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SHOOTING AND GUNS

By DENNIS HUNT

 

Anyone can shoot a shotgun but not everyone can hit their targets. Good shooting is a mental game. If you have confidence in your gun and shells then, you should shoot well. If are well rested, get to your field early and get your decoys set up so you have a lot of time for a safety meeting and a cup of coffee, you will shoot good. However, if your hunting team is late leaving for your destination and you get set up late while the ducks and geese are attempting to land in your spread, you attitude will be poor and you will shoot bad. Compare this to the guy that gets to the first tee 5 minutes before tee off time! He will shoot poorly also. I have had many hunting companions that are always late and slow but I don’t with them anymore. Shooting well is getting the gun up quick, aiming and following thru. An excellent shooter is born with good reflexes while some guys can practice, practice and practice without ever being an average shot.

Getting the gun up fast is important! Make sure your gun is not too heavy. I had my 10 gauge cut down to 26.5 inches and lost almost 5 pounds off of it. I was having trouble getting the gun up as I was growing older and losing some of the strength in my arms. If you get that gun up fast, you have a lot more time to aim. If you are late getting the gun up, you aim will suffer as a result. Check out the weight of your gun if you are shooting poorly!

Aiming is the most important thing that you do. You have to lead the bird and an old time goose hunter told me 30 years ago, “you cannot lead a goose far enough”. He was correct because, by the time the last piece of steel leaves that long shell, it takes time to hit that goose flying up at 40 yards 55mph. If you shoot behind then, you have no chance to hit your target. You have to take the wind in consideration also. If that goose is flying with the wind then, he is flying faster than 55 miles per hour. A teal can fly 70 mph as well as other ducks and birds. I was hunting near Devils Lake in 1977. The wind was blowing 45 mph as the geese were flying off the East bay of Devils lake and going over highway #2 towards our decoys. We were hiding under a small bush as the geese streaked towards us. I missed my first 18 shots while using my 10 gauge. I increased my lead on the bird until I was leading the geese 60 feet and hitting them in the head. You have to lead a goose and you cannot lead one far enough!

Following thru is important! You have to swing the gun thru as the geese are moving. If you are lazy doing this then, you will miss more then you will hit. Again, the weight of the gun and your reflexes come into play on this. Check it out!

I use old guns! I have a Winchester model 50 twelve gauge that shoots 2 and ¾” shells. I have used this gun for 30 years and shoot very well with it because it weighs less than 7 pounds. I also use an Ithaca ten gauge that I use on large Canada geese. Before we were forced to use steel, I used to pound everything dead with the twelve gauge. Now, the twelve gauge cannot do the job on large Canada geese. I do not even consider switching guns and trying something different. I only blame myself when I miss a shot. I used to be in the golf business and the customers would trade in their clubs 3 or 4 times a year and always would blame the clubs. They would never take a lesson or put the blame on themselves.

I clean any gun that I used that day at night. I punch out the pins on the trigger mechanism and spray that as well as, the inner part. I use brake cleaner and it washes out the dust and straw. I clean that off with a clean rag and then spray with Rem oil. I put the trigger back in and I am confident that I will shoot good tomorrow.

I use FEDERAL shells. I use BBB on geese and #1 on ducks. Because I clean my guns nightly and keep my shells dry, I have not had a misfire with a FEDERAL shell while using 250 cases the past 30 years. I am proud of this fact!

 

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE A SAFE HUNT!