And finally, I do a lot of wingshooting in the course of a year, which can do wonders for your ability to hit moving game with a rifle.

Having made the case for knowing how to shoot "unassisted," so to speak, you should never do so unless you absolutely have to, which leads to our next important point.

ALWAYS TAKE A REST
Always! With the advent of modern shooting sticks, which update an old idea with newer, lighter materials, there's no excuse for not having a steady shooting platform for all but a few shooting situations, such as the one described above. There are even three-legged shooting sticks that function as an effective tripod, one of the best supporting platforms around.

Even when carrying shooting sticks, I'll use a more stable rest when possible. If the vegetation isn't too tall, that translates into shooting from a prone position and resting the gun over a daypack. I'll also happily shoot from a seated position by resting the gun on a log or rock. Just be sure to insulate the gun with small pack, a hat -- even your hand will do -- and take care to support the stock, rather than the barrel, which could cause a change in the point of impact.

CHECK YOUR ZERO
Few things can ruin your day faster than drawing down on the buck of your dreams, only to miss because your scope got knocked around while you were traveling to the hunt. Whether it was your fault or the fault of the gorillas hired to handle luggage for the airlines, take no chances.

If you suspect that your scope or sights may have been knocked out of alignment, find a safe spot to shoot, pace off 100 yards or measure the distance with a rangefinder, and test-fire the gun to make sure it's still hitting where it's supposed to. Frequent trips to the range help maintain your zero and afford you the added benefit of extra practice.

COPING WITH BUCK FEVER
The best way to handle buck fever is to not think about it. Easier said than done? Yes, it can be, just as your degree of susceptibility to buck fever can vary with each shooting opportunity, depending on myriad factors.

The best way I know to combat these little demons that distract us or make us nervous is to focus, intensely and completely, on the basic mechanics of what I'm doing. I think of it as following the "Three Cs," as follows:

Clear your scope. (Make sure nothing's obstructing your view.)

Clear the barrel. (Make certain no stems, twigs or blades of grass will deflect your bullet.)

And clear your head. Simply "will" that bullet to go with laser-like intensity where the cross hair is pointed. Commit yourself to mentally following through on the shot.

GET IN SHAPE
You'll get there quicker -- and in better shape to make the shot when you arrive -- if you've spent time working on your physical condition. It's amazing how much easier everything seems when you're clicking on all cylinders. The same goes for your mental condition, which leads to our final point.