Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Thoughts on shooting off a tripod in Namibia

The wife and I have a trip booked to Namibia, it will be our first to Africa. She is normally not a hunter, but our trip includes trophy fees for a gemsbok for her. I’m thinking of only bringing one rifle, a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 30-Nosler. I’m setting it up right now to shoot off a tripod. With the muzzle brake, she should be able to handle the recoil of this rifle pretty good. My other rifle, a .308 Win, without a brake seems to have more recoil than the 30-Nosler.

Shooting off tripods seems like a relatively new thing and I haven’t seen any hunting videos of them being used in Africa yet. The tripod I bought is a Really Right Stuff with the Anvil 30 head. So far I have been able to shoot groups with the set-up similar to off the bench. Most of the videos I see are guys using shooting sticks.

Most of her shooting has been off a bench, and we’ll be working her up to getting comfortable with hunting/shooting positions. Just looking for thoughts on practice whether or not I still need to incorporate shooting sticks, which I’ve never even used before.

Practice ALL your shooting completely offhand. When you get there they will be using shooting sticks ( similar to a tripod) When you are accustomed to shooting offhand, ANY type of rest seems luxurious and easy...


Practice a LOT! Before my wife first trip she put right at 400 rounds through her '06 wearing a 2.5Xscope. All offhand. End result, 7 one shot kills...

All the ammo/ reloading component costs are cheap in comparison to a lost trophy fee...

I do best grasping the junction of the sticks and the forend with the off hand. With my feet planted at a right angle from where I am shooting I lean into the sticks slightly. There are many ways to do it and you need to see what works best for you then practice a lot.
Either a tripod or crossed sticks work well although I prefer to use a tree branch or sitting if available.

I agree 100%. Before my first trip to Namibia I shot over 400 rounds through my 300 H&H. Before my second trip to Zambia, I shot close to 600 rounds through my 375 H&H and 404J.

I practiced off homemade sticks, bog pod, shooting sticks, offhand and even off the bench. It all paid off with no rodeos or lost trophy fees.

Nice to hear I'm not alone. I shot 600 rounds through my .375..offhand before my first safari with it, and another 600 before my second safari with it ( for buffalo)..it paid off HUGE dividends when my only shot opportunity was in the last 20 minutes of a 14 day hunt, had to be done quick and had to be done offhand.

Can't tell you how many guys I know that " practiced" off a bench with a single box of ammo....and paid lost trophy fees...

400 or 600 rounds is a lot more than I anticipated LOL
We’ll get on the practice for sure.

About the only time in 14-15 safaris that I didn’t use sticks was braining 3 elephants inside 25 yards. Pretty much everything else was shot off sticks. Offhand is fine for short shots but beyond 75 or so yards, I want some kind of rest.....Practice, practice, practice.

The shooting sticks are a great aide in shooting especially in tall grass or brush. Almost all PH's have the bipod two stick arrangement some have a three stick tripod that is even steadier but slightly slower to set up. Not familiar with the RRS tripod but I use a Gen III trigger stick and it works well. It can be deployed single handed but usually takes two hands to set up. Many cases either the PH or a tracker set the sticks up and sometimes would steady them for the shot. Best to practice with your own equipment and set it up yourself and bring it on the trip.

I agree practice makes perfect unless you over do it and develop a flinch. Don't let this happen stop and shoot something else if your shooting or aiming form gets worse even slightly. Always bring a 22 or light rifle to alternate with while the barrel cools.

You do not have to shoot 600 rounds, whatever makes you comfortable. But once you get to practicing, I think you will really enjoy it.

Not only did it help in Africa, all of the practice really paid off when I drew my once in lifetime South Dakota Bighorn sheep tag. After 14 plus days of hunting. A 95 yard offhand shot is what was presented. My apologies to Ingwe, but a 270 Win and 130gr bullet did the trick.

My understanding is that the use of shooting sticks in Africa originated when East Africa ([rimarily Kenya and what was then Tanganyika) were the major safari countries--because so much of the "veldt" was tall grass. But sticks also worked very well in thornbush, because it's difficult to lean your arm against a thornbush (or tree) to steady your aim. Which is exactly why shooting sticks first became popular in American hunting is South Texas, because so much of it resembles various parts of Africa.

I shoot a lot all year round, usually ending up even a typical benchrest handload-test session with offhand shooting, but before really "important" hunt up the amount of offhand practice--not just at the range but when shooting ground squirrels and prairie dogs. I also use sticks a lot for both--and used them even more when practicing for an iron-sight hunt in Botswana. Shot a bunch of prairie dogs with my Ruger No. 1 .375 H&H, using a reduced load that Ingwe suggested, which shot to the same place as the full-power 300-grain loads used on the safari. That made a BIG difference, whether shooting offhand or off sticks. The longest shot of the safari was 225 yards on a red lechwe--off sticks--but also shot other game offhand out to 100+ yards..

I also usually bring my own shooting sticks, the same ones I practice with beforehand--which these days are always modern collapsible sticks, adjustable for height, which fit easily inside the gun case. Have found the home-made shooting sticks of some PHs are not the right height for me. If they are, fine, but shooting off sticks that are too low or (especially) too high is not conducive to accuracy. But even if you don't bring your own sticks, you should still practice off them a lot beforehand, along with shooting offhand. Being absolutely familiar with sticks BEFORE you go means there won't be any fumbling around in the field.

Have also used collapsible sticks set to "sitting" height to take African game from 300-400 yards, because sitting is also often handy for shooting over grass. Should also note that more than one set of my adjustable shooting sticks has stayed in Africa, because a PH admired their versatility.

There are some places in Namibia that shots can be long and some where they aren't. My thoughts are to practice with the sticks standing, kneeling and sitting. A way to practice and have more fun is to do some of it with a 22 or other light caliber gun at shorter range and use pictures from the internet or magazines of game animals to simulate field shooting. Changing position and getting the feel for setting up on sticks is pretty helpful.
The excitement in the planning and prep is a wonderful part of the process.
Bfly

Here's a photo of what you can do with two sets of sticks "offhand." This is Eileen shooting at the FTW Ranch in Texas a few years ago, where they demonstrated that another set of sticks under the "offside" armpit could really steady things down. We both tried the technique, and after a little practice were hitting a 5" gong consistently at 250 yards.

It also works very well with bipod sticks.

On my last trip, the PH used the standing Primos TriggerSticks. Worked well.

I always try and get something to support my offside, often times my PH or guide. Last year hunting pronghorn I had a stiff turkey hunting "pillow" clipped to my belt that worked great when shooting with sticks whilst sitting.

Practice is everything. Even if you are shooting a .22, it helps. In fact, shooting a .22 off hand and off sticks without recoil has its benefits.

Not a fan of monopods. Had one offered to me on an elk hunt and just never got comfortble. When it came time to shoot, I opted for seated, elbow on knee that I practive with a BB gun in the back yard. It worked!

Fence posts are my nemesis. They are almost never the right height and I cannot shoot well over them.

I am not a fan of monopods either, unless firmly attached to the ground. Fence post, tree etc...

Take the 308 and leave the 30 Nos and it's muzzle brake at home.

You have plenty of time to practice, the magnum won't kill anything any "deader" and the brake is just plain inconsiderate to the PH and trackers.

What McCray wrote!!!

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming trip to Namibia. After five trips there since 2012, I’m firmly addicted, and I suspect you will be too if you go with a quality PH. The vast majority of the 30+ animals I’ve shot were off the PH’s tripod shooting sticks. The rest were shot from elevated blinds off a cushioned window opening. Remember that in Namibia if you draw blood, you pay the trophy fee whether you retrieve the game or not. Don’t take an iffy shot if you’re not 99% sure you can make the lethal shot. When you’re done with your hunt, there’s two places you MUST stop by to eat while in Windhoek. One is Joe’s Beer House and the other is the Stellenbosch Winery. I had a complete Filet Mignon dinner at Stellenbosch in May 2019, and it cost under $18 US.

A BIG +1 on Joe's Beer House!

Looking at today’s exchange rates and the current Stellenbosch menu, an 8 ounce Fillet Mignon dinner is $13 US and a 12 ounce complete Fillet dinner is $17 US. The quality is comparable to Ruth Chris or Capital Grill at 1/4 the price.

After three trips to Africa for plains game and DG,and winning some matches at Camp Perry in my youth, Here is my advice.

Forget your tripod. Use the PH's sticks as a bipod, not a tripod. Why a bipod? Because it's quicker and, more importantly, you can control your "natural" elevation by moving slightly backward and forward.

Forget monopods. I can shoot just as well offhand as with a monopod.

Practice: Shooting off the bench is a waste of time after you get a zero. Only shoot offhand or with sticks. Make your own sticks with two pieces of bamboo and an old bicycle inner tube.

Also don't shoot hundreds of rounds through your safari rifle. Shoot enough to make sure you don't get hit in the eyebrow with the scope, injure your shoulder, etc.

Then do what the NRA Highpower champions do. Dry fire at a spot you paste on the wall in your basement. The "muscle memory" you develop is transferrable. Or shoot a .22 that has similar dimensions and weight as your safari rifle.

I agree with Mccray. Take the .308 and not the "eargeschplittenloudenboomer."

I got into a little bit of trouble after a 2002, 3-week cull/trophy hunt in South Africa, which ranged from the Karoo to the Eastern Cape. It worked out so well I offered to take the PH, my now retired friend Kevin Thomas and his wife Brenda, to the restaurant of their choice. They lived in Bathurst, and chose a fine seafood place off a pier in nearby Port Alfred.

We had pre-dinner drinks, a couple of bottles of very fine South African wine during the appetizers and dinner, and an after-dinner drink with dessert. The total bill came to around $30 American, due to a very favorable exchange rate, and the young waitress was outstanding, so I gave her a 20% tip.

After that she paid a LOT of attention to me, and one the drive home Kevin and Brenda asked how much I'd tipped. When I said 20%, after they finished laughing they explained that good tip in was 5%, and the waitress had obviously fallen in love with the "rich" American.

At the end of a Zimbabwe Safari in 200 I bought my PH lunch in Bulawayo. Put it on my credit card..the bill came to something like $1436 .........hoping like hell Visa got the exchange rate right...they did...it was $26 USD

BC or AD?

No experience shooting over sticks is the biggest issue I see with African hunters. The shots are generally not long, so you don't need to produce 1" groups. I prefer 2 sticks (bipod)...easier to adjust for elevation by moving forward or backwards. I like to move back, then push into the sticks for a firmer support.

Must've been AD, can't be BC "Before Credit cards"

This is a very interesting thread for me, as I have booked a trip with Kowa's for next June. I have started practicing shooting off hand and off stick with the airgun. Will work up to 22LR and centerfire when I get the chance to go to the range. Not sure if I will bring my gun or not, as depending on things, we may stop in Spain and Switzerland to visit family and friends

You'll love Kowa's. Dani and Ansie have a great ranch, and you'll see LOTS of game. The private chalets are very nice as well.

As part of the practice work on deploying the tripod or what ever you choose as quickly, quietly and with the least amount of motion possible. Don't just leave it set up and shoot over it like a bench rest, re-deploy each shot.

If the 30 Nosler has to have the brake then yes to the 308 like the others have mentioned. In Namibia the 243 and the 308 were the two most popular cartridges with the professional game cullers, now it might be the 6.5 Creedmoor. In the thornbush country a 200 yard shot is a fairly long one, rarely will a 300 yard shot be required. Most shots are in the 75-150 yard range. More open country like in the Kalihari or Karoo the shots will be longer but usually not extreme.

Practice-- a lot!

Middle’n:

Congratulations on you and your wife’s first trip, you will both have a great time. If you’ve seen some of my past posts, I and my wife have accumulated several years of time in the country and have traveled over and around most of it. If you can, be sure to work in at the end at least a few days of sightseeing. Windhoek itself is good for maybe three days. Lot of modern and a few high-end shops/stores and some great restaurants. The country is still safe to self tour alone with just common sense precautions and very very inexpensive compared to Europe.

Just a couple of things to think about from your original post.

Think about taking rifles that are of more “common” calibers just in case your ammo for some unexplainable reason doesn’t make it all the way. Depending on the caliber, it could be difficult to find in Namibia to not available at all.

Muzzle brakes not “that bad” and you won’t be tossed out for bringing a rifle equipped with one. Just mostly means the PH’s and trackers have to pay more attention to staying back more behind the shooter. Lots of times when the PH or tracker set the shooting sticks, they just tend to stand beside the shooter and maybe a bit in front. They just need to remember to stay back a bit and closer to the shooter then they are used to. They, not you, just have to adjust.

Yes, you’ll really need to be familiar with shooting sticks. Not a lot of PH’s are comfortable with clients of “unknown” shooting capability taking freehand shots beyond 50-75m. Then too, it’s your MONEY. As mentioned, the general “rule” is, if you “draw blood”, means if you put a bullet anywhere in an animal, and it’s not recovered, the fee is still due and payable – period. While some clients might have pockets deep enough to afford potentially thousands of dollars in wounded/lost game, 99.9% of PH’s will simply not allow it. Second is, generally in Namibia, while there can be lots of trees and bushes, most have thorns of some sort or to spindly to be useful as rests. I/we’ve only occasionally shot freehand, prone, 3-point sitting and kneeling, but those are the exception. The vast majority has been from standing off sticks.

I’m not familiar with the particular brand/kind of tripod and “head” you mentioned so I looked it up. Seems it is designed more for photographic use where you have some time to set them and then set the equipment (rifle/camera etc) into the mount that locks it in. With out first hand knowledge of using them, my only though/question is how quickly you can “deploy” them. Meaning, even with the legs pre-extended and locked, how quickly can you fit the rifle into the mount? I see the mount/head is on a swivel that also can be loose or locked. My point being, if you intend to take and use these, try practicing this drill. You or wife carry the tripod as your PH would. Say “go” and see how long it takes for the tripod to be “set” and the shooter to get the rifle into the mount and a shot off and on target. Here’s why.

There are three generalized scenarios with millions of variations to these three. First is the traditional “spot and stalk”. Second, the pre-positioned and/or permanent blind, either ground or elevated. Third, the “hasty” ambush from cover of opportunity.

Next, things to take into consideration are the game’s natural behavior. GENERALLY, if the game has absolutely no idea you are there, you have all day as long as you are quite and make no sudden moves. IF, the game IS aware of your presence or that something is “not right” and are alert and looking in your direction, but haven’t decided to stay or run yet, you generally have maybe 20 seconds or less before they bolt. So, now tying the last two paragraphs above together.

If you’re in a pre-positioned/permanent blind, you have all day to set a tripod or most likely you’ll just use the blind ledge itself as your rest. The game comes in, cautiously but as long as they don’t smell you or hear you, you’ve got lots of time (sometimes too much time) to make the shot. Similar situation with a hasty/ambush of opportunity cover scenario. Time to set up and wait for the game to come to you.

When you’re doing the traditional “spot and stalk”, you may have situations where the game has no clue you see them and some situations where they are aware you’re at least in the area or maybe alerted by a “go away bird” or a baboon bark etc that something “isn’t right”. Generally too, if you’ve been riding in the bakkie and spot game, guess what, they pretty much have either seen or heard you well before you saw them. Sometimes, driving past and then dismounting and circling back works, sometimes it doesn’t depending on how much hunting pressure they’ve been recently exposed to. The spot and stalk scenario is where that little shooting drill comes into play.

If the game is relaxed and totally unaware of your presence, you’ve got time. If they are aware, but haven’t decided to bolt yet, you’ve probably got less than 20sec to get on the sticks (tripod) and get a lethal shot off. This is NOT the time to be fumbling around and having to take your eyes off the game and fiddling around with various kit. Add to that your heart beating from the walk and excitement and the recipe can be set for either a totally missed opportunity or wounded/lost game ($$$).

Again, I have no working knowledge of the tripod you have. The reason the plain old “African shooting sticks” are used is, they are simple to make, simple to use and with the big “V” they make at the top, very quick to bring into use.

As always, just my opine. Everyone is free to use, discuss or toss in the trash bin, but you WILL have a great trip and congratulation for taking your wife and her being a hunter too!!

M3Taco made a good point on the tripod. Looks like a really good one for photography but slow for shooting. This is one that I have been using recently and it works well for shooting and is ok for optics. https://www.primos.com/shooting-sti...tall-tripod-shooting-stick/PO-65815.html

It can almost be set up one handed but pretty fast two handed. The tall model can be used sitting or at least kneeling and is very steady. In a pop up blind I use it with a bi-pod for the butt stock and it is very stable. The tr-pod you have would have to be carried fully extended to be very fast to set up. This would be possible but a nuisance in heavy brush. I would try the Primos and then take whichever one you can set up the quickest. In Namibia we hunted in brush blinds at water holes several times and this would allow you to set up the more solid tri-pod or even two tri-pods to hold the rifle in the ready position.

M3taco,
That post was excellent as far as describing the scenarios, and to my followup question... which would have been, how much time available to line up the shot once the sticks are deployed.
20 seconds is a good reference range for me to work on, trying to get setup and squeeze the shot off. I'll be working with my kids as stick deployers and shoot the airgun onto spinner. See how long it takes. (realizing game animals and vitals are different)

Thanks Sponxx. It's difficult to be descriptive for those who haven't been there before. Just a couple additional thoughts.

My referenced "20sec clock" starts when the game or first animal in a herd SEES movement (you, PH or tracker) but doesn't yet feel threatened. They KNOW something is there, but just not WHAT it is. There are a few things that will immediately trigger most all game to bolt: human scent, human voices, human sounds like metal on metal clinking or the click of a safety moving to "fire", the human body form/shape (our arms and heads are absolute giveaways) and of course ANY rapid movements. If ANY of those things occur before the shot goes off, you're BUSTED.

Generally, either the tracker or PH will be in the lead of a single file stalk so, you as the hunter/shooter will likely be the second or even third thing game might see/alert on. The movement(s) between the PH and the shooter must be SLOW, fluid and deliberate. Since you're likely to be in a single file, our human shapes are less distinctive and a bit "blob" like to them for a few seconds. If the movements between the PH placing the sticks down and the shooter are slow and deliberate with the shooter moving up over the PH's shoulder onto the sticks while the sticks are simultaneously being set and then the shooter and PH stay standing closely together, it can buy you a few extra seconds. To that point....

I strongly encourage a client before going out with the PH the first time to spend just a few minutes in camp practicing with each other on some dry runs. It will help the PH learn how high to set the sticks for you so that first time they are "planted" there's no screwing around trying to get them adjusted. If they are a little low, bend your knees and a little high stand a little straighter but don't mess with the sticks unless you REALLY have to. Next is, does coming up over the PH's right or left shoulder work best for you. For example, in my case, I'm a right handed shooter, but carry my rifle(s) slung on my left shoulder the vast majority of the time. So, for me, it works best if I come up over my PH's left shoulder, while he leaning down and forward slowing planting the sticks with mostly his left hand and then he stands close to my right side. With a little practice, my rifle stock in sitting in the "V" on the sticks within a moment of the sticks being set. On very, very windy days that can occur in Namibia, since my right elbow is out, if I'm being wiggled left and right from the wind, I can brace my right elbow/forearm against his shoulder/back while he's watching for where the shot hits.

This coordination does take a little practice and a few dry runs to make it slow and smooth and can pay you HUGE dividends by possibly getting you a few extra seconds on the "shot clock".

I tried a couple different shooting sticks but finally settled on Bog Pods as I found them to be more stabile.

I shot at least three hundred rounds of .357 xtp bullets out of my 35 Whelen and worked on getting accurate shots in short order. Then another hundred or so of my hunting load at MPBR for a final sighting in.

So glad I spent the time on that, as shots in the Kalahari were sometimes fairly long.

...What indyCA35 said.
You have a PM

Lots of talk about sticks. But no discussion on the part about "she is not normally a hunter". Then why would she want to kill game?

I could write a novel on this but I'll stop with that.

I agree with the practice suggestions. Did a ton of shooting both with my hunting rifle as well as with my bolt action .22 from all types of positions. Prone, sitting, sticks, improvised rest, off-hand. It all helps give confidence

+1 for the 308! My PH’s over there have all told me they despise rifles with loud brakes on them and a 308 with a good bullet will do anything short of dangerous game with ease. I’ve also asked them their preferred calibers for clients to show up with and the 308 is the overwhelming answer.

FWIW on long/difficult shots I’ve often had my PH lean on me as I’m on the sticks. It settles my body’s movements quite a bit and I believe helped me on a few longer shots. But as MD showed a second set of sticks under the armpit would surely aid that greatly.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Ben

+1

If you need the recoil reduction get a suppressor. If that won't work for you; bring ear plugs for everybody, trackers, drivers and guides. You want them looking trough their binos not plugging their ears.

When I’ve hunted in Namibia the last 3 times, I’ve used my PH’s camp rifles, a suppressed .308 and a Mauser 8 X 68 mm for larger game like Eland or Waterbuck. The suppressed .308 greatly reduces recoil, so much that I can easily see the bullet impact the Springbok or Warthog I’ve shot. It’s loud, but manageable.

I went to Namibia in 2007 and relied on Ingwe and John Barseness (both here) for info and references. I had a very good hunt and I don’t believe I took a shot without the sticks. it’s largely thorny brush country that you can’t or even want to use for a rest. Real trees are rare, or were where I hunted that was the case.

I practiced with .22 here at home to get used to where to put my hands and practice on consistency and control; this helped tremendously. I used a 375 there (not that it was needed but because I wanted too) and by the time I went, using the sticks came naturally. Shots came from about fifty to 200 yards.

I don’t think without practice with the sticks over about four months before the hunt I would have done nearly as well.

I really agree about not using the 30 Nosler when you have a 308. I cant see where you’d ever need it and what it offers in that kind of country. Forget muzzle breaks. We were often sneaking around and amid herds in the brush sometimes within 30-40 yards.

When I was preparing to go in 2008 I at first bought a bipod and realized that I needed something more stable. Since then I have used a few different brands of tripods. The last couple times I was in Africa I used the Bog Pod (HD3 I think). The last time I was in Africa (2016) the outfitter had bought one to lend to people that had less sturdy tripods, or had mono or bipods.

it dosent help in africa only,it also help on a normal hunting day

Funny thing ,,MY wife and I both use a break and have never had a word said about them in Namibia....Just compliments on our shooting....After all you are paying for it..They always plug their ears anyway...A-Frame works great..3 trips so far..

Your the paying customer. The PH usually won’t say a thing but don’t think for a minute they don’t hate muzzle breaks. And it’s hard to plug your ears and look through binos to see where you hit an animal.......

I brought trigger sticks with me to the Eastern Cape and I'm glad I did. I was not a big fan of the PH's shooting sticks. The benefit of the trigger sticks is the ability to collapse them to shorten the height as needed. I used them from a seated position to make a pretty decent shot at distance. I left the trigger sticks with the PH, but I'll bring another set when I return in April...hopefully.

Sticks are but one arrow in your quiver, I brought my own, a nice set of Hickory sticks from African Sporting Creations, practice and perfect all shooting positions.

Wife and i just got in from Tanzania, I took 7 animals as follows:

Gold medal Waterbuck, 218 yards off sticks, 400 H&H, 400gr A Frames, 1 shot.

Warthog, 161 yards off sticks, 400 H&H, 400gr A Frames, 1 shot.

Rowland Ward Hippo, on dry land, face in grass, 7 yards offhand, 577 Nitro, 750gr TSX, 1 shot, PH advised another, 750gr Barnes solid.

Leopard, 70 yards, seated, right elbow buried in grass wall of blind, 400 H&H, 400gr homemade hollow point A Frame, 1 shot.

Zebra, 277 yards, prone, elbows in dirt, 400 H&H, 400gr A Frame, 1 shot.

Cape Buffalo, 16 yards, offhand through the waving river reeds, 577 Nitro, 750gr TSX, 1 shot, PH advised another, 750gr Barnes solid.

Hartebeest, broadside bedded, 228 yards, prone, elbows in dirt, 400 H&H, 400gr A Frame, 1 shot.

With the time, trouble and money spent for Safari, we need to do all we can to place accurate shots from ANY scenario that should arise, we own it to the animals, PH and Trackers, and to ourselves.

Have a GREAT trip.

Wow. Sounds like a great trip!. Hope to see some pics.

Thanks NDHuntr, it was a hell of a trip, alas, I have bothered the hell out of folk on this site posting pics for me, i'll learn someday, I hope.

FWIW-

I have made several hunts to Africa, to Namibia and S. Africa. Used the PH's sticks on all hunts. Rifles used were a .375 Ruger, a .30-06, a .300 Wby, and a 7x57.
I practice shooting with Primos Trigger Stix tripods, usually at gongs out to 300 yards, but I do not run hundreds of rounds thru my hunting rifles. Most of my practice is with my M4 .223, and relatively cheap .223 ammo. This kind of practice, for me anyway, eliminates any chance of developing a flinch from, say, a hundred or more rounds thru my .375 Ruger.
Then, before departing on the hunt, I will go to the range, fire one fouler round thru a clean barrel, go to the bench and confirm my rifle's zero, and I am ready for the hunt.

Before my (so far) only hunt in South Africa I shot at least a brick of .22 off hand through a Kimber Classic 22. I shot from 20 to about 50 yards at a 4" by 7" tin can hanging from a tree limb at about deer vitals height. That made hits and misses easy to see, though when the can got too perforated sometimes I knew I hit it, but it the can didn't move. Time for a new can.

I wasn't able to bring my own rifle due to traveling to other countries both before and after the hunt, so used the outfitter's 30-06 and 375 Mauser's. I shot them both well from their 100 meter bench. On my first shot at an Impala I asked my young PH what the yardage was and he replied 100 yards. Off sticks from a sitting position I held halfway up the buck's chest and took the shot. The bullet hit the ground underneath him. After that I trusted my own range estimations. I only hunted five of the seven days we were in camp, but had a great time and took a nice Impala, a really nice Kudu, and a Zebra all with the 06.

The PH I’ve hunted with in Namibia is an awesome PH who is really good at sizing up trophies and is very conservative in his assessment of trophy size. If he says it’s a 40” Gemsbok, it’s probably 42”+. His only minor weakness is range estimation. The first Gemsbok Bull I shot was a 40” who appeared the first morning of my hunt. When I asked him the range he said “160 yards.” Well, I play a lot of golf, and if I hit a good drive, it flies 200-210 yards. I knew this Gemsbok was beyond my best drive range. Luckily I had my Bushnell Range Finder, and it was 224 yards. I had a Leupold Vari-X II in 3.5X10X40 with a custom elevation knob. I cranked it to 225 and dropped the Bull with a single shot. I’ve kidded him in each of my 5 hunts about his range estimation skills. He finally broke down and bought his own Laser Range Finder.

Thanks everyone. We are practicing. A new .22 bolt rifle should arrive before March for more practice. I’m looking hard at that .308 Winchester again, I don’t know if I’ll have enough time to deal with a new rifle. My 30 Nosler with the brake still seems to have less recoil than the 308, even though the 308 is heavier. I shot a pig with the braked 30 Nosler earlier this season without earplugs and my ears were ringing for some time afterwords. I won’t do that again...