Practice Makes Perfect

Take time to master your shooting technique and your days in the hide will fall into place, says Peter Theobald.

- Peter Theobald

If you want to go pigeon shooting, there are any number of books, videos and specialist forums where you can learn everything from getting permission from farmers through to reconnaissance, hide building and setting out your decoys. But seldom have I seen articles on what I consider the most important aspect of making a bag — gun handling and technique.

I have watched countless videos in which I am surprised the decoyer has hit anything at all, so bad was their gun handling. Worst of all is the footage from barrel cameras, where often the barrels of the gun only connect with the pigeon for a split second as the shot is taken. We all owe it to ourselves to become as competent as we possibly can to minimise any shots that only wound our quarry.

This means restricting taking shots that are beyond our ability and beyond the effectiveness of our gun and cartridge. So no more speculative shots at 80 yards, just because you’ve seen George Digweed do it. You may stick a lucky pellet in the pigeon’s head but for every one of those shots you probably wound 10. If you really must test your ability to its outer limits, go to a clay ground and practice to your heart’s content, not on live quarry.

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