Tips to Improve Your Shot

Having a good shooting technique is essential to be able to achieve results on a hunting day.
Especially in small game hunting, the reaction time we have is usually very short, so knowing what we should do at all times will be of great help to achieve the desired results.
In this section we try to make a brief review of the most important points to take into account at each moment of the shot. We advise you to read it carefully, but remember: the most important thing is always to practice.

Aim with one or two eyes

Undoubtedly, one of the most discussed topics by both shooters and hunters is whether to shoot with a shotgun you must aim with only one eye or with both eyes open.
For many, the fundamental center of the discussion is to define which the so-called “Directing Eye” is, that is, in which eye each one has greater visual strength.
There is a simple way to find out, just take a pencil, holding it vertical with your arm and fully extended. Once this is done, and with both eyes open, aim at some distant object 4 or 5 m.

Lower the gun

The swing of the shot does not end until the shotgun returns to its starting position.
Despite the fact that the innate reaction is to move the weapon away to see what has happened (whether we were successful or not), the weapon should never be stopped just after the shot has been fired, since with that the only thing we will achieve is that in In most cases, we will make a mistake by stopping the point of the weapon before firing and that means shooting from behind, that is, wrong shots.
In addition, if we manage to continue the movement correctly, we will be advancing a lot to achieve a good result in a possible second shot.

The movement of the body

Despite what many may think, the truth is that the movement of the shot involves the action of a large number of joints and muscles, each of which fulfills an important mission.
However, in relation to the movement of the body we must bear in mind that:
Hands, elbows, arms, shoulders, neck and face must form an immovable block.
The first thing to move is the waist, followed by the hips.
In case the previous movement is not enough, we will use the knees and, finally, the ankles.

Swing

In this complicated word, “Swing”, all the different movements that the hunter or shooter must make for the shot are included; we are talking from the moment the piece is located until the weapon is lowered after the shot.
And it is in this swing where there is definitely the difference between a good shooter and a mediocre shooter. Although as a whole it is about picking up the gun, facing and shooting, this that seems so basic and simple involves a whole series of small movements each one of which must be done with great precision. So much so that if we were to observe different hunters, we would clearly appreciate that each one of them performs these movements in a particular way, or what is the same: each one has their own swing.

Face and follow the piece

In order to face correctly we will need to practice ad nauseam, until we are able to perform the movement with total precision and without having to think about what we are doing.
Performing exercises at home on a regular basis is of course a very good idea. It is about automating the movement so that it is recorded in what is called “muscular memory”, that is, the ability of our muscles to automate a previously learned movement. Of course, we all have this ability and we use it daily without being aware of it, in many facets of our lives (it has happened to all of us at some point: we move the furniture around and yet we go to the living room where the sofa used to be located…).

Check out this video that explains how you can improve your long range shot

Locate the part and place the cylinder head

We talk about these two movements together because in the vast majority of cases we will have so little time that both things must be done practically in unison: we locate the piece and at the same time we must be placing the butt to the face, following the piece with the tip of the weapon.
It is very important that they are done at the same time so as not to waste time that we certainly do not have.
The moment of locating the piece must be done as quickly as possible, since everything we save in this first step will be used to carry out the following ones. In fact, the ability to react when the target comes out is the element that best differentiates a winner in a shooting competition.