For just about as long as we can remember, getting ready for a wing shooting trip was not that big of a deal. But then, we shoot shotguns for a living. Those of you who are less fortunate would do yourself well to visit your local clay target range more than once before you go bird hunting.
We have talked on many occasions about the difference between shooting a rifle and shooting a shotgun. On a rifle safari, the hunter spends a lot of time stalking or positioning themselves to take hopefully one shot to harvest the animal. So it just makes sense to spend time walking and breaking in new boots and practicing shooting off shooting sticks and from odd positions to prepare for the hunt.
A wing shooting safari, on the other hand, is quite different – especially a high-volume safari like doves in Argentina. Hunters positions themselves on a flyway and the birds fly by. The hunter must be able to harvest them regardless of their altitude, distance, and speed, so the need for top physical conditioning is not as great, but the ability to hit a moving target with a shotgun is critical for success. So, it just makes sense to us that the lion’s share of preparation time for a wing shooting safari should be spent improving your proficiency with your shotgun.
A hunter can develop the ability to become reasonably proficient with a rifle in a short amount of time. Now, we’re not saying that shooting a rifle is easy or that it doesn’t take effort and practice, but then the target is still. When the target begins to move at unknown distances and speeds, and you got to shoot where they are going to be, not where they are, as our friend Milo Abercrombie at the 74 Ranch would say, “Podnah, that’s a whole new different settin’ of eggs.”
When the dynamics of movement enter the picture, the difference between intellectual understanding and technical expertise becomes more evident. This is why we would urge you to go and shoot your shotgun on a skeet field or sporting clays range at least 500 times (1,000 would be better) before you go.
If it is available in your area, go and take a lesson or two from an experienced professional instructor. Notice we did not say, “go to someone who is a great shot. ” Just because someone is a great shot doesn’t mean that they can teach you what you need to do to improve.
If we were to give you an ideal scenario, it would go something like this. One hundred and twenty days out, take the gun you have registered to take on the trip to your gunsmith and have it “stripped, cleaned, and fired for function.” This simply means that the gun has been taken completely apart, the parts have been cleaned, checked for wear, lubricated, reassembled, and fired to make sure it has been put back together correctly. If you are not familiar with the disassembly, lubrication, and reassembly of your shotgun, this would be a great opportunity to get some expert advice from your gunsmith as to how it should be done properly.
Ninety days (twelve weeks) out, start doing your gun mounts at home with the flashlight in the barrel – say, at least three to four nights per week. Some time in the first four weeks of practice, go out to the range and shoot 100 targets on a skeet range or sporting course. Arrange for a lesson with a certified experienced coach or teacher, and be sure to tell them that you are getting ready for a wing shooting safari and you need to concentrate on shots that you will be seeing in the field. This will better help them to design a practice lesson plan that will maximize your time both with the instructor and at the range when you go to put into practice what you have learned.
Eight weeks out, you should continue your gun mount drills with the flashlight in the barrel at least four times a week, and plan three trips to the range to practice on clay targets. A second lesson between six and four weeks out would be a good idea, just to make sure you’re staying on the straight and narrow. You might be surprised at how the same words being heard a second time after some dedicated practice just might make more sense. And sometimes they gain a whole new meaning. That is why you should start practicing ninety days out.
Now we are four weeks away. Continue with your gun mount drills and go shoot 100 rounds each week before you leave, concentrating on the types of shots you will be seeing in the field. Clean your gun after each outing, just so you get accustomed to taking it apart, cleaning it, and more importantly, getting it back together without having any parts left over.
Many of you are asking why we would suggest you shoot so much and put in so much time before we go on a wing shooting safari. Well, there are several reasons. Since most of you will not touch your shotgun until maybe a week or two before you leave on your hunt, what are you going to do if it breaks a week before you leave? Remember, you can’t switch guns because that is the one you registered for your gun permit. You don’t know if it will be in good working order when you arrive, and because you have not practiced much with it, the chances of a mismount creating a nasty bruise on your bicep is a good possibility. We typically see that happen on the first hunt and things don’t get any better from there.
Also, without any practice at the range, you are going to be much sorer after shooting the first day, because you have not allowed your shoulder to get used to the recoil. When you become recoil sensitive, you begin to anticipate the recoil which causes you to do some very unusual things, including flinching, closing your eyes as you pull the trigger, and stopping the gun.
Think of it this way: if you were to touch your golf clubs as much as most people touch their shotguns, you aren’t going to be playing your “A” game when you go out the first few times. The biggest difference, though, is that the only thing that can get bruised in golf is your ego. We guess Advil could help with a bruised ego, but we know from experience that it works wonders for a sore shoulder.
It wouldn’t hurt to shoot and practice your gun mounts with the clothing you will be wearing on the hunt.
Gloves are usually a second thought and they should be a primary part of any shooting adventure, high volume or not. If your safari will be the high volume type, good leather gloves are a necessity. We use leather batting gloves that can be found in the baseball department of your local sporting goods store. Darker colors are better, and we prefer these gloves instead of golf gloves because they are thicker and they seem to hold up better.
Get a pair that fit and wear them – not only when you shoot, but around the house – until they get broken in. We have found the best way to break them in (just like cowboy boots) is to get them completely wet and wear them until they are dry. You will find that they will stretch where they need to stretch and will shrink where they need to shrink. If you wear them every time you go to shoot, in no time you will get used to them and will even forget you have them on. High volume hunt or not, we don’t even think of going into the field to hunt anything without first putting on our gloves.
One more thing, if you find some gloves that you like and that seem to suit you particularly well, get a second pair and put them in your sock drawer at home. That way you will have an extra pair when you leave your main pair somewhere you can’t remember.
So, the bottom line: when you are going on a wing shooting safari, don’t wait until the last minute to get ready. When getting ready, wear the stuff you are going to be wearing when you are on the actual hunt. You will be glad you did. Keep your eye on the target and be safe.
