The "Black Cloud" post got me to figuring

[Faithful Retrievers]

Like the little boy told his father, how far did you lead him?, boy says, just enough.

I hope this little discussion isn't debating a kill shot at 40 yds. I am not saying its the most practical but in a pit your gonna have 40 yd shots all day long. It might be the lucky ones trying to escape after decoying. I am not going to sit here and GH22 it and say the duck was 75 yards but I been killing them long ways this year with this new setup. Think about duck is decoying 25 yards then hits the jet stream staright up quickly add 10 more your at 40 in no time. Now timber is a different story.

[Trykon]

Who said anything about a 40 yard shot being the first shot? Do i take 40 yard shots on the first shot no. Will i take one as a group is leaving? Of course i will. Killed ducks at that range many of times with no problem.

[swamprooter]

I thought you would know the answer Doc!.. .your pretty sharp on here...In all honesty to me thats really not a shot option a duck cruising at 40 yards 3/4 to full speed. I try to make this a close game with calls and decoys that I lug around. A crippled animal stills bothers me and when it doesn't, i'll quit. So it would be slick to say "yeah, I can make that shot everytime" but I know i can't even though I know the lead but i don't try, especially this day in age with steel and open patterns....

[mharville]

[RNT]

wow hahaha if you shot at a duck at forty yards out and it was going 50 miles an hour.. wether you hit it or not you would never hunt with me again haha

[ducman77]

if a duck is flying 50mph that means it is a scooter or a damn hooded merganser...

[deltaduckman1]

i think doc hit it right on the money..even though i wouldnt take a shot at this range though i might think i could im just glad to have some reliable insight from guys on here like doc and gc that have probably been at the game much longer than a kiddo like myself who is still finding new situations in the duck blind that have me saying "well what would be the best thing to do"

[BR549]

[adame]

[/quote]Speed Record - The fastest duck ever recorded was a red-breasted merganser that attained a top airspeed of 100 mph while being pursued by an airplane. This eclipsed the previous speed record held by a canvasback clocked at 72 mph. Blue-winged and green-winged teal, thought by many hunters to be the fastest ducks, are actually among the slowest, having a typically flight speed of only 30 mph.[/quote] who knew

[GordonGekko]

[swamprooter]

Another interesting note about leading a bird is shot string as it relates to a moving target, gauge and ounce load/powder. I use to burn some gas up traveling the country in the late 80's and early 90's shooting Traditional Archery. We shot alot of aerial targets. It really helped my shotgunning as it relates to "throwing the shot into" the target. I learned to focus totally on the bird and not the bead.

[goosebruce]

Ifn im on, I could kill 3 at dat range, and cripple another one with my ejected hulls.....

Ive been known to just open the flap on a box of shells, and the lead duck in a group simply give up and die from fright.

I typically don't even shoulder my gun unless they at 40. Under that, I hip shoot to give em a chance.

bwhahahahaha. travis

[GulfCoast]

[swamprooter]

My buddy runs Kearney Park.....we ought to have a MSDucks ( Micah approved of coarse) Clay shoot/ Dog event and set up the 40 yard Smokin mallard and some other fun shots totally related to duck hunting. I could get him to set up hald dozen or so sizzlers.....money raised goes to charity or to HoeHandle for a private lease.!

[Doc & Nash]

I am in. Sounds like a great Idea,