Technique on crossing birds

[Jonny English]

What system are people using on crossing game birds?

I shoot crossing clays with the mount on and pull away method to reasonably good effect. I have been trying to shoot game with a controlled swing through for driven and crossers, driven it's working fine but any crossing birds seem to be absolute disaster area for me at the minute. Thinking about going back to my clay shooting method of mount on and pull away.

 

[Will Hewland]

What system are people using on crossing game birds?

I shoot crossing clays with the mount on and pull away method to reasonably good effect. I have been trying to shoot game with a controlled swing through for driven and crossers, driven it's working fine but any crossing birds seem to be absolute disaster area for me at the minute. Thinking about going back to my clay shooting method of mount on and pull away.

Personally I think swing through has one major problem. You can only move in a straight line whereas clays curve, so often you end up high. (Birds move around a bit too). If you pull away it’s easy to build in line. Also swing through tends to be a faster movement than the target so timing becomes critical. Occasionally I use it but never unless I don’t see a choice. 

Apologies, just seen this is a game category question and I don’t do much of that. 

 

[Jonny English]

Personally I think swing through has one major problem. You can only move in a straight line whereas clays curve, so often you end up high. (Birds move around a bit too). If you pull away it’s easy to build in line. Also swing through tends to be a faster movement than the target so timing becomes critical. Occasionally I use it but never unless I don’t see a choice. 

Apologies, just seen this is a game category question and I don’t do much of that. 

Thanks for the input Will all greatfully recieved.

 

[ChrisPackham]

I think Will’s right, push through always seems harder to keep the line on long crossing birds, especially as they set wings and drop.

 

[Jonny English]

I think a lot of my problem comes from the fact the gun speed feels unnatural and then I hesitate and stop the gun or just get too far in front, I also have a big problem with over leading game.

Don't know why I thought swing through was a good thing to try, got to try and get the control and repeatability back with pull away.

 

[ips]

Question

When using pull away on a driven bird how long do you stay on the bird before pulling away. I have tried it but coming from trap background i tend to default to swing through

PS

Just thought, when shooting trap i tend to have quite a high gun hold before calling for target then sort of ambushing it......is this in effect a type of maintained lead in effect ?

 

[Will Hewland]

Question

When using pull away on a driven bird how long do you stay on the bird before pulling away. I have tried it but coming from trap background i tend to default to swing through

PS

Just thought, when shooting trap i tend to have quite a high gun hold before calling for target then sort of ambushing it......is this in effect a type of maintained lead in effect ?

On a long clay, I would hold the gun out, let the clay “touch” the barrel, move with it for just a fraction of a second, then smoothly open out a gap, (on the line, which may of course be curved) then slow just a little to match the speed of the clay; hold this gap for a very brief time. Bang. Many will say this is too deliberate for them, but it works for me because it is reproducible.

Yes Ips, if the clay never gets to the gun it’s maintained if your moving away at a gap. It’s ambush if you let the clay come in to the spot. 

 

[Sian]

I like swing through it helps my timing.  

 

[Will Hewland]

I like swing through it helps my timing.  

Timing helps your swing through more like. Other methods don’t really need timing!

 

[bisondan]

I tend to shoot all game being it driven or a crossing bird with swing through, I think you get the line of the bird better, it's easier to time, and personally I think it's suited to game as every shot is different.

Complete opposite to my clay shooting where shoot mostly maintained lead and pull away, swing through on teal and driven.

 

[ChrisPackham]

Still a big fan of see bird shoot bird... thinking about things makes me miss...

 

[Jonny English]

Read an article from Mike Yardley the other day, he said he used pull through or swing through on game, he sets off from behind the same amount as the lead he thinks it wants in front (2 foot lead required, set swing off 2 foot behind the bird) I can see this working on driven but doesn't seem to work for me on crossers. I seem to need something more controlled. My worst driven habbit is mounting early and tracking for too long, I shoot better when instinct takes over.

 

[wylye]

Read an article from Mike Yardley the other day, he said he used pull through or swing through on game, he sets off from behind the same amount as the lead he thinks it wants in front (2 foot lead required, set swing off 2 foot behind the bird) I can see this working on driven but doesn't seem to work for me on crossers. I seem to need something more controlled. My worst driven habbit is mounting early and tracking for too long, I shoot better when instinct takes over.

I saw a film of him shooting pheasants in Europe somewhere and he would have been better using a tennis racket rather than a gun. It was disgraceful. I haven't rated him since.

 

[Jeremy Baker]

I saw a film of him shooting pheasants in Europe somewhere and he would have been better using a tennis racket rather than a gun. It was disgraceful. I haven't rated him since.

I remember that  

Slaughtering 15 yard birds 

Never thought much of him since either

 

[Salopian]

Ian, I think it was in Hungary and it sickened me .

Using his method described above , if it needs a LOT of lead does he start THAT far behind ?????

Biggest culprit to missing in my opinion is not being on line .Crossing high Pheasants are invariably dropping.

 

[Sian]

Timing helps your swing through more like. Other methods don’t really need timing!

. I know what I mean.  Sometimes if I attempt to use other methods in certain circumstances it does affect me because I cannot get my timing right.

 

[Bebo]

. I know what I mean.  Sometimes if I attempt to use other methods in certain circumstances it does affect me because I cannot get my timing right.

Ditto.  If I maintain lead on some of the quartering in targets that they put on at Horne I end up stopping the gun.  Track behind and then use a slow controlled increase in speed to move through the target works for me.

Even when I start and stay in front of the target I'll often pull away a bit to avoid measuring and slowing the gun.

 

[Paul120]

Bum, belly Beak..  keep swinging and let the subconcious pull the trigger. 

 

[squimp]

For me it is find the bird with the barrels, try and work out the line and then extend the lead in as controlled a way as possible. Sometime it all has to happen SO quickly that it almost becomes an instinctive shot.

As Salopian said, line is the big issue. Most people seem to consistently miss long, crossing pheasants above and behind. 

I remember a day in N Wales when 3 guys  turned up  to shoot with us and were surprised they couldn't hit the birds on the first drive. They replaced their 32g shells with 36g for the next  and then tried 42g on the third drive. It made no difference  -  they were consistently shooting 'up the side' of the birds. Line, line, line.