Mar 4, 2017 5 min read

Most of my refusing to accept the semi-auto rifle as a hunting instrument is based on human behavior rather than the type of rifle.

Actually, this enters the realm of shooting etiquette, too.

About 20 or so years ago, my brother-in-law and I decided to sight in our rifles on a public game lands range. We were both members of Dormont Mt. Lebanon Sportsman Club but decided to try a different range.

After a bit of discussion we opted for the range on the game lands north of Burgettstown. With our bolt-action deer rifles and ammo resting in the back of the truck, we had a pleasant drive up to the game lands. When we arrived, we were disappointed to find a group dressed in camouflage with red handkerchiefs tied around their foreheads using all the benches and shooting – you guessed it – semi-autos.

It was a vision out of a Rambo movie. After waiting for two to three hours, we finally gave up and headed home. While they were within their legal rights, courtesy said they should have let someone else take a turn at using the range.

I was reminded of this just last week when shooting from a benchrest at a private sports club. It was a trip where time was short but important.

I was carefully sighting in for a hunt. After placing a couple of clean targets on the backboard, I returned to the bench.

Resting the rifle over the bag, I snuggled into a comfortable position and fired one shot. Perfect, I thought, about 2 inches above center. Now, if I could put two more in the same location I’d be ready.

I was just settling into the rifle when another car pulled up and the fellow in it and his buddies jumped out with a big hello. I waited while they placed a target at the 50-yard backstop and, while all of the benches except the one I was using were empty, they chose the one next to me on the left.

At this club, there is a range with benches and set targets just for the use of AR type of firearms.

As any serious benchrest shooter, or for that matter, any target shooter will tell you, the fewer the distractions the better. Here I was trying to figure out which load shot best in that particular firearm and a fellow shooter sets up his favorite toy that spews rounds quickly and loudly next to me.

It was very distracting!

To top things off, he had placed a high-capacity clip in it and I couldn’t attempt to shoot between his shots, so I had to wait until he went dry and had to reload another clip.

I was all right with the situation until about the fourth hot, empty casing bounced off of me. I explained the range rules in no uncertain terms and I still do not know if he understood.

Why do I bring it up? It is a good example of the lack of courtesy on the range. There are rude people in every walk of life; a few can make things bad for many. To top things off he wasn’t a member but a guest of a member and courtesy went out the window. So my experiences with semi-autos are more about owners with bad behaviors.

• Even warm winters seem long and the short hours of daylight don’t help. Under those circumstances, is it any wonder we formed the Great Trophy Boar Invitational Hunt?

In fact, I was so bored I signed up to prove my mettle despite the dangers involved – after all, I was more in danger than the rest. I can’t run anymore.

I was one of the more experienced hunters having taken the grand total of one many years ago. I proved that personal skill by telling others to shoot anything even the runt of the Tennessee litter.

With the contest in mind, the seven of us headed for central Tennessee to the Cumberland Plateau, which is famous for wild hogs. We were going to hunt at Spartan Hunting Preserve on Old Gordon Road in Grandview, Tenn., with the owner, Mitch Kemmer. Spartan has an up-to-date lodge where we slept and ate three meals a day.

The walls were lined with mean-looking boar heads and the accommodations were great. I was told not to shoot the first pig I saw but wait for a good one. I ignored that advice.

I wanted an all-black boar with good tusks and long black hair. The first mature boar I saw had all these qualities, so I ignored the advice and the old Model 70 did its job with one well-placed shot.

My boar weighed close to 300 pounds but the pig shot by Ken Wukovich of New Eagle weighed in at 750 pounds. That is one big wild pig.

Ken will be eating pork chops all year.

First place went to George Block – because it’s my article. Second was Ken Wukovich of New Eagle; third, Bob Weaver of Bluff Ridge; fourth, Vince Nevala of Coal Center; fifth, Matt Hyslop of Monongahela; sixth, Tom Hyslop of Monongahela; no place, Dale Robinson of New Eagle – but a lot of fun.

George H. Block writes a Sunday Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.