Shoot them in the head?

It's so tough to describe something that is instinct. I agree with both of you. I think my eyes stay on the bird, but my mind is using my vision to establish a trajectory, and that is where my barrel swings. When my periphery sees the barrel the correct distance in front of the bird...bang.

The more convoluted the process, the more excuses I have when I miss ;)
 
Crossing shot said:
I used to bang away as soon as I saw the bird. By the time my second shot was on the way, I usually looked like a corkscrew in a wine bottle.

At home, I put a bird feeder in the yard and turned my back. I would practice turning and acquiring the target, setting my feet, mounting and swinging. Other than keeping both eyes open, this practice had the greatest positive effect on my shooting. I never shoot twice.
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What did your wife think of all the did robins in the yard?
 
carptom1 said:
What did your wife think of all the did robins in the yard?
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I've shot more birds through the front windshield than I care to admit,, they used to call me that no good outlaw pointerfinger shootin .... or something like that. You know that eagles song , yeah I just let them lay.:)
 
All just an out of body experience for me when I am in the zone shooting. Don't ever remember putting the gun up or pulling the trigger. All just a blur. Comes as second nature anymore. With a son on the way I suppose I will have to figure out how to teach it someday.
 
Crossing shot said:
When a target requires lead, the shotgun is not pointing to where my eyes are looking. I agree with your statement when the shot does not require lead.
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Answer me this. With a target that requires lead, where are your eyes looking?
 
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As it should be and the computer called a "brain" magically knows where to put the barrel based on what your eyes are telling it about target speed and trajectory. There is no calculating or measuring of lead. If that happens your eyes are now going back and forth from the target to the barrel and bad things will happen.

The baseball analogy is the best thing to compare against. You don't need to look at your glove just like you don't need to look at the barrel.

I think we are on the same page here?
 
I do not think so. I practice daily not to divert my eyes back to the barrel. I do this everyday because if I do not, my eyes will always go back to the barrel.

I do not think the brain does this magically. It's hard work.
 
I shoot sporting clay's during the summer. When I think too much at a station I usually miss. The only way I have found to be instinctive in my shooting is practice. Sporting clay's has really helped my bird shooting because it forces you to lead that target sometimes by way more than you think. Teaching a new person how to shoot gets tricking I agree with the 6 inches, 2 feet, analogies posted. So to answer the initial question yes I lead birds, the farther out the more I lead them. But once you think you have enough of a lead and stop swinging the gun to pull the trigger you fall behind. Remember that your shot is not a round pattern but a string that is long. Back end of the shot string in the head of a bird is still a dead bird. Front end of a shot string in the tail is a missed bird.
 
Crossing shot said:
I do not think so. I practice daily not to divert my eyes back to the barrel. I do this everyday because if I do not, my eyes will always go back to the barrel.

I do not think the brain does this magically. It's hard work.
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Ok then, if your eyes are locked on the bird as you say and you don't think the Brain is playing a key factor, how are YOU attaining lead? Explain...

Secondly, of course hard work is part of it. But don't underestimate the power of the Brain. In Sporting Clays, once you call for the target you've hopefully already formulated a plan, your thinking is done and you simply let it happen, you let the mind take over. The only thing you should be concerned with is seeing the bird as clear as you can just before the shot is triggered. I know it may sound hard to believe, but it works if you trust it.

Now we've been relating more to clay shooting and Hunting is certainly more instinctive because we don't know when, where or what angle the bird might come from, but the concept of hard focus and the ability of the eyes leading the hands (Gun) to the bird is quite the same whether hunting or shooting clays. Subsequently, we've all heard someone at some point in time describe the shot they made of a lifetime on that goose, Duck or be it a Pheasant. If you ask them "how far in front of that bird were they", most times they can't answer it because they honestly don't know. They pulled up, focused on the birds head, pulled the trigger and the bird fell out of the sky. Amazing what that thing called a "brain" can work out when the eyes give it the correct info.

I will try to find some info written by fellas that teach this kind of stuff for a living and can explain it better than I.
 
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goldenboy said:
So to answer the initial question yes I lead birds, the farther out the more I lead them. But once you think you have enough of a lead and stop swinging the gun to pull the trigger you fall behind. Remember that your shot is not a round pattern but a string that is long. Back end of the shot string in the head of a bird is still a dead bird. Front end of a shot string in the tail is a missed bird.
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Yes, but you are not consciously measuring or calculating lead. It's more of a feel than anything, otherwise you will be looking back and forth between the target and the gun and measuring. Let me point out something. You have "Barrel Awareness" a term similar to Peripheral or soft focus, take your pick. But you are not hard focused on it. When a long crosser needs a bunch of lead your primary focus still remains on the leading edge of the target even though you sense the barrel stretching away from the target until if FEELS right.

Am I close?:)
 
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That's good. Well worded. I agree.

The reason I started this thread is because there is not much trial and error here in Missouri. Back when farmers made fun of my shooting, I could shoot a box of shells a day. Now a good year may be one box of shells. No room for error.

As far as your other recent post, you will not like my answer. This is my favorite forum. I like pheasant/quail and I like how everyone stays calm. This is a hot issue on other forums. I like your answers so far and I would like your opinion. Would it be better to go private? I would like someone to review some new routines. It's for learning to keep eyes open and to learn feel at home.

Cannot get back to the forum today. Meant to quote your response to Goldenboy.

Thanks
 
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Crossing shot said:
That's good. Well worded. I agree.

The reason I started this thread is because there is not much trial and error here in Missouri. Back when farmers made fun of my shooting, I could shoot a box of shells a day. Now a good year may be one box of shells. No room for error.

As far as your other recent post, you will not like my answer. This is my favorite forum. I like pheasant/quail and I like how everyone stays calm. This is a hot issue on other forums. I like your answers so far and I would like your opinion. Would it be better to go private? I would like someone to review some new routines. It's for learning to keep eyes open and to learn feel at home.

Cannot get back to the forum today. Meant to quote your response to Goldenboy.

Thanks
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If you prefer to take it private that's fine. I will keep an open mind. ;)
 
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