Today while cruizing thru the TV channels, I ran across a show, "Roger Somthing's Outdoors".
The show portrayed two Varmit hunters with some VERY neat high powered, Cartrige Firing rigs, shooting out a Prarrie Dog town. The topic of the Show was centered around some "crack shot", and his ability to shoot well in high wind at long range. Hunting was not very well represented on this TV Show to say the least...
Within a brief 5 minute spot, I observed some VERY unsportsmanlike hits, leaving the Varmits wrathing in pain from barelly being hit (there were NO gentlemanlly and humane follow-up, "kill shots"either.) In view after view, the shooters shown patting themselves on the back for just being barely able to hit and able to painfully wound the Prarie Dogs! That single,1/2 hr show did immeasurable damage to the fine sport of shooting. No wonder the anti -gun public hates shooting so?
As Airgunners and Hunters, we pride ourselves with making the most positive, clean, and humane kills on Varmits and I thank one and all of you for your endevors being able to shoot well enough to keep your shots within kill zones and dispatching your prey with the most sportsmanlike skill possible!
Airgunners generally pratice tight grouping, pseudo hunting games (ie: F/T), stalk and use carefully estimated ranges (learned only through dilligent pratice) all to make sure to get the most out of the equipment and the shooters skill. I applaud what you all do to avoid such careless, cruel, and stupid preformances!
I wish certain other elements of our shooting sport would follow your fine example and learn to shoot well! I also wish they would refrain from presenting examples such poor sportsmanship (Especally on public TV), as it teriffically harms all the shooting sports!
After seeing this fiasco on TV, I took the oppurtunity this afternoon to shoot a trio of my rifles at Targets in moderate winds (20-25mph), to check the effects for myself. 3 Rifles were chosen, all .177 caliber, all scoped. A Beeman r-11, a Diana Model 40, and a RWS Model 92. Targets and tin cans were arranged between 40 and 75 yards, (targets at 20 and 30 yards, cans and plastic bottles beyond that).
On the 20 yard target grouping suffered only slightlly, groups shifting an average of 1/4" to 3/8" to the side and trajectory generally unaffected
On the 30 yard paper, groups opened up at least 40% over calm conditions and wind shift caused not only L to R shifting, but vertical dispursions also. Various pellet styles suffered more than others.
The Cans and Plastic Bottles placed at 40 to 70 yards were an extreme challenge just to hit regularilly! Irregular wind gusting affected the pellets in every direction!
Humane Hunting under these conditions is best forgotten and reserved for calm days. One's groups are too irregular to count on. Plinking is a fun endevor, and shooting in such windy conditions can present a fun challenge and a good way to learn the limits of your equipment!
Please, don't make a "Wind Dope" of yourselves as these TV Shooters did!
A Happy and SAFE 4th of July to you and yours!
ZVP