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Training Notes:
This day of training was both very difficult and very rewarding at the
same time. While being both mentally and physically exhausting it
definitely made both Sniper2 and I better.
The first time that we went out, Sniper2 and I split up, and advanced
towards the target in two different directions. We both wanted to
take advantage of the coloring in our ghillie suits (Sniper2’s was
greener while mine was more tan) so Sniper2 took the path that we
had just walked down and I went to the rightmost (looking at the
target) flank. I spent the first half of my stalk trying to find a way
through the thick and heavy brush. Because of the lack of use of the
particular field that we were using there are layers of dead branches
and twigs that give out a loud crunching sound with ever single step.
The only way to keep the noise low was to very slowly put my foot
down so that the crunch sound of each step was spread out over a
longer period of time. My thighs are still sore from doing this
repeatedly. I finally found somewhat of a concealed route. However
due to a ghillie suit pants malfunctions and my failure to fix it slow
enough I was discovered while Sniper2 got his shot off and struck the
target.
The second time I went out by myself to make right my misdeeds. I
chose the worn path that Sniper2 had the first time. This route was
easier in the fact that there was less dead brush on the ground to
make noise however it required more low crawling and was in direct
sunlight the majority of the time which zapped the energy right out of
you. One of the biggest things I was worried about in the first stalk
was my rifle. I had forgotten my rifle wrap at home so I had to use
Sniper2’s left over wrap. Basically a large amount of black and dark
Olive Drab was on my marker. So in the second stalk I dragged my
rifle underneath my body to keep it hidden. However I dragged it by
holding the barrel, extending my hands and elbows, and then pushing
with my toes. This eventually caused the barrel adapter in the A-5 to
come loose and pop out. I had to fix it about 4 of 5 times during my
stalk. It would also come back to haunt my later. So I would crawl
about 6 inches to a foot ever time the wind blew the brush. Using
this method it took quite some time for me to reach a spot close
enough to take the shot. When I finally got there I found the target,
readied my rifle, and waited for the next breeze to move the brush. I
didn’t have to wait more than a couple of minutes. When the breeze
blew I rose up and pulled the trigger only to have the bolt cycle
forward and the valve not open. Surprised I ducked back down and
cocked the bolt. I rose back up and emptied my tac cap at the target
only to have the barrel adapter pop back out near the end of my
shooting.
As for my ghillie suit malfunctions….This was my first time wearing this
particular suit in a game-like situation and I definitely found out what
needs to be fixed. The pants would not stay up what-so-ever. To get
the proper length I had to go up in size. However this made the
waist size go up as well. I needed the drawstring very tight to keep
it up on my waist. However the knot would not hold and I could not
keep it tight. It fell down repeatedly during the stalk and even cost
me during the first one. To fix this I will either have to sew in an
actual belt or sew on some suspenders. I will play around with both
options to see what works best and is lest movement restrictive.
Some Points of Learning:
1. Gun camouflage. I had forgotten my rifle wrap and I paid dearly
for it in spades. Maybe not actually but I was so worried about my
rifle being seen I may have overcompensated for it. No one ever
mentioned that they had seen my rifle but I had done a lot extra
things to make sure that it wasn’t seen. Having my rifle wrap would
have left me more relaxed in that department and let me focus on
other things like keeping my pants up.
2. Mask camouflage. My new ghillie has a hood which means that my
mask is basically exposed. Being olive drab makes it look very dark
for the terrain that we were in all day. I am going to have to take my
extra mask and paint it tan with small amounts of green to let it
better blend in with everything else. When I took my shot everyone
said they saw a dark blob in a sea of tan. I knew this would happen
so I popped up quickly to take the shot. Painting it will allow me to
move more slowly and not fear exposing my head when taking the
shot. This would allow me to fix any problems as well with less
chance of being seen.
3. Moving with the wind. This is the best way to move. I would
usually only move when the wind was strong enough to blow the
brush and even then I would only move 6 inches to a foot at a time. I
believe that this is best when in constant view of those trying to spot
you. I had a couple of times where I was pretty much in the open my
first stalk and no one seemed to notice me. Even though I was
making a good amount of noise the
spotters said they didn’t see me until I made a jerky movement to fix
my pants which had completely fallen down.
This day of training was both very difficult and very rewarding at the
same time. While being both mentally and physically exhausting it
definitely made both Sniper2 and I better.
The first time that we went out, Sniper2 and I split up, and advanced
towards the target in two different directions. We both wanted to
take advantage of the coloring in our ghillie suits (Sniper2’s was
greener while mine was more tan) so Sniper2 took the path that we
had just walked down and I went to the rightmost (looking at the
target) flank. I spent the first half of my stalk trying to find a way
through the thick and heavy brush. Because of the lack of use of the
particular field that we were using there are layers of dead branches
and twigs that give out a loud crunching sound with ever single step.
The only way to keep the noise low was to very slowly put my foot
down so that the crunch sound of each step was spread out over a
longer period of time. My thighs are still sore from doing this
repeatedly. I finally found somewhat of a concealed route. However
due to a ghillie suit pants malfunctions and my failure to fix it slow
enough I was discovered while Sniper2 got his shot off and struck the
target.
The second time I went out by myself to make right my misdeeds. I
chose the worn path that Sniper2 had the first time. This route was
easier in the fact that there was less dead brush on the ground to
make noise however it required more low crawling and was in direct
sunlight the majority of the time which zapped the energy right out of
you. One of the biggest things I was worried about in the first stalk
was my rifle. I had forgotten my rifle wrap at home so I had to use
Sniper2’s left over wrap. Basically a large amount of black and dark
Olive Drab was on my marker. So in the second stalk I dragged my
rifle underneath my body to keep it hidden. However I dragged it by
holding the barrel, extending my hands and elbows, and then pushing
with my toes. This eventually caused the barrel adapter in the A-5 to
come loose and pop out. I had to fix it about 4 of 5 times during my
stalk. It would also come back to haunt my later. So I would crawl
about 6 inches to a foot ever time the wind blew the brush. Using
this method it took quite some time for me to reach a spot close
enough to take the shot. When I finally got there I found the target,
readied my rifle, and waited for the next breeze to move the brush. I
didn’t have to wait more than a couple of minutes. When the breeze
blew I rose up and pulled the trigger only to have the bolt cycle
forward and the valve not open. Surprised I ducked back down and
cocked the bolt. I rose back up and emptied my tac cap at the target
only to have the barrel adapter pop back out near the end of my
shooting.
As for my ghillie suit malfunctions….This was my first time wearing this
particular suit in a game-like situation and I definitely found out what
needs to be fixed. The pants would not stay up what-so-ever. To get
the proper length I had to go up in size. However this made the
waist size go up as well. I needed the drawstring very tight to keep
it up on my waist. However the knot would not hold and I could not
keep it tight. It fell down repeatedly during the stalk and even cost
me during the first one. To fix this I will either have to sew in an
actual belt or sew on some suspenders. I will play around with both
options to see what works best and is lest movement restrictive.
Some Points of Learning:
1. Gun camouflage. I had forgotten my rifle wrap and I paid dearly
for it in spades. Maybe not actually but I was so worried about my
rifle being seen I may have overcompensated for it. No one ever
mentioned that they had seen my rifle but I had done a lot extra
things to make sure that it wasn’t seen. Having my rifle wrap would
have left me more relaxed in that department and let me focus on
other things like keeping my pants up.
2. Mask camouflage. My new ghillie has a hood which means that my
mask is basically exposed. Being olive drab makes it look very dark
for the terrain that we were in all day. I am going to have to take my
extra mask and paint it tan with small amounts of green to let it
better blend in with everything else. When I took my shot everyone
said they saw a dark blob in a sea of tan. I knew this would happen
so I popped up quickly to take the shot. Painting it will allow me to
move more slowly and not fear exposing my head when taking the
shot. This would allow me to fix any problems as well with less
chance of being seen.
3. Moving with the wind. This is the best way to move. I would
usually only move when the wind was strong enough to blow the
brush and even then I would only move 6 inches to a foot at a time. I
believe that this is best when in constant view of those trying to spot
you. I had a couple of times where I was pretty much in the open my
first stalk and no one seemed to notice me. Even though I was
making a good amount of noise the
spotters said they didn’t see me until I made a jerky movement to fix
my pants which had completely fallen down.