Hunters pattern their shotguns to understand exactly how their chosen shotgun, choke, and ammunition combination performs at different distances. This process involves shooting at large paper targets to see how the shot pellets spread out and distribute.
By patterning their shotgun, hunters can:
- Determine the effective range where their shots will reliably hit and ethically harvest game
- See if the shot pattern is evenly distributed or has gaps that could lead to missed shots
- Verify that their chosen choke and ammunition combination produces the desired spread pattern
- Confirm if the gun is shooting where they aim (point of impact matches point of aim)
- Test different loads and chokes to find what works best for their specific hunting situation
Most hunters pattern their guns before hunting season and whenever switching to new ammunition or choke tubes. This helps ensure clean, ethical kills by knowing exactly how their equipment will perform in the field and at what ranges they should take shots.
