lifelike targeting and great instruction, but every now and then I return for a \u201ctune-up\u201d on their precision shooting ranges. I also love to shoot their running buffalo and charging elephant targets! Ideally, I might do this before<\/em> a really important hunt. I spent a few days at SAAM before my markhor hunt in Pakistan in 2010, and again before hunting my last tur in Russia\u2019s ridiculously steep Caucasus Mountains.<\/p>\n

\"SAAM,
On the shooting line at one of several dozen SAAM ranges. Boddington is using a Sabatti Saphire in .300 Winchester Magnum with Vector 3-18x50mm scope. Shooting prone off a Harris bipod, this new rifle and scope went from 100 to 1000 yards with no difficulty.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Donna and I just got back from a long and challenging hunt in Mongolia. Months ago, I\u2019d agreed to participate in a SAAM course donation to Safari Club. I already knew about the Mongolia hunt, so my thinking was this would be a perfect opportunity to get a proper tune-up for a really important hunt.<\/p>\n

Well, we couldn\u2019t quite work out the dates with the winners, so my tune-up at SAAM fell just after<\/em> the Mongolian hunt\u2026 we had to do all training on our own. I used some new and unfamiliar equipment: Zeiss\u2019s<\/a> latest scope and reticle with their 10×42 RF rangefinder-binoculars with Bluetooth interface to the Zeiss Hunting App on smartphone. I could have used SAAM\u2019s calm and experienced instructors, mostly now old friends, talking me through this.<\/p>\n

Practicing, Sans<\/em> SAAM, for Mongolia<\/h2>\n

We couldn\u2019t make that happen\u2014but it really was a very important hunt, so we did a lot of practicing on our own. It worked out fine; Donna and I took eight animals, a mixture of sheep, ibex, and maral stags. There were no misses, no tracking, and few insurance shots, but, thanks to good hunting, guiding, and stalking by our Shikar-Safaris team, we also had no long shots. The farthest was an Altai argali at 325 yards. Despite all the madness bandied about these days that is not a \u201cchip shot\u201d under field conditions. But it\u2019s makeable shot.<\/p>\n

\"Shooting
This is the position Boddington used for a big Altai argali in September \u201918. His preference is to shoot over a pack so he practices from that position. Shooting downhill down a chute, this wasn\u2019t rock-steady but seemed the best option available. It worked!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were as ready as we could be, but a few days at SAAM before<\/em> the hunt would have been better. Unfortunately, it had to wait until after. I took the same rifle I used in Mongolia, my Blaser R8 with .300 Weatherby Magnum<\/a> barrel, topped with the new Zeiss Conquest 4-16x50mm scope with 30mm tube. I also took a new Sabatti Saphire in .300 Winchester Magnum<\/a>, topped with LG Outdoors\u2019 Vector Continental 3-18x50mm scope, also 30mm tube. Part of the training at SAAM is to get your \u201cdope\u201d exactly right; one of your many takeaways will be an amazingly useful \u201crange card\u201d that you\u2019d better keep! I wish I\u2019d had a SAAM range card in Mongolia; instead I wrote my data on a big strip of duct tape on my stock!<\/p>\n

\"Mongolia
This big Altai argali presented Boddington\u2019s most difficult shot in Mongolia. The range was 325 yards, steeply downhill in howling wind. Boddington had his \u201cdata\u201d written on tape on his stock\u2026had he done a refresher at the SAAM course first he\u2019d have had his SAAM range card!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other SAAM Specialties<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Improvised Field Position Practice<\/h3>\n

Benchrests are scarce at SAAM ranges. Using packs and sandbags for the Blaser and a Harris bipod on the Sabatti, I took both rifles and scopes out to 700 yards with no problems, then took the Sabatti with the Vector scope on out to 1000 yards, also no trouble. Please understand, I would never consider a first-round shot at game at 700 yards, let alone 1000. In my view the risks and variables are simply too great. But if you know<\/em> your data (rifle, load, and scope settings) are genuinely correct to extreme distances then taking game at half those distances (or perhaps bit more) is much less daunting\u2014and should be practical when conditions are right and you can read the wind and have time to get steady.<\/p>\n

\"SAAM,
Even the most experienced shooters will pick up tips at SAAM! Instruction is practical, and includes use of items you might have on hand\u2026using the spotting scope tripod as a shooting aid in the kneeling position is one I\u2019d never thought of, but it works very well.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Field Practice in Different Weather Conditions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One thing you can\u2019t predict is weather! We, about a dozen shooters of various experience levels, did this SAAM course under conditions of considerable wind and intermittent rain. We all learned a lot and improved, for sure me included. Also, important: We had fun<\/em>, enjoyed great food and after-hour stories at the bar, and made new friends. As always, I came away with renewed confidence in myself and my equipment. There will be a next time for another tune-up, but I\u2019ll try to make sure it happens before<\/em> some really special hunt!<\/p>\n

\"wind,
The weather is usually pleasant in the Texas Hill Country, but in mid-October intermittent wind and rain added to the challenge. Most ranges are covered and steel targets ring fine in rain, but heavy gusts made calling wind difficult\u2026and fun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some of us are smart enough to service our vehicles regularly to forestall problems. Others, unfortunately like me, are constantly late with scheduled maintenance. It\u2019s a testament to good design and manufacturing that I don\u2019t have more mechanical problems than I do. Shooting is a bit like that: Constant maintenance, meaning practice, really is essential … Continue reading “Getting a Tune-Up with Field Practice”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[21,47,35],"tags":[19,146,149,42,39,147,148,38],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":934,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions\/934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}