Shooting percentage

My most recent trip to SD I pulled the trigger 9 times and came home with 9 roosters. That'll never happen again in my life, and I'm absolutely sure I'll be cursed for quite some time for even posting about it. Prior to that I shot about 30 pheasants this year and I'd say I missed 5 or 6 throughout the year that I should have had. That puts me around 85% on the year. I feel like once you get in a groove it almost feels like slow motion, but then I watch the GoPro footage and it seems like I'm speed shooting. I think confidence is 75% of the equation.
 
Below are estimates only

Pheasants 80%, this includes all shots.......I will take a shot at a rooster at 60 yards because you just never know.
Quail perhaps 30%...this is completely dependent on the type of cover that I am hunting. I hunt a lot of russian olive and cattails and birds get up right in front of me and hit the tree tops so quickly that its a snap shot at 10 yards but I shoot a lot. If I am hunting sagebrush I might shoot 70% to 80%.
Chukar I shoot 20% no matter what. Generally my footing is poor, I am out of breath and off balance and when I do get a good shot I am always surprised.

I wish I shot better but........It's always fun
 
Are you using the same shotgun, choke, and ammo for pheasants that you are for quail and chukars?
 
No, I use a skeet or improved in the cattails and russian olives (quail and pheasants)and then a modified or full in the sage and rocks for quail and chukar) I started using the modified and full because I was knocking chukar down and they weren't quite dead so they would run into rock rubble and the dog couldn't get at them and neither could I.

I used a 12 gauge with 7 1/2 shot 1 1/4 ounce shot with green dot powder for everything
 
Drew said:
Below are estimates only

Pheasants 80%, this includes all shots.......I will take a shot at a rooster at 60 yards because you just never know.
Quail perhaps 30%...this is completely dependent on the type of cover that I am hunting. I hunt a lot of russian olive and cattails and birds get up right in front of me and hit the tree tops so quickly that its a snap shot at 10 yards but I shoot a lot. If I am hunting sagebrush I might shoot 70% to 80%.
Chukar I shoot 20% no matter what. Generally my footing is poor, I am out of breath and off balance and when I do get a good shot I am always surprised.

I wish I shot better but........It's always fun
Click to expand...
I will take a shot at a rooster at 60 yards because you just never know when you might cripple one. ????? Really Drew
 
Drew said:
No, I use a skeet or improved in the cattails and russian olives (quail and pheasants)and then a modified or full in the sage and rocks for quail and chukar) I started using the modified and full because I was knocking chukar down and they weren't quite dead so they would run into rock rubble and the dog couldn't get at them and neither could I.

I used a 12 gauge with 7 1/2 shot 1 1/4 ounce shot with green dot powder for everything
Click to expand...
Moving up to #6 lead would probably help to reduce the number of cripples you have run off.
 
Last edited:
I used to kind of keep track when I was on top of my game. Now I don't think I really want to know!! :(
 
Wind River said:
I will take a shot at a rooster at 60 yards because you just never know when you might cripple one. ????? Really Drew
Click to expand...
It strikes me that Drew has a lot of growing up to do....as well as needing better mentors.
Wounding animals makes me feel really low and as a consequence I focus on being lethal when I pull that trigger.
A healthy dose self discipline is the key ingredient. I would rather come home with 1 bird for 1 shot rather than 5 for 10 shots...knowing that I probably left pellets in a bird or 2 that I "supposedly" missed.

Too many "hunters" treat killing (or attempting to kill) like some stuping game and don't give the animal the respect it deserves....now I'll get off my little box.
 
My opinion is that if you're going to take 45+ yard shots at pheasants, you really need to be using #5 lead. #4 past 55 yards. And I'm talking some sort of overhead or crossing shot; not a straight-away. It's very, VERY difficult to put a straight-away down hard enough to recover past 40 yards, regardless of your shot size or how good your dog is.
 
AlexanderOgden said:
Wow, that sounds like quite the hunting adventure! I can definitely relate to the feeling of missing a shot, especially when your dog works so hard to flush out the bird. But, I have to say, switching to the .44-40 Winchester ammo from midcitygunshop.com has really changed my shooting experience for the better. The accuracy and power of the round has made a huge difference in my hunting success. Maybe give it a try next time and see if it makes a difference for you too!
Click to expand...
Is this a spammer or bot , it make zero sense. A reply in another thread was a bit odd, but not like this one....trolling?? What does anyone else think this is? Maybe a child, but mentioning a 44-40, a somewhat obscure caliber in most circles....maybe copied a post from a different shooting site?
 
remy3424 said:
Is this a spammer or bot , it make zero sense. A reply in another thread was a bit odd, but not like this one....trolling?? What does anyone else think this is? Maybe a child, but mentioning a 44-40, a somewhat obscure caliber in most circles....maybe copied a post from a different shooting site?
Click to expand...
What?? The .44-40 has long been a favorite pheasant load of many serious pheasant hunters, especially when fired from the hip with a single-action 6-shooter.
:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
remy3424 said:
Is this a spammer or bot , it make zero sense. A reply in another thread was a bit odd, but not like this one....trolling?? What does anyone else think this is? Maybe a child, but mentioning a 44-40, a somewhat obscure caliber in most circles....maybe copied a post from a different shooting site?
Click to expand...
I know. That's why I smiley faced it. Check out Chat GPT. I watched Joe Rogan talking about it. It's terrifying!!
 
I have had the pleasure to hunt with several good hunting buddies. I used to hunt with a guy that shot 32 out 34 one year. Typically on a 3-4 day hunt I would not see him miss. Great shot with lots of practice. I miss you Terry Boyer. Now his dogs were a different story... My shooting percentage is average at best. I hope to improve this coming fall with practice and Boss shells
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top