NRL hunter finding targets

[skipper907]

Seeing if people who have shot multiple matches have a method for finding targets in a timely manner at NRL hunter matches.
I was not always finding the targets in a timely manner to allow time to get shots on the target or targets before running out of time. I did shoot in open heavy just for the chance to walk to prize table but had vision that was a contender for anything and during the match I somewhat wished I had just shot skills. Looking back I do think I missed some clues on where to look and in part was due to being my first NRL hunter match and some lack of sleep. Part way through the match I did start at the 2min mark in and just get to shooting the target I had found which did help some.
Thanks

 

[khuber84]

@Justin Crossley would prob have some insight. He just won a nrl hunter match in open light class.

 

[Firestone]

What match did you shoot?

 

[ChrisAU]

Align yourself inside the cone where the targets are visible. If they are still putting the black/white marker near the first target, scan quick until you find it. Then, knowing the course of fire because you repeated it in your head 20 times before telling the RO you understood his instruction you can move on to find the others (you already know engagements are left to right, or near to far, etc etc). Generally if it’s taking me time I’ll get on the rifle and engage target one and then engage the next target I found. If the RO tells wrong target, you yell skip and reengage the same target for 1 point. I haven’t been off by more than 1 yet. This allows you to get 3-5 points instead of 0. Took me a few 0’s to make myself just engage what I could find in the first couple minutes.

 

[NevadaMike]

I shot my first two matches recently and I also was an RO for both of them. I absolutely sucked at locating targets. There was a wide disparity in the competitors and many struggled but the good ones just have gift as well as lots of practice. The regular competitors just had a gut feeling where to look and they would be on the gun in 30 seconds. I asked a few of the better ones and the info I remember was if its near to far sweep left to right horizontally from the bottom and go up and if its left to right sweep up and down moving right. Even when I was given clues my eyes just do not lock in. That is not new for me as it's the same when hunting with buddies and I have good eyes. I hope to RO as many events as I can and I will only shoot skills going forward until I have a reasonable success rate.

 

[skipper907]

What match did you shoot?

I shot the relentless rifleman in OR

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[Justin Crossley]

I shot the relentless rifleman in OR

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Oregon was a tough match for finding targets. I ended up 11th overall in that match and not finding targets was the difference between 11th and top five which is what I was on pace for.

To your original question; the tip above about scanning left to right or up and down depending on COF (course of fire) is good. Keep ranging the hillside as you go so you know you aren't looking 1,200 yards for a prairie dog target. On the flip side, you probably aren't going to find a larger target at 300 yards so focus farther for those.

Scan the COF as you walk up to the sighting pin and you may see the placard before going to your glass. At the same time, notice where the RO's glass is pointed. Most are pointed at the first target but some are savvy and will point them in a different direction.

Sometimes the sighting limits can be a clue too. Really narrow sighting limits sometimes indicate the targets will be far away. If the limits are set really wide, and it's a two target stage, you might jump to the far limit and scan the edge after you find the first target.

Don't panic and just have fun. Use the talking timer that you probably saw a bunch of us using so you know when you are getting short on time. When you get to a certain point (depends how fast you are getting setup and shooting), stop looking and shoot the targets you found.

There are more things I'm sure I'll think of but that's what I have off the top of my head.

Experience really does make it easier. After more matches you'll get a feel for how the MDs set up the COF and you'll get faster.

 

[skipper907]

Oregon was a tough match for finding targets. I ended up 11th overall in that match and not finding targets was the difference between 11th and top five which is what I was on pace for.

To your original question; the tip above about scanning left to right or up and down depending on COF (course of fire) is good. Keep ranging the hillside as you go so you know you aren't looking 1,200 yards for a prairie dog target. On the flip side, you probably aren't going to find a larger target at 300 yards so focus farther for those.

Scan the COF as you walk up to the sighting pin and you may see the placard before going to your glass. At the same time, notice where the RO's glass is pointed. Most are pointed at the first target but some are savvy and will point them in a different direction.

Sometimes the sighting limits can be a clue too. Really narrow sighting limits sometimes indicate the targets will be far away. If the limits are set really wide, and it's a two target stage, you might jump to the far limit and scan the edge after you find the first target.

Don't panic and just have fun. Use the talking timer that you probably saw a bunch of us using so you know when you are getting short on time. When you get to a certain point (depends how fast you are getting setup and shooting), stop looking and shoot the targets you found.

There are more things I'm sure I'll think of but that's what I have off the top of my head.

Experience really does make it easier. After more matches you'll get a feel for how the MDs set up the COF and you'll get faster.

Hi Justin thanks for some insight into finding targets.
Ya felt I was doing the basic things well gear management and making sure I was always setting up over the sighting pin and glassing off my tripod. One thing I had trouble with was referencing the sighting limits making sure I was glassing to them.

Ya keep ranging is a good tip, I should have been doing this more.
I was maybe a little to focused on getting my tripod setup for glassing and not looking around enough.
Ya I think half way through the first day I started just trying to shoot the targets I found when I got to two minutes in which did help.

How fast are you scanning and just trying to pick up the placard and slow down looking for targets ?

 

[skipper907]

Align yourself inside the cone where the targets are visible. If they are still putting the black/white marker near the first target, scan quick until you find it. Then, knowing the course of fire because you repeated it in your head 20 times before telling the RO you understood his instruction you can move on to find the others (you already know engagements are left to right, or near to far, etc etc). Generally if it’s taking me time I’ll get on the rifle and engage target one and then engage the next target I found. If the RO tells wrong target, you yell skip and reengage the same target for 1 point. I haven’t been off by more than 1 yet. This allows you to get 3-5 points instead of 0. Took me a few 0’s to make myself just engage what I could find in the first couple minutes.

Thanks for the info
so what you are saying is if there is say 4 targets and you shoot the first then the third and didn't find the second is when you would say skip ?

 

[Justin Crossley]

How fast am I scanning? I'm not sure how I would answer that. I just try to be methodical.

 

[skipper907]

I shot my first two matches recently and I also was an RO for both of them. I absolutely sucked at locating targets. There was a wide disparity in the competitors and many struggled but the good ones just have gift as well as lots of practice. The regular competitors just had a gut feeling where to look and they would be on the gun in 30 seconds. I asked a few of the better ones and the info I remember was if its near to far sweep left to right horizontally from the bottom and go up and if its left to right sweep up and down moving right. Even when I was given clues my eyes just do not lock in. That is not new for me as it's the same when hunting with buddies and I have good eyes. I hope to RO as many events as I can and I will only shoot skills going forward until I have a reasonable success rate.

Ya thats some what I did understand some people have a "sense" on where to look better. Which is good for them but not helpful for you or I trying to learn.
I guess I expected the first target being easier to find and the others being harder on stages. Which maybe was the case I just didn't pick up on it
One helpful tip I got was to always setup your tripod to the height you would shoot from for glassing which was helpful.

 

[skipper907]

How fast am I scanning? I'm not sure how I would answer that. I just try to be methodical.

I guess as fast as you feel you can scan to pick up the placard with out missing it ? and maybe faster close in and slower the father out you are looking ?

For me compared to hunting when you scan very slow to pick up detail. Verse this game its somewhat about speed

 

[Justin Crossley]

I guess as fast as you feel you can scan to pick up the placard with out missing it ? and maybe faster close in and slower the father out you are looking ?

For me compared to hunting when you scan very slow to pick up detail. Verse this game its somewhat about speed

I think it depends more on the terrain for me. The placards can be really hard to see depending on the lighting and sometimes they are even painted brown. If the field is open grass, I'll scan very quickly but I'll scan slower if it's thick sage or juniper.

One thing that helped a lot is switching to Swarovski EL Range. I think they are the best for picking up targets and anything else is a disadvantage. The Leica and Zeiss are close but the Sig, Vortex, and Revic are not as good for picking up the steel targets. And even when you see them with the lesser optics it can be really hard to clearly see the outline which then takes up more of your time talking with the RO to figure out if it's your target or not.

 

[skipper907]

Ok thanks
Ya I have the swaro el range covered. However I thought I had the angle comp on when it turns out I didn't and that cost me some.
Ya at times I found targets some times for the wrong stage.
Also on one stage the target looked like a rock which I should have clarified with RO.
Again thanks for the info it gives me things to think about when I get a chance to shoot another match next year.
I was also just looking for more insight kind of from a non RO perspective. Which most all tried to be helpful but I think had a little different view when they know where the target is and cant always tell where you are looking.

 

[ChrisAU]

Thanks for the info
so what you are saying is if there is say 4 targets and you shoot the first then the third and didn't find the second is when you would say skip ?

Yes sir, you wouldn't know if it was 2nd or 3rd or 4th because you haven't found them all. The RO will tell you wrong target if you impact the wrong target though, so then I would yell skip and knowing I had ranged and doped the shot correctly I would re-engage the same target for a 2nd hit, giving me 1 point.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Yes sir, you wouldn't know if it was 2nd or 3rd or 4th because you haven't found them all. The RO will tell you wrong target if you impact the wrong target though, so then I would yell skip and knowing I had ranged and doped the shot correctly I would re-engage the same target for a 2nd hit, giving me 1 point.

If you shoot target one on the first shot, then shoot target three not knowing which one it is and the RO says wrong target, you can either go back and look for target two and attempt a second round impact for one point, or you can say skip and shoot target three for your first round impact at two points.

 

[ChrisAU]

If you shoot target one on the first shot, then shoot target three not knowing which one it is and the RO says wrong target, you can either go back and look for target two and attempt a second round impact for one point, or you can say skip and shoot target three for your first round impact at two points.

Ah nice. I haven't been able to shoot one since last July. Now that you say that that jives. I may be thinking of some NRL Hunter style 22 matches with some different rules.

 

[Johnc427]

One tip a RO gave is a lot of times the pictures of the targets on the placard are taken where they are In landscape. See a ton of rocks in picture? Look at the rimrock. See a bunch of juniper trees? Look closer. See a bunch of sage brush? Look farther away. Generally speaking you can get at least an idea where it’s at. Note those keys features in the picture. This was particularly helpful at Relentless Rifleman in OR.