For those of you who group hunt/group shoot, how do you feel about countdowns? Do you have a method that you think works particularly well?
I ask because in the last couple of years, I have been involved more and more with such hunts with hogs, but I have seen them done on hunts with other game, particularly where there are multiple hunters and multiple targets on the ground. What I have come to figure out is that with the more shooters you have, the more chances for there to be a problem with one of them, be it shooting too early, late, or not at all.
Here is an example from this weekend. This was a leisurely hunt. The hog didn't see to know we were there, or didn't care, wasn't showing signs of being nervous, and we were not in a hurry...
I have managed to do this as well. It can just be so doggone exciting!
We typically count 3....2....1BANG, where triggers can be pulled once the word "ONE" is spoken. The shooter fired on or before 1 could be spoken, so was a bit early, catching everyone by surprise.
The idea for us is that the counter counts in a evenly spaced manner so that the shooter can anticipate when they need to be exactly on target and when to pull the trigger. I know I have been with guys who make very irregular counts that throw off any sort of hope of anticipating when everyone should be firing...
Three....Twoooooooooo.One.BANG
Threeeeee..Two.One.BANG
Three....Two....Onnnnnnnnnne.BANG
Some folks fire when the count should reach zero...
Three....Two....One....BANG
I can't mentally keep track of the extra fraction of a second that I am supposed to delay until the ZERO point is reached, LOL.
Some folks count up with similar timing issues
1....2....3BANG
The one that kills me is the guy that instead of speaking the last number, calls off the shot at the last moment for some reason...
3....2....WAIT WAIT WAIT!
I have even had the guy doing to count jump the count himself...
3....2..BANG
Not all of the count issues are premature. Again, with the more guys you have, the more chances for something not to work. Issues I have seen include not shooting or delayed shooting because...
Safety still on
Sweat in eyes (me)
Didn't hear the count
Target moved out of position (me)
Startled by the fire of other shooters who fired on time (me)
Got fixated on the target and just didn't remember to pull the trigger.
It happens. It is a part of group hunts, particularly with new shooters (new or new to the group) who are less familiar with the practice. One of my occasional buddies, SpecialEd and another one of his hunting partners actually get together and practice because they have been badly out of sync more than once. Practicing has helped for them.
So, anything y'all do to help make the process work better?
I ask because in the last couple of years, I have been involved more and more with such hunts with hogs, but I have seen them done on hunts with other game, particularly where there are multiple hunters and multiple targets on the ground. What I have come to figure out is that with the more shooters you have, the more chances for there to be a problem with one of them, be it shooting too early, late, or not at all.
Here is an example from this weekend. This was a leisurely hunt. The hog didn't see to know we were there, or didn't care, wasn't showing signs of being nervous, and we were not in a hurry...
I have managed to do this as well. It can just be so doggone exciting!
We typically count 3....2....1BANG, where triggers can be pulled once the word "ONE" is spoken. The shooter fired on or before 1 could be spoken, so was a bit early, catching everyone by surprise.
The idea for us is that the counter counts in a evenly spaced manner so that the shooter can anticipate when they need to be exactly on target and when to pull the trigger. I know I have been with guys who make very irregular counts that throw off any sort of hope of anticipating when everyone should be firing...
Three....Twoooooooooo.One.BANG
Threeeeee..Two.One.BANG
Three....Two....Onnnnnnnnnne.BANG
Some folks fire when the count should reach zero...
Three....Two....One....BANG
I can't mentally keep track of the extra fraction of a second that I am supposed to delay until the ZERO point is reached, LOL.
Some folks count up with similar timing issues
1....2....3BANG
The one that kills me is the guy that instead of speaking the last number, calls off the shot at the last moment for some reason...
3....2....WAIT WAIT WAIT!
I have even had the guy doing to count jump the count himself...
3....2..BANG
Not all of the count issues are premature. Again, with the more guys you have, the more chances for something not to work. Issues I have seen include not shooting or delayed shooting because...
Safety still on
Sweat in eyes (me)
Didn't hear the count
Target moved out of position (me)
Startled by the fire of other shooters who fired on time (me)
Got fixated on the target and just didn't remember to pull the trigger.
It happens. It is a part of group hunts, particularly with new shooters (new or new to the group) who are less familiar with the practice. One of my occasional buddies, SpecialEd and another one of his hunting partners actually get together and practice because they have been badly out of sync more than once. Practicing has helped for them.
So, anything y'all do to help make the process work better?
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