
The off-season isn’t the time to rest on your current skills. It’s the best time to improve. Here are three common and easy rifle drills to help you improve your skills before hunting season starts again.
Three Common Rifle Drills to Shoot Better
1. Hit the can. Most of us have done this a time or two, and it is incredibly simple. The goal of this drill is to hit the target without anything to rest your gun on. All you need is several soda cans and string. Hang the cans at different heights and distances, and then have your competitor call out a specific can and start the timer. Give yourself five seconds to find the can and shoot it.
2. Learn your gun. This next drill is all about learning your gun. The goal is to know exactly where your gun is going to land the bullet all the way to 400 yards. To perform this drill, shoot your gun at 50-yard increments from 100 to 400 yards. Create a cheat sheet that shows exactly where the bullet hits and the necessary compensation as well. With your cheat sheet, practice shooting targets alternating from short to long. Repeat this until you don’t need your cheat sheet anymore.
3. Practice with stumps. Finally, anyone can shoot well in the best conditions, but when you’re out in the woods, you don’t have a bench to rest your weapon on. To do this drill, start by taking a hike in the woods with your rifle. When you see a stump, get in the best field position, aim at a piece of moss or bark, and shoot. After your shot, assess your choice, and with enough practice, you’ll be able to pick the best rest without thinking about it.
Hunting season isn’t the time to start improving your skills. The best time to improve your skills is while you are resting during the off-season, and these three drills can help you be a better marksman when hunting season starts again.