doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com So, how poorly do 'most' hunters shoot?

And typically not paid for doing chores. That being said, when I grew up as a city kid in Iowa (50's, early 60's), it was fairly common for farm kids to earn spending money by running a trap line. Fur prices generally pretty good back then. And hunting was certainly cheap: walk out the door. Getting to a shooting range for practice might not have been convenient, although a hand trap and a box of clays behind the barn would have been possible and relatively inexpensive.

Maybe the shells Stan's Dad gave him were a thank you for some of the farm work he did........think about it.

I have guided duck and goose hunters for many years and most have no idea if they have actually hit the bird that drops but say they do. Almost all have pumps and semi's and fire all 3 shots at every flight. 3 birds come in 5 hunters unload and one will actually swear 'he' shot them all. I budget 3 boxes of shells for a limit of 8 birds per hunter. That's 10% success 'if' a limit is actually taken.

On the other hand, watching them makes me a much more patient shooter and my success rate is closer to 35 - 40%. But I do use an over and under and often wonder if my success would improve with a single shot.

Many people who are given an opportunity don't appreciate it, and waste their opportunity. I just had a thing about waste, and missing. I miss like everybody, but I have worked hard all my life to be a better shot. I began competitive shooting at Boy Scout camp at about age 11. Moved through all types of competitive shooting all my life. Sporting clays is the most humbling of them all. If that comment about my being given shells was meant to be a cut, it was lost. The fact that I had an advantage by being given some shells does not change what I said. Desire to do better is not hindered by lack of supplies. Those who want to get better do so, one way or another. Those who don't have the fire in their belly, don't do what it takes. Period.

SRH

Originally Posted By: L. Brown

No need to mince words, Stan. After all, you told us that you started out with Daddy buying your shells for you. How come you weren't carrying newspapers or cutting grass to buy them YOURSELF? Kinda gave you a leg up learning the game, didn't it?


How come a decent thread like this one always has to turn into a pissing match?? Geesh Larry lighten up!

Today I shot 36 Eurasian doves with 60 shells with my LC Smith 20ga. I think pretty good for dove shooting.

When a bird flushes and I don't have time to think, I just mount, swing and shoot, I shoot about twice as good as when my buddy tells me "the dogs on point, get over here, get ready", I stand and wait, anticipate, set my feet, plan the shot, swing, shoot and usually miss.

I guess I just shoot better when I don't think about it...golf was like that many years ago.

I gave up golf.

Talk to Stan, tunes. Seems a bit ironic, don't you think, that he talks about a "lack of supplies" not stopping anyone . . . yet he was GIVEN his supplies? Sorry, but I won't mince words either: Yes indeed, "minor" factors like the economy--among other things--do stand in the way of people becoming proficient at ANY activity that requires a fairly significant expenditure of funds. And learning to shoot well requires such an expenditure. Let's see . . . work my butt off to support my family. Left over time and money . . . spend time and some of that extra money with the wife and kids, or spend time and some of that extra money on guns, shooting lessons, shells, targets, gas to get me to the range, etc? The places I shoot, most of the people who shoot a lot are older. Kids, if any, away from home and no longer in college. Speaking of which, I put myself through college, came out with zero debt. That was then; this is now. Without a lot of scholarship support, what was fairly common when I was in college in the 60's is now close to impossible. Which means younger folks are saddled with college debt on top of everything else. Desire alone doesn't get it done--and it's way more expensive these days than it used to be.

Tunes,

Because L. Brown is a Motor Mouth Mental Midget of the first order and does not know when to SHUT UP......... He is full of SELF WORTH and cannot see the forest for the trees...

It is sad that Stan and others have to put up with this fool.... Most on this board pay zero attention to this motor mouths ramblings.

Doug, Stan, as a land owner and man who farmed for 34 years it gives me great delight to see guys with his attitude who want to hunt on my land go out my driveway with their tails between their legs. As a kid I busted my butt in Dad's rock fields for very little pay as I'm sure Stan did. At the end of the day I didn't feel like mowing lawns or delivering newspapers.