Good work by the dogs, my shooting remains uninspiring

walk213 said:
December 6, 2025 Upland Hunt Video

I did work on my shooting in the off-season. I hired a professional to help me overcome some bad habits that I adopted in 2024. My results on the range improved materially during my lesson. Transferring the instructions to the field is different. Hopefully, I continue to improve during this season.
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I have found that one thing that helps with shooting, is hunting a lot, and actually finding birds to shoot at.
 
Three things happen to me when i am in a slump late season colder weather. More clothes change length of pull causing a lower point of impact, I rush my mount on the first shot and don't get my head down because the birds are flushing farther away and are faster and more clothes make me slower. I flinch shooting 12gauge non-toxic or lead loads above 1500fps with 7lb gun. I did not think i was flinching until i experience the Benelli click, sure enough I was dipping the barrel anticipating recoil.
 
I’m always throwing my gun up to my shoulder and aiming at a weed a post or better yet any type of bird flying by. I do this always at the beginning of a hunt or if I’ve been walking a long time with no action. After awhile you start to drop your head and stare at the ground in front of you and carry the gun not at the ready. It’s subconscious we all do it especially when tired. Aiming snaps me out of it.
 
Tomahawker said:
I’m always throwing my gun up to my shoulder and aiming at a weed a post or better yet any type of bird flying by. I do this always at the beginning of a hunt or if I’ve been walking a long time with no action. After awhile you start to drop your head and stare at the ground in front of you and carry the gun not at the ready. It’s subconscious we all do it especially when tired. Aiming snaps me out of it.
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Good insights. Thank you.
 
Tomahawker said:
I’m always throwing my gun up to my shoulder and aiming at a weed a post or better yet any type of bird flying by. I do this always at the beginning of a hunt or if I’ve been walking a long time with no action. After awhile you start to drop your head and stare at the ground in front of you and carry the gun not at the ready. It’s subconscious we all do it especially when tired. Aiming snaps me out of it.
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i agree completely
loosing focus is easy when not much is happening
intermittently mounting your gun or following any bird may help
i also found I shoot better with a stocking hat vs a cap
i think the bill on a cap can make you lift your head off the stock so you can see better sometimes
looking down constantly makes you loose speed and depth perception when a bird get up also
snap cap shooting at home are a great help also and easy to do
 
LCR10A said:
My preference is to hunt alone with 1 dog. No distractions. One other problem you may be having is the presumed added clothing while hunting now vs what you were wearing during lessons in the summer.
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I like hunting alone as well. Echo turns 10 next week. There is not a chance that I leave her behind. She has been my partner for a long time. My mounts are better this season.
 
wildcat said:
i agree completely
loosing focus is easy when not much is happening
intermittently mounting your gun or following any bird may help
i also found I shoot better with a stocking hat vs a cap
i think the bill on a cap can make you lift your head off the stock so you can see better sometimes
looking down constantly makes you loose speed and depth perception when a bird get up also
snap cap shooting at home are a great help also and easy to do
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Agree 100%. I try to mount 20+ times early in the day. The .mount includes a swing. I love a stocking hat for the same reason..
 
jonnyB said:
What were the bad habits you had adopted? Just curious.
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I will post my shotgun instruction. He showed me that I was trying to meet the bird instead of mounting at the bird, and moving the barrel with the bird's flight. I was so bad with my first 2 boxes that I became embarrassed. The third box was better. The last 2 boxes were fantastic.
 
walk213 said:
I will post my shotgun instruction. He showed me that I was trying to meet the bird instead of mounting at the bird, and moving the barrel with the bird's flight. I was so bad with my first 2 boxes that I became embarrassed. The third box was better. The last 2 boxes were fantastic.
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Matching barrel speed to bird speed...then pull ahead, correct?
 
walk213 said:
I will post my shotgun instruction. He showed me that I was trying to meet the bird instead of mounting at the bird, and moving the barrel with the bird's flight. I was so bad with my first 2 boxes that I became embarrassed. The third box was better. The last 2 boxes were fantastic.
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I use to be shotgun instructors for kids at an exclusive sporting clays 5 stand course. Not an expert but have been around some.😁As a bird flushes and your raising the gun be pointing at the bird. You see so many guys mount gun then try to point at the bird. Get the word aiming out of your mindset, point don’t aim. As you are mounting if the gun were to go off you would have a chance to hit the bird.

I shot 5 stand with some great shooters one time and the instructor had us shoot one station from the hip to reinforce this. Started at real low gun and had to shoot at half way to your shoulder. Most of us hit two out of five. We were focused and concentrated way more as none of us wanted an embarrassing goose egg.

You basically have 3 options, start behind bird and pull through, start on the bird and pull away, start in front of bird and maintain the lead. You should practice all 3 to get better. I am best with pull through, and worst with maintained lead. But I can do all 3. Practice all of them. Wife is telling me we are leaving so I will end with get a shotkam. Good luck.
 
2point said:
I use to be shotgun instructors for kids at an exclusive sporting clays 5 stand course. Not an expert but have been around some.😁As a bird flushes and your raising the gun be pointing at the bird. You see so many guys mount gun then try to point at the bird. Get the word aiming out of your mindset, point don’t aim. As you are mounting if the gun were to go off you would have a chance to hit the bird.

I shot 5 stand with some great shooters one time and the instructor had us shoot one station from the hip to reinforce this. Started at real low gun and had to shoot at half way to your shoulder. Most of us hit two out of five. We were focused and concentrated way more as none of us wanted an embarrassing goose egg.

You basically have 3 options, start behind bird and pull through, start on the bird and pull away, start in front of bird and maintain the lead. You should practice all 3 to get better. I am best with pull through, and worst with maintained lead. But I can do all 3. Practice all of them. Wife is telling me we are leaving so I will end with get a shotkam. Good luck.
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Thank you for the insights. The 3 options are interesting. I am not sure if I can be proficient in all three techniques. My instructor told me to point at the bird with my left (front) hand. Then mount by pulling my right hand back to my shoulder.
 
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