Shooting Rifle
Rifle Shooting
Rifle shooting is about hitting the bullseye. A recurring routine before—and sometimes during—the hunting season is to zero your rifle (as mentioned in a previous section). You should re-zero your rifle if you suspect it’s been knocked, or if someone (you or a gunsmith) has adjusted the weapon, maybe mounted a suppressor or sight—especially if you’ve changed ammunition. Always zero your rifle with the hunting ammunition you intend to use, since different cartridges can hit differently.
Precision is the Foundation
The basic training in rifle shooting is about shooting at a stationary precision target. Always begin with this and never neglect this type of training throughout your hunting career. In hunting, the first shot is the most important, and you should always try to make that first shot at a still animal—essentially a precision shot.
Practice Different Shooting Positions
It’s also important to shoot from various positions. Zeroing and similar tasks are done sitting with support. Then train both kneeling and standing, with and without support—as well as other hunting-typical shooting positions you might come up with. Eventually, you’ll find your own favorite positions.
When taking support, support your body—not the weapon. If you’re using a bench, post, or tree for support, place your hand between the rifle and the rest. If you rest the rifle—or worse, the barrel—directly on the support, you risk the rifle throwing your shots and affecting your accuracy. Try something simple, like shooting free-standing with your back against a tree or post—note how much more stable it becomes.
Squeezing the Trigger
Rifle shooting is very much about trigger technique. Unlike shotgun shooting’s distinct “snap,” you should slowly increase pressure on the trigger and gently squeeze it. The best trigger pull occurs when you don’t know exactly when the shot will fire. All you focus on is gradually and steadily increasing the pressure—and the shot will release on its own.
This might feel strange, especially if you notice your sights wavering across the target and feel like squeezing the trigger when it looks “right.” But in reality, a poor trigger pull causes more misses than a little wobble. Don’t worry—over time, you’ll become more stable. But completely still—you’ll never be.
Aim for the Chest Cavity
When shooting at game, the goal is to place the shot safely and lethally in the animal. In practice, this means aiming for the chest cavity—where the heart and lungs are. On the shooting range, we mostly train for broadside shots—these are the safest and should always be preferred. All other angles result in smaller target areas and increased risk, as bones can deflect the bullet.
Practical Shooting Practice
In addition to this basic precision training with a rifle, there are many practical shooting exercises. The best known is probably the moose range with a moving moose target on rails.
With any moving target, you have to compensate for the fact that the target is moving while the bullet is in the air. This applies especially to shotgun shooting—which we’ll get to—but also to rifle shooting. At traditional ranges, the hit area is marked by several decimeters. It’s important to remember that this simulated moving target represents a situation where you’re firing a follow-up shot at a wounded animal—meaning you’re in a situation where some guesswork is necessary. Normally, you wouldn’t fire your first shot at a running animal with a rifle—especially not at 80 meters in the woods.
Hunting Shooting
Hunting shooting is not a sport.
In a real hunting situation, it is your duty to take the safest shot possible. In practice, this means you should take support whenever possible and never shoot at long ranges or from bad positions—meaning don’t take chances—especially with the first shot. You must also know where the bullet will go if you miss or get a pass-through. Saying you “hit a moose at 150 meters offhand” is not impressive—it’s reckless.
We all have different abilities. For some hunters, 175 meters is too far; for others, 75 meters might be too far in the same scenario. It’s okay to be a less skilled shooter—as long as you’re aware of it. Good hunting is not about marksmanship alone—it’s about judgment. And judgment is something you gain at the shooting range.
Shoot Again
Hunting shooting also means knowing when to take a second shot—because such situations do occur.
If you’ve fired a shot at an animal—and you’re unsure—you should definitely fire again. Even if you now have a worse shot opportunity, it’s your responsibility. Still, try to stay composed (which is the hardest part here) and aim and fire again with as much control as possible.
There’s a saying: “If you’ve started shooting, you should keep shooting.” That applies only if you’re still targeting the same animal and safety isn’t compromised—for example, you still have a proper backstop. A common mistake is assuming you’re firing at the same animal when you’re actually firing at multiple animals—either because more animals appeared after your first shot, or because the animals moved during the shot and you lost track of them.
One Animal at a Time
A basic rule in hunting is never shoot at more than one animal at a time. As long as you’re not completely sure the first animal is dead, you’re not allowed to shoot at others. In some moose hunting teams, this rule is extended to: not shooting at another animal until the first is field dressed and confirmed dead. It’s a good safety rule, and also gives fellow hunters a chance at a shot.
Don’t Forget the Backstop
A major risk in hunting is that shooters fail to consider what lies behind the game at the moment of firing. There must be a safe backstop—like dense forest or a hill. This should be planned before the hunt and again when positioning yourself. Often the backstop is safe in some directions but not others—this always needs to be considered. In a stressful hunting situation, it’s easy to forget this—especially with a wounded animal. Stay calm and know when to stop.
There can also be risks in the shooting area itself:
- Multiple animals, especially herd species like wild boar or deer, often move in groups. A missed or pass-through shot can injure other animals behind.
- Hunting dogs. If you’re hunting with dogs, there might be a dog right behind the game. This is especially common in “stand hunting” with dogs.
So: Even if you’re sitting at a pass with a safe backstop and clear instructions, you must always confirm what lies behind your target before firing.
Bullets Also Ricochet Off Water
It’s easy to understand that bullets and shot can ricochet off hard surfaces like rocks, trees, or frozen ground, sometimes bouncing up to 90 degrees. But it’s also easy to forget that bullets can ricochet off water—just like when you skip stones.
In flat-angled shots over water (like in goose, seal, or beaver hunting), it’s essential that the lake is clear for several kilometers, or that there is a secure backstop on the opposite shore.
Hunting Trails
A good complement to basic shooting practice is walking rifle or shotgun hunting trails. These work similarly to field shooting competitions. You move from station to station and encounter different challenges and situations—with near endless variety. Moving targets also appear. The point of these exercises is to build flexibility, learn to adapt to different situations, and make the right decisions. Plus, it’s a fun way to train, and these courses (often optional whether you compete or just train) are usually great family events.
A rifle should also fit the shooter’s body reasonably well to allow for quick aiming and alignment. Usually, this can be resolved with minor stock adjustments