Deer hunting "training targets"

[FL-NC]

I finally talked Mrs. FL-NC into giving hunting a try (she can shoot guns just fine, but has never killed anything). We got her a license, and started training. Part of the training was showing her photos of deer in different positions, and having her put the tip of a pencil on the desired impact point. Suddenly, it dawned on me- its almost the end of the calendar year- and I have a 2018 calendar of whitetail deer photos that is almost done! I cut out the photos from Jan-Oct 2018, and use them as targets for her to practice with using a 22 today- no extra marks, just the deer photo- exactly as it will be from the blind- and firing seated in a chair with a camera tripod for support. Not only does this allow a new hunter-in-training to ID the desired aiming point, he/she becomes "accustomed" to aiming at something that looks exactly like the game animal (we don't hunt or eat bullseyes). After her performance on my calendar at 25 yards with the 22, she shot at 50 using my suppressed Ruger American ranch, on the same Thompson life size deer vital targets that I use when patterning buckshot and prepping for x-bow season. This is adequate for the small food plots we will be hunting on.
As an aside, the army at one time did all of their marksmanship training using bullseye targets. They later switched to targets that look like people. The reasoning was that it makes soldiers more accustomed to aiming at a human form, so that the first time they do it isn't in combat.
I just thought I would share this in the hunting thread, as I think this is a valid way to train new hunters. Besides, I'm pretty sure we all have some old field & stream, American Outdoorsman, or similar magazines laying around that could be put to the same use!

 

[entropy]

Good idea. I went one better with my sons; I started them shooting at anatomical deer targets, to familiarize them with where they should be aiming:

I taught them to aim for the aorta; Then I went to the regular deer targets that just show brown. The older one has killed way more deer than me already, and that is his point of aim. The younger only shot at one deer, and missed. He did not familiarize himself with the rifle (my AK, his choice of rifle to hunt with ) and blamed it on the 'creaky' stand. (He is 6' and 375#.)

 

[marksman13]

I used to do this for hours when I was a kid. I’d take whatever hunting magazines I could get my hands on them and send pellet, after pellet, after pellet through a paper deer’s heart and lungs. Me and a buddy are getting ready for some long range hunting next year and I’ve been on the lookout for some life sized deer targets with the vitals ghosted to the point that you can only see them up close.

 

[Patocazador]

The problem I see with new hunters and silhouette targets is they think the shot should always be behind the shoulder like on a broadside shot. This can result in a gut-shot deer when the deer (prey) is angled forward. A good example is the bottom left photo target in the OP. The shot on the right is almost pure guts. Thinking in three dimensions is essential to making clean kill shots.

 

[FL-NC]

The problem I see with new hunters and silhouette targets is they think the shot should always be behind the shoulder like on a broadside shot. This can result in a gut-shot deer when the deer (prey) is angled forward. A good example is the bottom left photo target in the OP. The shot on the right is almost pure guts. Thinking in three dimensions is essential to making clean kill shots.

Glad you picked this up- was wondering when someone would! That poor shot was her first shot on that particular target. I only had her fire one shot per string on each target, then we went downrange and critiqued each shot. I made the exact point you made to her, and then the task was repeated.

 

[Varminterror]

In KS, the KDWPT gives us instructors a big 11x17” target for use in classes - it has pictures of whitetail deer of various sizes, scaled for different ranges. In our live fire hunter’s safety education classes, we ask students, “how far do you think you can ethically shoot a deer?” When they answer, we pull out that target and challenge them to make a vital zone killing shot on the target of that scale. I have seen only one or two folks out of a couple dozen attempts successfully make their impact. The idea is to throw some self awareness into these new hunters. I don’t REALLY love the drill, since it has a 400yrd target on it, and doesn’t include any compensation for trajectory when shot at 50yrds with a 22LR - but I do love the idea of a real world test to open new hunters’ eyes (or those of experiences hunters) to the reality of placing shots past 100yrds.

 

[FL-NC]

In KS, the KDWPT gives us instructors a big 11x17” target for use in classes - it has pictures of whitetail deer of various sizes, scaled for different ranges. In our live fire hunter’s safety education classes, we ask students, “how far do you think you can ethically shoot a deer?” When they answer, we pull out that target and challenge them to make a vital zone killing shot on the target of that scale. I have seen only one or two folks out of a couple dozen attempts successfully make their impact. The idea is to throw some self awareness into these new hunters. I don’t REALLY love the drill, since it has a 400yrd target on it, and doesn’t include any compensation for trajectory when shot at 50yrds with a 22LR - but I do love the idea of a real world test to open new hunters’ eyes (or those of experiences hunters) to the reality of placing shots past 100yrds.

The same is true of that stupid "alternate" 25 meter rifle qual in the army- scaled targets at 25 meters VS actual life-sized targets at ranges from 50- 300. The smallest target on the alt-qual which simulates 300 is the same size as a 25 meter zero target. Thus, if you are able to zero your rifle at 25, there is no reason the shooter can't hit all 40 at that distance- not to mention, the scaled targets are static on the same stand- the "real" qual, they pop up for brief exposures at the different distances on an assigned lane, so target detection isn't even part of the alt-qual.

 

[BigSteve57]

In KS, the KDWPT gives us instructors a big 11x17” target for use in classes - it has pictures of whitetail deer of various sizes, scaled for different ranges. In our live fire hunter’s safety education classes, we ask students, “how far do you think you can ethically shoot a deer?” When they answer, we pull out that target and challenge them to make a vital zone killing shot on the target of that scale. I have seen only one or two folks out of a couple dozen attempts successfully make their impact. The idea is to throw some self awareness into these new hunters. I don’t REALLY love the drill, since it has a 400yrd target on it, and doesn’t include any compensation for trajectory when shot at 50yrds with a 22LR - but I do love the idea of a real world test to open new hunters’ eyes (or those of experiences hunters) to the reality of placing shots past 100yrds.

I love hearing this. This is the way to teach humility & judgement. I've done similar with new shooters who learned everything about firearms from TV and who think shooting is easy. They logically conclude hunting is therefore "not sporting" because after all you have a firearm. That makes all hunters evil demons and maybe all hunting should be banned because, after all, it's just a simple slaughter.

Oh yeah they're all hot when I put a big orange MR-52 at 25 yards and they can hit that from a bench first try with a scoped .22 bolt action. Then after some more training we go to 100 yards and try that with a standard SR1 at 100 yards and at 200 yards with a standard SR offhand using my competition AR with open sights. Heh heh... It's especially delicious when I first demonstrate offhand and manage to score a 9, 10 or X.They try and they're lucky to hit the berm! (just kidding).

But isn't it a tricky question to answer without taking circumstances into play? What position? Timed? Years of service rifle practice taught me that all this matters. Add also match butterflies (buck fever) too. Granted these are new shooters you're talking about.

For example I'd gladly take an quick offhand shot at 0-100 yards, a slower seated or semi-supported shot at 200-300 yards and a prone 3 point supported shot at 5-600 yards - at the long ranges assuming plenty of time to build position & aim. I've been in all 3 hunting situations successfully.