I think if I saw more birds I'd be a much better shot. I'm fine as long as I don't pull the trigger(s) until the gun is fully mounted.

But a big reason I hate missing is the awful feeling that I've let down my dog. Seriously, there was one instance I can think of (there are many more) where my dog worked a rooster for nearly a half hour. The last 15+ minutes they were in a cornfield to my left. I was right on the edge of it. Every once in awhile I'd hear his bell for a couple seconds. The rooster had obviously walked through a row or 3 trying to escape on foot and my dog stayed right with him. He NEVER gave in to temptation and just muckled him. Always stayed with him. The tension was unbelievable!

Finally the rooster came bursting out of the cornfield and I had a perfect set-up which I completely blew just as my dog came out of the corn to see. It was so hard to look him in the eye! I swear, that feeling is the biggest incentive to start shooting some clays just to keep somewhat in shape. I mean, just firing a shotgun during hunting seasons alone is fairly stupid, let's face it.