Hunting Success, Trusting Your Gear

As a hunter myself, I have to admit thatshoulder and pulled the trigger. After rolling half
occasionally all of the stars line up perfectly and Iway back down the hill and wiping the blood from
just happen to get lucky to fill a tag. I would alsomy nose, I figured out I had missed the buck and
have to admit that in 30 years of hunting I canhad a nice circular cut running down the length of
probably count these anomalies on one hand. Imy nose from being scoped with my new rifle
think if you were to take a poll, most huntersscope. This was on the first day of a planned 3
would fall on the side of agreement in this matter.day hunt, so the missing the shot part was not
The only way to be consistently successful in thenear as painful as the harassment I received at
hunting field is through experience, patience, andhunting camp for the remainder of the hunt. Also,
above all, trusting yourself and your equipment.after the humbling experience I couldn't hit a thing
After several years of filling most of my tagsthe rest of the trip because I was too worried
year in and year out I had a year where I did notabout doing more damage to my already
fill a single one. This really had me frustratedmiserable looking nose.
because the only thing I had done differently wasThis is only one example of how trusting your
change my equipment. I had went out and boughthunting gear can make you a more successful
a new rifle and outfitted it with one of the besthunter. I am sure there are hundreds of other
Nikon scopes that I could buy and assumed fillinghunters out there that can tell you how they
my tags would be easier. Needless to say I washave missed a nice trophy by second guessing
wrong! The first shot I got with my new setupthemselves or their equipment. There is absolutely
was on a nice muley that I had stalked to withinnothing wrong with getting new rifles, or new
80 yards. I was lying on my belly and aiming upscopes, or any other new items that come out
the hill; a shot I had made no less the 20 or 30on the market, just make sure you practice with
times before. Anyway, just as soon as the muleythem plenty before putting your pride on the line
turned broadside I put the cross-hairs on itsout in the field with them.