The Unique Challenges of Wingshooting

Game shooting offers its own unique challenges when compared to clay shooting, not the least of which is that the game bird has a brain and can change its line, speed, and angle with a mere flick of a feather on a wing or tail. The clay target decelerates when it leaves the trap and is on a fixed line.

The game birds are maintaining their speed and this, combined with the ability to change their line, makes for some specific techniques to be consistently successful in the field.

One of the first things our shooters learn in shooting driven-type clay targets is that the wind has a lot to do with the speed and line of the target. The same is true for the driven game birds.

A 15-20 mph tailwind will give the game bird a tremendous advantage, as it gives the bird more speed, with no more effort on the bird’s part to maintain it. This increases the lead necessary to hit the birds. The more wind, the bigger the challenge. And when approaching a new area, our recommendation is to take a few minutes to gauge the wind and the expected directions of the birds.

In some situations, you might find yourself in a valley or cut in the woods where you are sheltered from the wind, but the wind could be howling above your shooting position. Look at the tops of trees or hedges along the crest of a cliff for clues to wind speed and direction.