Newfoundland and Labrador Hunter Education Program

All hunters should know which eye is their dominant eye. This is especially important in shotgun or archery hunting.

There are three different types of sights commonly used on firearms: Telescopic, aperture (or peep) and open sight. You should be able to identify them and the proper sight alignment for each.

Remember that a bullet has a parabolic path. A rifle sighted at 50 yards will not have an accurate shot if the target is 100 yards away.

You should know how to properly adjust your sights. Remember, with an open sight, move the rear sight in the direction you want the bullet to move on the target. With a telescopic sight, follow the directions indicated on the dials.

You should know the four different shooting positions and how to use them. Remember, the prone position is always the steadiest, and is recommended for target practice. Although useful for quick shots, the standing position is the least steady to use.

Patterning a shotgun is one of the fundamentals of safe shooting. You should be familiar with how to pattern your shotgun properly and safely.

Swing-through and sustained lead are two methods of leading a shotgun. In either case, the goal is to spread the shot in front of the moving target. Remember to follow through when taking a shot.