Shooting Woes - Help Needed

Uplandhunter67 said:
Another point is shotgun fit. If the shotgun doesn’t fit you it won’t shoot for you and unless you have it fitted you can’t make it work. I spent months finding the perfect LOP on my Beretta A400.
Also what fits in early season might not work when you’re donning layers to ward off the cold. Sometimes that’s when you use a thinner recoil pad.
Another hint if you can find a plastic straw tape it on the rib. Mount the gun like you normally would. If you can see the bead though the straw that’s good. If you can’t you’ll need to adjust drop, cast, or LOP
Click to expand...
That will be done this week. An interesting concept. Thank you.
 
walk213 said:
I will do try this over the weekend. I have shot this Benelli Ethos for 10 years. I did change chokes a few years back, but I shot very well for a while. Last year was not ideal. This year was horrendous.
Click to expand...
Did something change? Did you put on or loose weight? Change vests or jackets? Can change gun fit without even a thought.
I run skeet/IC on opening weekend then switch over to IC/IC after that. Try patterning your shotgun at 15, 20, and 30yds. You might be surprised on what your patterns look like.
 
walk213 said:
Thank you for posting this exercise. I need to employ good habits. I was not raised with a shotgun in my hands. I will use this training process immeidately. I will also buy "Instinctive Shooting". I appreciate the insights.
Click to expand...
It’s available on Kindle.
 
I started taking lessons from a Pro about 3 years ago. I’d have someone with experience check your fit. Like others have stated you can start with a mount, my regiment is dry mounting with a mini mag light in my gun, a good mount will keep the light on the target through the entirety of the mount. From there it goes to pulling the trigger once fully mounted. You can also practice your mount in front of a mirror to see if you are tilting your head. I also practice a fair amount shooting clays. I use a champion workhorse with remote, it’s under 300 bucks. I practice basic incomers, going away and crossers. It really helps to have a coach in my opinion.
View attachment IMG_4003.jpeg
 
Never dwell on what you’ve done wrong. If you do you’ll keep doing it. Think about what you did right. I don’t think about the birds I miss. I think about the birds I kill.
I know that Lanny Bassham generally deals with competitive shooting “With Winning in Mind” but some of his thought processes can apply to shooting under hunting conditions. I read and reread it all the time. It has certainly improved my mindset for competitions as well as hunting.
 
There is a saying with shotguns fast is slow and slow is fast. You are rushing way too fast and then as you are shooting lifting your head to see if you hit it. It is a little hard to tell but from video but you seem pretty straight up. Lean into your shot a little, makes it tougher to lift your head. Good luck
 
Years ago I attended one of Gil Ash’s traveling shotgun schools. Two all day sessions, best money I have spent! I found out I’m left eye dominant, but his methods transformed me! Worth investigating! Good luck!
 
One I’ve noticed when I’ve shot poorer (fairly common still let’s be honest) is sometimes reacting negatively to a flush like you’ve said you have issue with. Even if I’m in a ready position, a loud takeoff flush can spook me a bit. Pheasants are no grouse when it comes to that, but idk it just gets to me when it wants to. I’ve tried an ear plug or muff on my shooting ear this year, and I think that’s helped ease that initial shock and taken aback reaction when they get up.

It allows me to focus more so on the shot. In the past, I would feel like I needed to pop a shot off quickly after a reaction since they’d soon be out of range, but it usually ended up with a rushed miss and a longer second shot.
 
lonejackfool said:
if you really want to know why you are missing, post this on shotgunworld forum. otherwise practice, and let your emotional support dogs ride up front on the way home, i guarantee all they want is some good cheek and ear scratching, and the promise of getting to go again.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I never put my dog in one of those boxes, in a cage, heck no.
 
I don’t shoot well on grey days. This year I tried to wear glasses on days like that. Light browns did all right for me, never been able to wear yellows.
My problem was I was hitting most everything and only killing half of them. I was shooting a little bit low and my second shell was all but worthless unless I switched birds.
Was shooting a different gun this year and shot 2200 clays this last summer and fall after shooting the same gun for 20 some years Stopped shooting at the time change and shouldn’t have. I’m going to get back at and try to retrain my brain
 
Last edited:
I am right handed shooter with left eye dominate. Have been working hard to shoot both eyes open but in doing so I have to have my left eye partially blurred to be able to hit anything. I bought shooting glasses so I could always have the blur in the correct spot and also so the look is always the same whether shooting sporting clays or hunting. Yellow on cloudy dark days and brown with sun. Like dark purple for sunny clays shooting but didn’t work at all for hunting for me. Think it has helped a bunch in addition to purposefully shooting more sporting clays. Another thing we do on sporting clays is only shoot the hard stations. Not worried about pounding slow incomers to make me feel good. I want realistic hunting scenarios. If I get a station that has my number I’ve be been know to stand there and shoot a box of shells until I figure out what my issue is. I am a firm believer in off season shooting to stay sharp.

Back to the OP as has been mentioned here. Take your time and get the mount correct and make the first shot count. Don’t rush it. Keep barrel swinging and don’t lift your head.
 
Matt D
I am right handed left eye dominant. When I found that out I started shooting left handed. Made a big improvement.

Walk 213
I’d suggest slowing down with the first shot and then practice mounting the gun with a mag light in the barrel so the you know exactly where the gun is pointed. You can practice that all off season inside. Muscle memory. You can practice swinging the gun left and right along wall joints in your house. I also got an upland sling that I use to help keep my gun in the ready position with the barrel pointed up. Lastly I’d suggest hunting with 1 dog ( unless they point every bird) to help with focus. Not sure on a coach in Denver. I did get a lesson once upon a time with Warren Watson at Kiowa creek but it looks like he’s passed away.
 
That1uncle1776 said:
When the dog shows any sign of being birdy try telling your self to slow down and look down the barrel. If I'm not constantly reminding myself I end up pinching rounds off before I'm even on the bird. Mount the gun and follow a proper shooting routine on hens. JUST don't squeeze the trigger
Click to expand...
good advice - I found myself too quick to the trigger when we got a bird in the air. A lack of confidence is the reason. I must slow down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top