So how does one learn how to shoot at running game without actually having to shoot at them to practice?

I shoot trap and skeet, but running animals with my rifle is another story.

Any suggestions?

RobertD

I don't know if if it helps or not, I get in the habit of taking practice swings at running animals but not shooting. I also try to hold the fore-end of the rifle with my "pointing finger" extended at the animal I'm looking or shooting at. If I don't have a rifle in my hand at the time I just point at the running animal and imagine a rifle in my hand at the time and think bang at the appropriate moment.

Believe it or not as you wish, but the best shot I've ever taken at a runner was a freehand 300 yard shot with open sights at a running wilderbeest in the Selous Reserve Tanzania. It dropped like a sack shit, but so did my jaw! I was astounded to have hit it at all. The only reason I took the shot was sheer desperation.

My running shot skills have improved out of sight since I started shooting at running game more often. Its just practice and confidence, but in Australia I suppose we can practise more than you guys in the US as we don't have the game laws that you guys have. I suppose you could set up a target with pullies and such as they do in Europe for running moose "tests"

You have to shoot at something moving. It is hard in lots of places to find a good area to shoot. Moving targets take a much bigger back stop area. If you can find a place out west to shoot jack rabbits they are great for learning how.

Robert,

Try glueing a card board circle to the out side of an old tire, and just roll it down a slope or hill of some kind.Of course the steeper the incline the faster your target will be moving. The tire will hop and bounce along just like a running animal. Please make sure you have a good backstop of some kind just to be safe.

Good shooting.
Fordfreak

Rabbits and coyotes work for me, ain' nothin like the real thing baby...

I have thought of the tire thing, and I think a tire from a rope would work. You would have to release the tire remotely, and it would have to swing from a pretty long rope.
You could also make a track to roll the tire across.

I participate in running deer shoots that help some. What you learn there if more than one shot is required is that an autoloader makes it much easier. So I use a Garand for such matches.

Running game should not be far away. If you can get it to stop so much the better. A shout or whistle will stop deer much of the time. Lets put it this way. If the animal is so close that the sights stay on it then the shot is worth taking.

If a deer is bounding, which they do when going all out, then only shoot at the top of the bound. Do not shoot when they are about to touch down again as thats when they spring up really quick.

If you have a BB gun, safety glasses, safe shooting area, sevral discs starting at 4 in. and down to half dollar size, and a partner willing to help in trade for shooting practice you can make a big start. Start with the big disc and have it tossed in the air and shoot until you can hit it on regular basis. Graduate to smaller sizes until you are confident with your skills and then try the tire and cardboard. After you are hitting the cardboard on a regular basis you can try a small circle taped to the cardboard.

I would try and spend some time hunting rabbits or varmints with a rifle. You'll get lots of running shots if you flush the rabbits out of cover.

Nevada jack rabbits! Many moons ago as a young Marine grunt, I was attached to the 101 Airborne, near the DMZ in VN. Since it was our TAOR (tactical area of responsibility)we knew the area and I, along with my squad was attached to the "doggies". My squad was point for their company. We saw some NVA rounding a bend on a stream just off the Cua Viet river. Since I was a cherry, my guys left me behind to guide to doggies to the gunfight. As the company CO came up with his company, I saw six pith helmets running, right to left across the stream. I could only see their helmets because of a dike. The range was about 125 meters. I shot off hand, semi auto and thought I was missing all my shots until the 6th helmet flew 5 or 6 feet in the air. When we checked it out, I got all six, with a composite group, all shots hitting their ears. The doggie CO was really impressed, but next to a running jack rabbit, it was eay. My vote is shooting running jack rabbits and if you don't have them where you live, move!

I know you said "without" practicing on animals but it is the best way.

I like to practice on running yotes, rabbits, squirrels, ect. Even wing shooting birds gives you that instinctive lead.

Hell, even rats at the dump with a bb gun would better your shooting.

p dog shooter and hacksaw tom are right on. Jack rabbits ---Should you go to areas in the west,where you find pronghorns take along a 22LR . Pronghorns and jackrabbits like the same type of grassland. Back in the 50s and early 60s there were plenty of them in the panhandle of Nebr. My dad gave me a 22LR Remington pump rifle in 1949 with a side mount J 4 Weaver scope 3/4 dia. In the late 50s I could get 75 cents for black tail and $1.00 for white tail jackrabbits. I would shoot about 15 to 30 of them each time I went out. During 1956 I got a bolt action Ancshutz 22LR with a 4X scope ,that gun paid for it,s self. Shooting running jacks is just plain fun. Thanks for reminding me of some of the good old days.

I'm partial to skeet, but sporting clays are probably better practice.

Jackrabbits - when I was a kid we found the jack rabbit capital of the world - Firebaugh, California. We became very proficient at busting jacks with high powered rifles - I remember my dad getting all over me if I missed a running bunny. With out a doubt the most awesome bunny buster I have ever seen was a 300 WM with 180 gr Sierra BT - the only evidence that a bunny existed was a misty red spot on the ground where the bunny and bullet met.

I don't know if there is a great way to accurately represent a running animal. The whitetail I shot in South Dakota this year was on a full bore run at 150yds. All I can say is I think skeet shooting helps, but more then that I think it is just being comfortable with your shooting. If you don't spend much time at the range during the summer, your more apt to panic when taking the shot and make a bad descision.

You must have a piece of land that has an incline with a good backstop. I used an old tire with a white piece of card board in the center. My friend would move to the top of the hill and let the tire roll down the hill. I used my scope sighted slug gun to shoot at the center of the tire. After a good deal of practice I was able to hit that tire center almost every time. Just maintain your swing on the target and keep the follow through with the cross hairs on target. If the hill is real steep let the tire roll across the incline to slow the decent of the trie.

Your .22LR or .410 of choice and rabbits...lots of rabbits.

The shotgun is perhaps a better teacher, since it doesn't have any sights for one to get their brain wrapped around. When shooting moving targets, it's best to get out of your mind's way and let it do it's thing, which it can do on it's own, more accurately and at a much quicker pace than conscious, purposeful thought. If the weapon is in your shoulder and you're thinking about it, it's too late.

I'd recommend "The Orvis Guide to Wingshooting" for more on the above. It works for me. Most recently, just two weeks ago, I busted a sprinting jack with my aperture-sighted 94BB in .375 Win. It was late dusk and I couldn't even see through the sights.

RSY