I'm going game shooting for the first time!

Game shooting can be action packed and exciting, so staying calm will help your technique.

By Rob Eaton

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

I'm going game shooting for the first time, and am nervous about making the transition from shooting clays. Do you have any easy tips I can take with me?

By far the best technique for game shooting is to mount the gun onto the bird’s tail feathers - then look at the beak and swing through the bird smooothly (yes that’s three O’s).

As you come off the front of the bird, pull the trigger while pulling away in one smoooth movement.

Try saying smooothly to yourself as you do it.

If the bird is out to one side then step into the bird by bringing your front foot around to where you're going to try and shoot the bird - with your rear foot slightly behind.

Then use the same technique, yes you've guessed it, smooothly with three O’s!

If you ever get the urge to stop the gun - translate that into pulling the trigger instead.

Your senses/instincts will tell you "that's too far in front" and you will stop the gun - but don't, pull the trigger instead.

I assure you it will be spot on 90% of the time.