This is the beginning of a new series of articles on how to approach getting ready to hunt the different game birds of the world. We’ll discuss things like what to practice, how much to practice, and how far out in front of the hunt to practice, to ensure your hunt will be successful and a memory of a lifetime.
Our seminars were a huge hit at convention this year, thanks to the huge crowds that came and asked questions and got involved in the real causes for their good and not-so-good performances in the field.
It seems that no matter how many times we talk about the sight pictures and practicing the gun mount until it is consistent without you even thinking about it, people are still amazed when we talk about where you eyes are when shooting a shotgun. So, we are going to go over this once again, because we believe it is the most misunderstood part of wing shooting. Due to the misunderstanding, it’s the reason so few practice – because they don’t know what or how to practice.
Perhaps this would be a good time to interject the absolute most important element to becoming a good, consistent wing shooter. This is something that can be practiced at home and the clays range before you go hunting. Vicki has been quoted worldwide as saying, “You will never shoot better than the quality of your basic move and mount.” Because she is always right, I must agree with her. You must be able to move and mount the gun without having to think about what you are doing. Your move and mount must be consistent enough that it comes to the same place on your shoulder and cheek every time without you having to check it! Every bit of focus you must direct to what you are doing with the gun is taken away from the target, which will cause you to miss in the end.
It’s got to become like brushing your teeth! In the beginning, you could not even find your mouth, and now you can stick your foot in it without even trying! Then you became fascinated with your reflection in the mirror and missed your mouth completely. Then you could hit your mouth, and then you had to learn to keep the toothbrush in your mouth. Then you had to learn the different brushing sequences on all of your teeth. Now you do it without thinking, and in fact, can carry on a conversation as you brush. Then you get old enough to take your teeth out and brush them and put them up for the night! Remember this one thing: if you are thinking while shooting a moving object with a shotgun, you are already behind.
But what does that look like? Well, read on!
When we shoot a rifle, we are always looking down the barrel and at the target at the same time. We align the sights with the target and squeeze the trigger. It is the quality and consistency of the trigger squeeze that determines how consistent the shooter will perform. In fact, you can shoot a rifle pretty well while consciously thinking about what you are doing. But the target is still. When the target is moving, things change dramatically and you must move from consciously thinking about what you are doing to letting it happen.
“Why?” you might ask. When shooting a moving target with a shotgun, you must look at the target where it is and point the gun ahead of the target and shoot where it will be. On the surface that sounds simple. But in reality, it’s one of the most visually confusing things you will try to accomplish until you understand a few things.
We began our seminars at convention with a simple question: “What does it look like when you shoot a right-to-left crosser?” Deer in the headlights look from almost the whole crowd. The exceptions were those few who had taken lessons from us or had seen the thousands of video lessons in our Knowledge Vault or on YouTube.
After some encouragement from Vicki and Gil, they began to answer that their eyes were on the bird. “But what does that look like?” Vicki asked. We were met with silence again. It seems that most of our friends in our seminars were not really clear on what it really looks like when you shoot a moving target with a shotgun. As a result, they were very inconsistent and could not self-correct. That leads to frustration when trying to practice.
Based on our 25 years of experience as professional shooting instructors, we feel that this is the biggest problem for wing and clay shooters worldwide. Shotgun shooters fall into a huge group that mounts the gun fast and while looking down the barrel are chasing the bird down from behind and trying to fix the shot at the end by getting the lead right. The biggest problem with this approach is that they are thinking while trying to get the gun ahead of the bird. On the surface makes logical sense, but the problem is that they are looking down the barrel and trying to aim the gun like a rifle! If you are looking down the barrel trying to aim the gun ahead of the bird, then what, pray tell, are you aiming at?
Without exception, this is the main dilemma that all wing and clay shooters face. While on the surface it makes logical sense, when we explore it further, the logic leaves the situation. Because for this to work, you would have to look at two things at once! When the eagle chases two rabbits, both go free.
The reaction was dramatic when we began to show our animations explaining what it really looked like when completing a shot on a moving target and where everything in the picture was supposed to be. It makes logical sense once understood. And when we combined this new information with our ShotKam video of clays and game birds, you could feel the tension leave the room and the smiles return to their faces. We began the learning process – and wow, what a difference.
So how do you practice these elusive sight pictures? First, you must understand what it really is. We will describe it from a right-handed shooter’s perspective. On a left-to-right target, the shooter will be looking at the target to the left of the barrel with both eyes. And on a right-to-left target, the shooter will be looking at the target across the barrel. Perhaps now would be a good time for you to get your unloaded gun and practice these sight pictures by doing the three-bullet drill.
The three-bullet drill will be the most important home practice you will ever do. And it will make logical sense once you have done it several times. After doing the drill for ten minutes three or four times, you will begin to see the pictures. That is what creates the miracle everyone is looking for – CONSISTENCY!
To do the three-bullet drill, place three objects on a bookshelf about 10” apart. From across the room, with your empty shotgun, focus on the middle object, and mount the gun on the right object. This simulates the “sight picture” for a left-to-right target (for a right-handed shooter) with both eyes looking at the target to the left of the barrel. Next, while looking at the middle object, mount the gun on the left object which would simulate the sight picture for a right-to-left target. This side will be confusing in the beginning because you are actually looking at the target across the barrel. Eventually, it will look normal after about four to six ten-minute sessions.
While we have talked about this before, we continue to be amazed (and in fact, disappointed) with the number of shooters who actually practice their gun mount at home so they can become better in the field and on the range. Please do yourself a favor and do the drills. Develop a consistent gun mount and understand the sight pictures so they happen consistently without you having to think about what you are doing. The birds deserve it.
