At some point during the season, every waterfowl hunter misses an easy shot. And while no one is perfect, there are steps that you can take to help improve your success in the field. The following expert advice from a veteran shooting instructor will help you make more of your shots count this season.
Perfect Your Gun Mount
With more than 45 years of experience instructing shooters of all ages and experience levels, Bryan Bilinski has seen more than his fair share of misses. What has he found to be the leading cause of missed shots? Bilinski says it all boils down to gun mount. “What I tend to see is a gun mount that is incomplete, and the gun is anchored low on the shooter’s face or jawbone. The result is that the
shot will often go high and over the top of the intended target,” he says.
A proper gun mount, Bilinski stresses, begins by matching the speed and flight of the bird with the gun barrel while simultaneously bringing the stock firmly to your shoulder and cheekbone. “Practicing and perfecting your gun mount until it becomes muscle memory is one of the best gifts you can give yourself as
a wingshooter,” he says.
Don’t Rush the Shot
Few moments in waterfowl hunting are more exciting than watching a flock of mallards cup their wings over the decoys or a flight of green-winged teal come rocketing into range. In the excitement of the moment, however, it is easy to speed up your shot sequence—a mistake that often leads to missed shots. “Shooting too quickly disrupts your rhythm. It is just inviting a miss,” Bilinski says.
To avoid rushing, Bilinski emphasizes the importance of slowing down. Just as a basketball player takes his or her time before shooting a free throw when the game is on the line, hunters should make a smooth, steady gun mount when it’s time to shoot. “When birds are in the decoys, your body wants to speed up,” he says. “Again, it comes down to practicing and building muscle memory.”
Keep Your Focus
Even with an efficient gun mount, your chances of making a successful shot will fall dramatically if you lose your focus on the target, which is easy to do when a flock of ducks or geese is over the decoys.
A common mistake is shooting at the entire flock and hoping for a lucky shot. You will have much better success by selecting a single bird and focusing on it.
“On the clays course, I tell shooters to focus their eyes on the leading edge of the clay target. In the field, you should focus on the head or bill of the bird,” Bilinski says. “When you look hard at a small and very specific part of the bird, your hands and the gun will follow, and this is the key ingredient for a successful shot.”
