Shooting technique question

I have something going on, and wanted to get some insight. 

Try moving the butt of your rifle more onto the deltoid muscle of your shoulder, further away from your chest where heartbeat and breathing has most influence. If it's not a hard kicking gun, use less pressure against your shoulder. Don't wrap your thumb over the top of the grip; keep it alongside the grip, not pressing hard against the stock so that you don't clench the grip and get L/R deviations while working the trigger. Before the shot, inhale deeply then slowly exhale as you're working the trigger. Don't put heavy cheek pressure against the stock. Try not to think about the animal, pick a spot you want the bullet to go and think only "I want to hit THAT spot." Don't rest the forend on or near the front sling swivel stud. Don't jerk the trigger; just use a steady squeeze, gradually increasing pressure until the gun fires. During the shot sequence, do nothing other than focus on the point of aim and s-q-u-e-e-z-e the trigger to ensure good follow-through.

Using a rear squeeze bag has helped me a lot.

To add just a bit to the excellent advice given so far, don't stop breathing. Try to time your shot just as you've fully exhaled. And to find your natural point of aim: Aim through the scope at a target, close your eyes for a second and then see if your aim has moved off the target. Adjust the rifle hold accordingly, e.g. if the aim is now 2" above the target, try holding 2" lower than the target and repeat the steps again.

Rancid Coolaid wrote: Work on natural point of aim so you move the gun less.

That's huge and that only comes with lots and lots of dry practice.  If you can learn to fall right into your natural point of aim in the multiple positions you may shoot from it will make a world of diff.  No more trying to muscle the gun around to where you want it, it is just there.  Its not always easy to get that, but if you can it helps a ton.  Move your body to change adjust your natural point of aim, don't muscle the gun around

Also with breathing I have been taught to not do the big breath and hold in or out etc.  I was taught to just breath normal and shoot in the natural pause between breaths whether it is an in or out breath.  That has always worked well for me and helped me as then I am not focusing on breathing but on the putting the bullet where I want it.  But as with all things, you just gotta find what works best for you as there is always more than one way to skin a cat

this thread needs to be made a sticky because it has more good advice in a single place than half of the internet combined.

Great advise all. 

I would do all of the above...while winded. I think that simulates quite a bit better and helps to not forget all you practiced the moment you are tired or short of breath. You make mistakes when tired or frazzled...train in that environment of possible.

If you can hold your body perfectly still, you will still be moved by your heartbeat. Shots must be broken before the reticle passes over the point of aim so that the bullet leaves the barrel while on target. Not seeing this from the bench is due to the sandbags. By using bags, you remove the human body from the system by some degree. In the field you add it back. The level of precision the system is capable of is made less due to the arc of movement introduced by heartbeats. You might have a sub-MOA rifle, but you have a greater than sub-MOA system.

Covered very well though I feel it may be helpful to note. When your target is "alive" and subject to move messing with your breathing can cause unnecessary issues. As prescribed already, practice dropping into the shot on que (and that in various types of rests), practice your shots with minimal grip and pressure on the rifle (enough not to get an eye tag but enough to keep on target) and breath thru the shot. If your conscious of your breathing you may be over gripping the rifle. Learn your trigger. Whether it is 6oz or 4lbs know when it will break. Then you can load up on the wall and the rhythm of the shot will tell you when to break it. One thing I use to do before I wrecked this body so bad was, I'd do 20 to 40 pushups before I left the house. This gave my upper body a good working blood flow for a couple hours and I noticed I was much more steady on the rifle or bow what ever the case may have been. Little things can make or break any good plan. But practicing good habits does pay off.

This has been a good topic for me. It is a reminder to reinforce the basics, some I have let slip and intend to correct.

Salute!

Ok that helps, my issue seems to be more off some sort of rest, ie out the window of the shooting house. From my tree stand, I usually set my elbow on the front of it, or side, depending.

One thing that might be helpful is to learn to breathe with you diaphragm, rather than with your upper chest area, which is the more typical adult way of breathing.

Here's a good video on the subject by Dr. Belisa Vranich: