You’ve Just Got To Eventually KNOW

I’m now convinced more than ever of the importance of being able to move and mount the gun to the target. That is a precursor to improving a person’s ability to shoot moving targets with a shotgun.

My ability to simply react to a dove or pigeon with no thought whatsoever of the gun muzzle or butt or the mount while reacting to the target is simply amazing. I thought this morning while shooting pigeons that most shooters can’t mount the gun consistently enough to even have a gun fitted for them, much less shoot it.

I am amused at the “coaches” who stress gun fit when shooting with a mounted gun in youth shotgun sports. They should be stressing learning to move and mount the gun without looking down the barrel.

People Who Can Mount with No Thought Are Safer

I agree more every day with something that Vicki said a while back: “A person who can move and mount the gun already knows where it is pointing without having to look at it! For this reason, they are instantly more safe and will learn to shoot two to three times faster than some who can’t mount the gun!”

You might ask or dispute the statement that they are safer. But is real. They don’t have to look at the gun to know where it is pointed. They also have an increasing amount of awareness of things around them other than the target – like safe kill zones!

The more you do something instinctively (without having to think about it) the more you can be aware of everything else around you and the safer you become. You will instantly be able to make “shoot or no shoot” decisions more consistently and correctly. In hunting situations, this is essential. The people we have hunted around in the past in Mexico, Argentina, and other places have proven this over and over. And every hunting guide has echoed our sentiments as well.

You Can’t Cheat at Shooting a Shotgun

I will say this again. Eventually, you will have to have a sense of where the gun is pointed without looking at it. So why not go ahead and learn to move and mount the gun in the beginning? Enjoy the satisfaction of shooting a shotgun well sooner than later.

You can produce hunting accuracy with a vertical or horizontal bow, rifle, and pistol mechanically and easily. But you can’t cheat and try to aim the shotgun. It doesn’t work that way.

Because you can’t cheat at shooting a shotgun like you can shooting a rifle or bow, those who are passionate about it have mutual respect for each other and the game. This respect creates a passion. And at the same time, it creates a bond that creates friendships around the world.

The shotgun is a great equalizer and a great tool to learn from failure.