rich1985 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Well went on the flight pond for the first time this season tonight, only thought there was a few mallard coming on. Well I have never ever shot so appallingly in my life and I mean that! I've been shooting my 20 bore hushpower for the last year or so more and more but I can't put steel though it as it's full choke so I got the side by side out, well got all hidden up by the pond and the mallard came and they came, 40 to 50 of them in 5s 6s and 7s. I had 28 shots for a grand total of.............2. Is it the swap from the gun or do you think I have just turned rubbish!! I normally kill them a treat! I don't know what happened, I mean they looked like dustbin lids coming in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfireboy Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Shooting a modded shotgun can take some getting used to, now you're used to that, changing back has probably thrown you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barls2-9-12 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 We all have bad days put it behind you and look forward to the next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onatangent Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Were you actually hiding shouting bang.....bang.... and the two dropped birds were startled to death?? Think this could be dementia and not an eye issue ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 I would say a combination of using a gun your not used to and just having a bad night, as said before, put it behind you and don't dwell on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GADWALL41 Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 As I always tell my son , The Most important shot you will ever take , Is The next One . I had my SxS wows many years ago , changed to an OU and then added a Semi or 2 and never looked back . Last Night , 2 MALLARD , 3 WEGION and 5 Teal , some cracking shots , but the important shot is my Next One ! . Forget it all, start afresh , enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 You should be able to put standard steel duck loads loads through a full choke no problem , so use what you use to. I use a light full on the marsh and have no worries of putting high performance BB loads through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Going by the title of your post there might well be some truth in it . I have been lucky and had good eye sight all my life , but the last couple of seasons I struggle on clear nights picking the duck out clear enough for a shot . I was out the same night you were talking about , dead flat calm and no cloud cover I got a Widgeon out of a small bunch that came past in poor light which didn't tell me much how I was shooting as one came out of a tight group I fired at , but as it got darker a few duck came in and I had 4 more shots for nothing else , I could see the duck but with no background I couldn't pick them out when the gun was in my shoulder , so that was it I knew I was beaten and for the next 5 to 10 minutes I just sat there and watched a few more swinging about . there is always another night . In my case I put it down to old age , in your case " Rich " it might be just getting your eyes tested . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 I once had 19 shots for two widgeon on the marsh, it was a bad sky and my shoulder was playing up and I hadn't realised how much it was hindering me on certain presentations at that time. The duck were still coming and I had shells left but I packed up and sat the rest of the flight out. I should always stop or radically change tactics before I fired 28 for two. Yes the change of gun could be a thing but things are unlikely to just come good during an evening flight in future at lest think on its unlikely you had 26 total clean misses if you bagged two something was coming out the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted October 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Going by the title of your post there might well be some truth in it . I have been lucky and had good eye sight all my life , but the last couple of seasons I struggle on clear nights picking the duck out clear enough for a shot . I was out the same night you were talking about , dead flat calm and no cloud cover I got a Widgeon out of a small bunch that came past in poor light which didn't tell me much how I was shooting as one came out of a tight group I fired at , but as it got darker a few duck came in and I had 4 more shots for nothing else , I could see the duck but with no background I couldn't pick them out when the gun was in my shoulder , so that was it I knew I was beaten and for the next 5 to 10 minutes I just sat there and watched a few more swinging about . there is always another night . In my case I put it down to old age , in your case " Rich " it might be just getting your eyes tested . I wear glasses and I could see them just fine! They were like dustbin lids! Ha ha. I may have over leaded them, I will try again in a couple of weeks! I've shot 40+ duck on that pond on loads and loads of nights! will see how I get on next time. Thanks for the comments guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 (edited) I have problems when i miss and then start to think the next shot ... end up thinking too much, working out, angle, lead, which choke, Am i too tightly choked/too loosely? etc.... then realise I am doing it so keep gun down till last possible second and hit it clean and dead in the air Edited October 28, 2014 by nic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Try the same gun on a pattern plate and clays. That should go to telling if it is the gun or the shooter at fault! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted October 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Try the same gun on a pattern plate and clays. That should go to telling if it is the gun or the shooter at fault! It's the shooter! I know that already! Ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 if they looked like dustbin lids there ******* close maybe you done well missing them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted October 30, 2014 Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 This hapened to most of use at one time or another. What sometimes works for me is after a string of missed duck in a flight is to put the gun down relax watch the next couple of birds over and then pick up the gun and take careful aim and with a little luck my aim returns . For some reason my season always follows the same pattern. I start off shooting well and then after 6-8 weeks go through a period of poor shooting and them in mid season my stright shooting returns for the remainder of the season. I suspect after a few weeks shooting I become a bit casual in my shooting and need the shock of a few easy misses to make me consintrate again. For some reason geese are not usualy a problem its ducks in poor light that trip me up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 This hapened to most of use at one time or another. What sometimes works for me is after a string of missed duck in a flight is to put the gun down relax watch the next couple of birds over and then pick up the gun and take careful aim and with a little luck my aim returns . For some reason my season always follows the same pattern. I start off shooting well and then after 6-8 weeks go through a period of poor shooting and them in mid season my stright shooting returns for the remainder of the season. I suspect after a few weeks shooting I become a bit casual in my shooting and need the shock of a few easy misses to make me consintrate again. For some reason geese are not usualy a problem its ducks in poor light that trip me up. Totally agree, sometimes you just shoot badly it's as simple as that. You can go out and hit everything some days, others miss easy birds. Sometimes it's the place where you are sitting, not easy finding a good place to sit on the marsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawntredder Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 Well went on the flight pond for the first time this season tonight, only thought there was a few mallard coming on. Well I have never ever shot so appallingly in my life and I mean that! I've been shooting my 20 bore hushpower for the last year or so more and more but I can't put steel though it as it's full choke so I got the side by side out, well got all hidden up by the pond and the mallard came and they came, 40 to 50 of them in 5s 6s and 7s. I had 28 shots for a grand total of.............2. Is it the swap from the gun or do you think I have just turned rubbish!! I normally kill them a treat! I don't know what happened, I mean they looked like dustbin lids coming in! i have shot alsorts of guns over the years and normally use o/u's but i tried back with the s/s and bought 2 in the spring went out pigeon shooting twice firing 40 shot before i quit in disgust with grand total of 5 .....that reminds me i have 2 s/sides to sell cheap aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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