Rebel watched as the covey of Bobs erupted. A third went to the left, a third went to the right, and a third we straight away. I knew Bill was going to kill that straight away, for a Station 7 Low House in skeet is one of the easiest shots in the book. He missed with the bottom barrel, and then he missed with the top barrel. What did I do? I gave him grief, because that’s what friends are for. But the truth is, I’ve whiffed on lots of easy shots, and there are reasons for them. Here are six shotgun shooting mistakes that are both common and easily corrected.
Common Shotgun Shooting Mistakes
Shooting a shotgun while too in line with the gun makes it challenging to swing with and be effective shooting upland game. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) Shooting a shotgun like a rifle Our American shooting experience as kids typically begins with a BB, .177, or .22 rifle. It’s how we learn about handling firearms, gun safety, shooting, and cleaning . For many, that rifle shooting attitude carries over when we pick up a shotgun. You can tell a rifle shooter by his offhand stance, where he is positioned sideways to their target. It carries over with an attempt to match the front bead with the target. Hands tend to grip the forend further back than ideal which creates muzzle rock. You may even see these shooters close one eye.
Shotgun shooting requires a different set of skills, so many that it’s really the opposite of rifle shooting. Our sport is a dynamic one which involves athleticism and movement. Balanced stances enable us to swing and move our upper torsos in response to the target. When shooting a shotgun, foot positioning should be slightly wider than the shoulders and squared towards where the target will be killed. To achieve a smooth mount with less movement, front hands are positioned further forward on the forend of the shotgun. Front and rear hands work in synch to smoothly move the shotgun into a position that will hit the target, and both eyes are open for clear vision and improved depth position. The view is on the target, and not the front bead. Whenever you trade your deer stand for a walk in the woods, make sure you bring your scattergun technique with you.
Lifting your head in an attempt to mark a bird can change your followthrough, leading to misses. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) Head lift The miss that I referred to above was a really simple fix. My buddy, who is an excellent shot with a shotgun, prematurely lifted his head off the stock to first see that he hit the bird and then to mark its fall. When he lifted his head, his muzzle stopped moving. There was no follow-through, and since the bird was rising, his shot string went low and underneath. Keep your cheek on the stock until you’ve pulled the trigger and have followed through. Feathers fly with a hit, and with both eyes open you’ll catch a glimpse of the fall. The time to lift your face off of your stock is when the bird is on the way down.
When there is more than one bird, it can be tempting to switch targets during the flush, don't. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) Changing Targets A nye of flushed pheasants brings out another common reason we miss; we change targets. Our minds convince us that since we missed the first shot, it’s a difficult one. We believe that the second bird presents an easier target. But it pays to stick with the first bird because the odds are good that you were just about there. Maybe you were a bit behind or below, and a few minor tweaks will score a hit. If you move on to the second bird, you’re starting the shooting process all over again. Changing targets typically happens when hunting covey birds like quail. Resist the temptation to change and stick with the first bird.
Visualizing the Lead Describing how to lead when shooting a shotgun can be confusing to a lot of shooters. One buddy uses the inch method, while others use the foot method. The inch method is what the muzzle looks like in comparison to the target, meaning it looks like it is one inch in front of the target. The foot method—as in one foot in front, two feet in front—refers to where your bird will be when the shot string reaches it. Both are correct, but what is important here isn’t a mental note to self. The shooter needs to see what that inch…or foot…looks like in his own mind.
If you’re having a tough time on a particular shot, find a station at skeet or sporting clays that resembles it. Then, stay on that station and vary your lead until you’re breaking clays. Once you can visualize what the lead looks like, you’ll be good to go.
With a proper sight picture and stance, you're more likely to hit the bird. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) Improper Shotgun Shooting Mechanics Misses come from poor mechanics. We are surprised when a pheasant rumbles out of a shelter belt, or a covey of Bobs erupts from a patch of Little Blue Stem. It’s hard to move when our feet are tangled in bull briars in the grouse woods , just as it’s tough to acquire the woodcock target in the full foliage of an alder run.
You can’t correct a shooting mistake until you’ve given some thought as to why you missed. Common ailments are that your cheek isn’t glued to your stocks, your eyes don't look straight down the rib, and your buttstocks lands on your shoulder instead of in the pocket inside of our shoulder. Our hands get out of synch, and we have a lot of muzzle rock. Soft target acquisition is a big one, and that comes because we’re not focused.
Muscles have memory, so the more you shoot your shotgun and the more you hunt, the better your mechanics will be. That said, before you start logging repetitions, make sure that your form is correct. A few lessons with a shooting instructor always makes sense, and summer is the best time to schedule one.
When it comes time to shoot, it is important to remove distractions and be prepared to find the bird as it flushes. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) Target acquisition When a bird flushes or a clay launches, it’s important to have a laser-lock view of the target. Weak, unfocused concentration means you don’t clearly pick up the bird’s flight path. Sometimes, it’s due to poor vision, and that might mean a trip to the eye doctor. Other times, distraction comes because you’re thinking of something else, chatting with a buddy, or are simply tired. The easiest fix doesn’t have to do with your shooting but instead to focus on your dog. When he gets birdy, you know it’s game time, pun intended. That’s your cue to get ready to pick up the flushed bird’s flight plan.
Why We Enjoy Shotgun Shooting Part of the reason we enjoy shooting shotguns so much is because none of us hits 100 percent of our targets. But it’s no fun when the number of misses is greater than the number of hits. Most of the time, we’re making minor mistakes, ones that a buddy can help correct. And after all, what are friends for?
