Need honest answers

[JCalhoun]

I'm doing some personal research and need some honest answers. It has to do with hunters and shooting.

1) How often do you and hunters you know shoot your rifles during the off-season?

2) There seems to be two types of gun owners (basically). Hunters and target shooters. Target shooter are very often hunters but hunters are rarely target shooters. Yes, no, and why?

3) If given the opportunity to shoot in an informal match (competition) where you could shoot whatever gun you own, would/wouldn't you and why? Are hunters intimidated by the competition idea?

I know it's long but please answer as honestly as possible.

[gt]

1)I'll shoot my deer rifle 2 or 3 times before the season comes in.
2)I was a hunter long before I shot(competition) target.Took up comp. so I could shoot more often and to see what I could do as a shooter.It has in my opinion helped my hunting rifle shooting.My target rifle is an AR15 with open sites(I shoot at targets at 200yds during a match.)My deer rifle is a Savage110/30-06,Nikon Buckmaster scope.Very different rifles but all the same principles apply.Sight picture,breathing,trigger control.
3)Answered that in(2).Most of the people I have met while shooting comp. are or were hunters or were in the military and shoot the rifles they used in the service.
Some shoot because they have no place to hunt.Others,to sharpen their skills in the field.
I don't think I have met anyone who hasn't hunted.Except some of the wifes,who are shooting comp. with their husbands.They just want to out score their husbands.lol
GT

[quigleysharps4570]

1- I usually shoot once a week, sometimes more. Weather permitting. As for my buddies, they are content to shoot once or twice before season. Do have one that I can drag out a little more often.
2- Guess you'd classify me as hunter, shoot alot, but it's not competition. Why, like to keep my shooting abilities honed up. Like GT said, sight picture, breathing, trigger control. Most of all, my sight settings I like to keep fresh in my mind.
3- Competition, no. Don't like crowds (anywhere). Don't mind 2-3 buddies getting together to shoot, but that's different than a crowd at a competition.

[Renegade]

1..I shoot as often as I can get to the range. Which is generally once a week.

2..I'm both a hunter and target shooter. I shoot target to keep my defensive skills honed. Never going to know when the SHTF!

3..I wouldn't mind shooting in a match. Did shoot in an modified action pistol match once. I had a ton of fun.

Later,

Dave

["BIGTYME"]

I only shoot my rifles and muzzle loader a few weeks before seasons come in. And I am just a Hunter not a target shooter

[mobe45]

1) I shoot a dozen or so times a year during the off season.
2) My opinion is that most hunters don't feel they need the edge that target shooting gives. If they have been consistant in getting a deer every year they figure they're good enough.
Target shooters who go hunting do it because they enjoy the thrill of being able to do a great job of having a clean and humane kill. Also it's another excuse to go out and shoot their weapon.
3) Informal matches would be great. I don't shoot at the competition ones around here because they are usually for club members of the Ikes only. And I don't want to spend $75.00 a year to belong to a local club just so I can shoot three or four times a year. I as a hunter am not intimidated by competition. If a hunter is confident in his shooting ability he should not be threatened either. Some are when it comes to rifle competition because the "regulars" usually have pet handloads.
Oh, please don't think I am biased in gender. Where I use he, his etc. it is meant to encompass all humans, not just males. It's just the way I write most of the time.

[mobe45]

Used to shoot archery comp. a lot. All my buddies left/moved and the group eventually disbanded. Closest archery club is 20 miles away now.

[Ruger Redhawk]

Truthfully I don't shoot as much as I should.Maybe a couple times a year.I use to love to shoot a couple times a month. With my work schedule and really no decent ranges around,shooting has become a rare occurrence.

I'm more of a hunter then a competitive shooter.

Ruger Redhawk