If you can write it down in words, then you can teach it as well.  That's not to say that practice is unnecessary - anything physical requires practice, and that includes all forms of shooting competition.  However, practice does not exclude the utility of books or discussion.   

From what I've learned here, mirage has nothing to do with reading wind apparently.  It's all about judging the target's shift in apparent position.  Whereas reading the wind requires weighting the data that flags provide as a function of the distance between the muzzle and flag and flag and target, reading the mirage appears to ignore this for the  most part.  And in fact, probably weights mirage down range, near the target, more than mirage up close to the shooter.  The exact opposite of wind flags.   

Brent

Brent; 

That is contrary to my understanding..
I think there are two DIFFERENT definitions of "mirage" going on in this discussion...
One refers to how air movement shifts the IMAGE of a target, and the other being how a short-focused spotting scope can allow a shooter to "see" the wind conditions.

The shooter I referred to uses her spotting scope to see the wind conditions, and gets better results than watching wind flags.
This is my understanding of what many Highpower competitors do also.

No doubt that the target shifting mirage effect ALSO makes significant changes, but seeing the difference between a 7mph breeze from 6 o'clock and a 10mph breeze from 8 o'clock, or being able to SEE a fishtail coming from 9 o'clock before the flags react to it is the more valuable way to "read" mirage.

As I said, I'm slowly learning how to see the wind for 100 yard smallbore prone.
I won't say that it's eliminated all my 9's.. but it's eliminated most of my 8's!

Paul F.

If I knew those answers well enough to explain 'em, my Smallbore classification card would say "Master" not "Expert"

However, focused properly, in the right conditions, I can "see" a change in direction... mostly I can see a stopping, then a swirling, AS the direction changes..

As for where to focus it... I pick the further 1/3 of the distance..
Am I right in doing so? Dunno.

Paul F.

VBull, thanks for the match information that never makes the record books.  Most interesting and was enjoyable reading your post.

Sharps, your starter post put me in the search mode for information on the topic that I can glean from when next season arrives with them squigley lines looking down range at that 600yd target.  This range is the longest I have close to home here in south Jersey.

Here's some more Internet words after pounding the browser (emphasis is me) ...

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For that long shot that we have to hurry up, get into position and then are put on hold. Most people in the business have experienced this more than once. While on hold, conditions in the wind have to be monitored. A dominant condition must be determined. Dominant condition is simply that condition that prevails most of the time.

Then we look for variations in the conditions. The best way to do this and any other wind analysis is by looking at mirage through a spotting scope. 

Mirage is simply heat waves reflecting from an object. The warmer the day the more mirage you will see. Anyone who has watched a fire has noticed the distortion that develops from the heat. This distortion is what we look for in the scope. When these waves are observed, movement will be identified. The direction of that movement is the way the wind is blowing at that specific place, at that specific time. 

Mirage is best captured by focusing on the object you are reading and then turning the scope slightly out of focus. Your ability to see the distortion will improve. You're looking for movement in the heat waves themselves. Watch the waves bend, to see the affects of the wind and read the wind direction. 

The best place to read mirage is where you can. Ideally you want to be halfway between you and your target directly in the path the bullet will travel. However, ideal is not what is always available. You may have to improvise, at a different distance, look for a sand box, automobile, pavement, window sills, basically anything that is in the sunlight.

Watch the waves and observe the changes. Remember that wind is rarely constant. This brings up a critical point. When you dope the wind, you have to shoot the wind. Don't dope for a ten mile an hour wind and then wait for a lull in the breeze to shoot. Guess what? You are going to miss. You must be observant to change and change with the conditions. A marksman who stays in position for an extended period will change sight settings several times. It is not uncommon for competitive shooters, at six hundred yards, to make adjustments four or five times in a twenty minute string of fire. 

If the mirage is moving vertically, it is called boiling. This is an indication the wind is moving very slowly or is non-existent. Many people think that this is the time to deliver a shot, it isn't. This vertical distortion makes the target elongate, appearing higher than it is. This perception increases at greater distances. Most competitive shooters will not launch a round in this condition and to them there is only an X-ring at stake. I would say if competition shooters shy away from this shot it certainly warrants our consideration. 

Another thing to consider about a boiling mirage is this. If you look at your target and see right to left or left to right movement but can't really decern wind direction, turn your scope right or left until you see a boiling mirage. That will be the direction the wind is blowing.

Watching the mirage move from right to left or left to right is what the marksman is looking for when doping for windage. Generally, when we consider doping for wind, it has to do with moving the bullet from off center, to center. The slant of the mirage's waves will provide information about velocity as well as direction. The greater the slant the faster the wind. 

When you see the lines of the mirage horizontal and straight you have a really good wind, usually twenty plus miles per hour. This is an extremely poor condition to deliver a shot in. Also keep in mind that when you have this type of wind, even of lesser velocity, the target will be distorted in the direction the wind is moving. The target will be left, or right, of where you think it is.

Example

If you have a bright, sunny, day and distortion surrounds your target, watch the mirage. You will see it elongate the target. If the wind is blowing from left to right you will see the right side of the target get bigger. This area of the target will appear to swell in the direction the mirage is moving. If the swelling of the area appears to pulsate, that means the wind is intermittent. Again, these effects increase with distance. 

I also am a  old hp shooter, 35 years +.  To read mirage , I use a a Kowa TSN-1 w/ zoom  eye piece.  Too old to buy one of the newer 821 or 822. The higher powered eye piece permits you to pick up mirage on a cooler day.  I generally focus on the target at a given yard line then back the focus up until I can see the target but more importantly see the mirage. Shooting 600 yards focus at 300 or 400 yds.I watch the edges of number board or the edges of the target frame in the outer perimeter of the spotting scope, much the same as a mirage board.  The same can be done with a rifle scope. Smallbore prone at a 100yds is good training.   The higher the amplitude on the waves, the slower the mirage ( hence slower the wind).  The smaller the amplitude the faster the mirage ( faster the wind). The true direction of the wind can be determined by rotating your spotting scope until you loose the mirage at that time your scope should be parallel to the mirage.  The velocity of the wind ( the amount of correction required ) can only be determined by experience.  Flags help at this point to determine velocity. The flag angle divided by 4 = velocity.   Still you must put your best guess on and shoot. Sometimes you are rewarded.  Watch the the boils!  A fun experiment is to set a a rifle scope on a fixed object (post or rest ) focused on a target in the morning.  Don't move it but during the day periodically, observe how the mirage displaces the target in relation to the crosshair.  

To all,

The attached has helped me a lot.....FWIW.........JimK

Gentelmen,

If you want to put all this mirage reading wisdom into play, come to the American Creedmoor Cup (ACC) long-range match in Phoenix Arizona in March ’07. It is a NO COACHING black powder LR match at 800,900 &1000yds held before the Regional Creedmoor weekend. This is an un-sanctioned match.

This is a chance to watch the flags, feel the hair on the back of your neck, watch the mirage if it’s there and blend as needed. Then twist the sight knobs, get on the rifle and make the shot. Then hope nothing changed much. Wait for the target to come up and see how well you can “read”. This is also known as “on the job training” for most of us.

The ACC is a one-day match in the four-day shooting event.
The prize for this match will be a very large old Shooting Cup (trophy) rebuilt for the ACC
Anyone brave enough to compete with paper-patch bullets will have a chance at a high pp award. (sub-category) 

I hope to see some of you mirage readers there! 
Michael Rix          (this kind of topic is great-not enough on it)