Shooting High

T
Alaskan swamp collies said:
Age has squat to do with it. I shot like crap in my 20's and 30's. Than I practiced more and got better, might not hold the scope as steady offhand as I used to, but can swing a shotgun. Yet still shoot hot and cold, but plan on getting better every year.
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that’s me. I am 55 and shoot about the same today as I always have. I will have days where I can’t miss, and others where you would think I have never hunted.

to the OP, quit thinking about it. The more you do the more you will press. Practice your footwork and slow down. I shoot much better when I do that. Remember. .333 will get you in the hall of fame.
 
Practice your gun mount at home, in the mirror with your hunting jacket or vest on. Unloaded gun of course. Mount the gun to your cheek., not your shoulder. If the gun fits properly, your shoulder should just be there. Try it very slowly 20 - 30 times a session. taking a step with your lead foot towards the bird with 60 % of your weight on your lead leg will help.

The most common place people miss a flushing pheasant is shooting over them because they mounted to their gun to their shoulder instead of to their cheek.
 
I would suggest looking into a ShotKam or Tactacam if you don't have one already. These are great tools for seeing exactly where you are shooting.

If you are indeed shooting high, you could consider changing the shim in your gun, if you have that option. I would also second patterning your gun. I'd never done this until this past summer and I don't know that I'll ever NOT pattern my gun. What an enlightening experience to know where the pellets are going and how dense they are with a steady aim at a predetermined distance. Plus it gives a visual of what exactly you are spraying out at the birds.
 
Golden hour - I did pick up a shotkam at the end of last year which is how I now know I aim high. Awesome tool. I've been using the same gun forever so I'll go back to the basics and work on the mount. Appreciate all the responses
 
Alaskan swamp collies said:
Age has squat to do with it. I shot like crap in my 20's and 30's. Than I practiced more and got better, might not hold the scope as steady offhand as I used to, but can swing a shotgun. Yet still shoot hot and cold, but plan on getting better every year.
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I dont know, I've always been a shredder, but my dad went on a 20 year skunk, after he turned 50.
 
Nugent said:
I dont know, I've always been a shredder, but my dad went on a 20 year skunk, after he turned 50.
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His eye dominance probably flipped. I’m 52 and have never shot as well as I am this year. I think I’m at about 85 percent
 
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My dad left his turkey choke in my gun. Since we took my gun out turkey hunting in the spring. I found this out after I cleaned it around mid December. I've only let one bird get away so far this season. Shot about 20 so far. Maybe give that a try. Ha ha.
 
Buy shells by the case or shoot lower! Seriously, I can't help, have gotten into slumps before and they go away as quick as they start. This season was good, shot better this year than ever, turning 57 shortly, shot almost zero rounds between seasons....might just be taking it more serious now. Getting older, want to make the effort count. I hunted with a fella like Wise, 2-shots, not sure I have seen him hit a bird with his first shot, but usually kills on the 2nd....sure takes a lot more shells that way!
 
My pheasant guns for the last 20+ years have been a 1991 Browning A5 & a 1929 Winchester Model 12.
Neither of them have a permanent butt/recoil pad.
To make them fit right, I add a removable pad. The Model 12 is short enough that I also add a 1/2" thick piece of wood inside the pad.
But when it gets cold out, I remove the pad. (actually just remove the 1/2" wood piece from the Winchester)
My clothing isn't 1/2" thicker. But I think the fact that I'm probably a little more bulked up & not as limber, wearing bulkier gloves, footing might not be as ideal in the snow, possibly tired after a longer hunt, & maybe with cold hands....all add up a more difficult gun mount.
A slightly shorter stock noticeably improves my shooting in cold weather.
Here's what I use:
galco pad.jpg
 
I think rushing and lack of practice is where I struggle. I’m hot and cold at times with no explanation despite many years of experience.

One hunt I let my son carry my Remington 1196 auto loader. I carried a single shot 20 gauge. Dropped two birds dead with one shot each....that was all I had. And maybe I slowed down because I knew that.

The next outing I was solo and carried the Remington and got skunked...missed terribly. It’s a mystery to me sometimes.
 
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