Any good drills for picking one target (quail covey practice)?

[waterhouse]

I did well on quail singles and doubles on the last hunt, but had problems hitting birds when large coveys (10-20 birds) got up. One of the old timers watching said I was missing all the birds because I was aiming at all the birds (instead of picking one). Those old guys know their stuff.

Other than just getting out and finding more coveys and concentrating on a single bird on a real hunt, are there any good drills/practice/clay games that would help a shooter concentrate on picking one target and focusing on it? The only thing that comes to mind is Brister's method of setting up several stationary targets and having a partner call which one to shoot, but I was hoping there might be something better.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Well.....none of the traditional shotgun games come to find, as most dont require more than doubles. One thing to do would be buy a box of clays and get a friend to toss handfuls of 4 or so downrange. That will force you to focus on which one to shoot.

 

[Pete409]

When a large covey of quail flush, they don't all come up at the same time, although it may seem like it at the time. I recommend that as you raise your gun and flick off the safety, you look for one of the late risers which is going pretty much straight away since that will generally be the easiest shot for most people. Concentrate on that one bird and bring him down.

Then bring your focus back to where the birds flushed from since there will generally be another straggler coming up and then do likewise with him. Good luck and good shooting.

 

[Scoupe]

I had the same problem duck hunting. If a single or pair came in, they died. But let a group of 10 or twelve try to sit in the decoys and often as not, they'd all escape unharmed.

I took three seasons off and shot a LOT of skeet during the layoff. Went back in the marsh this season and found myself popping doubles out of big groups with regularity.

I firmly believe that shooting clay targets, even just singles, helped me focus on picking out one bird at a time in the field.

 

[macFarlaine]

These old guys know their stuff.We have all done it,focus on one bird,not easy when 10 jump.We don't shoot alot of skeet in the UK,but I practice with a single and double trap throw down the line,same principal as a rising bird.

 

[10X]

As others implied, this is a mental discipline issue. Decide what you will do first, rather that react.

I decided long ago that if a number of birds get up, as I bring up the gun I will go after the closet first one going straight away, then the second one I see more or less straight away, etc.

The only drill that I can think of is to have someone throw several pop cans at once and let you pick and shoot a straight away one.

 

[romeo212000]

For me it was just will power and experience. It probably wasnt the best way to do it but I simply told myself that when the dog went on point I was going to pick one bird and focus on him and pick something out to focus on like his head if I could. THat also helped me be more accurate and not try to aim down the barrel of the shotgun. Same thing with ducks. When big group came in I already knew which one was going down first. If I get a double that was just a bonus.

 

[evbutler462]

Rober Ruark, the famous author of "The Old Man and the Boy" devotes a lot of time to this subject. I recall one statement his grandfather told him. You've got to kill them one at the time. You can't kill them all with one shot. You need to shoot the first one before you can shoot the second one.

Of course this doesn't answer your question but I do recommend anyone that loves to hunt to get a copy of the book. It is full of funny anecdotes and great advice on hunting, shooting, and enjoying it all the while. The chapter on coon hunting cracks me up. Coon hunting is the first sympton of hunter's alzheimers onset, he says and makes you laugh.

I had to teach myself to shoot a pump gun. I have been using doubles and semis all my life and decided to try a pump. I forget to shuck it. The way I tried to break myself was to put five cans on the ground and shoot them as fast as I can focusing on each one and remembering to pump. This is a fair analogy to shooting a whole covey of quail. Maybe someday I will get used to it.

 

[Markbo]

I can only tell you what I do from years of missing lots and lots of quail and dove!

One of the old timers taught me to stop looking at the bird. Look at the beak of ONE bird - the bird in front. The concentration to be able to focus THAT close is surprisingly hard - especially when there are a lot of targets.

But if you can develop the discipline to focus on the first bird's beak, and you swing and drop him (I am a swing through shooter - not a hold a steady lead shooter), then you can pick up the next one back and swing though again.

I have done this a lot and am better at it now. The thing about going for the front is that every great once in a while I aim for the first bird and actually hit the second one, so I can just keep swinging through - with more lead - on the first one.

 

[HOLY DIVER]

i may be wierd but i have allot harder time shooting dove than quail
there are not allot of quail to hunt where i live so.....most of the time we hunt all day to jump one cubby.....but most people can have there limit dove hunting in 2 hours easy ...something about seeing the bird coming and waiting for it to get in range messes me up..but when a quail flushes i normaly tear it up because i shoot it to close rarely missing kinda wish i could swap your problem for mine