Are You A Good Wing Shooter?

[Chuckle12]

I'd say I'm above average, but not world-class by any means. I find that when I don't shoot well, it's almost always because I'm not seating my cheek on the stock.

[whistler]

Keep both eyes open and follow through the shot.

[slayem]

while speaking of this subject, I am a pretty good shot, but is there anywhere besides the willows to go shoot in the NW corner of MS?
I agree, leave both eyes open, follow through for a second until you feel comfortable making the shot and then pull the trigger

[H20 Fowl]

I'd say I'm above average, but not world-class by any means. I find that when I don't shoot well, it's almost always because I'm not seating my cheek on the stock.

^^^THIS!!!

[cheeko]

kept your cheek down and swing

[Blackduck]

I'd say I'm above average, but not world-class by any means. I find that when I don't shoot well, it's almost always because I'm not seating my cheek on the stock.

^^^THIS!!!

Let me get a +3 on this right here. When I don't put my cheek down I end up looking over the end of the barrel and shooting high. For some weird reason since I got in to rifle competition in the last three years my shotgunning has gotten much better. I'm not real sure why and I surely don't advocate rifle shooting as good practice.

Also shooting the same shell that you have confidence in helps. Rio's for both doves and ducks. Lead and steel are my favorites. Right now.

[jacksbuddy]

My only "advice"? Fun - da - mentals.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

When shooting at ducks while standing next to a tree in the timber, I am a pretty good shot. Shooting at clay targets in the offseason (sporting clays, skeet, trap) helps. And like others have suggested, each hunter has to experiment to find the right combination of choke and shot for his type of shooting style and hunting situations. BUT......

I found out this season that my shooting lacks a lot to be desired (huge understatement) when popping up out of a layout blind (essentially an abdominal crunch) in an open, muddy, gumbo field in the rain with a 20 plus mile per hour wind. It is almost purely instinctive shooting with limited swing range from the torso. Throw in the fact that many of the ducks we were shooting at were green winged teal buzzing the spread while darting and dipping like doves, and lets just say that it was very challenging and humbling. Probably 2 boxes of shells shot to every 6 ducks killed. I am not really sure how to simulate that type of "sitiation" in the offseason for practice, nor am I certain that I really would want to. But, sometimes, when the only birds you have to shoot are in fields where the water is shallow and there is no cover, then a waterfowler has to do what a waterfowler has to do.

To simulate the above "situation", I was thinking about shooting the duck flush at the Willows from a layout blind, with multiple large fans blowing on me, while someone squirts water on me from a water hose. And, of course, to really make it "real", this would need to be done at 6:30 am after a late evening of libations with only a few hours of sleep. I'm sure my friend Barry at the Willows could set all this up for me.

[ransco33]

When shooting at ducks while standing next to a tree in the timber, I am a pretty good shot. Shooting at clay targets in the offseason (sporting clays, skeet, trap) helps. And like others have suggested, each hunter has to experiment to find the right combination of choke and shot for his type of shooting style and hunting situations. BUT......

I found out this season that my shooting lacks a lot to be desired (huge understatement) when popping up out of a layout blind (essentially an abdominal crunch) in an open, muddy, gumbo field in the rain with a 20 plus mile per hour wind. It is almost purely instinctive shooting with limited swing range from the torso. Throw in the fact that many of the ducks we were shooting at were green winged teal buzzing the spread while darting and dipping like doves, and lets just say that it was very challenging and humbling. Probably 2 boxes of shells shot to every 6 ducks killed. I am not really sure how to simulate that type of "sitiation" in the offseason for practice, nor am I certain that I really would want to. But, sometimes, when the only birds you have to shoot are in fields where the water is shallow and there is no cover, then a waterfowler has to do what a waterfowler has to do.

To simulate the above "situation", I was thinking about shooting the duck flush at the Willows from a layout blind, with multiple large fans blowing on me, while someone squirts water on me from a water hose. And, of course, to really make it "real", this would need to be done at 6:30 am after a late evening of libations with only a few hours of sleep. I'm sure my friend Barry at the Willows could set all this up for me.

I'd like to get in on some of that action at The Willows now. I'll bring the libations to make it more life like.

[Money]

Do you consider yourself to be a good shot ?

yes.

[novacaine]

It depends on who is watching!

Seriously though, probably about average. It doesn't take me many shots to kill 6 ducks usually.
Situations that take me a little while (1 or 2 hunts) to get the rust and cobwebs knock out are:
Layout blind on a left to right duck
Any shot while sitting on the ground
Close shots (15 yds or less)

If i don't burn shells during dove season, i can definitely tell the difference during teal season.
Also, the majority of people i duck hunt with on a regular basis are below average (except my 18 yr old). I guess that probably gives me a false sense of above average ability. Truth be know, i probably suck worse than 95% of the people on the planet.

[Blackduck]

When I get in a rut I wait for an easy shot to get back in the swing. I used to shoot more and shot at birds farther away. Talk about make a poor situation worse. Kinda like getting rid of the shanks. Can't do that with a driver.

Having spring loaded doors on the layout is a must. Busting out of a GHG layout is like trying to get out of a sleeping bag. Hard to get your mojo working ESP on gwt

[SWAG]

On a scale of 1-10 with one being awful and ten being great......I am about a 5

[Deltaquack]

I'd say I'm above average, but not world-class by any means. I find that when I don't shoot well, it's almost always because I'm not seating my cheek on the stock.

^^^THIS!!!

I don't think i'll ever forget to put my cheek down again. Ol Austin Poole had limited out on his turkeys a year or so ago and took me so he could film the hunt. He called in 4 good gobblers at about 30 yards......had it on film and was trying to get my attention to shoot the one to the far left. Well, i didn't put my cheek down and shot right over the top of its head. Stunned the turkey......then he flew off. I never hear the end of it.

[duramax]

A lot of guys mis choke a gun. I shoot I/C and Mod on my over and under and smoke ducks.

Also I think the majority of people use BBs and #2 when 4s and 6s will kill them just as dead...I shot Wingmaster HD 4s and 6s with IM and IC and had one of my best years as far as number of ducks killed and shots fired. JMO

Well said. I'm done with anything larger than #4's on ducks. It was very eye opening patterning my gun a couple years ago shooting 10 different types of loads and shells. The difference between #2's and 4's was dramatic. Federal red box steel waterfowl 3" 1 1/8oz #4's patterned best. Black cloud #4's were second (and twice as much). Yes a #2 or BB has more energy at 40-50 yards. But 10 #4's will do a lot better than 1 or 2 BB's at 40 yards. That pattern quality of smaller shot sizes greatly out weighs the added energy of larger shot.

This year I shot only 2 3/4" 1 1/8oz #6's in the woods this year in the beginning of the season. All shots were 30 yards or less. At 40 yards with #2's or BB's, there are going to be holes in your pattern big enough for a mallard the fly through unless you find a load and choke combo that is perfect with your gun. And even then you might only hit the bird with 1 or 2 pellets. After switching to #4 Federal's, I have had much fewer cripples. And when I do have cripples, the denser pattern with them does a whole lot better on cripples than #2's do.