Not shooting worth a hoot...

[Mort]

Think I follow the bird to much looking down the side of the barrel and not actually looking down at the bead.
You guys are probably going to suggest shooting clay's?? On two outings I've got one bird..last weekend I went 0 for 6....thats shot at 6 birds and got a zero. 8 shells, wasted 3 shells to 2 birds..they did not drop.

go ahead...laugh at me..I can take it.;:;banghead

 

[Wallike]

I've had the same problem from time to time. Years ago I bought this little rectangle end of barrel adapter and whenever I'd start shooting poorly I'd just slide it on the end of the barrel and it would get me shoot right on every time.
I looked on the inter-web and don't see anything like it. If I do, I'll post it.

 

[fj40]

Not laughing. In a slump myself. Not sure what is going on. Never been an expert with a scattergun but usually do 65 to 70% Seems like I can't hit the ground, now.

 

[sl1000794]

^^^ ^^^ Obviously witnessing a miracle here - dead birds flying!

 

[Bfishn]

I found adding a magnetic hi-viz sight years ago helped me a bunch, it gives me something to track as i'm swinging. I'm sure others will say its a bad idea, but it worked for me. I'm left eye dominant shooting right handed and am still probably one of the better shots at birds of the people i hunt with.

 

[Maddog]

To offer:
1) practice shouldering the gun to ensure you are eyesight is right down the top of the rib -- every time AND the shouldering feels natural. If you are hunching over or stretching your neck, it is wrong.
The rib should appear as a plane (flat). Practice Practice. I shoulder my shotgun at least 10 times every day in the house. And then track along a wall/ceiling edge.
2) You must lead the target. Meaning the barrel must also be moving.
3) You shouldn't see the barrel at all. Your concentration needs to be on the bird. Try to concentrate on the head.
4) Do NOT flock shoot. Pick one bird and just shoot at it, one shot. Don't worry about multiple shots (for now).
5) Shoot the swing through method VS sustained lead. BUTT, BEAK, SHOOT That is don't shoot until the sight picture sees you are past the bird. I took a wingshooting class put on by the DNR. They taught that the sight picture is the same at all yardage. Meaning what it looks like to you at trigger pull is the same, regardless of distance.
6) Do not shoot at birds out of range. There is a maximum effective range for shooting. MOST hunters shoot outside their effective range for their gun AND their skill level.
7) Pattern your gun. My guess is you are probably using too tight of a choke. I know others will rail on me about this. But in the class with over 30 participants we ALL decided to go with more open chokes.

Good luck.
I remember when I got my first dog and went ruffed grouse hunting. We flushed up a group of ruffed grouse. I shot 5 times at 5 different birds in open terrain and missed everyone. : ) I then decided I needed to put the effort into becoming a better shot. Joined a trap league and practice.

We all have bad days shooting where we just aren't sharp or we are worried about work, girls, etc.

 

[Allen]

You are over thinking your shots. That and practice, practice, practice.

The key here to the practice is that you get muscle memory developed on getting the proper alignment of your barrel to the bird as the gun gets shouldered. In a nutshell, once you have plenty of practice you will find that you're no longer "aiming" the shotgun, you shoulder and squeeze the trigger as soon as the gun is in place. This is the difference between shotgun and sniping with a rifle.

Look up "Churchill Method" for shooting, it is about as close as I can come to describing how I shoot. I find that if I miss the opportunity to pull the trigger as soon as I should, I am now trying to aim the gun and the net result is I miss more often.

I bit the bullet, so to speak, and signed up for the summer clay league out at Capitol City Sporting Clays. This FORCED me to shoot, plus it was just a downright good time. After not hunting much over the past 4-6 years, I'm back to about as good as I was before the lull in hunting. Which maybe ain't great, but it's a lot better than I was at the beginning of the summer.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Have you by chance nailed a few teals with a 6 foot lead and got that lead stuck in your head ? man those things can cruise . Shooting with both eyes open helped me a lot with a shotgun.

 

[Maddog]

You are over thinking your shots. That and practice, practice, practice.

The key here to the practice is that you get muscle memory developed on getting the proper alignment of your barrel to the bird as the gun gets shouldered. In a nutshell, once you have plenty of practice you will find that you're no longer "aiming" the shotgun, you shoulder and squeeze the trigger as soon as the gun is in place. This is the difference between shotgun and sniping with a rifle.

Look up "Churchill Method" for shooting, it is about as close as I can come to describing how I shoot. I find that if I miss the opportunity to pull the trigger as soon as I should, I am now trying to aim the gun and the net result is I miss more often.

I bit the bullet, so to speak, and signed up for the summer clay league out at Capitol City Sporting Clays. This FORCED me to shoot, plus it was just a downright good time. After not hunting much over the past 4-6 years, I'm back to about as good as I was before the lull in hunting. Which maybe ain't great, but it's a lot better than I was at the beginning of the summer.

Awesome point.

A shotgun is NOT aimed. If you are aiming at a flying bird you WILL miss.

 

[MuleyMadness]

This thing. I have 2 and they are great. I like the red better than the green

 

[Maddog]

Also, make sure you have the gun shouldered BEFORE you start swinging it.
Otherwise it is next to impossible to hit what you are shooting at because it won't be shouldered correctly.
It took me a long time to figure out that was the main thing I was doing wrong....

 

[deleted member]

common mistake is shooting under them. i venture to guess i shoot the feet off of the bird about 90% of the time if i miss. its real common in the situation where they are flying straight away from you. you shoulder, put the bead right below the bird cause it doesn't feel natural to shoot at something that isn't completely within your sight picture and therefore shoot underneath them because the barrel and line of sight is technically underneath the bird. when i miss once or twice in a row i remind my self "barrel on the bird" and not "bead on the bird". technically, neither is correct since you are usually leading them a bit. but, i think you get the picture.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Try to take your time . I shot more ducks with a single shot than any other shotgun because with 3 shells I was already thinking about my second shot before I'd let the first one fly.

 

[Wags2.0]

If you’re aiming with a shotgun you already missed

 

[guywhofishes]

This thing. I have 2 and they are great. I like the red better than the green

;:;popcorn

 

[Mort]

Thanks guys...all good info.....shotgun is stoeger 12 ga semi auto, modified choke I have IM choke as well, Have Red hi viz bead.
I have 20 ga same model set up.

 

[Rowdie]

Get a side by side double barrel.

 

[riverview]

when i start missing I find I don't have my feet planted correctly. when I was first learning to shoot a shotgun I used the butt body beak boom theory. start behind and swing through the bird

 

[Captain Ahab]

1. Invite a friend that can shoot walk right next to you. 2. Start claiming you hit the bird.

 

[huntinforfish]

Wags beat me to it. Every time I miss, whether it be clays or bird, I swear I had to much time and "aimed." I've been shooting the same shotgun for 12 years and when I am on, I swear the damn thing is a part of me. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Just keep at it and don't think so much. Good luck!