Setting Up For The Long Range Shot, by Shawn Carlock

[Shawn Carlock]

Dennis,

I hope to release it early this fall. I am shooting and editing video as fast as I have time but there is a lot to do in capturing footage from the field.

[royinidaho]

Good article with good pointers.

I have a major problem with the first recommendation, " Assume a solid shooting position, do whatever it takes to achieve this." Especially the "do whatever it take to achieve" part.

When I "settle" for less than a solid position, I always miss. And luckily they have been clean misses. But, they were shots that I would have made if I would have just taken a few seconds longer and done it right.

Again, a good write up. Looking forward to what's comin'....

[Shawn Carlock]

I find alot of missed shots by guys while hunting boil down to not applying the basics for one reason or another. The good news is, it is an easy fix.

[Eaglet]

Shawn,
I've been shooting at a place that I suspect I'm getting a "lift". I was re-reading your article on this and would like to know a bit more about downdraft and lifts caused by the wind.

While I am looking at the wind I also determine if it can be effecting my elevation. This happens a lot in canyon country where wind will blow over a saddle or ridge and give you a lift or downdraft. If I see this effect I correct for it now.

How do you see this effect?

Thanks!

[Shawn Carlock]

Eaglet,

I am writing an article for the forum on reading the wind as we speak. I will cover this in detail, but simply put most people read wind with little reguard to what happens when it goes over a terrain feature. This effect is most common in a head or tail wind but can also be seen in a full cross wind if you are shooting across the head of a canyon for instance and the wind in the canyon go into or out of it some how. The easy way to think about it is to imagine standing at the head of a canyon shooting way down it in to the bottom with a head wind. Let's say there is a steep angle of 45 degrees from you down to the head of the canyon where it starts to run down range from you. If you are 300 yards from the head of the canyon and 300 yards from the bottom of the canyon with a 10 mph head wind and shooting 600 yards your shot will be high by about the same value as a 300 yard 1/2 value cross wind @ 10 mph. If I see this condition I would subtract that number from my elevation. I used this method to get some great video footage at 1602 yards hitting a 12" disk I had a lift that I had estimated to be effecting my elevation 2.00 MOA I was close the effect ended upo being 2.50 MOA. Hope this helps and like I said I will have a much more detailed and pictured article later.

[Eaglet]

Shawn,
Thanks, that's very interesting. It'll be awesome reading when you get done with it!

[Mysticplayer]

To visualize how air moves around/over terrain, spend some time staring at water moving along a creek. Just pick a spot and see the way the water flows.

Air is a fluid and behaves pretty much the same as water flowing over rocks. See how the water becomes turbulent in certain areas but calm in others. Watch how bubbly it gets depending on how deep it is, how fast it is going. Also, how it is rarely constant but does have patterns.

Watch birds when they soar around cliffs. A great diagnostic tool if they fly in the areas you plan on hunting.

Ultimately, practise and experience is your best tool. I am by no means an expert wind/condition doper but everytime I go out shooting, I pick up another snick of info.

I have now reduced the number of shots fired per session and focus on making every shot a hit. I pay alot of attention on mirage vs grass/trees vs wind flags. There can be some very conflicting feedback but once you figure out which is the most influential or how to 'average' the effects, you are well on your way.

Make every practise shot the same as the shot of a lifetime. When you miss, analyse why. What signals did you miss? Form or condition? knowing why you missed is just as important as hitting.

Big reason high velocity with high BC bullets shot with low dispersion is so critical. The bullet ballistics helps us fly through some conditions and hit the target. makes the shot more forgiving.

Getting away from shooting on a range has been the best aid in helping my field craft. All the comforts and crutches are gone.

Another thing, practise walking or running a ways before the shot. We aren't always in a calm state when we see our intended quarry. Better to know now how badly you wobble when you are catching your breath. Then you can learn ways to calm down your body for the shot - research what biathlon shooters do, amazing.

Jerry