The .22 rimfire is an excellent tool to hone shooting skills. It's a low-cost, recoil-free method to reinforce the basics and correct faults.

I miss shots just like everyone else. Mostly, I miss difficult shots, but I've missed some easy ones, too. Nobody is perfect, and any hunter who claims never to have missed simply hasn't hunted very much. It takes years to become truly proficient and absolutely confident with a rifle when difficult, fast-breaking shots on game are presented. On the other hand, you don't have to start out by missing everything you shoot at. Here are 12 simple tips that I promise will make you a better field shot - whether you're a beginner or an old pro.

1. SPEND TIME WITH A .22
Few of us admit it, but the recoil and muzzle blast from a centerfire rifle are unpleasant. Both are necessary evils when hunting big game, but you don't have to put up with blast and kick all the time.

The best way I know to become a really good rifle shot is to spend lots of time with a .22 rimfire. The report is mild, recoil is nonexistent, and you can do lots of shooting for little money.

Whether plinking, target shooting or hunting small game and varmints, a .22 rimfire offers the best refresher course in rifle shooting there is. It's a good idea for any rifleman to spend some time with a .22 during the off-season, but a .22 is also the best tool available for curing shooting problems such as flinching. It will also reinforce such basics as trigger squeeze, breath control and follow-through.

2. WORK ON TRIGGER CONTROL
Jerking the trigger is one of the great ills in rifle shooting, and it is an easy habit to fall into. The idea is to apply steady, consistent, gentle pressure until the trigger "breaks" and the rifle goes off.

Marksmanship instructors stress that the rifle's firing should come as a surprise, meaning that you must not anticipate the shot. Of course, if you shoot the same rifle long enough, you will know when the rifle is going to fire. The secret is to ignore this knowledge and still not anticipate the shot.

Proper trigger control is much easier with a clean, crisp, fairly light trigger. I don't like an extremely light trigger on a hunting rifle; for me, a trigger pull of 2 1/2 to three pounds is about right, maybe a bit more on a big-bore rifle intended for dangerous game. These days it is rare to get a trigger pull like that on an out-of-the-box rifle. On rifles that allow for trigger adjustment - or replacement with an aftermarket trigger - the best course is to take the rifle to a good gunsmith and tell him you want a decent trigger pull.

This may not be affordable, and in the case of most lever actions, semi-autos and pumps, it may not even be possible. Don't despair. You can learn how to control even a terrible trigger, but it takes a lot more practice.

Proper trigger control is paramount to good shooting. And since lighter triggers are easier to control than heavy ones, have yours adjusted or replaced by a gunsmith—if possible.

Trigger control may be even more difficult if you use a variety of rifles, some with great triggers and some with poor triggers.

3. TAKE A DEEP BREATH
You cannot shoot well while inhaling or exhaling; it's imperative to hold your breath while squeezing the trigger. Take a deep breath, let part of it out, and then commence your trigger squeeze. This is not so easy when you've just climbed to the top of a steep ridge and a huge buck bursts from cover, so it is an act that must be practiced until it becomes second nature.

There's more to proper breathing technique. When I miss, it is usually because I rush the shot. Once in a while you have the luxury of unlimited time, but more likely you have just a few seconds to get into position and shoot. Sometimes you have no time at all; you must either shoot now or forget it. If there really is no time to make a proper shot, don't take it. That said, the best possible situation is to take a few extra seconds and take a deep breath - maybe two or three if you've been exerting yourself - before you let out part of that last one and start your trigger squeeze.

4. CONFIDENCE THROUGH ACCURACY
Tiny groups mean little in most field shooting situations. If you can consistently hit a pie plate at a given distance, you will get your animal. On the other hand, consistent game shooting is a matter of confidence, and there's no better way to gain this confidence than to know that your rifle shoots far better than you do. I don't want to go into the field with merely pie-plate accuracy; I want a whole lot more.

It is not essential that your rifle shoot quarter-inch, half-inch or even one-inch groups, but it is essential that you really know what you and your rifle are capable of under ideal conditions. This will build confidence and let you know what you can and cannot attempt in the field. Spend some time shooting across a solid bench rest with good ammo, and really get to know your rifle.

5. LEARN TO USE A REST
One of the most important skills in good field shooting is the ability to find and use a solid rest quickly. Chances are you won't find any bench rests in game country, but there are lots of ways to achieve a solid rest - rocks, stumps, trees, mounds of dirt, whatever. In open country you can carry your own rest such as a bipod, shooting sticks or a pack frame.

You may have to bend your body like a contortionist to snuggle behind your chosen rest, but if it is good and solid, it will be better than any unsupported position. Never rest the barrel directly against a solid object, and you should always cushion the fore-end by placing something between the rest and the rifle. I almost always carry a daypack, which I place over whatever natural rest I can find. You can use a fanny pack, a rolled-up jacket, a scrunched-up hat - or even your hand if time is short.

Skilled riflemen practice with their guns and have confidence not only in their rifles, but in their shooting ability as well.

The trick is learning how to recognize a potential rest, and then learning how to drop into position quickly. This comes with experience, but it is possible to practice the skill during informal shooting sessions, small game and varmint hunting, and even in your backyard or living room (with an empty rifle, of course).

In open country I am quite fond of bipods, and crossed shooting sticks are also effective. Both require practice to use well. If you choose a bipod, be sure to check your rifle's zero with it mounted on the gun; some rifles shoot differently with a bipod attached.

6. PRACTICE FIELD POSITIONS
A solid rest isn't always available, and sometimes it's necessary to shoot from the prone, sitting, kneeling or even standing position. None of these positions come naturally and all require practice. So practice each and every one of them. This can be done at home or on the range. I generally combine most shooting positions with a tight sling - once in a while a genuine target sling, but almost always a hasty sling. The hasty sling is assumed by wrapping your supporting arm through the sling so that it tightens across your chest. A sling is a great shooting aid, especially in unsupported shooting positions. I recommend it highly but, like everything else, you must practice until its use becomes second nature.

I made the shot on my biggest pronghorn from about 250 yards. While the distance wasn't spectacular, I was pinned down in the shade of a big yucca with absolutely nothing to rest on or against. The buck was slowly angling across my front. While he was behind a bush, I undid the rear sling swivel and made the two-claw sling into a target sling. Then I eased into a crossed-leg sitting position. I shot the buck on the point of the on-shoulder; had I not known how to get into a real sitting position, I'm not sure I could have even gotten a shot.