# Why did I miss?



## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Yesterday, Bill the Chessy and I were out for upland. We hunted down the road from the house, and put up a few roosters and several nice groups of partridge.

A lot of the birds flushed wild and out of range, but we did have legitimate shots at three roosters. I missed. Why did I miss? It doesn't bother me so much to miss the right to left or left to right birds, but it really bugs me when I whiff on a strait away. That's just so wrong! You shouldn't miss a pheasant flying strait away.

WHy are these birds so easy to miss?

Good hunting,
Dan


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## tumblebuck (Feb 17, 2004)

My opinion...you're shooting under the birds.

Although they look like they are flying straight away, they are actually rising a little....and with your eyes fixed on that big, long tail (you get a good view when they fly straight away) people tend to shoot behind (under) the birds. I do it too often, too.

Another thing - as it gets colder, people put on more clothes. How many and how thick of layers you have on affects your mount.


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## northerngoosehunter (Mar 22, 2006)

My only advice would be dont rush the shot. If you spend a secound or two following the bird with your barrel your shot will be more in the direction the bird is flying.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Not to worry. I got that rectified yesterday and filled out on roosters and had one partridge in a pear tree to show for my efforts.

Thanks for the advice and happy holidays,
Dan


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

You know, I thought I read in field and stream that if it's going away, your actually supposed to aim BELOW them. And then you will be right on.

I wish I could find that article.

:sniper:


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

I think you may be right. I think the idea is to shoot under them and the shot passes a bit under them and then comes up infront of them like a "going away lead" I guess. I don't know about that, but I do know that trap guns are built to shoot a little high and those targets are going away, so....

Good luck,
Dan


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

usmarine0352

It really depends on how your gun is set up. My Berreta and Rem are both set up that I need to be above the bird on a straight away shot. My O/U is just the opposite and I have missed a few birds this fall because I did not adjust.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

If I have any consiousness about where my gun is when I shoot I miss everytime


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## johnsona (Dec 4, 2003)

Many field guns are set to shoot about 60% of the pattern above the point of aim, and the other 40% below. So with a field gun, you should put that bead right on the bird when he's going straight away. It's not about it coming up in front of them or anything, it's just about it hitting them. Think of it just like a still target - no lead required. I hate to mention "lead" when talking about shotgunning since it should be mostly instinctive and never calculated, but this is the one situation where I can tell you exactly what "lead" you need - none.

Dan, you're right about the trap guns shooting a bit higher than field guns. Trap guns are set to shoot more of the pattern above the point of aim than a field gun since the targets are rising. With the way my trap gun fits me, it shoots about 75% of the pattern above the bead, which can make it a bit of a challenge to shoot roosters with.

I would say that most guys shooting a field gun miss those shots because they shoot under the bird. We like to be able to see what we're shooting so it's hard to get yourself to completely cover that bird with the bead, but do it next time and I guarantee that bird will drop.

The only other thing about straight-away shots is that you'd better have dogs or be ready to go straight to that bird. Since you always hit them in the butt with this angle (or lack thereof I guess) they rarely die in the air and will still have enough left to make it a little ways or bury themselves in the grasses.


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## Cyrus (Nov 24, 2003)

Bobm said:


> If I have any consiousness about where my gun is when I shoot I miss everytime


This happens to me also. The harder I focus the worse it gets.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Bobm said:


> If I have any consiousness about where my gun is when I shoot I miss everytime


You know what I hate? I hate it when you got a bird that is right there, too close, and you decide in that split instant to ride him a bit and let him get further out. 
No matter if this is a pheasant, duck, goose, partridge, or what, you have to re-compute everything and try to get a lead back as he gets further away. That's a miss nine times outta ten for me.

How about you guys?

Good hunting,
Dan


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## Warden (Dec 11, 2007)

]

You know what I hate? I hate it when you got a bird that is right there, too close, and you decide in that split instant to ride him a bit and let him get further out. 
No matter if this is a pheasant, duck, goose, partridge, or what, you have to re-compute everything and try to get a lead back as he gets further away. That's a miss nine times outta ten for me.

How about you guys?

Oh Yeah every time. The same thing happens with sporting clays when I try to think to much.


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Cyrus said:


> Bobm said:
> 
> 
> > If I have any consiousness about where my gun is when I shoot I miss everytime
> ...


This is because shotguns are supposed to be pointed, not aimed. Or something like that. LOL

:sniper:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Agreed. When I bring someone new out I try and get them shooting, I am always the first guy shooting unless the birds get up away from me. When I try and wait for the other guy to get a shot I get out of my rythem, then I miss.

As of lately I have been trying to get rid of all of my shells out of my blind bag. some black cloud BB 3.5 4 shot. Just a bunch of different rounds. Thus I have been trying to let them get out, but when I do that I miss about 25% of the time. If I shoot right away I blow a hole through them.

As for shooting the bird flying away this is one of the tougher shots. Sometimes they are rising, sometimes lowering, sometimes flat, sometimes going alittle right, sometimes alittle left.

Best advise I can tell you it count to three. Follow the bird then pull the widowmakers trigger!!!


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## aveluciferi (Nov 8, 2007)

The normale mistake is to shoot directly at the bird.
Is the bird flying higher in the air than the gun then shoot under.
Is the bird flying lower in the air than the gun then shoot over.
Next time remember this, and the bird will be yours.


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