Ok guys, rifle season is almost here. Are you ready? Is your rifle ready? If you are one of those guys who buy one box of shells a year, and touch off half of it one week before the season, at short range, not too sure of your gun or yourself.... well...good luck. I have stood next to a buddy as I offered a muley to him and after three shots he said to me "you take it, I am not real sure about this gun..." From my shoulder, I dumped the buck at about 150 yards.
Nothing is going to change until you think a bit differently about shooting. This last minute "practice" might work for you, but not for me. I hunt in the cold, in the heat, up close and far out. I want to know exactly how my rifle and I will perform each and every time I take the safety off and go boom. From 100 degree bear hunts to 15 degree coyote hunts, I know my gun will do the job. I know it. I know I can and will do the job. I have practiced this one shot all year. I do not have to worry about the gun, where to hold, or concentrate too much on myself. This has all been worked out over the year.
You should have already been out this summer, sighting your gun in. You should have been taking the rifle out each time you even near the woods. Take a fifteen minute ride and put one or two rounds thru the gun. Do it in the heat, do it in the cold. I am talking about shooting the gun cold. If you cannot put a round where you want, on the first shot out of the case, in any condition, you got something wrong with you, or the gun. You figure out which one.
The reason I practice this is because this is usually the only chance I get. One shot, when I am not ready, no warm up, no bench, no shade, no smooth level surface to lay on or steady against. Usually up hill, or down steep, some fog or rain, or debris in the way, causing me to wait a second until clear. Nothing perfect. Practice making this first shot, "the" shot. After you set out a target, mentally say to yourself, "this is it", "make it count". Take your shot. This could be the only shot you get this season, so make it count. When I shot my bear this summer, I knew I would hit it, exactly where I wanted. I knew it. No doubt. I just layed down, crosshairs on, safety off, and did it. No hesitation. Second nature.
There are about four weekends before the modern rifle deer season. I suggest you get out, and make sure your rifle and you are ready for the hunt. It will all be over very soon. Good luck guys, go get em!
Also, plan on bringing some rubber gloves and trash bags. Pick up the debris the other guy left. He is a jerk, you are not. I always plan to bring back a big bag of trash every single time. Sort of makes me feel good. This is just the way it is. We will never convince people to do the right thing, so we may as well just plan on cleaning up their mess. If not you, then who?
I'll admit I for one don't shoot near enough. I tend to practice my bow more and ignore the gun some. I believe I'll take it out this weekend and practice some 
,) 
, if you so desire.