Doubles

First flush this morning was a true double -- a pair of hen pheasants. Which got me to thinking, this is one of the more rare shots you have to make in upland hunting, so it's one you're more likely to screw up. I usually get only one of the birds. This morning it was neither, but I'm shooting very badly this season so that's neither here nor there. ;)

So the classic rules of thumb would be....

Crossing birds: take the trailing bird first, swing through, and then take the leading bird.
Birds going away: take the right bird first (left bird for us lefty shooters), then the other.

This morning my birds went straight out, and I missed the left bird fair and square, then cut feathers from the right bird without downing it. Never actually thought about switching birds, it was just trap doubles habit. Which got me to thinking: what's the wingshooting wisdom here? Stick with the first bird if you miss, or make the switcheroo you planned all along?

I was always taught pick a bird and keep shooting till it drops. Don't ever recall switching birds if I missed the first shot.

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

I was always taught pick a bird and keep shooting till it drops. Don't ever recall switching birds if I missed the first shot.

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Same here.

I never switch, take the closer bird and concentrate on downing that bird first before taking your eye off it. Maybe thats why your shooting is off this year.

I haven't yet experienced a double when upland hunting, but when duck hunting I pick a bird and stay with it. Whenever I have let my mind shift focus to the second bird before the first is down it never ends well, and neither bird is bagged.

double... isn't that where you say p!ss then cr@p then think of an excuse?

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Originally Posted by Iver

double... isn't that where you say p!ss then cr@p then think of an excuse?

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That's exactly how it went down!

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Originally Posted by tom gobble

Maybe thats why your shooting is off this year.

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Lifting my head is the culprit, switching birds or no ... can't hit squat unless your head's on the stock.

Anyway ... that's the consensus I'd expect. After all, the most common multiple-bird scenarios will be in waterfowling and there you're going to pick a bird and stay with it 'til it drops.

But in target sports like skeet or double trap you always switch birds, which I guess goes with the artificiality of the target shooting scenario. Target shooters don't suffer from switching targets but those targets are predictable while field situations aren't.

I've had one double a year the past three seasons ... actually, last year's was a "quintuple" which was a real comedy of errors. Two birds went out to the left and I thought, right, trailing bird first, we'll get 'em both this time ... and then three more birds went up the other way. My gun swung left, my head swung right, and that was the end of that opportunity. :)

If you want multiple bird chances, go to Pelee Island. Last year I put up a flock that had at least 15 birds. I dumped both barrels and managed to get one. :ashamed: I don't get many double opportunities a year but manage to fail every time.......LoL.

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Originally Posted by terrym

If you want multiple bird chances, go to Pelee Island. Last year I put up a flock that had at least 15 birds. I dumped both barrels and managed to get one.

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Well, you're doing better than me....