I was in a Texas hunting camp, and one of the guides was an extremely unpleasant, big-talking buffoon. Thank God he wasn't my guide, but another hunter was stuck with him. It seems they'd run onto a pretty good buck, and apparently the hunter had hesitated a bit too long, either trying to find a rest or figure out some way to get steady enough. I don't know whether the hunter was actually a bit too slow or even whether it was a shot that anyone should have attempted offhand. I do know his guide was furious. "These dudes, gotta have a rest. Nobody can stand up and shoot like a man."

This free-range sika stag was taken on New Zealand's North Island with a classic deliberate offhand shot. The distance was about 100 yards; there was no rest available and no other option. This is the kind of shot you practice for.

Well, just to separate the men from the boys, a year or so later this unpleasant gent (to use the term loosely) was apparently a "wheel man" in the notorious Bill Day/George Vogt/Lloyd McMahon whitetail conspiracy but avoided doing time by turning state's evidence. For those who have forgotten, a very large (and very purloined, thus breaking the Lacey Act) Saskatchewan whitetail rack was spirited to Mexico, and a skullcap transplant was performed on a midsize Mexican buck so that somebody could get his name in the record book. A magazine photo unraveled the whole scheme, and the main conspirators eventually did time.

Anything this particular guide (and I use that term loosely) said needed to be taken with a grain of salt, but somewhere in that horse-pucky there was a small grain of truth. It isn't that shooting standing up, what used to be called "offhand," is more manly than any other position. Hardly. But sometimes the only option is to stand up and shoot--or not shoot at all.

When that choice is presented several things are important. Primary is knowing how to shoot from an unsupported standing position, which implies knowing how to plant your feet--instantly--and how to use your shooting and supporting arms to best steady the rifle, such as it is. More about that in a moment. Equally important, however, is knowing your limitations.

My old friend and mentor John Wootters once remarked that sporting rifles should have cut-off switches so that they could not be fired if unsupported or if the target was moving. I don't altogether agree with either premise; I think there are times when running shots can and should be taken, and there are times when the best option is to stand up and shoot (if you know how). On the other hand, I think it's a terrible idea to stand up and whale away at any game animal at distance and equally silly to shoot at any animal at any distance if a steadier position is possible.

The secret to standing up and shooting is practice, and lots of it. No position is less steady, so no position requires as much practice to master. Even then, shooting standing is not perfect. There is a wobble factor that increases with range, so as distance increases, so do the chances of wounding game.

This is unacceptable, so part of practicing is learning what you can do and what you should not attempt. I'm sure that there are successful competitive shooters who can stand up and shoot a game animal at 200 yards with perfect confidence and pull it off time after time. Such shooters are few, and I am not one of them. With lots of practice, most of us can develop enough skill and confidence for offhand shooting out to perhaps 100 yards. For some of us, cut that in half--and remember that no self-imposed limit is constant, whether supported or unsupported.