# I just can’t get it done this year



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

So far this year has been slow for me. It’s only my 3rd year hunting waterfowl. Last two years I did a mix of jump shooting n decoy spreads in the handful of spots I’ve found. I did ok the last two years. I got double digit ducks of multiple species and one goose each Year. This year, I’ve set up decoys, n just flat out missed every duck that came in. I’ve had more come in to my decoys than the previous years but just can’t shoot to save my life. I dropped one teal in October that went in phrags. I dropped two mallards in early December, and got one gwt a couple days ago. I’m that time I’ve missed probably 20 decoying ducks, jumped another 30 at incredibly close range while I was carrying decoys to my spot. I’m still having fun and enjoying the hunt. I’d hoped this would be the year I shot a limit or a new species of duck but it’s been rough. My wife even started asking me where I was really going 3 times a week. Gwt are so tasty though. One is just a tease.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Bet almost everyone in here will tell you they have had rough years at some point too. Best advice I can give is if what you’re doing isn’t working, change it up. Try different areas, times, spreads and techniques. But keep it simple. You still shooting that 10 gauge?? I’d seriously consider a smaller bore gun! That 10 won’t kill if it has you flinching every time you pull... I went down to a 20 this year and have killed more birds than ever with that gun this season. SO much easier for follow up shots.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I think utahbigbull might be on to something if you're swinging a 10ga cannon.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

For wing shooting I suggest that you watch some Youtube videos of how to do it.

My brother in law has been hunting ducks and geese for over 60 years and a couple of years ago he had one of those bad years when nothing was falling. He was at my house and we watched a dozen or so videos from the experts and he was quite surprised and worked the techniques into his shooting. From what he has told me it has really improved.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

The other day a buddy and I were covered in mallards, the same spot we smashed them the day before. I decided to take my 12 gauge out for the first time this season. Big mistake, I couldn't hit $hit. I tried 3 different shells, didn't make a difference. He shot his 7 and I came out with 1. 
We all have bad shooting days, I just hate having them when there is so much opportunity. I mean, I would rather miss a couple on a slow day than miss dozens on a fast and furious day. I know my 12 gauge well and it's capabilities, just a bad day for me. I do like my 20 gauge better though.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I’ve been 50/50 on 12 ga n 10 ga this year. I started the year out on the 10ga choke/shell combo I ended last year on cause I’d had good results. October was back n forth between 12 n 10. Depending on open water or not. By early November I was all about Open choke 12 ga small shot. By the end of November I had missed enough cupped ducks, n sat enough hours, I decided to start jump shooting. I switched back to the 10 N started walking creeks, or setting decoys in productive jump shooting parts of the slough. All in all, my strategy is scrambled. I went from walking multiple miles to shoot one duck to thinking I could walk a mile to shoot a limit. I‘m still green, so I need to keep my failure:motivation ratio above my age:time:money ratio.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

35whelen said:


> I've been 50/50 on 12 ga n 10 ga this year. I started the year out on the 10ga choke/shell combo I ended last year on cause I'd had good results. October was back n forth between 12 n 10. Depending on open water or not. By early November I was all about Open choke 12 ga small shot. By the end of November I had missed enough cupped ducks, n sat enough hours, I decided to start jump shooting. I switched back to the 10 N started walking creeks, or setting decoys in productive jump shooting parts of the slough. All in all, my strategy is scrambled. I went from walking multiple miles to shoot one duck to thinking I could walk a mile to shoot a limit. I'm still green, so I need to keep my failure:motivation ratio above my age:time:money ratio.


What chokes are you using? Most guys shoot too much choke. I've been mostly shooting my 20 gauge, 2 3/4", 3/4 oz of 4s, cylinder choke. I'm not a good shot due to a dominant eye problem, so I'm selective abut the shots I take and need all the pattern I can get. If I were you I'd buy either a skeet or CYL choke tube for your 12 gauge and see how it works for you.

A dang mallard photobombed a perfectly fine bunch of birds the other day, the above gun, load and choke works just fine.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

How much shooting do you do in the summer? A round of trap, skeet, and five stand regularly makes a world of difference. 

I agree with Paddler, if you’re not shooting an open choke, that might be your problem. I usually run a cylinder or improved cylinder all season long. 

Look on the bright side, at least you’re getting into the birds - so you must be doing something right!!


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## gander311 (Dec 23, 2008)

I second all of the above. Keep at it, be willing to switch it up like it sounds like you have been, and try a more open choke and lighter loads. And if you can, get that choke and and load out to the range to shoot some clays.

Watch, you’ll drop a bird, and then you’ll get hot and start shooting like 90%. I was on a goose hunt a few weeks ago that I just went cold and couldn’t hit anything to save my life. I shot like 12-15 times at birds in the decoys. Nothing. Luckily the birds cooperated and kept giving me opportunities. Finally stoned a honker, and then went 100% on my shots after that to finish out my limit. I think the above mentioned factors of choke/load combos, recoil, and practice all come into play, and are all vital in their own sense. But sometimes plain old confidence matters as well.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I need to start shouting clays. The fully cupped shot is the one I consistently miss. I have a carlsons cremator set of chokes. I used the mid range Carlson the most but should probably invest in the close range. For the 10 gauge I use a briley light full. I usually carry the 10 in places where I encounter geese or jump ducks without a lot of cover


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## GoosesNightMare (Dec 7, 2017)

I have those chokes. The Briley Light Full .745 is a good choke, but if you are shooting birds on the deck a Mod might work better. I used the 10 ga Terror .720 the last two days, wind and weary geese. Try a IC .010 or Light Mod .015 in your 12.
You need to pattern your gun gun for point of impact at 13 yards for gun fit, then at the distance you want to shoot for pattern.
Eye dominance can be a issue. Have someone stand 10 feet in front of you with a cell phone and with your right thumb bring it up to the camera lenses while closing your left eye, and do the same with your left thumb closing your right eye. Have the person take a picture. Where your thumbs end up in relation to the open eye gives you your eye dominance.
Example if right eye open and photo shows thumb over nose, you are left eye dominate.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I don't judge my waterfowl hunting on the number of birds I take. I judge it on the experience and enjoyment I take in. A couple times this season I sat in the blind and didn't point my shotgun at a bird. I enjoyed watching the other terrible shooting and poking fun at them. 


I have no idea how many ducks/geese I've shot over the 40 years of chasing them. I know I've enjoyed the hel! out of it though.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

The experience this year has been great! I’ve turned ducks n watched em commit, I’ve had days of non stop action in heavy wind, snow and hail. I’ve had ducks sneak in and land feet away that I didn’t see until they flew up when I called it a day. I just need to get my shooting together.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

GoosesNightMare said:


> I have those chokes. The Briley Light Full .745 is a good choke, but if you are shooting birds on the deck a Mod might work better. I used the 10 ga Terror .720 the last two days, wind and weary geese. Try a IC .010 or Light Mod .015 in your 12.
> You need to pattern your gun gun for point of impact at 13 yards for gun fit, then at the distance you want to shoot for pattern.
> Eye dominance can be a issue. Have someone stand 10 feet in front of you with a cell phone and with your right thumb bring it up to the camera lenses while closing your left eye, and do the same with your left thumb closing your right eye. Have the person take a picture. Where your thumbs end up in relation to the open eye gives you your eye dominance.
> Example if right eye open and photo shows thumb over nose, you are left eye dominate.


Nominal bore diameter for 10 gauge is, .779, maybe .775, so your .745 would be a light Full. .030 constriction is Full in a 12 gauge, so .030 would be pretty tight, given steel patterns ~one choke tighter than lead. Way too tight.

https://www.royalarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Choke-Tube-size.pdf

Again, the OP should try a Skeet or CYL factory tube, my bet is he'll never go back to a tighter choke. Although nominal 12 gauge bore diameter is .729, manufacturers vary quite a bit. All that matters is the constriction, so factory chokes are made to provide constrictions that match up with their bore diameters.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Last year I was dropping ducks with the .745 briley. I think this year I’ve been hunting smaller pockets n the birds coming in closer. I used to hike like a mad man but I’ve had less time this year. I’ll keep the briley in for geese but use my 12 with an improved next time I hunt the small pockets. They’re all frozen now though.


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## GoosesNightMare (Dec 7, 2017)

> . Quote:
> Originally Posted by GoosesNightMare View Post
> I have those chokes. The Briley Light Full .745 is a good choke, but if you are shooting birds on the deck a Mod might work better. I used the 10 ga Terror .720 the last two days, wind and weary geese. Try a IC .010 or Light Mod .015 in your 12.
> You need to pattern your gun gun for point of impact at 13 yards for gun fit, then at the distance you want to shoot for pattern.
> ...


The 10 Ga is can handle the tighter choke. Many 10 ga users are using .745, Truelock, Briley. Terror's most open choke is .735 and no longer made. Terror's .720 is there best all round choke. Some have had there best luck with the .705 for high snows and F steel shot.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I have a terror .720. I haven’t killed anything with it but I’ve taken it out in a spot where I get low flying geese when the weather is tough. Never got em close enough to shoot at. I have F, T, BBB and some 1 3/4 oz BB if I can ever get a low fly over on a foggy or snowy day. There’s a YouTube channel with this guy in oregon who pass shoots geese with a terror .720 n F shot. He somehow managed 2 oz steel F handloads.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

35, You have a 12 gauge and 10 gauge, now you need a 20 gauge. I think you will be impressed with the mighty 20. I wish I would have started shooting the 20 a lot sooner. I seldom shoot the 12's anymore, and I don't feel disadvantaged in any way shooting the 20.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> 35, You have a 12 gauge and 10 gauge, now you need a 20 gauge. I think you will be impressed with the mighty 20. I wish I would have started shooting the 20 a lot sooner. I seldom shoot the 12's anymore, and I don't feel disadvantaged in any way shooting the 20.


I'm toying with the idea of buying another 12 gauge for waterfowl as I have lots of 12 gauge ammo on hand. Most of my 12 gauges are O/U's and too nice for the marsh. I have an old 11-87 which is okay, but I've got an itch. Not sure about which one, though. I don't think it will change my shot selection or success, but it might be fun. Also, with colder temps and more layers the extra weight might be nice.


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## Papa Moses (Sep 27, 2018)

It’s all mental. If you think you’re gonna drop the duck when you shoulder the gun- you will. The mind is amazing. Be confident in yourself. The gun will do the rest.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I do have a 20. First half of my first waterfowl season, I used my stoeger uplander 20ga. Shot my first two ducks the same night. It was all jump shooting that first year. I have so much 20ga steel Ammo, i May start carrying it again.


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## GoosesNightMare (Dec 7, 2017)

> . I have a terror .720. I haven't killed anything with it but I've taken it out in a spot where I get low flying geese when the weather is tough. Never got em close enough to shoot at. I have F, T, BBB and some 1 3/4 oz BB if I can ever get a low fly over on a foggy or snowy day. There's a YouTube channel with this guy in oregon who pass shoots geese with a terror .720 n F shot. He somehow managed 2 oz steel F handloads.


I watched those vids. He was shooting high velocity BB shot. There is no 2 oz steel reloading data, and would be under 1200 FPS. I hand load my 10 ga 1500 - 1625 FPS 1 3/8 oz - 1 1/2 oz of shot.
His last vids he was using TSS shot and sub gauge reloads.


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## GoosesNightMare (Dec 7, 2017)

> . Quote:
> Originally Posted by Fowlmouth View Post
> 35, You have a 12 gauge and 10 gauge, now you need a 20 gauge. I think you will be impressed with the mighty 20. I wish I would have started shooting the 20 a lot sooner. I seldom shoot the 12's anymore, and I don't feel disadvantaged in any way shooting the 20.
> I'm toying with the idea of buying another 12 gauge for waterfowl as I have lots of 12 gauge ammo on hand. Most of my 12 gauges are O/U's and too nice for the marsh. I have an old 11-87 which is okay, but I've got an itch. Not sure about which one, though. I don't think it will change my shot selection or success, but it might be fun. Also, with colder temps and more layers the extra weight might be nice.


A lot of these newer 12's are back bored, longer forcing cones, and longer chokes. Reduced felt recoil and handle shot better. I do my own forcing cones on my 10's, first thing I noticed the recoil reduction.
There was gentleman now deceased who claimed is Mosberg 835 10 ga bore diameter barrel was his best patterning 12 ga.
But, how large shooter depends on how well the shooter can handle a larger gun.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what your issues are. You’re all over the map on every topic regarding waterfowl. You’re switching guns faster than you change out toilet paper rolls. You’re trying to decoy birds one day and trying to jump shoot the next. You need to pick a gun and pick a type of hunting and STICK WITH IT the ENTIRE season. If shooting isn’t second nature to you, and with most guys it’s not since the only time they touch their gun is when they go hunting 8 times a year, your natural instinct can’t kick in when you are changing your extension of you, your gun, all the time. You can’t develop consistent muscle memory when you’re swinging a 10 one day and a 20 the next. I honestly can’t remember seeing the the bead on my gun or my barrel at all when I jump up on ducks. I look at my target and pull the trigger and swing to the next once it goes down. If I switch guns for some reason, it always takes me a minute to get used to the new one. Pick one and stick with it. You don’t need a 10 to kill teal. A 20 will kill every bird in the state, effortlessly, with the proper choke and shell. Focus on your target. Look at where you want to shoot and pull the trigger at that. Don’t aim your gun with your bead. The only time I ever remember looking at the bead on my barrel is turkey hunting. Even then, I’m still looking past that bead and focusing on the birds head down range. The bead is simply just lined up on my target.

As far as decoying birds, if that’s what you want to do, stick with that method of hunting. The only way you’ll learn how to successfully do that, is by doing it day after day. You don’t learn which spread to throw, how many to throw, where to hide, where to set up, how to hunt the wind, etc... by doing it once or twice in the mornings, twice during the season then giving up. If you want to decoy birds, do that. If an opportunity presents itself to jump shoot while doing that, great. But dont switch back and forth like you are doing. Pick a method and stick with it.

As far as missing cupped birds, it sounds like you aren’t letting them finish in the decoys before you take your shot. It’s pretty freakin hard to miss ducks that have their feet almost in the water, back peddling at 15 yards or less. I took a very new hunter out on the youth hunt that honestly is a terrible shot. I told him not to move until I called the shot. We waited for them to commit all the way before he jumped up. It was one of the fastest youth limits I’ve ever seen shot. He could hit them pretty easily when they were almost stationary. Cupped birds, and back peddling birds are very different. Their speed and body movements are different. Cupped ducks can still be hauling azz. Back peddling birds are almost stationary in many scenarios. Pick your shots more selectively. Just because it’s in range, doesn’t mean you need to shoot at it. I’ve had many birds through my spread, well within range, that never had the gun pulled on them. But they didn’t do it and the shot wasn’t right. Let them work. If they don’t finish and flare at the last minute, they saw something they didn’t like. Go through the list of things it could be and fix it. If they like it, they will come right in. You can make ducks kill themselves pretty easily. You just have to learn how to do it and what works. Only way to do that is with time and experience. Learn how to hunt the wind to your advantage. I’ve got many slam dunk spots that I won’t hunt if the wind isn’t from the south. Or west. Or north. Yeah the birds will still go in there, but I like the wind at my back, so they finish where I want them to, making shot opportunities easier and better. The wind is something i see constantly over looked or ignored by guys in utah. If you don’t set up your spread accordingly to the wind that day, it will be the difference between a lights out shoot or not killing a single bird.

Take your guns, chokes and loads to the range and find the best combo you like and stick with it. I prefer a full choke in my guns. I love tight patterns. Even when they are up close. There are hardly any cripples that get away. They are missed or completely hammered. A full choke also makes you a better shot over time. 

Just my opinion. But quit trying to do it all, with every gun in your safe. Pick one and stick with it. Duck hunting isn’t hard. People make it hard.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Two of the biggest problems shooting...not following through and not getting your head down on the stock properly. Follow- through is self explanatory. We all know what we're not doing there. Keeping your head down is key too. I once watched a friend miss a stationary teal (bucking a stiff north wind) about 25 yards out and over our decoys. He missed him 3 times, and that bird literally didn't move. He was looki g right over the top of his barrel expecting the bird to fall. Gotta get that head down...if you see anything more than the bead, your head isn't down! Focus on the bird, follow-through, and don't yank your head up after the shot expecting the bird to fall. Do this, and your success will improve markedly.

Other two things I'd do? Shoot alot of trap or skeet and get a more open choke. If you want to decoy birds at less than 30 yards, an open choke gives you a wider margin of error than a tight choke. I'm different than MM, I need all the help I can get, so shoot IC or M on most of my guns. And yes, I look like a fool using Full unless it's on turkeys!!


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## GoosesNightMare (Dec 7, 2017)

> . The wind is something i see constantly over looked or ignored by guys in utah. If you don't set up your spread accordingly to the wind that day, it will be the difference between a lights out shoot or not killing a single bird.
> 
> Take your guns, chokes and loads to the range and find the best combo you like and stick with it. I prefer a full choke in my guns. I love tight patterns. Even when they are up close. There are hardly any cripples that get away. They are missed or completely hammered. A full choke also makes you a better shot over time.


Wind can be the hunters best friend, and knowing when to pull the trigger, be patient or you get one good shot. I shot 4 geese in 30 mph wind with gust to 55 mph last Tuesday. I had to be patient when pulling the trigger. If I did not wait longer than normal wind conditions I would not even get one good shot off.

You are right about choke constriction! Choke to kill not count on that one piece of shot to break a wing, head neck shot. If you know you can get 20 yd shots and finish the birds by all means use more open choke, but shooting 40 - 50 yd shots with open chokes with steel causes cripples.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

If all else fails and you think you’re doing everything right, invite an experienced hunter to go with and see what they have to say or what they would change.

I’ve got a buddy that had access to an piece of prime waterfowl hunting, behind a locked gate that had a chain link fence all the way around it. He’d kill a few here and there, but wouldn’t ever hammer them. One day he invited me to go. We went and scoped it out from a distance before we made our stalk. Once we saw where they were, I said “oh they are so screwed”. He laughed and said “doubt it, I’ve tried to shoot them there before, you won’t get very many”. Then I suggested we do something he had never done before to get closer to them. And it worked. Well! We annihilated the geese that year. And hammered the ducks even harder. Nothing had changed. They were using spots they had always used on that pond. It just took someone else’s perspective on it and the willingness to try something new. I’ve taken people to places I’ve hunted my entire life, and they suggested we try something different with our hide or set up and it worked better than what I was originally doing. Never even occurred to me to do it another way until they said something. Always be willing to try new things and listen to what others have to say.

One last thing. If you don’t have a mojo, get one. I know they get used a ton in utah, but I won’t hunt without one. On very rare occasions I will pull one from a spread if I notice the birds are reacting funny to them for some reason. But I always start with at least one out, every hunt. MOST of the time geese don’t like to come into them, but many times I’ve had geese come right in and never looked at them at all. In November, I killed 5 singles that locked up and glided right in and died directly over a mojo. Ducks like motion. And it gets their attention from a long way off. Much further than a call or decoy spread will do. Mojos also help them finish better and you can somewhat control where they finish with them. They seem to line up with them in their approach or where they pick to try and land. Not always, but quite often.


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## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

I agree, my worst shooting comes from not properly shouldering my gun in my excitement, and not following through.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

I still have my days. I’ll be the first to admit that. But the biggest single thing I did to improve my shooting was quit trying to shoot using one eye looking down the barrel like a rifle. Read some shooting tips and I went to using both eyes open, and shooting off instinct. This dramatically improved my shooting. You have such a better sight picture and can keep sight of your target.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Lots of good advice. I’m definitely overthinking it across the board and underthinking quite a Few aspects as well. I’ll keep at it. Maybe I’ll try n get out this weekend for a long hunt. I rarely get more than a couple hours during the work week.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

MWScott72 said:


> Two of the biggest problems shooting...not following through and not getting your head down on the stock properly. Follow- through is self explanatory. We all know what we're not doing there. Keeping your head down is key too. I once watched a friend miss a stationary teal (bucking a stiff north wind) about 25 yards out and over our decoys. He missed him 3 times, and that bird literally didn't move. He was looki g right over the top of his barrel expecting the bird to fall. Gotta get that head down...if you see anything more than the bead, your head isn't down! Focus on the bird, follow-through, and don't yank your head up after the shot expecting the bird to fall. Do this, and your success will improve markedly.
> 
> Other two things I'd do? Shoot alot of trap or skeet and get a more open choke. If you want to decoy birds at less than 30 yards, an open choke gives you a wider margin of error than a tight choke. I'm different than MM, I need all the help I can get, so shoot IC or M on most of my guns. And yes, I look like a fool using Full unless it's on turkeys!!


when i start missing it's usually because my cheek to comb mount was not proper. this is a problem at the start of the season if i don't shoot skeet and also a problem when i start switching guns. not all my guns have similar comb heights.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Seems like the ducks I miss are the ones I have the most time to think about shooting.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

35whelen said:


> Seems like the ducks I miss are the ones I have the most time to think about shooting.


Then you'd be better off learning instinctive shooting.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

APD said:


> when i start missing it's usually because my cheek to comb mount was not proper. this is a problem at the start of the season if i don't shoot skeet and also a problem when i start switching guns. not all my guns have similar comb heights.


Bingo!!


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