2015 Long Range Hunting Shooting School with Non-Typical Outfitters

By Mike Trenholm

At a tent camp in the mountains of southwest Wyoming, way up in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, you can have a training experience that's a rare opportunity to improve your shooting and hunting skills.

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First, let me say I've been involved in firearms training, instruction and competition since I was 15 years old. I'll leave it to say that was a LONG time ago. I also served 36 years in military and civilian law enforcement so I've attended more than the average shooter's amount of training for all types of firearms. Hunting has always been a passion, and since retirement has become an even larger passion in my life. One of my continuing priorities in the hunting fields has been to always avoid being "that guy," the one that too often comes into a hunt camp with minimal or nonexistent marksmanship skills, then misses or wounds game. We all know him and probably have hunted with him, and it's usually painful to observe.

So I seek out professional training, and shoot and hunt a lot. I've attended numerous rifle and hunting shooting schools over the years. Many are geared to basic and long range marksmanship. Very few are training the hunter to apply their shooting skills to the field in practical situations they are likely to encounter no matter where they hunt. This course offered by the cooperative effort of the Long Range Hunting Forum and Non Typical Outfitters scores big by putting the student into the field and training them to perform in challenging and difficult situations and conditions at various distances.

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The class is based at a high mountain tent camp in a beautiful area. It's easily accessible in your truck or car (despite the logging truck traffic). It's a true mountain wall tent camp experience with large hard floored tents, comfortable cots with mattresses, a great mess hall, hot showers, electrical service and a truly professional staff. Robb Wiley of Non Typical Outfitters and his instructors for the course are all experienced guides, hunters and shooters themselves. The course offers shooters the chance to put both their gear and horse skills to the test under the watchful and experienced eyes of this crew.

One of the things a shooter/hunter can acquire from this training is a complete understanding of their capabilities AND limitations in real world situations. This is the kind of a class where the student should seriously consider using only their hunting rifles, ammunition and equipment. Also, make sure your gear is all working and up to speed so you can concentrate on the training experience, not gear, rifle or ammunition issues. I'm a big believer in training with what you carry. Bringing a 16 pound range rifle to the class won't give you a true idea of how your lighter mountain hunting rifle will perform for you when that trophy buck/bull/bear steps out. I brought my hunting rig in 6.5x55 topped with a S&B 3-12 power scope. I shot my hunting/long range loads of a Berger 130 grain VLD hunting bullet that has served me well for several years at both long range shooting schools and in the field on pronghorn and deer. This rifle and ammo combination was completely capable of handling every phase of the course.

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You'll be exposed to a lot of great gear, optics and other options that'll likely give you cause to spend some of your cash after the class. Don't ask me how I know this!