Thread: Taupo range

Greetings All,
I never cease to be amazed how poorly equipped some people are for navigation when entering the bush. One had photographed the sign at the carpark, better than nothing I suppose. Two young chaps, without any map whatsoever were on the wrong track completely. I gave them a spare photocopy I had but don't know if they had any idea how to read it. Recently I talked to a party who had failed to get to the right carpark even though there were plenty of signs. They could get to the hut from where they were but it would be much longer and it was already into the afternoon. I heard nothing so assume they all got home OK.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Masperjay

I feel like you've completely missed the point of this discussion.

This is about having somewhere to shoot and zero without having to be worried.

If what you're describing is what you're wanting to do , there are clubs for that kind of thing , Service Rifle , @Gillie 's practical rifle events , TLRS Long range shoots , etc.

If you're talking about being lightning fast at 5m , perhaps you should buy some assless chaps? I hear the Cowboy action dudes are into that kind of thing.

Your Boyfriend may like to see you in your chaps but I sure don't . And no pictures my eyes are bed enough as it is .

You are completely missing the point , shooting at static targets in a known time at known distances is nothing of any value. It is all about working under pressure , I have watched target shooters under pressure aim for the front of an animal at 15m and hit it in the arse but were able to make a 100m shot when time was not of the essence .
Being able to shoot fast and hit what you aim at multiple times is all about a fast aim and reading the situation . You do not get the luxury of a natural point of aim . The ability to not panic and squeeze the trigger rather than yanking it .

Originally Posted by Tankd

Your Boyfriend may like to see you in your chaps but I sure don't . And no pictures my eyes are bed enough as it is .

You are completely missing the point , shooting at static targets in a known time at known distances is nothing of any value. It is all about working under pressure , I have watched target shooters under pressure aim for the front of an animal at 15m and hit it in the arse but were able to make a 100m shot when time was not of the essence .
Being able to shoot fast and hit what you aim at multiple times is all about a fast aim and reading the situation . You do not get the luxury of a natural point of aim . The ability to not panic and squeeze the trigger rather than yanking it .

I tremble at your skill bud, All hail the go-fast-eat-ass man.

You must be a Tier One hunter-killer , can't imagine how many high speed Taji Deer you whacked in Kaweka-stan.

Fuck you're hardcore mate, I bet you fell out of the womb stacking bodies.

Get over yourself dude, this thread has flown completely over your head.

Declination east-- magnetic least. (MARINERS DITTY)

Originally Posted by Masperjay

I tremble at your skill bud, All hail the go-fast-eat-ass man.

You must be a Tier One hunter-killer , can't imagine how many high speed Taji Deer you whacked in Kaweka-stan.

Fuck you're hardcore mate, I bet you fell out of the womb stacking bodies.

Get over yourself dude, this thread has flown completely over your head.

When people resort to a personal attack all it shows is the calibre of the person doing the name calling

My there are some really fine people out there!.

Originally Posted by Tankd

When people resort to a personal attack all it shows is the calibre of the person doing the name calling

My there are some really fine people out there!.

Pipe down.

Originally Posted by Gillie

@grandpamac

Dougie competed a couple of our events. The video was our Hihtitahi Challenge - a very cool event. One where my biggest regret was that i never got to compete it myself. Hiking, observation, first aid, distance judging, shooting, flora/fauna, navigation - it challenged a whole range of hunting skills. Unfortunately, after 5 years of running it we never got enough competitors to make the match break even cost wise. Pretty sad for us as we really enjoyed running it.
@Bagheera competed that match just about every year we ran it.

would this be young lass Dougie???? who used to be regular poster on forums??

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

would this be young lass Dougie???? who used to be regular poster on forums??

Greetings Micky,
Yes to the first two at least.

This is the range I was at yesterday south of Hastings. Also includes shotgun and is not open to the public. The butts are at 107 metres for some reason.
Regards GPM.

Four position unsupported is the basis for hunting. Often you use a rest or have to improvise of course, but you can only do that well once you can do the basics on the range. An average competent range shooter will be a good shot out hunting. Even someone who's just done a couple of seasons smallbore (22 prone w sling and aperture sights) has a big head start out on the hill.

Originally Posted by Bagheera

Four position unsupported is the basis for hunting. Often you use a rest or have to improvise of course, but you can only do that well once you can do the basics on the range. An average competent range shooter will be a good shot out hunting. Even someone who's just done a couple of seasons smallbore (22 prone w sling and aperture sights) has a big head start out on the hill.

Greetings @Bagheera,
Agreed. The .22RF also teaches follow through due to long barrel time. Any tendency to snatch the shot shows up on the target. Endless practice either prone or from a bench with a bipod or rest and a rear bag helps little for short to medium range hunting. It may help for longer range shooting if done at longer range like FTR and similar disciplines. 4P shooting as in the NZDA comps seems to have faded to the point of non existence in some areas in some parts of the country like Hawkes Bay to my regret.
Regards Grandpamac.

Here, a public thank you to @Gillie whose field shoots are another step up.
The walking around kindly opened up farm land is very nice and his "stages" have offered practice in all sorts techniques you can use in the hills hunting deer, chamois or whatever.
Sometimes you're sitting on a sheep track on the side of a hill, sometimes draped prone over a nice boulder, sometimes squeezed between manuka bushes on your tiptoes. Always with a time limit. It's a bit like hunting goats in open country. Plus shooting way out with your hunting rifle on a daypack or bipod across a gully in the wind - could you really kill that 358m tahr first shot ? Kneeling 20 degrees downhill at 273m ? Three shots in 20 seconds offhand at 15m ?

He's also held a lot of "practical" style events that require trick shooting like hitting an orange target close between two white "hostages" or "know your limits": shooting smaller and smaller targets and you can stop whenever you want but if you miss you lose all your points, or shooting from a wooden frame a few feet above the ground, changing position for each shot off a wooden tripod. The standard has gone up over the years and there are quite a few people now who can walk that walk (I struggle).

As for the Hihitahi Challenge, it's just a great day out and over the years has given me incentive to do a first aid course, study plant and bird identification and brush up on my map and compass work (a prismatic compass and protractor would help but I've stubbornly stuck with the Silva). I think all NZDA HUNTS instructors should be required to complete that course from time to time. As for why we didn't get more participants, I think for a lot of people if they've got a free weekend they'd rather go out hunting. I always spent a day or two in the Kaimanawas after Hihitahi. The practical/tactical/target style shooters often aren't so into the bushcraft aspect and don't feel the conflicting pull of the hills so much. Hats off to Gillie and team - you need a large and dedicated crew to run an event like that.