Preparing For A Match/Hunt And The Dangers Of Doing It Too Close To A Match Or Hunt.

I want to take a few minutes and write about training for new shooters and the dangers of doing it too close to the start of the match or hunt.  So we had a great customer call in who is getting ready for his first match and obviously very excited.  He is getting ready and making a very common mistake new shooters will do and that is just a few short days before the match or hunt,  you decide to go to the range one more time to check things out.  

Then bam, it happens.  Something is off a little.  The round is a little too far left or right.  Your zero is off, or you made a wind call and a bad one at that leaving the bullet .5 mils left of the target.  Then, the inevitable happens, Bam, the panic sets in that something is wrong.  I have received this call and email many times, often with some panic in the voice or a feeling of anxiety and urgency in the email.  

I want to share with you some sound advice for new shooters and it applies the same for both match and hunting  preparation equally.  I want to share with you my advice for this subject that I have given many times.  For new shooters it will help you get to the starting line with your head in a good place and started off on the right foot

You have to resist the urge to go one more time to check things or to practice bumped up against the shoulder of the start date.   When you are one to two weeks out and practicing, this should be just to make sure everything is right and tight.  No serious training, just a zero check to breath and maybe some fun easy targets to get some trigger time.  But no serious training or final modifications to your loads or your rifle should be happening in this time window. All of that should have already been done previously with your focus now to just put a couple rounds down range for fun and to congratulate yourself for doing a great job doing on all the hard work and training to be here right now at this point in time.  Relax and just shoot a little.

​Now the advice, do not and I mean "DO NOT"  go the range days leading up to your departure.  Once you are less than a week away, step away and prepare yourself mentally and physically.  Get your kit sorted and packed.  Get your dope and equipment prepared.  Go over your equipment pre-flight checklist and check all your batteries.  But, resist at all cost the urge to go to the range one more time.  If you do, the anxiety and pressure building will play itself out in your shooting, and things can go wrong in a hurry not because there's a problem with your kit, load or rifle.  It's your head.  You are under pressure and worried.  Give yourself a break and stay away from this potential explosion of a pressure cooker moment,   

Keep in mind, nothing of real value is going to come from training this late in the game.  It would be like training the morning before the game.  It's a little late...you got what you got at that point.   The only thing that can and often does happen especially to new or newer shooters is all the above.  Remember, you don't have to be perfect.  Remember that you did the work and earned the right to take the shot or be at the match.  Remember why you are going in the first place...to have fun and grow and learn as a shooter and marksman.  Give yourself a break and a chance to go and enjoy what you have earned and you will be surprised on how much more fun you will have and oftentimes how much better of a shot you really are.

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Podcast on the subject.  https://longrangeshootingandcustomriflebuiling.libsyn.com/episode-166-preparing-for-a-matchhunt-and-the-dangers-of-doing-it-too-close-to-a-match-or-hunt
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