Why every homesteader needs to learn to shoot… and where to start if you have never shot a gun in your life… Like me!

If you don’t think you need to shoot on your homestead, you are wrong.
A gun is needed when humanely dispatching an animal, protecting your flock from predation, and for hunting or removing animals eating your crops.

The point is, Homesteading requires the ability to calmly shoot a gun (or bow).

Eight years ago I had never shot a gun in my life. So how does one go from that to a skilled sniper… well I don’t really know, I have not reached that point yet. But just starting in the right spot can help you get off to the right start.

So where should you start if you have never shot a gun in your life? Lets see what shooting style will fit your personality best…

Rifle: Calm and Calculated
The rifle shot is a calculated decision. As a rifle is capable of sending a bullet over a thousand yards (and accurately too, with a trained sniper behind the barrel) the shooter needs to always be planning trajectory, backstop, and timing.

A long distance shot requires calculations for wind, bullet drop, and target movement.

The shot is taken between deep breaths. The trigger is slowly squeezed, and the breaking of the shot comes almost as if it were a surprise to the shooter.

Are you a calm, calculated decision maker, good with math? Perhaps you should begin shooting with some rifle practice.

A long distance shot requires calculations for wind, bullet drop, and target movement.

Shot Gun: Quick and Intuitive
Success with a shotgun depends much on one’s ability to allow good intuition to lead their decisions. The aiming process that leads the rifle shot is the downfall to a good shotgun performance. Instead of aiming, lining up a bead with a moving target, and slowly pulling a trigger, a shot gunner must focus on a moving target, point the barrel towards, and slap the trigger, following through the shot as a baseball player follows through his swing.

Much practice goes into the shot gunners raising of the gun, so that his form is the same each time. This allows for a quick yet safe gun mount, and an intuitive point.

The Trigger is slapped, not pulled slowly. Always the gun is swinging through the motion, using follow through to keep speed up in the barrel.

As a shot gunner generally has only moments to decide if a shot is safe to take, he must be capable of making the right choice about each shot in just a moment, not risking the safety of those around him.
Can you make a good decision quickly? Do you go with your gut? In the heat of the moment are you able to pass on something you want for the sake of others? Try out a shotgun for size.

Bow: Strength and Form

While it lacks the power and distance of a gun, the modern hunting bow and arrow is a deadly tool, one that has helped me to fill my freezer every year.

To master a bow, the shooter must be dedicated to developing good form, and strength. Unlike a rifle or shotgun, the Bow uses the strength of its shooter to launch its projectile.

More modern Compound Bows have allowed the shooters strength to be multiplied, however there still is strength required to pull the string back and hold the bow in place.

Whether one shoots a recurve, compound, or longbow, form is essential to success. The shooter must be able to shoot his bow in the exact same manner every time, whether he be on a range, in a treestand, or sitting in a ground blind. Any changes in shooting form, no matter how small, can influence the accuracy down range.

Do you have good physical strength and the dedication to practice at something daily?

Will you stick to a regiment of practice that prepares you for the physical and mental challenge that is hunting with a bow?

Which most appeals to you? Read more about that style of shooting, and take a safety course. Learn how to shoot from a professional. Then you will be ready to help feed your family and protect your farm for years to come!