Are You A Good Wing Shooter?

[slayem]

I will second the #4's.. I shot my 10 gauge all season with #2's. The last 2 weeks, I used my 12 gauge with black cloud #4's, and noticed a big difference.. What made me put the 10 down was i missed a gwt at about 10 yards 3 times! I am now a firm believer in smaller shot! In the last 2 weeks, my shots fired:ducks on the water went WAY up

[dhunter2]

Delta....About all I've ever done is wingshooting, and have alot of confidence in my shooting. We all get in little slumps sometimes. Just keep shooting. Two or three points.....If I get in a slump one thing I try to remember is to shoot as soon as my gun comes up...if I hesitate it throws my timing off. Try to track your bird with your eyes, and make sure you bring your gun up to your cheek....do not shift your cheek to align with your gun. I think this is one of the major biggies. Practice looking at a target and mount your gun
to your cheek(find your slot)....As you practice start slowly and get the routine and sequence....pretty soon you will get faster and faster, which will make it easier and easier to get in a rhythm. You will notice when you do mount it that your head is staying stationary and the gun is coming up smoother and smoother. Hope this helps. neil

[aweyerman]

I'm probably the best out of anyone I've ever been around. People usually don't sit around me at dove shoots. I'm a sustained lead shooter, both eyes open regardless of gun, I definitely fall in to the natural category. I also realize my limitations and I rarely, if ever, throw up a "hail mary"shot.

[BDeer]

I used to be bad about closing my left eye, It took me a log time to train myself not to close that eye when my gun came up. I still don't shoot very well but i'm way better than I was at one time

[slave601]

I think shooting woodies day in an day out for years made me better

[Deltamud77]

I appreciate all of the replies...definitely some fantastic advice. Almost feel like this thread ought to be of the stickied variety since all of us are wing shooters and therefore most of us will get the shooting "shanks" at some time or another.

[YazooValley]

In my younger days, I thought I was pretty decent. Then I dove hunted with some guys who shoot pigeons for big money. Humbling.

[Anatidae]

I'm a better shot than I was before I:

• Understood gun fit and dynamics
• Bought the best equipment I could afford - and upgraded when it looked like improvements were warranted
• Read 'An Insight to Sports' by Dr. Wayne F Martin (primarily for golf and trap-shooting enthusiasts, but applies to all sports - visual aspects)
• Read 'Finding the Extra Target' by Linn and Bloomingthall - mostly visual position and the mental game for trap shooters.
• Bought 'Eye-robics' training video
• Developed loads and did a lot of patterning/choke research - my handicap trap load puts 396 pellets of #8 shot (1-1/8oz.) in a 28" circle @ 40 yards. There's 461 pellets in that load. That's 86% in 28". It's up to me to put THAT on target.
• Shot full choke at everything - i.e., skeet, trap, sporting clays - to learn and reinforce 'leads' - it helps to know where the center of your pattern is. It's not enough for me to hit the target - I only feel like I've accomplished my goal if there's nothing but a black soot-cloud left after I pull the trigger.
• Had a decent job that afforded me the income and time to burn however much powder it took to get me over the 'hump' and establish some confidence.
• Shot 10K rounds at clay targets per year (practice and competitively) for 5 years straight
• Developed the visual and mental aspects of the game.
• Relaxed enough that missing the target isn't a matter of life and death any more.....except for wild game, of course.
• was fortunate to have fallen in the company of some better shooters that were gracious enough to share their experience and knowledge with me - and I paid attention to what they were saying and learned from my mistakes
• Accepted that it doesn't happen over night unless you are extremely gifted. I'm not. I know several that are. Be patient and diligent. Make every shot count....even in practice. I've seen folks shoot 8 boxes of shells a day - every day.......making the same mistakes over and over. It's not how many shells you shoot, but it's about having a purpose for shooting that day - something you're working-on, specifically - focusing on your objectives and learning something from each shot or session. If you don't know why you missed the target - ask somebody whose shooting skills you admire.

I hope this helps. I never consider myself a 'good shot' unless I hit everything I shot at, that day. Every day is different. My skills have fallen-off a bit because I don't shoot enough any more, to maintain those skills and shoot well on a consistent basis.

There were three hunts that stand-out in my memory this year:

1. Saskatchewan pea field - one volly - my wife and I both tripled on Cacklers. It was the only thing group of birds that hit the decoys that afternoon. It toook an hor to set-up and an hour to break-down. Well worth the effort!
2. On public land, back home - she and I killed 7 birds with 8 shots spaced-out over 3 hours. Killed and retrieved everything that worked us that day - and it didn't sound like a war going-on. We witnessed someone else that claimed they got 2 limits - but they shot 3 boxes of shells, after it occurred to me to count their shots. I really think some folks rate their hunt by how many shells they shoot in the process.
3. Another hunt back home - 12 shots - 9 birds, including a double triple (me and my wife).

I think it important to mention - being able to hit the target depends (to a high degree) on 'your' shot selection. Shoot within the limits of your ability. In the above 3 examples - we 'picked' our shots.

It doesn't always workout that way - but it is 'sweet' when it does and has a lot to do with the overall quality of our hunt.