Well I would have to say below average from the bench and average at game.

shooting sporting clays I shoot 60%, I shoot bench only to zero my rifles which has increased my confidence with all the good information on this site. And I know my guns are more accurate then I am capable of shooting in field positions. I consider myself average and spend time and money trying to improve myself and my skills plus I enjoy shooting, all aspects of it.

That said I have NEVER lost a big game animal in 24 years of hunting. I attribute that to my woodsman skills and knowing my skills and limitations and staying within them. But that is another poll

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
a long time ago I once shot well enough to get qualify for the Olympic tryouts but, since 50% of folks are below average and It appears that the top 50% is way overbooked, I guess I just say that I'm still learning and still trying.

Don't forget that the guys responding here are not your average deer hunter or shooter. If they were, they would not be here. So, as I posted earlier, if a fellow says he's average here, he is under estimating his shooting skills when one considers all of the deer hunters and shooters out there!

JPK

Shooting from a bench and shooting in the field are worlds appart. I know guys who are very average at the range shooting 3-4 inch group at the range. Ofcourse range snobs look down on them. The difference is these guys have the experience and self control to bring this level of accuracy into the field and they are successful hunters. Unfortuately I've seen the opposate as well. Guys learn how to lob bullits from prefect rests and premarked distances think they can do this free hand in the field. They give ethical hunters a bad name.

quote:

Originally posted by stillbeeman:
"there's no such thing as bad on paper, good on game" AMEN!!!

When I was a child, I can remember going to the range with my dad and the fellows he hunted with. My father shot a Husky in 30-06, everyone else shot 308. These old boys all used factory ammo and all of it CIL Imperial. I asked the gent that was most senior of the group why they practiced at only the one distance, and he said he'd never shot any animal further than 100 yards. When you are a kid 100 yards looks to be pretty far away.
I recall seeing the targets these fellows shot, very seldom were these fellows shooting these tight groups that men expect from their rifles today, yet every year there were moose, elk and deer in all of their freezers, ah the good old days when minute of pie plate was an acceptable standard in accuracy. FS

quote:

Originally posted by Fasteel:

quote:

Originally posted by stillbeeman:
"there's no such thing as bad on paper, good on game" AMEN!!!

the good old days when minute of pie plate was an acceptable standard in accuracy. FS

roger :Clap

bc300Winguy,

STOP IT!!!

The smoke alarms all went off in the house when that post appeared on my screen.

Are you really trying to say that a guy who can't hit a piece of paper very well can do better on big game?

Rich

Did you read what I said????? Because a guy is not punching one hole on a peice of paper doesn't mean he can't shoot or is poor in the field. In fact I worry more with guys who brag up greatness on the range then try to over extend themselves in the field. Like Harry says "man has got to know his limitations". Change the batteries in your smoke detector too many false alarms.

quote:

Like Harry says "man has got to know his limitations".

That's the secret.

don't change metaphors on me, or the circumstances. I stand by what I and the rest of the shooters here said. If you are a poor shot off of a bench, you will be a poor shot on game. Who do you get to sight your rifle in? The Tooth Fairy? If you can't stay in the bull on paper, who's killing your game for you?

"I flunked firearms qualification at the Police Academy; but boy! wait'll you see me shoot bad guys...".

It's called muscle memory.

Rich

I think like most disagreements in the forum it's a miss understanding of the words. What is your thoughts of a man who is a poor shoot? I agree if he can't hit a 4x6 peice of ply wood they shouldn't even let him on the range. I'm talking about guy who can put shoot consistantly in what we used to call the red zone. 3 inch high or low 3 inchs right or left at 100 yards free hand or simple rest. Any of these shoots taken on a deer are kill shoots. The police academy is a great example, aguy may pass everytime with fly colors in qualifying but put under the stress on a situation simply can not perform at that level. Guys who can manage the stress and the 3 million things happening in a hunting situation are more able to bring their level of shooting skill to bare. I'm not saying if your a great shoot at the range your bad in the field, I'm saying it's different. I'm sure most guys who are above average at the range are good hunter but not all of them. Buck fever is not a name that dropped out of the sky.