Five hundred yards downrange a steel disk caught 140-grains of copper and lead at the FTW Ranch in Texas. We saw it swing, then heard it ring like a church bell, signaling Tim to start counting. âFive, four, three, twoâŠâ
Boom. Clang. âHit!â
Master Instructor Doug shouted as the plate chimed again. The shooter, Rei, ejected her 6.5 Creedmoor brass with an enthusiastic flip of the Bergara rifle bolt. She rolled onto her elbow to watch the next shooter.
âJohn, youâre up,â Tim directed. âGive me the big plate on the left at 550 yards followed by the little plate on the right at 350 yards. Youâll have five seconds.â
The wind picked up speed, right to left. I felt a powerful gust and saw oak limbs bouncing far downrange. I hoped my old hunting partner was sensing the same things.
Boom. âMiss! Five, four, three, twoâŠâ
Boom. âMiss. Next shooter.â
âIn all that excitement, I forgot the wind,â my friend, John, confessed later. âYeah. I overcompensated for it on two of my earlier targets. Youâve gotta really stay on top of it.â
Boy howdy. âKind of like huntingâ is one of the main reasons to indulge in long range shooting training. Whether itâs casual with family and friends or at an official school like FTW Ranch, a session or two of serious long range training, under pressure such as a time limit, can spell the difference between âcall the taxidermistâ and âmaybe next year.â
Find out more about the theoretical and practical long-range training at FTW ranch and about the rifle scopes they trained with: Z5(i)s, Z8is, and dS.
About the author:
Ron Spomer
For several decades, Ron Spomer has been writing about his passion â the outdoor life. In his attempts to connect with this natural wonder, he has photographed, hiked, hunted, and fished across much of this planet. He says that he has seen the beauty that everyone should see. According to Ron Spomer, hunting is our heritage, but also our responsibility and the bridge back to our roots. Through photographs, videos, and texts, he is inspiring people to discover their roles and responsibilities as natureâs hunters/conservationists.
About the location:
FTW Ranch
FTW Ranch is located near Rocksprings and Barksdale, Texas, USA. It is situated on over 12,000 acres of rugged hills and valleys where you can engage in SAAM (Sportsmanâs All-weather All-terrain Marksmanship) training. Hunters of all levels can prepare for their next adventure under expert guidance. In order to shoot competently in extreme situations, hunters need to know their gear, firearms and rifle scopes, very well. FTWâs motto is: âItâs the hunterâs job to kill an animal instantly with the first shot.â
