Ok… gonna throw my $0.02 worth in here…

Note to imply anything and don’t know your history… several things to consider… I shoot a traditional smoke pole, Lyman Great Plains. When I got it and knew that I was going to hunt with it, I started lifting weights, daily, 10lb dumbbells, do a lot of forward lifts (standing dumbbells held in front of thighs and lift arms straight up to in front of chest, hold for a count of 5 and then slow let down) and side lifts… and anything else that will help build the shoulders and arms. Remember it is the hold not the lift that you will be doing when hunting. You don’t want to have to raise and lower you rifle several time while waiting for the target to move into the open.

The next thing is try and figure out your shooting/hunting condition and practice that, remember that your heart beat and lung expansion in those stressful situations will cause your muzzle to bounce and move during the shooting situation. So, what I have done in the past and try and do is… go on a scouting trip, take the smoke pole, find a practice place, load and then jog around in circles for a while then stop take aim and shoot, while the heart rate is still up. This can help you get the muzzle control issue practiced. Now this is all after you have bench sited you rifle, to assure there isn’t something with the rifle. Also, remember that you need to only count the 1st shoot that counts, once the barrel warms things change… so… practice field conditions.

Lastly, I will second (third or forth) what the others have said about shooting distance. If you can’t put 3 rounds in a space smaller than 6 inch diameter, move closer and then never shoot longer that that distance.

Stepping down off the box now… good luck and shoot straight.

wabowhunter
(aka Shawn)