Sit or stand

[keeperdan]

Evening all, hope everyone got what they wanted for Xmas and had a good day!!! 

Just wondering what you all do you in your hide,, do you stand or sit???.

i started off by sitting but found that getting up and down from the seat was hurting my knees, so I now make my hide higher and stand all the time,, I know some won’t be able to do this but wanted to know what other do 

🔫🐦🐦

[sitsinhedges]

Sit. Standing all the time hurts my back. Know what you mean about the knees though.

[panoma1]

Normally sit and kneel when something approaches!

[pigeon controller]

Have always stood in the hide, did try an extended shooting stick at first. If against a tree lean back, on a fence feed a canvas pigeon sack through the barb wire at the top and lean on that. I have found that you can react to incoming birds quicker if you are standing.

[Walker570]

I have almost always sat, but these days if I don't sit the old sciatica kicks in and I have to sit.  Have just got used to sitting and the Bergara Stag swivel seat gives me plenty of swinging room.

I do stand on a peg but have my stool to sit when no birds are approaching.  For some of us oldies it comes down to age and infirmity.

Edited December 25, 2018 by Walker570

[marsh man]

I learnt to shoot while seated at an early age and been sitting down in a hide ever since , its swings and round about's , if I stand I can take most shots that are presented, then after a while my back start playing up so I then have to sit down , whereas if I am seated from the start I can take most shots by turning my seat sideways to incoming traffic and only end up not being able to take a few odd shots due to the body not being made of elastic , but with the added bonus the ole back don't take to much stick.

[JDog]

If I have travelled light with only a net then I stand. If there is a reasonable chance of a prolonged decoying spell and the weather is reasonable then I sit (provided that I can get the legs on my seat out).

The position of ones feet is all important in shooting straight. If I am standing it may be in a ditch bottom or a place with limited manoeuvrability then my feet may not be in the perfect place to take a shot. If I am sitting then invariably I will have time to place my feet where I want them as I stand up from the seat.

[Whitebridges]

Setting up in a comfortable shooting position is such an important thing. It is so important.  

I very much prefer to shoot standing up when roost shooting. When shooting from hide I much prefer to kill the birds when I’m seated from a swivel chair. The reason being is if the hide is right the pigeons have no hint nor clue. 

[marsh man]

11 hours ago, Whitebridges said:

Setting up in a comfortable shooting position is such an important thing. It is so important.  

I very much prefer to shoot standing up when roost shooting. When shooting from hide I much prefer to kill the birds when I’m seated from a swivel chair. The reason being is if the hide is right the pigeons have no hint nor clue. 

With roost shooting you are normally there for a much shorter period of time and the majority of shots are either snap shots or shots taken overhead , these types of shots are difficult from a sitting position so standing up is essential , that's not to say if you were using a seat at the right height so you can stand up with very little effort  you can then rest your legs in between shots

[Guerini Guy]

I much prefer to stand when shooting, but being almost in my 70's in a hide with arthritic hips and ankles, a bulging spinal disc, diabetes, and C.O.P.D. . . . . . . . trust me, I do most of my shooting sitting down, but I use a very good swivel seat and bolster the height with cushions so that standing from that position is generally a bit less traumatic.

In the end, if you don't want to give up this wonderful pastime - you do what you have to do - happy days !

[lakeside1000]

I would prefer to stand as the swing is much easier, but sadly I now have to sit as my legs and back are not so good, anything difficult to get a bead on and most overhead shots are just ignored, I do however have a fairly high seat which allows me to stand up simply by rocking my weight forward, so I made a seat out of a fishing box, raised off the ground with a backrest and swivel pad on the seat which allows me to get on to most birds either approaching or over the decoys, 

If you are youngish and fit standing is the best way to go, but its whatever suits you, just enjoy your sport the best way you know how.

 

[Westley]

After years of kneeling and even lying down, wildfowling on both marsh and inland, I am now FORCED to shoot sitting down. When I ran a shooting ground I used to practice shooting clays from all directions, whilst sitting on my usual hide seat. Back then it was a blue plastic barrel with a chunk of foam on top, nowadays I use a purpose made swivel top seat with a backrest. Just as an aside, I have given up using old army cammo gear and now buy decent warm and functional clothing, regardless of cost. You can not beat comfort and it avoids spending the following 2/4 days in agony  !   😄

[wymberley]

6 hours ago, Guerini Guy said:

I much prefer to stand when shooting, but being almost in my 70's in a hide with arthritic hips and ankles, a bulging spinal disc, diabetes, and C.O.P.D. . . . . . . . trust me, I do most of my shooting sitting down, but I use a very good swivel seat and bolster the height with cushions so that standing from that position is generally a bit less traumatic.

In the end, if you don't want to give up this wonderful pastime - you do what you have to do - happy days !

It's a bit of a *****r isn't it. I've just been hit big time with rheumatoid arthritis at 74. As you rightly say, you just have to work around it. One thing I have noticed is that if you do shoot - or more accurately - start to shoot from the sitting position then until you get the hang of it you need to remember to lean into the shot (if you're still using the same gun) otherwise as you do so when standing without thinking about it, it's odds on that you're going to shoot high.

Edited December 28, 2018 by wymberley

[Longstrider]

I have back problems and find that standing in a hide all day means I'll be in pain for 2 or 3 days afterwards, so these days I tend to sit. I use a Jack Pyke bucket seat (good way to store and carry cammo nets, and lunch so it doesn't get squashed in my bag) Now that I'm used to shooting from a sitting position I find it's fine, but it did take a bit of getting used to. It does have the advantage of meaning that you can build lower and therefore less obtrusive hides

[barbel]

I thought it was just me, always prefer to stand but my back kills me as the day goes on, got a swivel seat bucket, soo much better, roost shooting will stand.

[Shotguneddy]

Always stand but take a stool for when it goes quite, which is most of the time recently