Tricks to hitting dogs on the run

[Bullet bumper]

some say ...on the hair...some say ... off the hair.... Hmmm....

are there any tricks for practicing ... if you don't have jackrabbits...?

And where is a program chart that will show bullet leads vs speeding targets...

is there one out there... ?


All the dogs I've shot were standing still.... but have missed a couple running...

and I need to get a handle on this because I have plans for a Dakota coyote

hunt for a few weeks early this fall.

Thanks...Dan

JBM can calculate leads for target speed .
JBM - Calculations - Trajectory
In the Army we had a running boar type range but with man sized targets. Two wires attached to high speed whinch arrangments would pull the target across the range at different speeds . We would move back from it for different ranges.
It helped your swing and follow through and mind picture of lead .
Clay target shooting is a good way to develop some sort of smooth swing and a sense of what lead goes with which angle of target movement but in the end you have to do the practise with the rifle you intend to use.

 

[Greyfox]

some say ...on the hair...some say ... off the hair.... Hmmm....

are there any tricks for practicing ... if you don't have jackrabbits...?

And where is a program chart that will show bullet leads vs speeding targets...

is there one out there... ?


All the dogs I've shot were standing still.... but have missed a couple running...

and I need to get a handle on this because I have plans for a Dakota coyote

hunt for a few weeks early this fall.

Thanks...Dan

Unfortunately there are no silver bullets for this. The biggest mistake is to unconsciously stop the rifle swing when breaking the trigger. Given you have no ability to access moving game for practice, might try going to a standard skeet range, and while it would be out of advised form, use a tight choke and "aim" the shotgun at the targets for stations 2-7. It would at the very least train the hand/eye for moving
targets and follow through and treatment of angling shots. IMHO.

 

[daniel brothers]

I've heard of shooting ballons blowing across open fields on windy days... but haven't tried it....YET.

I might just tie firecrackers to my Wife's Cat's Tails.



It seems like I saw a program somewhere that showed the bullet's wind drift at certain wind speeds...something like that might help some....you think...?

 

[jakelly]

This is one area of riflemanship that I think has been hurt by our generation's great telescopic sights. We rarely see unmagnified ranges or bullet impacts. The bullet's time of flight and trajectory are easier to develop a "feel" for, which is what we need to score successfully on these types of shots, when using open sights. I personally shoot my rifle by pointing and firing at targets of varying distances while looking above the scope to develop this "feel" for my bullet travel. I haven't gone so far as to mount open sights, but I have used them on some 700 BDLs.

I grew up in Pennsylvania where open sights and shooting at running deer in the woods were the norm (and long range hunting isn't ethical?!). We used to practice by rolling tires down the hill with targets in them. My grandfather, who was an incredible feel shooter, thought that scopes were a disadvantage in typical hunting distances (for PA 0-300 yds), and that their popularity was spurred on by laziness and marketing. The man knew some things well - hope this helps.
Thanks - Josh

 

[daniel brothers]

I just went onto Nikon's Spot On website and put in.... 243, 55 gr HP, 3900 fps, with a 30 mph cross wind.... and the drift chart said it only drifted 10.28 inches at 200 yds. So... if that's all it is... then most shots would be closer to aiming on hair or right near it... and especially with most coyotes running on a angle instead of exactly cross wind.

It sure opened my eyes up.

 

[Bullet bumper]

I just went onto Nikon's Spot On website and put in.... 243, 55 gr HP, 3900 fps, with a 30 mph cross wind.... and the drift chart said it only drifted 10.28 inches at 200 yds. So... if that's all it is... then most shots would be closer to aiming on hair or right near it... and especially with most coyotes running on a angle instead of exactly cross wind.

It sure opened my eyes up.

Lead on a running target is not the same as wind drift .
The lead that you may need is also a function of your swing style , the time it takes you to fire the shot ( brain to trigger time ) , the speed of the bullet and the speed , range and angle of the target .
I can assure you that if a coyote is running at 30 MPH at 90 degrees at say 200 yards you will need a lot more than 10 inch lead . Something like 6 feet will be needed to hit him behind the shoulders . Also wind drift can add or subtract from that lead .
There is no way I would be using a 55 grain bullet for running shots. Use a heavy bullet to try and take wind out of the equation as much as possible.
The rolling of car tires with targets in them is a great idea

 

[Greyfox]

I ran into this site a couple of years ago.

Leading Running Game with a Rifle

 

[Bullet bumper]

That seems a handy site with some good info but it misses some points.
The thing with leads is that everyone will be a bit different mainly with swing time and trigger delay. Some people will have a quick releasing trigger that breaks crisp and with a very short delay and others will have a slow creepy trigger with a longer delay. At the point where your brain says shoot and some brains are quicker than others at doing this , it takes varying amounts of time for the shot to actually break in different people / gun combinations . So one person / gun combination may need a foot more or less lead than another . You start with the calculations as a guide and adjust the leads necessary as you practise and see where you are actually hitting the targets with your gun and ammo .

 

[daniel brothers]

Thank you so much Grey Fox... that is a great site.

I love facts alot more than opinions.

That gives me a whole new outlook on running targets... and alot of hope and confidence as well.

Now I just have to come up with some practical training ideas. thanks again... that is exactly what I was looking for.

Dan

 

[Greyfox]

Thank you so much Grey Fox... that is a great site.

I love facts alot more than opinions.

That gives me a whole new outlook on running targets... and alot of hope and confidence as well.

Now I just have to come up with some practical training ideas. thanks again... that is exactly what I was looking for.

Dan

Glad to help...good luck with your hunt!

 

[arizona mike]

Best solution for a dog on the run is call 'em in close and when they break, roll 'em with a 12 gauge, lol!!

 

[lefty2]

Hi all , I used to shoot running deer and running boar competition ,the deer was 100 yard and the boar 50 shot the deer with 30/06 and the boar 50 cal flint lock .. the secret is to swing from behind and as you swing past the front of the target touch one off but you must keep swining .. It's almost like pitching a ball you dont stop your arm at the top of the pitch , .. Failing all else talk to a shot gunner maybe go to a clay target range and get some instruction , can't be bad

 

[Bullet bumper]

Thank you so much Grey Fox... that is a great site.

I love facts alot more than opinions.

That gives me a whole new outlook on running targets... and alot of hope and confidence as well.

Now I just have to come up with some practical training ideas. thanks again... that is exactly what I was looking for.

Dan

That is an interesting view point to say the least.
Because you see a web site you think every thing in it is a certifided " fact " but a private post is just an opinion . That is fine follow the web site it has some good info but it also has some mistakes , and those you will accept also.

 

[daniel brothers]

My Goodness Bumper... nobody is arguing the point of swinging through the target, while breaking the trigger cleanly. Everyone knows that if you stop your swing and jerk the trigger ... you'll probably miss badly. What I'm trying to find out is HOW MUCH LEAD do I put on a running target WHILE I'M SWINGING THROUGH. That chart that Greyfox posted is a great help in trying to understand the AMOUNT OF LEAD vs the coyote's speed , along with the bullet's speed. Even if this Guy is off a little bit, it still has some solid information to work with. We all have a choice to believe fact or fiction. Sometimes opinions end up combining them both together, but there must be more truth and facts when mathimatical numbers show up better than just opinions that are without proof.

If you have sound reasonable data or experience for how much to lead running targets... I'm all in.

I appreciate your post.

Do you have anymore information on how to lead targets or tip and tricks for practicing running shots....?