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Pheasant shooting


Isaidduck
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I have been invited on a pheasant shoot by a farmer but I have never done it before .

I have done a bit of pigeon shooting but I am not very good at it , the only ones I can normally hit are the ones that are standing still .

 

Are pheasants easy to hit compared to pigeons ? I know they are bigger but they look like they fly faster too .

 

What cartridges will I need for pheasants ?

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Listen to the rules for the day and enjoy your day. No low/dangerous shooting e.g. into the wood side or game cover. Don't steal your neighbours birds. In my view pheasants are a lot easier than a weaving twisting woodpigeon coming into decoys or a roost. Your standard pigeon cartridge will be fine. People get very anal about what will kill this and what will kill that, the important bit is having the bird in the pattern :yes::good:

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That means there'll be two teams and you will alternate between beating and shooting. Not being rude you do sound inexperienced and there is too much to tell you to be able to help on the forum. Safety is the main concern and as Kennett said that can go out the window if you become over excited. I took a relatively inexperienced guy last year as my guest . He told be he had shot a fair few days on pheasants but I decided I would give up my gun and stand with him and I was pleased I did. I told him to shoot only into the sky as a background but he attempted to shoot a very low partridge and I stopped him. He said but I would be shooting into the sky, which was true , but it wasn't 6 foot high and the beaters could have popped up at any time. For your own sake and for those of your fellow guns tell the farmer of your experience and ask if someone could accompany you.

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We all have to start somewhere , I am not a novice at shooting been doing it years just not very good on birds , on clays I get at least 25% as a rule .

 

I am a little worried that I have heard there are going to be some very good shots on the shoot I have been invited on so I might end up looking daft.

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on so I might end up looking daft.

No you wont. Be safe be polite and enjoy the experience. I beat on a shoot last week where with one drive to go there were 70 pheasants on the bag and 670 shots recorded on the clicker. Not everyone is a crack shot, and you may surprise yourself once you get the hang of things.

 

Blackpowder

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If you have shot clays then you SHOULD know safety is paramount. In live bird shooting we then come up against a 'sporting' scenario where sometimes a bird is crossing you and would make a better more sporting bird for your neighbour. Call, "Your Bird" ...if he/she misses it then try and tidy up behind but always safety safety safety and you will get another invite. If someone askes why you didn't shoot at a bird, just say it was too low and unsafe to shoot. As said , go enjoy your day. Check when you are a walking gun if and what birds may be shot. DO NOT shoot at a bird likely to go to a standing gun. Sometimes walk and stand means no shooting in the beating line, sometimes you can shoot birds going back, but in your case, first invite, if in doubt, leave it go. Sharp learning curve; totally different from shooting clays, but just common sense.

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The main thing is, as has already been mentioned, is to be safe.

After that just relax into the day and enjoy yourself :good:

 

Don't worry about looking daft, we have all been there.

 

A "walk one stand one" is probably the best way to learn about driven shooting.

Usually they are the friendliest type of shoot and are usually made up from like minded people who are out for a days sport, with much banter along the way.

 

Shoot safe and enjoy yourself :good:

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No one will mind how good you are, everyone will mind how safe you are.

This^^

 

Pick the birds carefully, no gun is going to mind if you let them carry on for them.

 

Be safe, stop worrying, a days shooting is only half about the shooting, enjoy yourself!

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Don't be intimidated listen to advice and relax you won't enjoy it if your all tense

 

You will be booking your next day before you know it

 

I was in the same scenario early this year I'm now impatiently waiting for my 4th driven day this year

 

It's an infectious bug

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No one will mind how good you are, everyone will mind how safe you are.

 

This. Make sure the shoot captain knows it's your first time and they will brief you up and probably make sure you have experienced guns nearby or even better, standing behind you as Kennet mentioned.

 

It's worth considering what you will be using gunwise, as some shoots arent keen on semi-autos unless the user has a medical condition, and pumps are a universal no-no. If you use either you'd be prudent to look to borrow an OU or S/S.

 

Dont worry about how people will be towards you on the day. In my experience newcomers have been made very welcome on shoot days, and anyone sneering at them or looking down on them would be given very short shrift.

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If you are that much of a novice perhaps you shouldn't have been invited.

Thats a tad harsh (unless you have a very subtle way of expressing your sense of humour)

 

At least the other posts provide a bit more helpful advice. Just a couple of points from me:

 

Dress smartly

Be polite

Dont take a semi auto or pump action with you

Clear daylight behind anything you choose to shoot

Dont "poach" your neighbours birds

Enjoy yourself

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I'm sorry you sound very inexperienced to me and would benifit from standing with someone for a drive then having them stand with you to insure your safe.

 

Game and clay shooting are different games yes people swap over easily but you need to know the rule bit likes rugby union and league.

Edited by welshwarrior
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Cartridge wise you won't go far wrong with 32g 5s or 6s, make sure they are fibre wad.

 

Not much more I can add regarding safety, I agree with the above. Tell the farmer in advance it is your first time.

 

Shoot within your abilities taking shots at birds you feel confident about killing cleanly.

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