Who Are The Best Running Shots With A Rifle?

[Green Chile]

You get a lot of practice at driven hunts. Not to mention it is a lot of fun.

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Tanks, how would you rate the shot difficulty? I'm sure there is a wide range of angles, speeds, etc. I haven't done a driven hunt for big game other than the occasional deer drive.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Is a McMillan Tac an American gun?

US Manufacture.

 

[Nyati]

Running....Germans....Spanish is just lead in the air hoping for the best....Brits.....no comment.....

Disagree, most hunting in Spain is done at running animals, we have lots of experience.

I still remember the looks of surprise of my SA PH´s when I shoot running warthogs !

 

[Nyati]

I believe running shoots used to be an Olympic sport at one time?!?

Yes, called running boar, done with a .22lr at a moving silhouette of a boar at 50m.

I was a competitor during many years.

 

[Tanks]

Tanks, how would you rate the shot difficulty? I'm sure there is a wide range of angles, speeds, etc. I haven't done a driven hunt for big game other than the occasional deer drive.

Shot difficulty varies, and that is what makes it so much fun and challenging at the same time. A good friend of mine that lives in Sweden is addicted to driven hunts, he does several each year. I am thinking of joining him for a deer hunt in Sweden followed by a driven boar hunt in Rumania or Poland next year. Just need to fit it in my calender.

 

[ftrovato]

Shoot sporting clays on a regular weekly bases for a few years. Then YOU will be as good as anyone with flying and running shots....

 

[JimP]

Shoot sporting clays on a regular weekly bases for a few years. Then YOU will be as good as anyone with flying and running shots....

We used to take old tires with a cardboard target placed into the center of them. Then drive up to the top of a hill and roll them off for the shooters that were spaced in different areas down below us.

You got to be a pretty good shot after a while, you never knew which way that tire was going to bounce and or roll.

With rabbits, I gave up using a shotgun and went to 22lr and my hunting rifle. They were fair game with the 22's while they were running but when they stopped a hundred yards out we would use the hunting rifles for head shot.

I haven't done that in years.

 

[ARHinAK]

I suppose a lot depends on your experience. The traditional method of deer hunting in Wisconsin amongst my family and friends was to do deer drives in the wood lots scattered throughout farmland. Starting at age 12 with a model 94 and a peep sight and then a scoped bolt gun we hunted this way until my late 30s. I’d managed to fill my buck tag about every year but I can only remember ever shooting one little 8 pointer while he was standing. I also remember thinking wow, I wish they were all this easy.
Deer drives are pretty much a thing of the past in that part of the state now. I’m sure there’s a subdivision in every patch of woods. Progress they call it.
As a side note, either a miss or a shoulder shot was highly frowned upon. If you missed you were going to be a designated driver for a good long while or if you hammered a front shoulder you caught hell for destroying a bunch of meat. A pretty hard lot to satisfy really.
I don’t hesitate to shoot at running game either here in Alaska or my one time in Africa. Experience has taught me that I know what’s doable, and more importantly when to not shoot.

 

[Green Chile]

Experience has taught me that I know what’s doable, and more importantly when to not shoot.

That's wisdom from experience. Respect to you.

 

[HankBuck]

Shoot sporting clays on a regular weekly bases for a few years. Then YOU will be as good as anyone with flying and running shots....

I agree regarding improving on flying shots with a shotgun - or running rabbits with a shotgun....my own experience has been that all my time shooting skeet & sporting clays has done little on my hitting running game w/rifle. I won’t say its completely useless, any practice helps and understanding lead is important especially for new shooters - but running rifle shots benefit more from practicing “running rifle shots”...in my opinion (maybe I’m just Not a gifted shooter or I’m a slow learner)

 

[ARHinAK]

I’m also going to be a bit contrary to what others have said about shotgunning and rifle shooting. It could be that those who’ve dedicated themselves to both disciplines are good at both and that’s how it works out. On the other hand, one’s focus is so different in the act of making the shot that I don’t see how one helps the other. The only thing in common is that the gun is in motion while the shot is taken. With a shotgun, if you look at the bead you’ll miss the shot 9 out of 10 times. Yours focus needs to be on the target. I think the opposite is true with a rifle. Focus on the front sight or reticle or all is lost.

 

[Green Chile]

Fundamentals are always good to work on with any weapon but I think there are differences that don’t translate across disciplines. There is a lot to learn from follow through on any moving target and that helps a lot. Proper dry firing with the same weapon can make a huge difference.

You can find videos online of Franz teaching his shooting methods and showing common mistakes made on running targets. I believe his dad was a competitive shooter with shotgun sports?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I agree regarding improving on flying shots with a shotgun - or running rabbits with a shotgun....my own experience has been that all my time shooting skeet & sporting clays has done little on my hitting running game w/rifle. I won’t say its completely useless, any practice helps and understanding lead is important especially for new shooters - but running rifle shots benefit more from practicing “running rifle shots”...in my opinion (maybe I’m just Not a gifted shooter or I’m a slow learner)

Shooting moving game is more about 1) staying on the target with eyes and not looking at the sights, and 2) follow through. Both can become instinctive for rifle shooting after a lot of time on the shotgun range. But it's all for naught if the rifle doesn't fit the shooter ... perfectly. Shooting trap high gun I can make any gun work but low gun at the skeet range is with one gun that fits me perfectly or I just as well throw away the score card. Here it is.

Not pretty but my average is 22.75/25. And I only shoot fifty rounds a week these days.

Incidentally, above is my only pheasant triple from last fall. Not easy to do. Requires an empty bag and finding three roosters together which is becoming difficult in these lean times. This day it was particularly challenging in temperature hovering around zero and a light wind.

 

[Green Chile]

Wily pheasants and strong wind is a wicked combination. I really miss hunting them. A triple is really rare. You won't forget that one. I saw someone double on hens one time...ugh.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I’m also going to be a bit contrary to what others have said about shotgunning and rifle shooting. It could be that those who’ve dedicated themselves to both disciplines are good at both and that’s how it works out. On the other hand, one’s focus is so different in the act of making the shot that I don’t see how one helps the other. The only thing in common is that the gun is in motion while the shot is taken. With a shotgun, if you look at the bead you’ll miss the shot 9 out of 10 times. Yours focus needs to be on the target. I think the opposite is true with a rifle. Focus on the front sight or reticle or all is lost.

Shooting through a scope at a running target does not require focusing on the reticle ... if the scope is low power and the animal is fairly close ... which should be the rule for us mortals. That's the nice thing about scopes: there is nothing to line up. Watch the running animal and keep it centered in the sight picture. The reticle should be there without looking for it. With open sights, it's different. The front and back sights must be aligned. That's why it's absolutely essential that the gun fit the shooter. He should be able to close his eyes, mount the gun quickly, open the shooting eye, and sights must be aligned. If not, change the LOP and/or bend the stock till it does. Or just get a low power scope and let it do the alignment work for you. I haven't watched the videos but the stills look like the German prince shoots with a scope. For me, iron sights are for backup in case my scope craps out or for hunting in very adverse conditions (rough country and/or weather). Though I can instinctively shoot a shotgun very well at moving targets, I wouldn't have the same confidence using my rifle's iron sights to shoot moving game unless it was very close. But with a scope, no hesitation. It's automatic.

 

[Green Chile]

He shoots a red dot with both eyes open. That's the only way he can scan for incoming and transition as fast as he does.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

He shoots a red dot with both eyes open. That's the only way he can scan for incoming and transition as fast as he does.

Looks like he was using a scope for the driven boar hunt video.
Post in thread 'Who Are The Best Running Shots With A Rifle?' https://www.africahunting.com/threads/who-are-the-best-running-shots-with-a-rifle.77219/post-1110033

Never used a red dot. For running game I'm sure it's the cat's meow ... for ideal situations. In poor light a scope might be more advantageous? And a scope might get the shooter a bit more distance. I shot my nyala last year running at 100 yards. I think that might be a stretch with a red dot or iron sights. That bull was not hit well (enough) with first shot on the sticks. Glad I had a scope to finish the job.

 

[Green Chile]

I haven't seen all of his videos. I know he likes Trijicon for some things.

 

[ftrovato]

My 2 cents are that simple angles and compound angles are what they are. One has to place a single projectile and or a round of BB's where they belong to be successful. Fair to say we have our own way(s) of becoming proficient. For me when shooting sporting clays on a regular bases I believe I'm much more comfortable with any long gun in my hands. Fit is always fundamental or one might as well not even waste their ammo. Now pistols, that's a whole different animal!

 

[ARHinAK]

I can only speak to the way I do things, so I’ll limit myself to that. While shooting a scoped rifle from the bench at a target or in the field my hard focus is always to the extent I can manage it on the reticle the moment the gun goes off. I most certainly don’t just try to keep whatever I’m shooting at more or less in the center of the scope. That’s a new one on me. People have different methods of doing things and each has varying degrees of success. I guess we can politely disagree on how to do things exactly but that’s what makes this interesting. If everyone was in agreement with the first thing said there would be some mighty short threads!
I’ve never shot a red dot at anything so count me out in that regard.