doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How Do You Set Up For Incomers With A Double?

That is, when you have a second or two to do so!

Assume something in the order of F& M for a duck and M & IC for a dove. In both instances, the bird's undisturbed flight would carry it overhead and behind.

Do you lead with your tighter choke and follow with your open choke, or you lead with the open and retain the tighter for reserve?

How would you handle two birds flying together?

Build in any additional assumptions you'd like.

Setup time is minimized when your gun has double triggers. Long (first) shot, tighter choke; closer (second) shot, open choke. -- Ed

Perhaps as or even important is to not make what I consider the two classic mistakes oft made for visible in-coming targets:

1) the tendency on the part of some to mount the gun early and that leads to inevitable 'tracking' of the target and a near guaranteed miss.

2) waiting until the bird is past being in range and then it is a very rushed & jerky move at a too late moment for a well executed shot.

Both of these situations can easily be observed/demonstrated on a skeet field on station 5 high house targets. I think the 'trick' is to not move or mount the gun until the bird is in range .. and then it is a mount & shoot just as the gun touches the shoulder pocket in one smooth motion whilst keeping the bird firmly in focus at all times. That to me overides and negates any need worrying about the choke. Only AFTER you have seen the first bird hit [fall, in the case of a dove] should you move your eye to the second bird, should there be one.

In the same breath, if two or more birds are coming in taking the rear most bird first will many times keep the other bird or birds from flairing. Of course, if they have been repeatedly shot at then they will be more wary and may flair at the report alone. Hope something here helps.

I wouild think that coming at you would be closer, open choke, going away if you missed or shooting at the one that flarred would be the fuller choke. This is with double triggers of course.
Why did you differenciate between ducks and doves with different chokes, it is still overhead and behind.
As far as the lead, all depends on estimated range as to what to fire first.
Two birds flying together, aim inbetween, no kidding. I think it all depends on your natural swing, right to left or left to right as to which to shoot at first.

My recent experience with Pheasants was incomers were seldom straight in. They often caught the wind and flared to one side or the other with a 20 mph+ breeze behind them. I oftem mounted too early and missed. I found the ready position more successful with a later mount watching the bird all the way. Going away shots, after missing an incomer, were never a problem.

Jim

I was in that situation yesterday. Birds were coming in with sharp wind through a narrow gut, flying over with no indications of wheeling into my tollers. I always fire open choke first and the tighter as a hail mary because I'm usually off balance anyway.

King, "wheeling into my tollers" (?)

Sorry, my English does fail me sometimes, :-)

JC(AL)

The Brits in "Merry-Olde" experienced (as I have read) that driven pheasant/grouse situation so often they made up guns just for such a scenario. The right barrel (front trigger) was choked tight, and the left barrel (rear trigger) was choked more open. They apparently fired the right barrel first at a distant target, then the left barrel was fired second as another closer target was about to pass over the gun.
About two years ago I passed up an offered Cogswell & Harrison 12 gauge SxS so configured, as I already have enough variables in my shooting life without adding reversed chokes.

True story: hunter I know shot at two incoming doves without paying attention to the
result of his first shot. He got the second one and while doing so got whacked in the
face by the first downed bird. Very painful!

JC(AL)

First step on an approaching pair is to decide to which side of your position they will pass. Either side is better (for me) than a direct overhead. Once you have decided which side they will take, you can set your foot position and take them as high crossers to the left or right instead of the less well understood overhead.