supergame Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 For me its got to be fast, low going away birds with the odd jink thrown in for good measure. This type of bird is generally presented after one shot has been fired, alternatively when you are decoying with the wind in your face and the birds are comming from behind. To come to terms with this kind of shot I generally rely on the extra choke of my second barrel and by not panicking at the speed of the bird as goes away allowing for the bird to straighten up before the shot is fired. Works well on some occasions. I started this topic because I had an entire session of shooting pigeons up the backside last saturday and they for me are the most testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 Another difficult one is, the fast drop in, from height. They are coming down almost too fast to shoot at. but when they get near the decoys they often flare off, giving another difficult shot. I have to shoot at a lot of pigeons, due to field layouts and prevailing winds, that have come over my head,from behind and are going away. A good tip is to aim at their feet, this seems to be the right amount of lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 I find high birds flying from behind me going away are my hardest,yet coming towards me at the same height I rarely miss. Would love to know what I do wrong, any ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everygoodnamewastaken Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 :*) The hardest birds i have to face are sitting down :*) But now i have the airgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 Ernyha,stopping the gun maybe??i found (or was told by others)that i was stopping the gun on these shots,incomers like you no prob as i seem to swing the gun more naturally this way.The only way that i have tried to overcome this is loads of practice on clays,if you get someone to throw clays for you ,you can have this thought in the back of your mind whilst shooting,then when this type of shot presents itself in the field your conditioned reflexes should do thier bit and keep the gun on the move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 Thanks for that Neil, you are probably correct as my biggest problem has always been stopping the gun and firing into the spot where I think the bird will be when the shot reaches it. On incomers I was told follow the bird in,blank it out and shoot. Have never forgotten this bit of advice and it works more often than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.I. countrysports U.K. GARY Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 ernyha... Mount the gun on the bird, then swing the gun slowly and smoothly DOWN to 3 or 4 bird widths below the bird, releasing the shot at that point... It is very hard to hit this target if you swing the gun up to the bird. The gun muzzle is then be traveling in the opposite direction to the lead that is required. I mastered this type of shot in Argentina last year. After a lot of shots (200ish) I really got it off to a tee. Once I got the gun moving the right way to assist with the right kind of lead, it became fairly easy. I shot some really fine, high, (going away) partridges and grouse last season using this technique... I hope this makes sense, let me know... GARY... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 ernyha: That is my favourite shot on ducks and geese. It use to be that I could never make it, then the tip I got from an old time waterfowler (he must have been forty) was to start above the bird, pull down through and as the bead passes the under belly pull the trigger. Has worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.I. countrysports U.K. GARY Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 Well said (new to the flock) we posted at exactly the same time... All the very best... GARY... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooktrout Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 Definitely those birds going away you, they are often close to the ground and flying in a straight line, they look SO easy, but often beat me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted April 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 If birds are comming high from behind try shooting them with a maintained lead, by starting below it and staying below or as NTTF said come down through the target. I shot a sequence of clays from a high tower on staurday using maintained lead. I found this method by far the most successful. One important tip for the high going away bird is to start with your weight on the back foot and transfer to the front foot as you swing downwards. The weight transfer swings for you. This applies to comming from behind the bird with the muzzles or alternatively shooting it with maintained lead. The above tips are not always possible from a hide, but are worth knowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 Thanks for all the tips lads,with all this advice I shouldn,t miss next time out. Will let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 I am a great believer that time spent on a sporting clay layout, can improve your bird shooting. Especially where you have the flexibility to concentrate on certain presentations, that you find difficult. I often suggest this to friends that are going through bad shooting spells. Its suprising how many bird shooters think it won,t help, as its a different "discipline". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted April 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Your dead right Cranfield a trip to a good sporting layout is certainly a big help. A few years ago I would of said the opposite and then I started to shoot sporting every sunday. The difference in my pigeon shooting is almost amazing. It has shown me that there is often a lot more time to deal with a pair of birds as opposed to rushing onto the second bird. I have gained a great deal more confidence on long crossing targets through better lead judgement. I could go on and on but the two points mentioned are vitally important when shooting pigeons The great thing with shooting a sporting layout is you are able to practicve on your weak points, more often than not your weak points will become your strengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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