I find that just handling the rifle and getting a good sight picture snaping it to my shoulder and getting the sights or the cross hairs on target goes a long ways to hitting your target fast when the actual shooting comes around.
I would say if you do that 100 times as much as you shoot you well be surprised how fast you hit. I think that doing that 50 to 100 times a day. Add some dry fireing in there and it well all comes togather when it comes time to shoot.
Start out slow making sure you are on target and that you use good trigger control.

No matter how fast you are a miss is still a miss learning to time ones self and get the frist hit in well go a long ways to keeping you safe.
As a Law enforcement instuctor I find that most every body when the pressure is on they shoot way to fast with out thinking. Then when they miss the first time instead of slowing down and getting the hit they speed up and start dumping rounds trying to make up for the miss with fire power.
Sound does sometimes scare your opponent into running away but I sure would rather have rounds on the target instead of sound in the area.
Making that first shot count will go a lot farther then trying to make it up with the 2nd or 3rd. That you might not have a change to get off.

I've got the itch to build a simulated DG practice set up at "my range" in the local hills. I picture 3 or 4 round steel plates from 10 to 60 yards. I've even thought of building a simulated charge target on wheels which would gravity roll down the logging road and stop at the burm. Has anyone put something like this together? Assuming the steel plates were anywhere from 5-12" in diameter, how thick would you make the steel plates for a 300gn .375 at say 2500fps. Is this feasible? As usual, I let my mind wonder at how to improve shooting skills in preperation for
my trip to RSA/Zim in 2006.

The plates should be at least .5" thick. I broke a bushhog blade in half w/ my .375 ultra mag. The blade was about 50yds away.

Take your scope (just the scope) to the nearest zoo, if they have any elephant, buff or lion, and practice throwing it up and getting a sight picture on the animals in the kill zones appropriate for the animal. Then, when you do it for real, you'll have done it before.

Find out how fast your PH can run.

Practice running until you can run faster. Then you are prepared.

Tim

I agree with p dog.. i had a friend who shot trap and part of his training was 100 mounts with his perazzi a day staring at a wall. He was hella good and travelled the world when he was 16. I think it worked for him. Make your muscles develod the memory so that you can mount the gun with your eyes closed, open them and be looking down the tube. I used that technique to setup archers with peep sights. Also try this for practice for other than DG, grab your shooting sticks and set up a target at 100+ yards. Shoot one shot, walk to the target look at the hole, and walk back. Shoot again, this time walk faster to the target and back, after about 5 shots you will nearly be running to the target and back. If you can still stay on target, you are better than 80% of shooters. If you can't do that much walking without keeling over, get your ass in shape... I did.. :-) _Baxter

The only downhill target I have heard about was for a buddy going on a Brown Bear hunt. The idea was to use a soccer ball as this is about the size of the kill zone of a brown bear and moves around on you as it comes rolling and bouncing down the hill. Throw it up the hill and as it starts bouncing and rolling down, mount, shoot, reload and repeat until the ball is in an unsafe position.

jetblueman and the other posters, great ideas, the more shooting you do the better. After you feel confident with your big bore go on a spot and stalk pig hunt and/or a pig hunt over bait. One of the Nilgi or Eland hunts would work to. It gives you a chance to shoot some live game with your DG.
I have been using my DG rifles for the past 6 years on everything. Bear, caribou, deer, pigs, eland, turkeys, even coyotes. After you have shot some live stuff you really get to know your rifle.

Jet,
Steel plates are a ton of fun but keep them out AT LEAST 50 yards and make sure to wear your shooting glasses.

I've got a big chunk of a Failsafe from a .375 in my arm from a couple of us goofing around with closer steel plates a few weeks ago. Sometimes God protects the STUPID.

We used 1" tempered plates and haven't seriously hurt them yet. But I haven't tried the .460 with solids yet....

The closer drills are a good idea and trying to practice to get fast at working the bolt and aquiring the target quickly is great practice but switch to paper/cardboard targets. For hunting dangerous game with big guns I feel live fire practice is extremely important as dealing with the recoil is a necessary part of that training. (Not to mention it makes sure all the feeding bugs are worked out of your equipment).

Be careful,
Kyler

Hide between parked cars on a busy four lane holding your rifle. When you see a motorcycle coming jump out and dry fire as fast as you can.

I agree with Kyler in avoiding steel targets. My father once put a 458 jacket into his wrist via richochet from a couple of steel plates at 100 yds. Took out a tendon and he got to call my mom from the hospital to explain why he'd be late that night.

Practicing the sight picture is easy and cheap by mounting the gun and sighting, repeatedly. A friend who has accounted for over 50 buffalo props his double rifle in the corner of his room a month or so before he leaves, and spends a few minutes each day doing this. I also think actual firing is really valuable for handling recoil and getting back on target as quickly as possible for a second shot. A bounding tire would seem like a good possibility, heading straight for you, and step behing a tree when it gets too close. Try something fun anyway.

Shoot well, quick, and again !!

Warning!!! The "bounding tire" thing can get you killed unless it's an inflated tire. All bullets even large fast caliber ones will rebound from an uninflated car/truck tire and not penetrate. I was once shooting at an old car tire in a junk yard years ago and was wondering why my 44 Mag wasn't putting any holes in it. That is until a bullet came straight back at me narrowly missing my head as I heard it go whistling by my ear.

God DOES (most times) protect us fools.

That hasn't been my experience with high powered rifles, but I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. Like Kyler.

I withdraw the bounding tire idea.

Dangerous Game practice?

How about one of these. And they charge too so you get running practice.



And some of these for good measure.




Aussie Safari Practice

Go to any large toy store, even Walmart and buy a remote control "dune buggy" (under $40). Go by your local welding store and get a bunch of baloons filled with helium. Tie a balloon to the car with a 4-5' string, have a buddy drive the car "remotely" downrange, across range, back at you, etc. It is a blast, and pretty challenging. If your getting too good, tie three balloons on the string, and have your buddy call which one you have to shoot first, second, etc.

IF your range is too bumpy, use the car to drag boxes with your targets mounted thereon.

Safe Hunting
Clint