Mike Shepard,
If you are, in fact, Joe Wood's shooting instructor as you claim, 'why' is it that his shooting form in the field looks so much more natural than yours?
Curious in Montana
Dear Curious:
I know that Joe sold you a gun and probably took some extra money off so you would take his side.
The form that I taught Joe is for old, dizzy, stumbling, demented, arthritic codgers. If Joe shot with good form he would fall on his face from vertigo when he tipped his head forward and with his arthritis would have to spend a week at the chiropractor from bending his neck like that.
Single shots....They must be going through their second childhoods.
Hunting with Joe Wood is a lot like hunting with Deputy Barney Fyfe. Imagine a covey rise and Barney has taken his first shot. He is turning towards you and swinging a big old double around through the haze of the black powder gun smoke and a bird is flying by your head. Or imagine a single bird has popped up. Deputy Fyfe has taken one shot at it with his big old double and is turning his full body towards you as he brings the gun down. Again the gun smoke is thick. His eyes are big as saucers and he is shouting "DID I GET IT ANDY!? DID I GET IT ANDY!?"
That is why I got Joe switched over to a single shot. I carry one so he thinks we are being sports. And, like Sheriff Taylor, I only let my sidekick have one cartridge at a time.
MarkQue you are welcome. And I agree, shooting a pheasant that unexpectedly burst from the cover is very challenging, especailly with a hammer gun.
Best,
Mike
