When hunting any type of bird, accuracy is key. After all, it can be the difference between going home empty handed or bringing home your next trophy. Here are a few tips to help improve your accuracy for your next bird hunt.
Practice Makes Perfect
Before hunting season begins, try and work on your accuracy and other hunting skills by practicing on clay pigeons. In addition to working on your ability to hit a moving target, you will also be able to improve your shot placement and shooting angles and stance, allowing you to have a more stable and true shot the next time you’re out on the hunt.
Get the Right Gauge
Prior to heading out on a hunt, be sure to find out what the proper shotgun you should be using. Sometimes the hunt calls for a 12 gauge and other times it could require a 16 or even a 20 gauge. The bird species you’re hunting will dictate which gun will work best, so do your homework before heading out. Having the right shotgun could make a huge difference, not only in your accuracy, but also in whether or not you bring anything home.
Focus on the First Bird
When out in the field, if more than one bird pops out of the cover, keep your eyes following the first bird you notice. Field & Stream’s open answer forum covered this a few years ago, and hunters from around the world chimed in, with singling out a bird being one of the top-voted replies. By narrowing your field of vision from a flurry of birds to simply focusing on just one, you narrow the risk of missing the shot significantly. Following through on a single bird gives you a more identifiable target to focus on and you can build on your accuracy further from that success.
Take Your Time & Breathe
It can be exciting when birds pop up and give you numerous targets, but it’s important to stay calm in the moment. All the adrenaline and anticipation can affect your shot, so take the time to breathe and steady yourself before you pull the trigger. If you don’t, you could shoot wildly and erratically, which is exactly the way the birds are flying – away from your shot. Line up your shot and shoot only when you’re steady and lined up properly.
Whether you’re looking to build your bird hunting skills or put them to a challenge, come on out to Meadow Brook Game Farm for a pheasant or quail hunt. Our hunts start Nov. 1 each year and run through March 30, which means there’s still time available to book a hunt for the spring hunt in 2017. For more information or to book a hunt, call us today at 615-888-2411!
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