Getting Guns Ready for Deer Season
Getting Guns Ready for Deer Season
This time every year is one of my favorite times, time to get back to the shooting bench to either verify my gun is sighted in, or set up a new gun and optic for the coming season. After shooting, I’ll have the confidence that I’ll hit my mark when the time comes.
Sometimes I might need to shoot again because I have found a new box of ammunition that is different than what I shot last year. This could have a slight change in accuracy or simply have a new point of impact that I didn’t have before. Either way, it will only take a few good shots to see what needs to be adjusted.
To start, we’ll need a solid place to shoot from, a distance that will mimic realistic shooting ranges when hunting, and a target that can identify multiple hits to show a pattern or group. Ideally, you want to be able to see the group from your gun’s optic, but sometimes you will need the help of a higher-powered spotting scope. You can switch back and forth if you are on your own, but this is a fun time to include a friend to watch for you. They might even catch the side of the target you missed on- if that happens.
In Iowa, the majority of shots taken are relatively close, and most people I know use either a 50 or 100 yard distance to shoot from. This works well since most optics adjust with ¼” per click at 100 yards, so this makes for easy math.
If you are verifying your known gun and ammunition, three shots may be sufficient for you. Know if you are using new ammunition, a new scope, or have changed something else, you may want to shoot a few more times to make sure your hunting shots impact the same as your target practice. If I am sighting in a new scope, I will try to visually bore-sight the new assembly before I take the first shot. If I don’t land on paper the first time, and can’t see where my shot impacted, I will try shooting at each corner of my target to see which combination of directions I might be off center with.
For example, if I aim at the top left corner of my target and can see a new impact somewhere on the target, I now know approximately how far and what direction I need to move the reticle to align the optic. Once I make a rough adjustment, say 12” low and 8” right, I send another round to the target aiming at the center to see if I need to make a finer correction or if I have got it where it needs to be. Once I believe I have it where it needs to be, it’s a good time to take a short break and make sure you are still providing good shots.
Remember, to maintain consistent shots when sighting in requires you to have a comfortable spot. If you are straining to see or hold the gun steady, you are most likely not going to be consistent in your shooting, and this will cause you to waste a lot of time and ammunition chasing the wrong issues. Get comfortable, don’t rush your shots, enjoy it!
Hopefully you are able to sight in or keep your gun sighted in, that way you have more time to practice more shooting!
by Nathan Graham
November 2024
