I have missed so many pheasants that I should have hit that they have blended into a derisive blur.
Does this count, one that I KNEW that I was going to miss.
It was the second drive of the day, and the beaters and walking guns were pushing out a wood. About 150 yards in front of me a cock bird rose up and then set a steady course at a reasonable height and directly towards me where I stood in the gun line.
It seemed to be taking an age to get to me, there was no reason why I should not kill it clean but I had so much time I was convinced I was going to overthink it and miss, no doubt to hoots of derision from the guns on either side of me.
I was rescued by a flicker of movement in my upper right peripheral vision. It was another cock bird curling in from my right front and about to cross just in front of me.
That galvanised me into action and it folded to my shot.
My nemesis was still incoming, but I was moving properly now with no time to overthink. They were my first true left and right (both dead in the air at the same time) at pheasants, not that there have been many since.
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