I thought we were talking about upland hunters, Larry. Now you bring skeet shooters into the mix, not I. Every target on a skeet field can be crushed with a negative .005". Anybody that rises to the top in skeet has to be praised, for their ability to memorize leads and not be bored to death with the game. Skeet has very little in common with the kind of wingshooting I do. McIntosh was guilty of writing to grouse and woodcock shooters, not upland hunters in general. I liked Mac, conversed with him at times about doves in Cordoba, but his accuracy in writing left a bit to be desired at times, IMO.
I challenge you, Larry, try what I say. Give up all your open chokes for 6 months, and tighten up, really tight. Modified or tighter. You seem to shoot enough targets to give it a fair try int he off season. Then, tell me that I am wrong. You are arguing against something you seem to have never tried. I'm not. I tried the "Use open chokes to make up for poor shooting" game. Then, I went the other way. I am reporting results. Many others here have said the same thing. But, you insist it can't be, even though you have never said you have given it a fair try. Maybe you have, but I don't remember you ever claiming to have .
SRH
