I don’t think my upbringing was much different from most kids who grew up in a hunting family. You start with a BB gun, then graduate to a .22 LR, then to a 20-gauge shotgun. Firearm safety gets drilled into your head, you’re given a few basic pointers, and then you’re turned loose to shoot targets, squirrels, and any other unlucky rodent that hangs around long enough. That kind of childhood builds woodsman skills, fast target acquisition, and a strong instinct to make things happen—but it also creates a lot of bad habits when it comes to true marksmanship.
In my mid-20s, I built my first custom, long-range rifle and dove headfirst into the world of precision shooting and reloading. Most of what I learned came from manuals, online forums, and videos. I built a solid foundation and felt confident in my abilities. Over the years, I missed a couple of animals and chalked it up to nerves or the old “everyone misses” line. What I didn’t realize was that the root cause of those misses ran deeper than I thought.
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend Gunwerks’ Long Range University, and it completely changed the way I look at shooting. Five of us from Huntin’ Fool attended the Level 1 and Level 2 courses in Cody, Wyoming, eager to see how much real, applicable knowledge we could gain. By lunchtime on day one, we were all looking at each other with the same realization: we were proficient long-range shooters, but we had learned the wrong way.
The instructors were phenomenal, and the course structure—splitting time between the classroom and the range—made everything click. If someone shows up willing to check their ego at the door, it’s almost impossible not to walk away with major improvements.
Level 1 focused on shot process, basic shooting positions, and foundational wind calls. Level 2 took us deeper into advanced positions, downrange ballistics, more complex wind reading, and extensive work with the Revic rangefinding binocular system. By the end of Level 2, every one of us was asking when we could come back and take the course again. Our shooting had improved dramatically in just a few days.
We wrapped up by putting our new skills to the test on the Sheep Mountain course. Split into teams, we worked through realistic hunting scenarios—acquiring targets quickly, calling shots, and making fast follow-ups when needed. It was as close to real-world application as you can get without an actual tag in your pocket.
Not only was the course fun and incredibly informative, but I think it’s genuinely valuable for anyone who hunts regularly. Whether you’re a self-guided hunter or someone heading out on a once-in-a-lifetime guided hunt, the time and money spent at Long Range University is absolutely worth it. Big hunts come with enough pressure already—why wouldn’t you want to eliminate uncertainty around the most critical moment of the entire trip?
I’m a believer now, and I’ll be going back as soon as I can.
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