The Zen of shooting

[mglampson]

On many occasions I have taken shots that seem to be fired by someone other then me and wondered if any of you had similar experiances. I will discribe a few.

My first BP whitetail buck was flushed from his bed in the bushes next to a beaver pond. Like a flash he was running down the trail that crossed the top of the old dam. Not wanting to take a running shot on a deer going straight away I took aim but held my fire. When he got to the far side he stopped for a second and appeared to be trying to decide to go left or right. He turned to the right and took a step, I adjusted to the right as well and the deer disappeared in a cloud of white smoke. When everything had looked absolutely perfect, the rifle seemed to fire all by itself. Although it all took place over maybe ten seconds the shot wasn't rushed and I was calm. When the smoke cleared the deer was gone so I slowly reloaded and after a suitable wait, followed over the dam. I found him in a hollow just below where he had stood about 100 paces from me. The round ball had taken the 8 pointer squarely in the side of the neck, dead instantly.

Two years ago while still hunting through the snow I was able to get VERY close to a spike buck that supprised me by jumping almost from under my feet. He ran in a curve so that what started out as a straight away turned into a quartering shot. The rifle was up and cocked in a heartbeat. Everything seemed to line up at the same instant and again like above, the deer, about 25 yards away, was gone in a cloud of white. After reloading, the blood trail was obvious and easy to follow right to the buck about 50 yards through the brush. The ball went in just behind the ribs and exited just in front of the shoulder. From the angle presented I could not have placed the ball better had I put the muzzle against the deer.

These are just two of many instances where someone else seems to pull the trigger. I have always tried to call my shots by imprinting in my head what the sights looked like at the instant the rifle fires. It is like the trigger isn't what fires the gun at all, it is the fact that everything lines up just right that makes the gun go off. Does make any sense and does anyone else have something similar happen to them?

Britches

 

[MikeChapin]

I've had the same type of experiences. I think that if you practice a lot and get good with a rifle, you're body just goes into automatic mode and all the good habits instantly come together. I don't have any other explanation Grasshopper.

 

[Bob J]

I was about 14 dove huntin' with Dad. He had several birds and walked across the field to deposit them with my small pile. Two doves came streaking towards us, high and fast! Like I said, Dad was facing me, turned to see what I was staring at, I was already steppin' around him to bring the shotgun up safely and he started to tell me "Too fast, too far," or something. The whole event took about 3 seconds. I just swung up, pointed, fired my Baikal 12 ga double and a dove dropped down, bounced and landed at our feet. "Good shot," I heard as Dad patted my shoulder. It was like being on auto-pilot or something.

 

[Stumpkiller]

That's the only way I ever connect with grouse. The gun jumps up and runs into my shoulder hard enough to knock my thumb back along the hammer and my finger against the trigger before I can think about how I'll probably just miss, anyhow.

Whiz-Burrrrrr . . . BOOM! "Whazzat?"

Generally, with deer I get envolved long enough to decide if the deer is 1.) a legal buck, 2.) a legal doe(and whether I still have a permit), 3.) a deer before I commit. If the deer is moving the shot is often very much a single "zen" movement. I concentrate on the spot and the gun and reflex does the rest. On a stationary deer I can be as slow as molasses in molepants getting the shot just so. At least it seems that way. There is a mental time-warp that makes those moments occur in slow motion. But that's OK. The universe is in balance. The rush afterwards catches me back up to present.

I had a 12 ga muzzleloader go off unintentionally once (I was lowering the hammer with gloves on as I slid the foreend into the crook of my left arm and it got away from me). I can tell you that was an out-of-body experience as the adrenaline or whatever kicked in and my eyeballs gradually fluttered back into my head and my brain took inventory. ("Stand down, bladder room! We're OK here. The hands and feet all check in and we don't have any new openings. The idiot's still functioning"). Luckily, the muzzle was up & to my left.

Now, if the shot don't happen, I lower the cock/hammer before I lower the gun; not at the same time.

 

Shooting is a learned behavior and very similar to unarmed combat in that a reflexive action can occur without conscious thought (can shooting be termed a martial art? - yes, I think so). I have read that the mind really cements reflexes when you are a teenager because the body is learning skills to survive in the world. Anyone who learned to shoot young will probably be a better shot than a late bloomer but regular, consistent and disciplined practice will work wonders - even at a later age. Once the proper behavior is firmly entrenched, I believe quick shooting is often more accurate than a long drawn out sequence - especially on game.

Anyone who shoots a lot has good days and bad ones - sometimes, I just can't miss and other times, I can't hit the barn standing inside with the doors shut...

 

[sneakon]

The zen of shooting seems to take over for me when shooting those stations in shoots where you drop the ball into a spiral conduit and need to shoot before the ball falls into the bucket below. No aiming, breathing, holding or any of the "normal" target shooting behaviors. Just let the body/mind shoot.

 

[walruskid1]

being a hi power shooter too, i believe "if your thinking, your stinking" laying on the shot is true for bp too. if the shot won't break, let off and relax.

 

[CrackStock]

It only happens for me when I can totally focus upon my desire to place the ball through the X and all else is not important.

It just happens -- sometimes.

CS