When pigeon shooting, how do I hit them head-on?

Tuition
JOHN BIDWELL says:
If it’s any consolation, so too do a lot of other pigeon shooters!

Often the reason people miss is because it actually looks unmissable: it’s coming straight at the gun and all you need to do is put the bead on its beak and pull the trigger.

But it’s not as simple as that, is it?

Having missed with the first shot the pigeon flares and jinks away causing you to miss with the second!

What you need to do is constantly remind yourself that this bird might look as if it’s flying on a level path, but it isn’t, it is actually dropping towards the decoy pattern in preparation for landing.

By simply shooting straight at it you are missing it over the top.

Next time you’re faced with this type of bird make a conscious effort to shoot 12in or so underneath. I think you will find an immediate difference.

However – if the bird should be flying into a quartering wind from behind it will be drifting to one side or the other, as well as dropping at the same time.

If this is the case then you will obviously need to compensate for this as you mount the gun.