Shooting with pack on

[Obsessed1]

Not sure if this is the right spot for this but, I am looking for ideas/ tricks / methods for shooting a rifle with a pack on. I know there will be a few who say just take it off but my style ( still hunting, tracking, and calling ) often doesn't give opportunity to pull it off before shooting. Any tricks for shooting with the shoulder strap on? I find it a bit awkward....looking for ideas.

 

[Dave_]

1) Practice
2) take off or change up butt pad on stock

That's all I got

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[wilbur007]

I'll second "practice", even if it's standing in your basement with all of your layers on, wearing your backpack and shouldering your rifle. I hunted in much colder temperatures this fall and ended up wearing thicker layers under my pack. I completely forgot to anticipate just how different this made lifting and shouldering my rifle.

So clearly I need a warm weather rifle, a medium cold rifle and a deep cold rifle, all with different stock lengths. (Right?)

 

[5MilesBack]

Practice shooting how you hunt. I always shot with my pack on while rifle hunting, and I do the same while bowhunting. With bowhunting, I don't even consciously recognize that the pack is even there. It's just second nature. It was the same for rifle hunting.

 

[ElkNut1]

X2 5 MilesBack!

ElkNut

 

[fishslap]

I keep the shoulder strap a little loose on my left side (I’m a lefty) that way I can push it out of the way. I absolutely have to do this when I’m hunting with my traditional muzzleloaders due to the curved shape of the buttplate.
Move your scope back a bit more than you would if just shooting at the range with normal clothes. I need to do this with my 270wsm this year after noticing the last few years that I have to creep up a bit on the scope in hunting clothes. I also thought about grinding the thick recoil pad down.

 

[Achigan1]

Practice. I kinda shrug my right shoulder strap to the outside if I don’t have time to drop the pack. I take the pack to the range often.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I’ll add to avoid using the chest strap, makes it easier to slip it out of the way.

 

[wyosam]

I just practice with it on for the distances I would be shooting at with it on (Generally 250 and in). If its further than that, chances are that I am taking it off prior to the shot. I don’t find it particularly cumbersome to shoot with, just chances are if I’m shooting very far I’m using it as a rest.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[AaronMColeman]

Anything more than 100y I'll probably be able to get my pack off. So I would consider this an issue of off-hand shooting. Off-hand is way harder than most people consider, and way less practiced than most people claim.

I shoot off hand fairly regularly usually 100y and sometimes 150y. I can shoot maybe 4 MOA which is not great. It is a tough shot to make that needs practice. Bring the pack to to the range.

I think we try to practice all sorts of shots and angles. But at the end of the day, I've had to take shots I could never have really practiced properly for...like my bull last year snuck up behind me and I basically shot 50y over my shoulder, tough 50y shot that I couldn't really practice. But practicing all sorts of other shooting scenarios makes it easier to adapt on the fly in the .05 seconds you sometimes have to make a decision.

 

[Bl704]

Unbuckle sternum strap, loosen shoulder straps. Practice with pack.

 

[wyosam]

Anything more than 100y I'll probably be able to get my pack off. So I would consider this an issue of off-hand shooting. Off-hand is way harder than most people consider, and way less practiced than most people claim.

I shoot off hand fairly regularly usually 100y and sometimes 150y. I can shoot maybe 4 MOA which is not great. It is a tough shot to make that needs practice. Bring the pack to to the range.

I think we try to practice all sorts of shots and angles. But at the end of the day, I've had to take shots I could never have really practiced properly for...like my bull last year snuck up behind me and I basically shot 50y over my shoulder, tough 50y shot that I couldn't really practice. But practicing all sorts of other shooting scenarios makes it easier to adapt on the fly in the .05 seconds you sometimes have to make a decision.

I find the best practice is while hiking. I usually wear the same pack I hunt in anyway, so sometimes I’ll bring along my 22 (which happens to feel identical to my hunting rifle, down to trigger pull weight) and pick a random shot here and there- pine cone, rock etc. Both while rested and after exertion. Off hand or quick lean against a tree type shots or similar ways a quick shot might need to be made. Great cheap practice, and adds realism vs wearing a pack at the range. Side benefit of no peanut gallery judging group size, which is specially annoying from a person who wants to compare them to their 100 yard group from a 20 pound bench gun.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Obsessed1]

90% of my shots on game are within bow range. I hunt elk, WT deer, and moose. I call, track, and still hunt. Generally my shot opportunities are fast and short. I generally hunt with open sights or 1-5 powered scopes. I'll just keep practicing what I'm doing...just wondered if someone had an AHA idea I haven't tried yet...thanks

 

[jeffminokla]

Are you packing the animal out or just using the pack to carry essentials? If I'm not going to be carrying the animal out, I use a repurposed camera lens pack to carry knife, food, small 1st aid, etc.

 

[roosiebull]

Practice shooting how you hunt. I always shot with my pack on while rifle hunting, and I do the same while bowhunting. With bowhunting, I don't even consciously recognize that the pack is even there. It's just second nature. It was the same for rifle hunting.

roger that!

 

[bootstrap]

Agree with the above post

 

[Obsessed1]

Are you packing the animal out or just using the pack to carry essentials? If I'm not going to be carrying the animal out, I use a repurposed camera lens pack to carry knife, food, small 1st aid, etc.

Packing game back out.

 

[brsnow]

Make sure you test how your butt pad sounds on your straps. Some will speak loud. Just practice, i rarely have my pack off.

 

[Next Ridge]

Practice shooting how you hunt. I always shot with my pack on while rifle hunting, and I do the same while bowhunting. With bowhunting, I don't even consciously recognize that the pack is even there. It's just second nature. It was the same for rifle hunting.

^^that. Practice is more important than any one technique

 

[jeffminokla]

Packing game back out.

Then disregard my advice. Definitely won't work for your circumstance.