Rifle Scope

Rifle Scope – An Eye for an Eye

Now in this particular story, I am going to focus on two things, to deal with shooting, and I may be challenged on it but, hey it is my opinion.

It’s about the closing of the one eye that I see so many hunters do. They wonder why they sometimes miss?

A simple experiment can really end the discussion, if you are open minded. I am also going to say that old habits are hard to break, but just the same, if you want to be an even better shot, then try shooting with both eyes open.

Honestly, I just cringe when I see a hunter closing their left or right eye when they shoot.

Here is something to try, take a bottle cap, hold it in front of you and taking turns in succession, with a dark background, like a wall in back, open and shut the left eye and then open and shut the right eye, do you see how the bottle cap shifts from side to side, just enough for the miss!

When I was a kid and my Pops took us shooting, that was the only way that he would accept us shooting, and by the way he was a sharp shooter in the navy and over the years, the stories I could tell you of his many shots, that were out of this world. I witnessed many of them like a shot across a canyon to take a big timber wolf, and the picking off twelve partridge on two branches.

Some hunters I run into just tell me, that it is their preferred method, and I have also watched as they missed many times. I just laugh now, as I don’t want to sound like a know it all, but seriously try shooting with both eyes open and you will see a vast improvement in meat on the pole. Sure shot was taught this way, and well, I would not ever want to stand in front of her, as the big mulie buck found out last year, one shot, heart-lung and it was all over. Make the switch, it’s never too late to be an even better shot.

On to the next thing and that is the selection of your scope.

Some people pay good money for that scope that just doesn’t fit them. Just because the clarity is there, does not mean that it is a good fit. Take the time to get a scope that you can control.

As a kid, and I will never forget this, my Pops let me graduate from my good old 22 and scope, which I was a cracker jack shot with, to his 30-06 BSA rifle, which was fitted for him, there was quite an arms length difference.

I remember having to get so close, Pops said “Son, it kicks like a mule, it is not suggested that you get that close to the scope!”

The truth was that I didn’t listen to Pops this time and boy did I pay…I got scoped…I looked like I went ten rounds with Joe Frazier, with my eye completely black and my nose almost broken after my first shot with Pop’s gun.

Pops laughed, and said, “I’ll bet you never do that again!”

He also said “Now you can see that the scope has to fit.”

So take the time to choose the right scope. Make sure it comes up not too close to your eye and that you can instantly find your target with no time to waste.

I just had to share these couple of thoughts with you, as my main intention is for you to put more meat on the pole. A true fit is what you want in that gun package..and well the closing of the eye thing is totally up to you, but if you find that you near miss a lot, try the change and shoot with both eyes open and you will be glad you did.

Thoughts from the Squirrell’s Nest by Brian “Bear” Squirrell of Big Bear Outfitters – Nova Scotia, Canada at www.bigbearoutfitters.co