Before hunters look down their scope at a prized buck this weekend, they're starting down their sights on the shooting range.
Those shots may not bring this weekend's adrenaline, but it can be an important step in taking down the deer.
"You've got to know how your rifle is going to shoot, react, and how to make it shoot better," hunter Andrew Ebbole said.
"Sight-in is very important because a small adjustment here can mean a big adjustment down range," Family Shooting Academy's Mike Shea said.
Shea has done more than 70 sight-ins ahead of the hunting season. First, he gets a distance..
"We need to sight this gun at 100 yards so the first thing we're going to do is take a single shot with it and just see where the scope is right now," Shea explained.
Looking at the target shows where the gun's sight lines up. Shea takes a practice shot and brings the target back to him.
"Adjust it and see what we can do," he said.
A few clicks of the scope, and for Shea, it only takes one more pull of the trigger.
"At 100 yards, that will be dead on the X, and that's perfect for this rifle," Shea said.
That helps ensure a true shot when it counts. Shea says about 70-percent of guns he sees need adjustments every year.
"We get a lot of people that come in and say, 'last year i think i missed.' and sure enough, they're off," he said.
The potential miss can cost a trophy buck hunters have waited all year to see.
"Saturday, Sunday, opening day. I'm hoping to get out," Ebbole said. "We have deer on camera, it's just about finding them."
And making sure the shot hits its target.
A sight-in service will cost about $20 and can be done at most shooting ranges or gun clubs.
