Preparing for the hunt

On the opening morning of the hunt, when the time comes to squeeze the trigger, the outcome is by no means guaranteed, despite high-powered scopes and rifles.

Without some early preparation, the bullet could end up going who knows where.

A rifle needs maintenance, just like a vehicle. Without some care, it won't work properly. Or, in this case, shoot accurately.

Hunters should spend time familiarizing themselves with their rifle.

If they can't shoot at least once a month, Herm Rackl, manager of the Lee Kay Center shooting complex in West Valley City, suggested, "Then they should at least sight the rifle in before they go hunting. You never know if a rifle wasn't bumped or dropped, and the scope moved."

Hunters spend a lot of time and money preparing for the hunt but too often neglect the very thing that can mean success or failure.

Before firing a rifle, it is important to check to make sure there is no damage, such as a cracked stock or rust in the barrel. Rust can, in fact, be very dangerous. If it is bad enough to restrict the movement of the bullet, pressure can build up in the rifle. If the rust is bad, the owners should have a gunsmith remove it. If it is minor, they can clean the rifle well and then check to make sure it is removed.

When first sighting in a new rifle with a scope or a rifle with a new scope, the first step should be to have it bore sighted, which starts the sighting process.

The next step is to shoot on a 25-yard range. If the rifle is off, then the bullet may only be an inch or two off target. At greater distances, the bullet may not even show up on the target. At 25 yards, shooters can get the aim and the point of impact the same. What happens is the bullet starts to rise at 25 yards. With the cross hairs on center, shooters can figure the bullet will rise a couple of inches before it peaks and starts to come down.

The distance the rifle is sighted in should depend on the type of terrain the hunter plans to hunt. If it's scrub oak or dense forest, then it should be sighted in at a shorter range, say 100 yards. If it's wide-open areas where the hunter is likely to be taking long shots, then aim for a longer distance, such as 200 yards.

Rackl said that typically, when a rifle is sighted in at 100 yards, the cross hairs are about two inches above the bull's-eye. This will put the shot in the bull's-eye at 200 yards with most rifles.

It's important to use the same ammunition during practice as a hunter will use on the hunt. Different brands of the same ammunition can shoot differently.

When sighting in a scope, shooters need to remember that with most scopes, one click on the adjustment is equal to 1/4-inch movement in the bullet at 100 yards. Four clicks would translate to one inch.