off hand shot

flbuckmaster · Post by **flbuckmaster** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 10:51 pm

My 21 year old daughter hunted my food plot this weekend and saw a spike that came in from her "bad side" and she couldnt get off a shot. I cringed upon hearing that as I should have taught her better. How many times have you heard this or had it happen to you? Being a paraplegic and hunting with disabled hunters for the past 20 years, I have heard it too many times. Due to my disability, I cant twist around to take a deer on my off hand side so I taught myself to shoot off handed a long time ago. By not doing this, I would have been limiting myself to only 50% of my visible area in which I could shoot. I would say I have taken as many deer shooting off handed than my regular shooting position. Have others tried this? All you have to do is just try it and get confidence in knowing you can do it. Just last year I took a doe at 205 yards shooting off handed out of my truck(legal on our disabled hunts). If you have never tried it I challenge you to just try. It may mean making an off hand shot at a trophy you would not have taken otherwise.
jay

prossbow · Post by **prossbow** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:52 am

I've had to make changes to the way I hunt(do anything really)also, having an above knee amputation, but my left hand is so un-coordinated I'm not sure it would cooperate. I've resorted to ground blinds with 360 view, so far so good.

Phoenix_Tom · Post by **Phoenix_Tom** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:15 am

I agree with Jay. We should practice off hand shots. But every time I shoot I just get into the "zone" and off hand shooting doesn't pop into my brain.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:19 am

I can shoot reasonably well offhand, without a rest.

And I can shoot both right and left-handed.

Of course, I prefer to shoot right-handed, with a rest!

Czy Horse · Post by **Czy Horse** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:26 am

I practice off hand shots. It payed off this fall, I shot my buck at 29yards. I was able to slowly move bow to off hand as the deer moved through cover. I had the cross-hairs on him and when he stopped . . the arrow was on its way. No hesitation or worries about an off hand shot with all the practice.

bkisel · Post by **bkisel** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:32 am

I'm confused about what has been posted so far. Are you guys talking about "offhand" shooting meaning not using a rest of some sort or "weakhand" shooting meaning, for example, you're a right hand shooter switching to left hand in order to make a shot?

For what it is worth I do some practice/training weakhand shooting with my SD pistols but don't bother with my hunting bows and guns. If hunting and I can't make the shot, for whatever reason, it is just not that big a deal to me.

Thanks...

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:54 am

bkisel wrote:I'm confused about what has been posted so far.

You must not have noticed, but I made the distinction in my post.

As commonly understood, "offhand" means "without a rest".

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:46 am

i took my buck last week off hand. because of where he stopped in the shooting lane there was no chance of shooting him from and seated and rested position , standing and shooting off hand was my only option. i practice shooting off hand during the off season otherwise i wouldn't have taken the shot if the was a chance of wounding him.

Phoenix_Tom · Post by **Phoenix_Tom** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:49 am

I took the OP to mean "weak hand shooting." As for "without a rest" shooting, that I do all the time. I've never brought a rest with me afield so I practice shooting the way I'd be shooting in the bush. But I have been thinking about the benefits of having a bipod or shooting sticks but I suspect they can be more of a PITA when hunting than of any benefit. Especially when you shift from treestand to ground blind to still hunting which I quite often do. If you only hunted one way then I'm sure they'd be useful.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:02 am

Jay - this it totally o/t but I didn't know your daughter hunted! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!??!??

I hope she connects the next time she's out!

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:06 am

Phoenix_Tom wrote:I But I have been thinking about the benefits of having a bipod or shooting sticks but I suspect they can be more of a PITA when hunting than of any benefit.

Not really, Tom.

I can't tell you how many deer I've killed "walking in" ... standing up, with my rifle firmly cradled in the V-rest of my shooting stick. I carry the stick fully extended ... it's in my left hand, my rifle is in the other. It's adjusted to optimum height already, and minor adjustments are merely a matter of angle. I can be in battery in seconds.

Same thing goes anywhere I am. The stick, adequately adjusted for the situation at hand, is ready for use immediately. Even in a tree or ladder stand, it's v-rest can serve as an anchor in the platform, simply by turning the stick upside down.

Bipod or tripod sticks can serve as a single-stick in quick shooting situations, and be deployed fully when there is time.

I find shooting sticks to be indispensable to precise shooting, especially at long distance. They are in no way a bother to me, but a great aid.

flbuckmaster · Post by **flbuckmaster** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:07 am

By "off hand" I ment shooting with your weak side and eye. For example, if I were a normal right hand shooter, I would switch to my left hand and eye to make a shot on a deer I couldnt make otherwise. In addition, I always use a rest while shooting because if I dont, I would fall over.
jay

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:09 am

flbuckmaster wrote:By "off hand" I ment shooting with your weak side and eye. For example, if I were a normal right hand shooter, I would switch to my left hand and eye to make a shot on a deer I couldnt make otherwise. In addition, I always use a rest while shooting because if I dont, I would fall over.
jay

then by that definition i haven't taken an off hand shot

flbuckmaster · Post by **flbuckmaster** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:21 am

vixchix- My daughter started hunting with me when she was around 14. Back then, she always sat next to me and shot my 30-06. On her 16th birthday I asked her what she wanted, and to my surprise, she wanted a rifle. I bought her a new 243 and she has hunted by herself every since, very successfully I might add.
jay

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:21 am

flbuckmaster wrote:My 21 year old daughter hunted my food plot this weekend and saw a spike that came in from her "bad side" and she couldnt get off a shot. I cringed upon hearing that as I should have taught her better. How many times have you heard this or had it happen to you? Being a paraplegic and hunting with disabled hunters for the past 20 years, I have heard it too many times. Due to my disability, I cant twist around to take a deer on my off hand side so I taught myself to shoot off handed a long time ago. By not doing this, I would have been limiting myself to only 50% of my visible area in which I could shoot. I would say I have taken as many deer shooting off handed than my regular shooting position. Have others tried this? All you have to do is just try it and get confidence in knowing you can do it. Just last year I took a doe at 205 yards shooting off handed out of my truck(legal on our disabled hunts). If you have never tried it I challenge you to just try. It may mean making an off hand shot at a trophy you would not have taken otherwise.
jay

I agree jay
if you remember when we went to Alabama,I had to shoot my buck right handed.
Had you not taught me that I would have never gotten a shot.
Sound wisdom Jay.
Good luck to her and i hope you feel better soon my friend.

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