How to get better at wingshooting

Drew said:
Wow, all great advice. All that I can add is that when I started hunting I struggled and my Dad, who was a solid shooter, gave me two tips.

1. Pheasants are very slow birds so, when hunting over a dog, let the bird have at least a 3 count before you pull the trigger.
2. Always swing through the shot.

I am not saying that I am a great shot but adhering to those two tips have resulted in a lot of dead birds.
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Your dad was wrong.Never count anything.Open fire asap.
 
dustin mudd said:
One answer to the original question, 15 years ago, I was reflecting. I had nice guns , a good truck devoted to bird hunting, reasonable trained bird dogs, and spent a lot to travel to nice public lands far away. I missed way to much!!!!
I went to a shooting school hosted by Gil Ash, and spent more money, very wise decision. To overcome my left eye dominance, and voodoo measures . He showed me my brain could overcome my faults, and I am a better shot now.I will never be a competitor, but I do understand the proper foot placement, stance, gun mount, eye focus, and stock fit. When I miss which is still too often, I know why. A serious shooting school can make a world of difference! Consider what you spend overall, it may not be that much money. Brian beliniski in traverse city Michigan is an excellent teacher too.
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I didn’t take a school but this summer I joined a sporting clays facility with a friend who shoots avidly. Shooting 50 rounds once a week with him giving great tips I have improved a great deal. I too will never be a dead eye but my form is much better and I understand my misses and can adjust without guessing. It should translate well to the field.
 
Goosemaster said:
Your dad was wrong.Never count anything.Open fire asap.
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According to videos, the vast majority of times in my hunting, a rooster flushes, is identified, & is shot at in under 1.5 seconds. The key is to learn to mount a shotgun well & quickly, carry your gun ready with 2 hands, & to not be flustered by the situation, which comes with experience. There's no waiting. When you're on a rooster & ready to shoot him, you shoot him. For me, waiting for any reason allows my head into the game, which frequently results in a miss. Not to mention if you wait a couple seconds, you'll be faced with a lot of 60+ yard shots. They're very difficult to make, & it's almost impossible to hit a pheasant hard at that range. Your hoping for a golden bb in the head.
 
Gretzky never skated to the puck…he skated to where the puck was going to be…I shoot to where the bird is going to be…I don’t think I shoot in a technically correct manner, per se…but I feel like I do ok out there…hunted 11 days on the prairie in Sept, missed some Huns, for sure…(flushes of 10, 15, 25 are tough for me!)…killed most of the sharptails that flushed within 30 yards…did miss some longer shots…I did shoot clays a few times in August…think it helps. I have a fair # of guns, but there are 3-4 that I shoot well…I’d do better by sticking with just a few, but I can’t resist using different guns….jumping around doesn’t help me—safety’s in different spots kinda hurt me….I no longer get worked up over clean misses!
 
LittleBigHorn22 said:
This is where the "wait" can help. Personally I try to remember to take a breath. It's certainly not like waiting multiple seconds, but a quick pause can keep from a rushed shot due to being flustered.
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Agreed, a "wait" (like just intentionally keeping the gun down for 1/3 of a second) can be decent practice for not getting flustered & rushing a shot. Ultimately, it makes you quicker. But calmly quick.
 
When I first started pheasant hunting, it was usually all by myself. I was so amped up, or anxious, or whatever that I often muffed the shot. Either I shot way too quick, or put a saddle on the bird and rode it out way too long (that's a metaphor) and never cut a feather. I know for a fact that I missed way in front more than anything. Last year was my 4th year of going hunting a lot, and it got a lot better. Being able to stay somewhat calm, just mount the gun and shoot and the birds dropped a lot better than they had before. I know I'll miss a few this year, but overall I think things will head in the right direction. But even if I shoot like hell, I'm still going every chance I get.
 
benelli-banger said:
Gretzky never skated to the puck…he skated to where the puck was going to be…I shoot to where the bird is going to be…I don’t think I shoot in a technically correct manner, per se…but I feel like I do ok out there…hunted 11 days on the prairie in Sept, missed some Huns, for sure…(flushes of 10, 15, 25 are tough for me!)…killed most of the sharptails that flushed within 30 yards…did miss some longer shots…I did shoot clays a few times in August…think it helps. I have a fair # of guns, but there are 3-4 that I shoot well…I’d do better by sticking with just a few, but I can’t resist using different guns….jumping around doesn’t help me—safety’s in different spots kinda hurt me….I no longer get worked up over clean misses!
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I also like several guns.It doesn't help my shooting, but its interesting.
 
You dont have to shoot as quickly as you think. Get over the startling fact of the flush . Raise your gun smoothly and let your pattern have time to open to the choke your shooting. If I use a 12 over pointing dogs its cyl choke. A 20 is mod . A 16 is imp and mod or full in a sxs . Just slow down look at the bird and shoot where your eyes are looking.
 
Hunting over a good dog, for me, takes the surprise-quotient out of the equation, or at least reduces it….which helps. Mind you, it’s always a rush when a rooster flushes, but preparing yourself for it helps. It never gets old, that’s for sure!
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
According to videos, the vast majority of times in my hunting, a rooster flushes, is identified, & is shot at in under 1.5 seconds. The key is to learn to mount a shotgun well & quickly, carry your gun ready with 2 hands, & to not be flustered by the situation, which comes with experience. There's no waiting. When you're on a rooster & ready to shoot him, you shoot him. For me, waiting for any reason allows my head into the game, which frequently results in a miss. Not to mention if you wait a couple seconds, you'll be faced with a lot of 60+ yard shots. They're very difficult to make, & it's almost impossible to hit a pheasant hard at that range. You’re hoping for a golden bb in the head.
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birddude said:
The only way I can make a shot after waiting is to not mount the gun until I feel good about it. If I mount, then wait I'll miss every time!
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Totally agree, I’ve mounted waiting for a bird to gain elevation or clear a bush and it doesn’t go well. Any thoughts running through my brain after the gun is mounted do not help.
 
birddude said:
The only way I can make a shot after waiting is to not mount the gun until I feel good about it. If I mount, then wait I'll miss every time!
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This is a really important point! If you mount the gun and then take your time, you are begging for a miss. You'll most likely try and rifle shoot the bird and that's a bad thing if there's even a slight angle on his flight. Make your mount once you get a solid visual on the bird, this is the part where you have more time than you think. But once that stock is on the shoulder and head on the comb, you need to take that shot without delay.
 
Caleb Frank said:
Thank you for all the advice! I shot my first pheasant opener weekend. And got 13 pheasants 1 grouse and 1 woodcock so far.
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Son, you're fixin to live a life filled with fresh air, adventure, and sore legs. You'll realize at some point that it's not about numbers, shotguns, and trucks. It's about this crazy dance with your dog and the bird. You'll sometimes be angry. You'll sometimes be ecstatic. And sometimes heartbroken. You're loved ones will accuse you of rather being with some mangey dog than them. But in the end, you'll have no regrets. Congratulations.
 
Last years trip to South Dakota left me pretty unhappy with my shooting. I've had a Doall manual thrower for years but my wife can't cock it and I was getting less practice. Bought a Champion Wheelybird 2 with the remote. Practiced off and on all summer, mostly at an angle away from the trap instead of directly behind it. The last 6 weeks before our trip this fall I went through 3 boxes of clays, most all from 45-90 degrees from the path of the clay. The 90s were harder but at my age with trees in the background I'm claiming its my eyes having trouble picking them out. The hunt went great, my shooting was much better.
I'll add that the remote helps. I hang it from my shirt pocket, keep the gun low, reach up with the left hand and punch the button, then grab the gun and mount to catch up to the fast moving clay. Much more similar to a surprise flushing pheasant than standing with the gun ready in both hands and calling pull.
 
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