remi700

I have been pheasant hunting a great deal in the past couple of years but I have been having a lot of problems with straight away or going away shot on birds. I seem to nail the crossing/passing shot consitantly. Any advice or video/ book references that could help me with this one? Once I have some idea why I'm missing that shot, I can work on the trap range.

-REMI700

Tal/IL

Doesn't seem possible to miss those straight-aways, does it. I think what happens is partly an optical illusion. Unlike crossers, the straight-away looks like the bird is just hanging there nearly motionless, when actually he is moving out and up - fast! The tendancy is to aim like a rifle, not swing like a shotgun, with the bird visible above the bead. The result is a miss behind/below the rising bird, or a cripple hit in the tail end. For me, the secret to the straight-away (and the incommer for that matter) is to deliberately start the gun below the bird and swing up through it, slapping the trigger as the barrel completely covers the bird.

EJDoane

On a shot like that I would take aim about two or three inches above the bird so that by the time you pull the trigger the bird will be in line with the shot. Keep in mind that the bird is moving up and out from you at the same time so that you shot placement should be where the bird will be not where it was.

HOSS

mostly a shot like that if the bird is rising put the front bead of your barrel on the back of his head and pull the trigger it may seem like you destroyed the bird but upon cleaning you'll find the shot string hit between the wings and up the neck and back of the head the breast and legs will be fine. on a going away level flight put the bead on his butt and shoot. These practices work out to about 30 yds.
to practice these if you have a clays thrower tilt the throwing arm till its nearly level and see how you do

drgildy

Tal/Il has hit the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned. Try it you'll like it.

halcon

Tal/il covered it as far as I'm concerned . Just let the bird get out some .

OhioDuckHunter

You may try going to a club that throws sporting clays. They can simulate any shot that you are having problems with and may have advice for you.

Personaly, that is my favorite shot. I miss it less often than the crossers.

Good Luck with the Duck!

Edited by - OhioDuckHunter on 01/06/2003 22:50:39

Fred H

The most important thing you can do is learn how your gun shoots. All shotguns shoot differently. For example, a field gun shoots differently than skeet gun. If you're satisfied with the kill ratio on crossing shots then it "implies" that you gun has at least an adaquate pattern. My suggestion is that you learn whether the gun shoots high, low, or straight on. This is done by doing an point of impact test.

The test is simple and will tell you how your gun is shooting (right, left, high, low or straight). Many field guns are designed to shoot slightly high. If you're hunting with a clays, trap, or skeet gun; they normally shoot differently. Do the test, it'll let you know.

You may be hitting the bird. A straight away pheasant this time of year is one tough bird! He can take several pellets in the back and still fly several hundred yards before he lands and dies.

In late season, pheasants have plenty of fat, feathers, tissue, and bone hiding their vitals. With a crossing shot all his vitals are exposed making it much easier to drop the bird. Make sure you have an adaquate load. While nothing more than 6's should be needed, there are times when 5's are a better choice. I personally hunt with 7.5's in the first barrel and 6's in the second (20 gauge).

Lastly, my guess is that you need to take your time and know how your gun shoots. Most folks use too much choke and shoot to fast. Try a more open choke and a higher quality load. The load doesn't need to be a huge load of 4's, but rather a nice copper plated load that gives good patterns. In many cases an ounce of copper plated 6's will do nicely out to about 30 yards with an improved cylindar in a 20 gauge.

Best of luck.

remi700

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I was fortunate enough to try some your tips on my pheasant hunt this past weekend. I misseed one going away shot but later hit two after thinking through what I did wrong in relation to the advice you guys gave me.

I have hunts planned for the next two Saturdays at my father-in-laws pheasant preserve and will keep focusing on that shot.

I seem to be shooting my Beretta O/U better than my Benelli M1 field.
I shoot 3" number 4's and 5's out of both of them. The only thing I can really demise is that I've only had the semi-auto for a couple of months and since it is lighter than the O/U that I'm not use to it.

Any further thoughts?

Thanks guys,

Remi700

OhioDuckHunter

Your loads may be too hot for your shot. I use 2 3/4" 5s and 6s, sometimes even 7 1/2s. If I hit it, it drops. You may try a lighter load so your pattern is where you think it is. Any way you do it, Enjoy!