Practice shots vs. hunting shots each year

[Newtosavage]

I was getting ready to head to the range again the other day, and it occurred to me that each year, I probably shoot 200-300 shots at the range with my hunting rifles, compared to maybe 3-4 shots on game, all year. I'm not sure I'm quite at 100:1 ratio, but it's probably close.

I also know plenty of folks who will grab a box of 20 rounds and that will last them the entire season (or more!).

What do you think is your practice to hunting shot ratio?

 

[Fatcamp]

I have shot maybe 20 rounds this year out of a rifle. I also have no rifle tags. Now archery is a different story. I shoot every day and have been for months. Probably gonna be 1000/1 by the time the seasons over.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I shoot my rifles quite a bit, I like reloading and trying different bullets and just getting out to shoot. This hunting season I shot 3 bullets.

 

[TNKnoxville]

So far 100 shots from my 300 Win Mag and 50 from my 30 06. Gets expensive!!!!!!!!! It's been great to see how both rifles react to my form.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

I’m probably in the 100:1 range most years.
I also use my big game rifles on woodchucks and coyotes a couple times a year.
If you factor in rimfire shooting and squirrel hunting it really adds up. It’s not exactly the same but it does help reinforce muscle memory.

 

[robtattoo]

Every year before this I would have said closer to 250:1, but I only need 3 deer & a couple of hogs a year so, I don't take many hunting shots. This year, I actually made it to the range for the first time, last week. Before all this nonsense, i was there a minimum twice a month. I still burned through 30 each for my .358 & '06, plus another 60 or so in the .223 though.

Edit to add: If you wanted to throw flat out practice with ALL guns, I'd have to say far closer to 1000:1
Those .22s & ARs sure do get through a bunch!

 

[hodgeman]

I think 100:1 to is a good target to shoot for for a centerfire rifle. Some years I'm slightly higher and some years slightly less. Of course, that's grouping all my centerfires together. I hunt a lot with my .300, but I don't shoot it nearly 100:1 more like 40:1 or 50:1...but my 6.5CM is likely 150:1 or 200:1 since I just shoot it a lot more.

Archery...1000:1 easy.

Shotguns....0:1. I never shoot my shotgun for fun or practice.

 

[Corvus Corax]

I might get take 3-4 shots on game. Probably around the same 100:1 with centerfire big game rifles. If you throw rimfire and air rifles in, that ratio goes way way up. I also shoot a lot of 5 stand in a typical year which I think translates to field shooting.

 

[chindits]

Probably 120:0 rifle depending what the snow does on 4 th rifle. And didn’t draw a bow tag again so that probably 800:0

 

[tdot]

I'm closer to 500:1 this year, but that includes load development for my 4 hunting rifles and I came back from a sheep hunt with all of my ammo. But in a typical year I'm closer to 200-300. I prefer to practice field shooting postions as much as possible and still would prefer to send more down range.

 

[elkguide]

I'm very lucky as I have the ability to shoot up to 500 yards right in my back yard. I reload and shoot quite a bit but I hadn't really thought about the numbers much until just last week. I was in a local gun shop and someone was mouthing off about how crazy the thought that people could actually shoot out a barrel. The gun shop owner looked to me and asked me how many rounds I had shot that day before I got to the shop. I paused and thought back and told them that I had taken a .300 Win Mag and a .300 RUM and had shot 30 rounds through the WM and 40 through the RUM. The gun shop owner just smiled and asked how many days that I had shot that week and I responded that I had shot 2 previous days that week. The gun shop owner turned to the loud mouth and told him that it was a good thing that I was getting older, had lots of rifles and didn't shoot as much as I used to!

So to answer your question, if I don't include rimfire rounds, I probably only shot 1500 - 2000 high power rounds last year at paper/steel. I shot a cow elk and 4 whitetail deer, each with 1 shot a piece.

 

[Reburn]

Centerfire High power aka not gas guns
hundreds : 1 on game
Probably a scary amount. More then 300:1
Non game : meh I shoot a lot of non game. Pigs, coyotes, praire dogs

Rimfire
20:1 much less after they are dialed in lots of coons and some rabbits.

Shotgun
easy 1:100 Ill shoot a little bit of skeet nowdays but generally if I pull a shotgun out I'm going to the field.

Pistol
unlimited : 0 - I havent had to shoot a human or bear.

Archery
1000:1 easy

 

[Dhbwa]

I shoot almost every week although not a bunch each trip. I love reloading and testing. So I am probably 1000:1....

 

[willfrye027]

until this year, I was the guy who used a factory box of 20 rounds for a few years. Maybe a group of 3 to verify zero...the rest were shot at coyotes and deer. I never missed a deer with my rifle because I knew my limits and stalked in for a closer shot. I was strictly a deer hunter and it worked just fine. This year I dove headfirst into reloading and long(ish) range shooting. Just got done shooting steel at 620 getting reading for upcoming rifle hunts.

probably I’ll shoot a deer at 100 yards again this year and it won’t matter

 

[Deplorable77]

Per year average
Bolt guns 900-1500
Gas operated center fire 15-25k
Rimfire 10-15k
Handgun 12-15k

This is for myself and two sons (13&17)

 

[Rich M]

It all depends on what the game plan is for the year. Most years I only check my zero cause hunting ranges are typically inside 150 yards. Taking a rare trip out west with a 300 yd + shot potential and I'll shoot a couple hundred rounds.

So for 2017 antelope hunt fired at least 250 rounds over 5-6 range trips (shot 2 - 1 at 25 yds and the other at 350 yds),
2018 225 yd whitetail kill, fired about 10 rounds over 1 range trip (shot 2 - 1 at 75/100 yds and other at 225 yds),
2019 mule deer hunt, fired over 300 rounds over 6-8 range trips (shot 1 at 220 yds).

This year hunting local and ammo and components are in short supply - figuring 2 or 3 range trips with minimal rounds per trip. Not gonna burn thru a bunch of hard to replace ammo at this point - just need to confirm zero at the various ranges and call it a day. Will shoot a couple rifles, and was working up loads a bit earlier this year so muscle memory should be there.

Scored some 95 gr .243 partitions the other day so will chrono them and get em zeroed for 250 if they will shoot tight enough. I've only got 150 bullets, so need to go easy on them.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

We don’t have a rifle season in MA so I had never shot a bolt gun before this year. I started getting interested in shooting for my general tag coming up so In true Rokslide fashion I now own 3 bolt guns and reload for all. I have somewhere in the range of 650-700 shots between the 3 of them and have never shot at an animal.

 

[Ryan Avery]

This year is my lowest round count in a long time. I have shot over 3,000 rounds this year and will end up killing 3-5 animals. The fact is people don't practice enough and wonder why they miss or worse yet wound the animal they have waited all year to kill.

 

[bruceleroy]

Im in the neighborhood of 400/500:1 every year. I just like to shoot and see it as a skill that is perishable and practice accordingly.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Phew y'all are crazy, I shoot maybe a box of 20 to check zero and call it good. For some reason, I'm a self-labeled "terrible" range shot (can't ever shoot touching groups) but knock every deer down.

Probably the odd man out though, I really truly hate shooting my rifles at the range and around other folks.