Any member of Rokslide can tell you most of our conversations revolve around gear. People love talking about gear, and rightfully so. Without proper prep or research, it can make or break a hunt. Generally speaking, sportsmen and women spend most of their time preparing for a hunt by scouting, researching, and improving their physical fitness. What is glossed over by the majority of hunters is their marksmanship, yet it happens to be one of the most important aspects of hunting. Queue Modern Day Rifleman.
Modern Day Rifleman
All pre-season prep work does no good if you can not hit your intended target with intention. Relying on luck and limiting your range is unfair to yourself or the animal. With this mindset, I set out to compete in Precision Rifle Competitions to test my ability and improve my marksmanship. I went to a few matches and was blown away by the knowledge of others and, frankly, my lack thereof in precision shooting. I decided to take my marksmanship seriously, so I set out on a quest to learn as much as I could from other good shooters.
This thirst for knowledge and skill lead me to Modern Day Rifleman (MDR). MDR is an online community that offers a platform for like-minded people and instruction on multiple levels. Led by Phillip Velayo and Caylen Wojcik. Both men have vast experience in the military as snipers and work within the same discipline in civilian life. They are the type of people that when they speak, you should listen. Caylen’s wife, Kassandra, also plays an integral role within MDR as she teaches Headspace Hub (more on that later).
Online Masterclasses
The first instruction offering is the online masterclasses such as Intro to Long Range Shooting and Fundamentals of Marksmanship. There are nine classes as of this writing and more are coming in the future, such as “Prep To Hunt.” I had the opportunity to try out the two aforementioned classes. These masterclasses are not your typical online learning videos. They are broken down into sections and come with a PDF manual of anywhere from 30-50 pages. More info here
MDR isn’t a couple of guys just videoing themselves in the backyard. They have put tremendous work into each section of the masterclass, which shows in the end product. With the amount of video and downloadable material, the $200-$400 you will pay for a masterclass looks pretty cheap. I have spent the same amount on other instructional material and received far less.
Modern Day Rifleman Subscription Option
MDR also offers a monthly subscription service for about $38.00 a month, giving you access to the network, monthly Q&A sessions, and shooting drill assignments. This package gives you access to a course called Headspace Hub. Typically led by Kassandra Wojcik, this has been one of my favorite series. She focuses on mindset, and it has really helped me not only to be a better shooter but has helped me be a better person, father, and husband! For this alone, the monthly subscription is worth it. The improvement in my shooting is merely a bonus.
Website and App Available
The website is a little tricky to navigate and involves watching tutorial videos to help understand the flow. With so much information on the platform, I do not know if there is a better solution. You can also download the app, which I found very helpful. I can listen to lessons while driving or cooking dinner. The app also allows notifications for topics I’m following, or if someone sends me a message, making it more straightforward to be involved in discussion.
Modern Day Rifleman Has Made Me Better
Since starting MDR, I have found a noticeable difference in marksmanship. Instead of missing and not understanding why or how, I can now take the input from the miss and apply it to my next shot.
This is also true with reading impacts on the target and adjusting the next shots to the center of the target. My scores at matches reflected this as well. I won my first match with a teammate who is also a member of MDR. Undoubtedly, we would not have done as well without being a part of this network. Heading into hunting season, I feel more confident in producing a cleaner kill. This goes with marksmanship and when NOT to shoot. I suggest we all take this responsibility seriously when heading out into the woods this fall. Check it out!
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