Hunting, A Different Way of Training, by Bryan Lynch

With the addition of many new firearm owners in our country this year I have been thinking quite a bit about training methods and how they are applied. While I do not know the numbers, I assume that most of those purchases are handguns. I understand there are differences between the defensive use of handguns versus long guns used in hunting, but I wanted to share my experience in long gun training and for me why it was the best training I ever had.

A Firearm Is Always Loaded!

One of the first principles I was taught was to treat a firearm as though it was always loaded, always. It did not matter if it was unloaded, safety on, and ejection port was locked open; I never pointed the firearm in the direction of anything I didn’t want to be hit by a bullet.

I remember one of the first small game animals I hunted was with a .22 caliber single shot rifle. After hitting the target, I spun around out of excitement and pointed the barrel directly at my dad. He did not share in my excitement and I spent the rest of the day observing and not participating

This was the first in several lessons of treating a firearm as though it was always loaded, and ready to shoot even though it may not be. It taught me a healthy respect for situational awareness at all times.

What Is Around the Target.

Speaking of situational awareness, I will admit that when I was a young observer, I did not give much thought to what was around the target. A duck flew overhead, or a rabbit ran by and I saw people shoot. Plain and simple right?
It was not until I was old enough to shoot that situational awareness was drilled into my head. The area around where we were hunting was thoroughly scouted and the safe directions in which we could shoot were known. If an animal came into range, I had to constantly consider who or what was around me before I took the shot.

Judging Distance

Considering that most defensive uses of firearms are very short range, my gut tells me that some will have an issue with this point. But properly judging distance as it relates to the platform I was using and the species being hunted, is important.

Taking a shot at twenty-five yards versus fifty yards could make a huge difference as to if the target was hit and how quickly it was neutralized. When it came to hunting, I took my fair share of shots at unreasonable distances due to excitement and unjustified confidence. For some reason at the time, I thought that a shotgun could hit anything at almost any distance.

Only through experience and mentoring did I learn the importance of properly judging distance and its relationship to the target.

Firearm Maintenance

I have met several firearm owners who were not knowledgeable about firearm maintenance. Wiping down the exterior of the gun was about as close they got to it.

This brings me back to several occasions during a hunting trip that maintenance issues could have ruined the day. Issues such as a broken shotgun magazine plug, an ammunition jam, or a barrel clogged with mud. I was only able to “Save the day” because I was taught the ins and outs of the gun I was using.

When it comes to our tools, especially firearms, I believe that one should know as much as possible in its workings. After all, you never know what can happen, and being able to fix it on the spot could be a lifesaver.

Slow is Fast

I have been hunting with many individuals who had “itchy” trigger fingers. A bird would be flushed near us and that person would completely unload their shotgun without coming close to the bird.
I would then shoulder my shotgun and bring the bird down with one shot at a longer distance. I was taught to take my time and make sure that everything comes together comfortably before pulling the trigger. Slow is fast and fast is slow.

Buck Fever

For me, buck fever was the experience of mixing adrenaline with bagging a “trophy animal.” This had to do with getting a male deer, a buck, because of the antlers.

In my family, this was never the objective of hunting. The purpose was for the best meat, and the meat of female deer was better than that of male deer.

But for me, the idea of buck fever has more to do with the lead up to pulling the trigger. Mainly the physical properties. Heavy breathing, increased heart rate, shaking of the limbs, and tunnel vision.

The first time that I experienced this, it was profound. A buck walked in front of me and all I could think about was bagging the deer. But due to not being able to control my physical excitement I did not take the shot. Another time, after extreme physical exertion I was presented with a shot that I could not take. Up to that point, all my training had been based on relaxed prone, or sitting positions. Sometimes there are factors involved with the shooting that can greatly affect the shooting experience. Primarily, physical factors such as running, ducking, or anything else that can affect an otherwise perfect stance at the shooting range firing line.

The Ultimate Realization

Before I ever became a hunter, I witnessed the effects a firearm had on another living thing. But I never had to deal with those effects on a personal level. It is like buying ground beef in a store. I know that the cow was killed but I enjoy the burger nonetheless even though I did not kill it myself.

It was not until I killed my first duck that it came full circle. Even at a young age, the ramifications of my actions were known. I had the choice to kill. The animal is dead because of me. The duck would still be flying around in the sky if I had not shot it.

To be honest, I did not necessarily feel bad about it, but it helped to solidify my role in the circle of life and death. I realized early on that firearms are the great equalizer and that they must be wielded with the utmost respect.

Bryan Lynch is an outdoor and emergency preparedness enthusiast. Additionally, he is the author of Swiss Army Knife Camping and Outdoor Survival Guide as well as a content creator for various websites including www.guncritic.com

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

5 Comments

  1. anonymous June 19, 2020 at 07:05

    Making the kill is only the 1st step in finding out how Meat is Made. Processing the animal by skinning, butchering into smaller pieces and packaging teaches a person those nice plastic covered foam packages at the grocery store removes a lot of work. Some people are surprised to find that venison tastes far different than the meat bought in grocery store. Well – yeah, completely different animal. Chicken and turkey are both birds, but taste far different.

    Buck Fever I think is also being afraid of failing to make a sure shot for a quick kill. Every time I aim at an animal, I am calm. When I decide I am going to make the shot, my heart beats harder and my hearing becomes less. Focus and hit right there – not there, but right there.

    And the most important lesson of all – You can’t call a bullet back. The regret you feel on finding the animal dead and knowing YOU caused that death. Some people find they can’t pull the trigger and that is okay – its good to know that beforehand. It is a responsibility and you have to come to terms with it.

  2. wwes June 19, 2020 at 10:57

    I teach Hunter Education as part of the High School Agriculture classes that I teach (I’m amazed they haven’t told me that I’m not allowed to teach hunter ed yet) and we have a school shooting team. The vast majority of the time we spend in class is spent on firearm safety. The time on the range is spent teaching marksmanship, but even during that time firearm safety is the number one concern.
    Most of the students who go through my hunter ed class do not actively hunt, but they still learn a lot of things that every person should know, even if they never go in the woods.
    Also, when I teach animal science, I show a video by excel meats showing the process of processing cattle, and one for hogs, from start to finish, in class. It helps them understand how that animal gets turned into the food on the table, for the students who have not ever processed game, or livestock. Again, I think it is a process that everyone should understand.

    I am very thankful that I was brought up hunting and around livestock, as well as being taught marksmanship and firearm safety from childhood. Thanks for the great article!

  3. Anonymous June 23, 2020 at 20:13

    4.5

  4. FlyBy June 23, 2020 at 23:53

    A good article and while I don’t necessarily disagree with your arguments, I will add that what hunting contributes and teaches is GOOD FIELD SKILLS. Especially if you hunt from the ground. If you can set up and ambush a deer or small group of deer, you’re doing well. If you can stalk and stalk close enough for a clean shot without the deer knowing of your presence then,you’re really doing well. Terrain, wind, movement, noise. It all comes into play. And to your last point, yes, hunting teaches one what it takes to pull the trigger on a living, breathing creature. Not an easy task.

  5. Tom chama May 1, 2021 at 12:34

    Hunting is also a great way to determine what gear you should be carrying. Need to have vs nice to have. It also teaches patience, and functional speed of movement. Force march speed only works in admin situations. If you pattern your movement to match your prey, it changes everything.

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