Learn to shoot live targets

[Reg Creep]

I'm not only new to hunting, or more accurately pesting, I'm new to guns in general.

Been blasting lead at my 50 yard target as fast as I can. I have a great space where I can set up targets at a variety of distances from say 10 to 75 yards.

...I got me a nuisance which I'm motivated to eliminate. Ready to trudge right out there and set up for the night. But, it occurs to me I ain't got the foggiest clue about shooting a target at a distance I'm not "set up" to shoot at.

What are some good strategies, tips, and considerations for going after live game at night? Particularly in regards to using a regular scope and a red/green light. (I don't have night vision.)

This particular nuisance will likely be < 30 yard shot, in bushes, and in and around water. Follow up shots are unlikely.


Thanks in advance!

 

[Ranchibi]

If you can, practice shooting at the distances you think/know your quarry will be. One should also practice at different distances and make notes to self (write down or put in phone notes) on those distances! Helps to be quiet and stealthy too. Good luck!

 

[cea1960]

I set up targets in the places I frequently saw pests at night. During the day I practiced shooting (from a 2nd story window) to get the hold over/under correct. I made a diagram for the holds and posted at the shooting window. Then when the pests showed up, there was no guessing.

Also, try leaving outside lights on. I found the pests became accustomed to them and payed no mind.

 

[kayaker]

Too start off with, what particular nuisance are you planning to send too the sky ? Some animals spook with different colors of light also how strong the beam is. We can suggest all kinds of stuff but knowing the pest ups the odds. Do you have a lighted reticle ? Have you thought of Shot Placement ?

 

[Reg Creep]

I have a permit to destroy beaver that are damming my property.

I do have a lighted reticle.
My rifle mounted flashlight is @ 500 lumens in red or green.

My rifle is currently shooting 35 FPE, but I plan to increase to @ 50 FPE.
I am planning for head or body shots. Will still do more research. They have moved into a more densely brushed area, so I don't expect to have many perfect shot opportunities. Their den may be a preferable location to set up as it is less crowded.

I may set up low in a tree.

Trapping season doesn't open for a month. I can have my neighbor trap them then and he can get a few sheckles for the hide. But I have to break multiple dams daily, and my back is motivating me to start doing this pesting I've been planning on sooner rather than later.

 

[Reg Creep]

Specific pest aside, I'm also looking for tips regarding "hold over/under" or quality resources on scope use and ranging.

 

[delooper]

I've always found beaver to be pretty calm and slow-moving. Until they realize they're in danger, it should be pretty easy shooting. Are you shooting suppressed?

Rats, mice and squirrel kind of dance around so you just have to get into the rhythm of how they move, or wait until they're stationary -- usually when they're eating.

But beaver seem to always slow down and become contemplative.

 

[kayaker]

There is a couple of guys on the forum that do very well shooting them, but have not seen them on here for a while. One goes by Monkeyshine I believe and not sure of the other. If they are swimming you only have a window of about 11/2" for a head shot and the lead depends on how fast they are moving. It's quite challenging, practice at a stick if you have running water. I hunt nutria's and have about as many miss's as hits. A range finder is helpful during the day if you can hang a piece of that color tape on a tree branch for a certain distance it helps for faster shots. Do you have any luck seeing them in the day or early in the morning ? Set some targets up at 5 yd. spacing and make a range card.

 

[Reg Creep]

Great stuff!

Yes, I have a moderator.

Shooting a stick in running water is a great idea! Watching a few videos this would seem to mimic their pace well.
Also like the idea of setting out some range flags.

I have not seen them during the day yet, but I've also not given them the chance to show themselves. They are in a creek which crosses many acres of overgrown pasture and then goes under a road, then into a little a tiny gulch. They can hide easily at any time. I never just see them out doing the backstroke. Their den is in the pasture. They were damming at the culvert, but have moved into the gulch due to my harassment.

I'm goin to set a whole bunch of targets scattered between 10 - 40 yards and practice shooting between them. Maybe zero my scope @ 25 yards. Then I'll try and shoot some floating things.

 

[LDP]

I have shot a few beavers. I always setup early morning being ready at first light. They are fairly easy to pattern at least the ones I shot in my pond. I would catch them on the bank either grooming or chewing on a stick and give them one to the head. I wasnt into high power airguns back then so I always used a 22 mag and shots were 35 - 45 yds. If I was doing it now with my pcp airguns I would be going for a head shot. They can be pretty good sized with really thick pelts. I wouldnt trust a body shot on one unless you dont care about where or when it dies. All the ones I shot did the death dance and made allot of racket since they always fell into the water after the shot. The only animals I have seen dance as hard have been coons and ground squirrels.

 

[ZedCee]

Ahhh, "beaver"

Can be "tricky" to get 'em. Some are easy, but most... You have to work at it. But when you finally get one, it's quite satisfying.

 

[kayaker]

Talk to your game department they may help with your problem.

 

[L.Leon]

Talk to your game department they may help with your problem.

On the local rail trail a landowner was having the same issue where the beaver were flooding his property. The DEC had a culvert put in that drains the pond slowly. This has worked for the beavers and the landowner.

 

[tcarlson777]

A friend of mine had a similar problem with beavers. The game warden helped him set traps and his problem was gone in about a month of trapping. Just an idea, since they are tough to shoot.

 

[Gerry52]

As far as tips for holdover/under here's how I learned. I always zero at 50 yards. In the beginning, after zeroing, I'd set up small targets (3" diameter) every 10 feet out to 100 yards. Then I took copious notes on my holdovers & PRACTICED until they were burned into my memory. That's how I did it & that's the advice I offer.

 

[JimD]

My zero strategy is different. I pick the maximum distance where my mid distance rise is no more than 1/4 inch. That is usually 30-40 yards. With my bullpups that allows me to ignore the distance from 20 yards or a bit less to 40 yards. Mainly that can cause an issue up-close for me. Aiming one mil dot high with my scope set at 6X works well for a 10 yard shot. With a lower scope, your zero may need to be maybe 5 yards closer but you will be much closer up close. A beaver is bigger so you might be able to up the rise to 1/2 inch.

 

[trent.sears]

I can't help you with beaver specifically, and I'm fairly ignorant in air rifles as I'm just getting back into them. However I've hunted a lot so I'll give you some generic advice, some of which you've already gotten. Set up hides or blinds with known distances, shooting lanes, and rest already figured out. If possible/legal set some sort of bait to draw the game to specific points. Imagine hunting scenarios while you are out and about. Estimate ranges, think about shooting lanes and shot placement, if the game is in a certain place or positioned a certain way. Think about how you'd approach and dispatch the neighbors cat crapping in your flowerbeds. Figure out how to spot and stalk the ducks on the shore line. Whatever just get into predator mode in your mind. The more hypothetical problems you can solve ahead of time the easier it is to make the right decision in the heat of the moment. Actually "hunt" things that you won't actually kill, without a gun, just to practice. If you are needing to spot and stalk, have something like a monopod, (like the primos polecat) or a trekking pole. Shooting sticks are good too, just something that can be quickly adjusted for the situation. Also know the easy, concealed, and quit ways to get in and out. If hunting at night you can set lights up in your preferred shooting areas. There are hunting lights, usually marketed for pigs, and solar powered motion sensored "security lights" that are easy to set up virtually anywhere. Not having to mess with a flash light is a good thing in my experience. Don't be afraid to pass on shots, not taking a shot is better than wounding, or missing an animal potentially leading to them being more wary in the future. On the flip side you don't always have to have a perfect shot, a good shot can be good enough. You will get "buck fever" and make mistakes especially early on. Learn to control your emotions, use your brain to think through the excitement and adrenaline. Breathing is important, a slight tightening of your core can help slow heart rate. Assess the hunt critically afterwards and identify where you messed up and how to fix it next time. Enjoy the experience, but remember you are taking a life, which is something that is easy to forget, but shouldn't be forgotten.

Tldr: Practice shooting and know your and your equipments limitations. Know your ground, distances, and have a rough plan of attack. Mentally practice ahead of time to problem solve potential situations. Have your equipment and a plan ready ahead of time. Breath. It can be fun, but it's not all fun and games.

 

[Reg Creep]

Great post. Thank you!

 

[trent.sears]

Great post. Thank you!

No problem happy to help. I've thought of a few other things that might help. "Know your enemy, and know yourself" is a great rule of thumb for hunting. Try to put yourself in your games place and think about how they may react to your actions, and/or what they might do as they are moving around/coming into range, how they may travel, and so forth. "Aim small miss small" pick a spot on the animal to aim. A bullseye if you will, something like a discoloration or half way between the eye and ear, or something along those lines. It helps give you a small target rather than just an area of aim, and also helps disassociate the target you are shooting from it being an animal. For me it helps a little with the adrenaline if I can hyper focus on some point/target and forget the target is on an animal.

 

[Hal4son]

I have a permit to destroy beaver that are damming my property.

I do have a lighted reticle.
My rifle mounted flashlight is @ 500 lumens in red or green.

My rifle is currently shooting 35 FPE, but I plan to increase to @ 50 FPE.
I am planning for head or body shots. Will still do more research. They have moved into a more densely brushed area, so I don't expect to have many perfect shot opportunities. Their den may be a preferable location to set up as it is less crowded.

I may set up low in a tree.

Trapping season doesn't open for a month. I can have my neighbor trap them then and he can get a few sheckles for the hide. But I have to break multiple dams daily, and my back is motivating me to start doing this pesting I've been planning on sooner rather than later.

Doesn't your permit cover trapping?

I'd make a castor mound set like you would for trapping and you'll know the distance before he shows up. But truthfully, I'd set a big foothold in front of it. Traps are working while you're sleeping. Also if you do the castor mound and bugger up the shot, you'll educate the problem before an experienced trapper can get on site. Beaver are the easiest and toughest animals to catch depending on the education we lay on them. Don't screw it up!

ETA- You should consider eating it. Beaver is a lot like roast beef. The rear legs and backstraps are really really good.