I surely didn�t intend to offend anyone with my comment about the good shooters going to Camp Perry, I realize there are good shooters out there from all over. I guess I was a little cheesed about some of the earlier posts regarding the head shot and was just trying to make a point. I�ve got some buddies who constantly brag out their shooting abilities, they�re so good they don�t even need to practice. Maybe I�m jealous cause I have to practice just to be average.
I am by no means an expert shot. I�m primarily a hunter and for the most part shoot to support my hunting. I�m an average guy shooting average weapons with average ammo at average animals. But I have spent enough time in my life with a weapon in my hand to understand the factors that decrease accuracy in MY shooting situations. I guess I judge my abilities starting from the ideal situation, that being a bench rest, no distraction, good light, plenty of time etc. and then I practice with less than ideal conditions, off hand shooting, tons of cloths like I might be wearing in the field, first shot accuracy versus after a few warm ups, shooting from awkward positions, I can never get the deer to come at me from the exact right angle and in tight quarters usually can�t afford the movement it takes to readjust my position. The result of this practice is that I�ve learned that as I introduce more and more of these distracters my accuracy does suffer. On top of all this in my state we�re only allowed to shoot slugs and muzzleloaders during deer season, and at the risk of offending someone I don�t think these weapons have the range and accuracy of center fire rifles.
So�my opinion of the head shot�for me�with my equipment�with the less than perfect conditions I shoot in� and with my average shooting abilities�strictly against it. I�m shooting at the body cavity if I think I�ve got a good chance of a clean kill, and if I�m lucky enuf to get the time I�ll use what shooting ability I have and try to place the shot in the kill zone without tearing up too much meat.
I am curious about prairie-dog huntin, sounds like a blast. Can you tell me a little about it? If you don�t mind me asking what�s your effective range and what equipment are you using? What�s your kill percentage from these ranges?
