Practice makes perfect, head to the sporting clays course to perfect your hunting shots.
The days are getting longer and thankfully, warmer. This also, unfortunately, means the hunting and preserve seasons are coming to a close. In Virginia, the preserves are open until the end of March and, with several top quality preserves located within a two hour drive or less, don’t miss out on one final opportunity to get out and hunt.
Once the season closes, maximize this time to assess your season. Were there shot presentations that still have you scratching your head? Do you know why you missed the bird? Are you sure that the shot you are using offers the best pattern for your quarry? The off-season is the perfect time to find the answers to these questions and more.
Start by taking the time to be properly fitted to your gun. If your gun doesn’t fit correctly, how can you expect to shoot it correctly?! A professional shooting instructor or top level gunsmith will be able to assist you with this task. You should also ALWAYS pattern your chosen shotshells before the hunt. Otherwise, you may be doing yourself a huge disservice, letting birds fly straight through your shot pattern! Play around with different shells and chokes and find the one that works best for your gun and your hunt. I was personally floored to find out that a highly recommended shell for waterfowl was completely useless in my gun at 30yds, regardless of choke selection. If you are spending the time and money for the hunt, set yourself up for success!
Speaking of shells, you’ve been putting some pretty heavy shot down those barrels and dragging your gun through all kinds of weather. It’s time to completely break her down and give her a very thorough cleaning and maintenance check. Shotguns are tools and just like all of the other tools that make our lives easier, shotguns must be regularly maintained to stay in top working order. My beloved Beretta A300, Vanessa, gets sent to the gunsmith twice a year for a dip in the ultrasonic and a thorough cleaning. You never want to have that trophy bird line up right in front of your barrel for your gun to just go click and not bang!
Finally, just because the hunting season is over doesn’t mean the shooting is finished. On the contrary, now is when the real work begins. Take time to mentally review shots with which you struggled and then schedule a lesson and master those shots. Remember, the sporting clays course was originally brought stateside specifically to assist hunters in honing their hunting skills in the field. It only makes sense to get back to basics and use the off-season to stay at the top of your game and work on any issues that may have reared their ugly head while on the hunt. Spending time under the tutelage of a professional instructor can be worth its weight in gold. Your instructor can assist you with understanding how to read various presentations, properly utilize the most appropriate shooting method and most importantly, how to self-correct. If you missed the first bird and have no idea why, chances are, you are going to miss the second bird. So, as the season winds down and you tuck away the wool, tweed and camo hunting clothes, pull out the shorts and lightweight shirts and explore the unlimited presentations available for you to practice on the clay course. I promise, you will absolutely relish the time on the course and find a renewed passion to get your hunting season started, better prepared than ever.