The ideal shooting position sitting down?

[Nade 1]

When I go out for a hunting session, I spend some time just before checking my zero, as you do, and making sure that when I sit down I get comfortable when holding the air rifle in the right position.

Lately, when I go out to my permissions, when I spot the target (Generally a Rabbit) I now find it very awkward to get a comfortable seating position. I cant find the right comfortable way to sit down while holding the air rifle steady. I forgot to mention the rifle is a pro sport, so generally has quite some weight to it.

 

 

How have you found your ideal seated position? (On open ground, no trees available)

 

Thanks

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Seated no use you stick out like very sore thumb, remember them little bunnies are there every day, they see you scanning round like a machinegun post and it is straight down the burrow until you go home, try prone and look at this...

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/182473-spring-air-rifle-shooting/

 

and this,

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/187884-prone-position-stability/page__pid__2423828__st__60?do=findComment&comment=2423828

 

Made all the difference to my bunny bagging! I do not know who told you the seated shot is best but get 20 metres downwind of where they come out to play, lay flat, wait and shoot the little baskets!

[Nade 1]

Will definitely have a good read later after work. Thanks for those links and advice.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Pianoman helped me a lot, made me the marksman I am today, including doing trickshot pheasant plugging, (blasted trees, read my hunting post later)!

[zini 1,939]

Mike if you are going to give advice please make sure its correct pal. Telling lads shooting rabbits from the seated position is a waist of time is incorrect and shows your lack of actual experience on the subject. Try looking at some of my older clips on youtube and you will see ne down in Brighton at Johns permission static hunting from the sitting position and shooting bunny after bunny with a HW97KT. Like i have said time and time again in many posts, use of the wind, slow and slight movements and use of camoflauge and the back ground your sitting against is the key. A comfortable position is sat on a shooting bag with your back facing a tree or fence within range of your potential target. Lift yours knees to your stomach and rest the rifle on your left hand if right handed ontop of your left knee. Ensure your sitting in such a way that when you raise the scope slowly to your eye the weapon is pointing naturally at the Target or your not in the correct sitting position.

 

If your still not happy with my answer look at John Darlings air rifle book and look at the picture of him shooting summer bunnies using the technique I've just wrote about with his old HW77.

 

Sometime in the near future VerminHunterstv will do a show on this subject giving tips and tricks to getting great results from the sitting position.

 

Si.

Edited January 7, 2012 by zini

[Daz 7 563]

Correct Mr Zini,

 

Most of My shooting is on My Butt with bean bag under neath and back to tree for good stabillity like Si says, If your comfortable in your stance whatever position your doing thats half the battle

Listen to Si

 

regards Daz.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Zini and Daz read again, it reads to me like the OP is sat in the middle of a field scanning round looking for rabbits.

Let us pretend you are Mr Bunnykins, Would you go willingly out into the field when you can see someone sat in the middle of it with a gun?

That is why in the scenario he is describing I would recommend prone position, as should you Zini being armed forces, keeps your visibility down!

Edited January 7, 2012 by secretagentmole

[Daz 7 563]

Mike, you can sit in the Middle of a field and still shoot rabbits without full Ghillie and camoflage and stuck in the prone position, As long as your movements are slow and Deliberate and a extremely patient.

I'm Afraid Mike your Inexperience is showing again Mate

ps Have a look at hunters vermin vids, Slow and deliberate is the key

 

atvb Daz.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Daz 7

[zini 1,939]

As stated with or without trees the technique works. A sitting position if done correctly is better than a unsupported prone. Mike the rabbits I shoot dont shoot back at you so I know as long as I'm in the correct position, slow and methodical I shoot better from the sitting position with a recoiling rifle than I would from a unsupported prone. What if there's also a crop in the field or stubble? Prone is not the answer. Rabbits will sit and eat while you get into position if your movements are slow. How do you think you get into the prone position Mike VIA a cloaking device? You still need to get into it. The post was about a comfy shooting position but you started giving inacurate advice talking about stuff you obviosly have no experience in, quoting Simon as you do again and again and forgeting about the other ways to skin a cat.

 

Simon is undoubtedly a excellant shot, I know ive hunted and shot with him twice and witnessed his talent and he gives the best advice to each shooting position he covers, but both times me and him hunted we both was on open ground with the odd tree and we both static hunted from the sitting position.

 

On one occassion a small rabbit popped out and run by me, I didn't shoot it as it was no sport so left it. Simon aploided me for being a sportsman.

 

I know if you asked him he would also agree that a correct sitting position is good to shoot all quarry from.

 

Nade as ive said already we will do a clip later of how to get into a correct seated position when out shooting using objects and no objects, ie with and without trees and fences.

 

It's proven and as accounted for hundreds of rabbits both in the open and against a tree in the past so don't dispear mate.

 

Si.

Edited January 7, 2012 by zini

[Tanican 24]

Most of the shooting I do in my garden is from the sitting rested and sitting not rested on anything positions. I find them very comfy and I gain excellent results with my little Ultra. I've not shot live rabbits but i can agree with Zini (si) when he says if you can get into either sitting position slowly and correctly shooting rabbits will be very achievable and to a good distance. Another point is Zini as been doing this and shooting rabbits from different positions for a long time and he as the proof it works So I can see why your straight negative comment to the original poster was answered in such a way to correct your point. In the work I do I learnt long ago to not comment in a negative way to things if I had no experience in the topic.

I think you sir have fallen into that pit.

T.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Tanican

[Nade 1]

I highly appreciate the information that you gentlemen have provided me, especially being extremely experienced in the field and your wide base of knowledge. I understand people have different techniques, some may differ in opinions than others but I will take all this with stride and try to model myself into what you gentlemen are. Si, I will be learning from your videos and begin improving my techniques, It would be a great asset to view a video which you have created on different seating positions on different surfaces. I will try to learn from all of you and what you have experienced.

I hope from my thread I haven't caused any embroilment, Its in non of my intentions.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Nade

[andyfr1968 772]

As Si and Daz have said, there's nothing at all wrong with shooting from a seated position even if you're sat in the middle of a field. As has been said, so long as your movements are slow, you're aware of where the rabbits are looking as you move, you keep quiet and down wind, you'll be fine

 

I normally shoot seated as I can't shoot from a prone position because of a shoulder injury and I've never had too many problems as a result. Follow Si's advice mate, and you'll be fine.

 

Cheers.

[Nade 1]

As Si and Daz have said, there's nothing at all wrong with shooting from a seated position even if you're sat in the middle of a field. As has been said, so long as your movements are slow, you're aware of where the rabbits are looking as you move, you keep quiet and down wind, you'll be fine

 

I normally shoot seated as I can't shoot from a prone position because of a shoulder injury and I've never had too many problems as a result. Follow Si's advice mate, and you'll be fine.

 

Cheers.

 

Thanks Andy,

What a forum community!

 

Brilliant, thanks a lot gentlemen.

[silentshot1 206]

The seated position was the first position my Father taught me, describing it as the best for comfort, stability and ease of observation. Still agree with him fully.

 

Last September I was sitting on a down waiting for rabbits and ended up with three Roe Deer grazing around me. Amazing experience and just proves that if you remain still enough, you can fool even the most wary of creatures.

[andyz 30]

Good read here chaps, I've never really given much thought to shooting seated. I've always tended to shoot either prone or kneeling (sat on foot). I will definately be putting a little more thought into it next time and look forward to seeing some examples on verminhunterstv.

 

It's good to have these posts, I never know what I'm going to learn next!!!

 

Cheers everyone.

 

ATB, Andy