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As bird-hunting seasons wing nearer, are you confident you'll be able to knock down that first heart-attack-inducing blue grouse or quicker-than-you-remembered chukar?
We asked well-known shooting instructor Chuck Dryke what bird hunters can do now to prepare for the season. Dryke opened Sunnydell Shooting Grounds (360-683-5631) in Sequim, Wash., 50 years ago.
Mount Up
"You can practice mounting your gun anywhere. Gun fit doesn't mean a thing unless you can cleanly bring the gun to your shoulder, cheek and eye," says Dryke. "When you get into the field, mounting the gun should be a reflex."
Take a Course
When it comes to the shooting sports and which are most beneficial to bird hunters, Dryke ranks skeet above trap. Sporting clays, with its wide array of situations, ranks above both of them. "If a skeet course is open, sometimes we'll do what we call a 'walk-up,'" says Dryke. "One person will walk back and forth across the course and the other guy will pull birds without announcing where they'll flush. This helps you get your feet set and yourself square to an unanticipated target."
Remember Rover
Dryke says not to forget about your dog, either. It's important to get him into shape, too. "All this will save your dog, save you money on shells and make you slicker and quicker in the field."
Outdoorlife.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2012 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
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Comments (4)
My wife makes fun of me for practicing shouldering my shotgun in the living room. she thinks I will use any excuse to get that shotgun out of its case...which is true, but in this case I am practicing 'mounting' the gun. If the gun isn't hitting your shoulder and your cheek right the shooting will not go right. As you say, it needs to a smooth reflex action. I will make a hard copy of your article as a reference to wave at her next time I am shooting birds in the living room.
These tips are good, When Out duck hunting I always watch the first duck fall and make a huge mental note on where it fell than I go back to the other ducks if any are still around. IT is a huge thing that you know where the ducks fall I've only ever lost 2 ducks that I shot in the 5 years I've been hunting. Haha Maybe that is because of my awesome lab Zeta, but I hope its cause of my memory notes.
the main difference to keep in mind while praticing on any type of clays is that clays come out fast then lose speed/ live birds are just the opposite.follow thru with the barrel kept swinging by picking up the rear bird first helps with doubles and then trips, on live birds such as doves i'll pick up the dead birds first b4 shooting at others / i pass on birds that may fall where finding them is a time consuming chore,sky busting is generally a waste of ammo and this keeps my shot to bagged bird ratio much higher than most shooters. always shoot with both eyes open for better sight perspective,another tactic i learned from an old bird hunter is when birds fly thru the tree tops don't wait for an opening/ follow thru the same as if they were flying in open skies .
As a youngster i was taught proper gun mounting skills indoors bypicking a spot in the corner of a room then developing a smooth swing where the wall meets the ceiling .Skills become better developed one minute a day rather than thirty minutes once a month.An extra bead in the middle of the barrel on ribbed guns help you learn to cheek the stock and keep both eyes focused on youre target ,
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As a youngster i was taught proper gun mounting skills indoors bypicking a spot in the corner of a room then developing a smooth swing where the wall meets the ceiling .Skills become better developed one minute a day rather than thirty minutes once a month.An extra bead in the middle of the barrel on ribbed guns help you learn to cheek the stock and keep both eyes focused on youre target ,
the main difference to keep in mind while praticing on any type of clays is that clays come out fast then lose speed/ live birds are just the opposite.follow thru with the barrel kept swinging by picking up the rear bird first helps with doubles and then trips, on live birds such as doves i'll pick up the dead birds first b4 shooting at others / i pass on birds that may fall where finding them is a time consuming chore,sky busting is generally a waste of ammo and this keeps my shot to bagged bird ratio much higher than most shooters. always shoot with both eyes open for better sight perspective,another tactic i learned from an old bird hunter is when birds fly thru the tree tops don't wait for an opening/ follow thru the same as if they were flying in open skies .
These tips are good, When Out duck hunting I always watch the first duck fall and make a huge mental note on where it fell than I go back to the other ducks if any are still around. IT is a huge thing that you know where the ducks fall I've only ever lost 2 ducks that I shot in the 5 years I've been hunting. Haha Maybe that is because of my awesome lab Zeta, but I hope its cause of my memory notes.
My wife makes fun of me for practicing shouldering my shotgun in the living room. she thinks I will use any excuse to get that shotgun out of its case...which is true, but in this case I am practicing 'mounting' the gun. If the gun isn't hitting your shoulder and your cheek right the shooting will not go right. As you say, it needs to a smooth reflex action. I will make a hard copy of your article as a reference to wave at her next time I am shooting birds in the living room.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)