New To hunting with shotguns

[Buzzard]

Is there a rule of thumb or something to go by for leading Birds (quail).
I got a 12ga pump with full choke and a 36" barrel.
I know, a little long but it shoots good and holds right for me.

[lockedcj7]

One hold won't always work since birds fly at different speeds, different angles and different distances.

There are graduate courses in shotgun theory. This is only the intro to shotgunning 101. Consider it a survey course for students not majoring in shotgunning.

There are three basic types of lead. Established lead is where you get the gun out in front of the bird and attempt to keep it there. Shoot when you think the lead is right and keep swinging after the shot. If you miss, chances are good that you're behind the bird. You should start pivoting at the waist, tracking the bird with your body while mounting the gun. Ideally, when the gun touches your shoulder, it will already be out in front of the bird and the lead will be correct. You can pull the trigger as soon as the mount is solid. I've tried this method and it doesn't work for me.

The next method is sometimes called "point shooting". You attempt to guess where the bird is going and shoot there. If you're lucky or good, the bird and shot will collide. Sounds like voodoo to me. It would take amazing timing to get this right. If I knew anybody that could do this reliably, I might start worshiping him.

The last type, and arguably the most popular, is called swing-through. You mount the gun with the muzzle behind the bird. You accelerate through the target and pull the trigger when you get out in front. I think of it like "painting" over the bird with the muzzle. Many people say, "butt, belly, beak, BANG" If you're missing, let the muzzle get a little more out in front before you pull the trigger and KEEP SWINGING after the shot.

I don't compete much and I don't own high $$ shotguns but I've developed a reputation as a good shot in the field. I use a combination of number one and three. I mount the gun behind the bird but I don't mount, then swing. I begin pivoting my body as soon as I pick up the target. The mount-accelerate-shoot-follow-through is one fluid motion. I cannot stress enough how important it is to follow-through. When I miss, it's almost always because I got a bad mount, shot too soon or forgot to follow through. In any case, I stop and analyze the shot. YMMV

[Scorch]

First rule: swing through the birds, rather than using the "sustained lead" method. Coming from the rear of the bird, think "butt, belly, beak. bang". This will set the speed for your swing and get you in front of the bird, and shoot where the bird is going to be, rather than where it was. Practice it a bit, and you will see the value in it.

Second rule: if at all possible, use a dog when bird hunting. You will find more and lose fewer birds.

Third rule: handle the shotgun enough to get comfortable with it, mount it to your shoulder, work the action, whatever it takes to get familiar with it. When you're in the field, you want everything to be totally natural.

[ActivShootr]

The Jeep guru nailed it.

36" full choke is a little tight for my liking but if it works for you, go for it.

Most importantly; practice. :)

[zippy13]

To most shooter, including myself, the swing through method seems the easiest and most instinctive. I shot swing through for many years before developing the experience and self confidence to switch to a sustained lead, but that's another story.

With the advice of others to follow through, may I add: keep you head down. Scorch mentioned the importance of dogs. They'll watch where your birds fall, but you need to keep your head on the stock to being them down. If you lift too soon, you'll get a great look at the bird you just missed. Keep your head down and the gun moving -- should you miss, you're ready for a second shot.

All shooting styles have in common: Keep your head down and follow through.
They're not hard to hit, but they're easy to miss.

[Stiofan]

First off, are you sure it's not a 26" barrel? Most waterfowl barrels (the longest) are 28-30" whereas upland game is usually 26" (over/unders and SxS) and home defense 18-20". Both of my goose/duck guns are 30" and that was the longest barrels I could get without special ordering or customizing. I imagine you might find a 32" barrel easy enough, but 36" seems, well just odd.

Having said that, you have to judge the distance and speed of the birds to calculate the lead. Upland game like quail are not as fast, but you are shooting them real close in so they will seem to your eye very quick. Waterfowl, such as Canvasbacks or Pintails, will fly very fast, up to 70 mph, although most types are about 45 mph. Usually they are so far away they look like they are slower. They are not. Quail will fly in the mid 30mph range, but will jump so close to you you may find you are taking more snap shots and your pellets don't have to travel so far, so lead should be less.

While trap and skeet can help, there is no substitute for live action variable speed hunting. You may use up a few boxes of ammo, but you will begin to judge the lead time with practice.

[darkgael]

+1 on that 36" FC being a little tight for quail. The fact that the gun shoots well for you is great. It just seems that that FC would throw a tighter pattern than is desirable for hunting small birds, unless the shots tend to be long where you are.
As to the 36" barrel...I have a .20 ga flintlock fowling gun with a 42" barrel that I take out, occasionally, for grouse. I try to stay out of the huckleberries. It sure swings nice.
Pete

[Buzzard]

The Shotgun I have is listed as Marlin 120 MRX magnum 12ga.
I was told and have read that it is a Goose gun and it does have a 36" barrel.
Yes the full choke is a little tight but I did drop a quail at 45 paces with 2nd shot..... Bad thing is I live in
AZ in the desert....no wate birds to speak of.....

[BigJimP]

Is there a general rule to leads in hunting - not really. It depends on how fast the bird is flying, the range from you, and the relative angle the bird is flying from you.

In general - a Skeet field - will give you some ballpark leads for quail ( station 4, with a bird going accross the field at roughly a 90 degree angle to you, is about a 4 foot lead / stations 2 or 5 - bird going away from you at about a 30 degree angle is about a 2 foot lead.

In general - a Trap field - will give you a ballpark lead on pheasant - where the birds rise, then level off and go downrange. Again it varys on angle and distance.

I wouldn't recommend killing a quail with a full choke under 45 yards - or you're going to have a lot of lead in the bird..... Some of those old "goose guns" are fun to shoot once in a while, but they're pretty clumsy for something like quail. There are a lot of other guns on the market that will be more suitable for you, hunting quail.

[Buzzard]

Well, Took the long necked goose monster out today, spent the first 30 min or so just swinging it on any bird that pass ( unloaded) and after I got sort of comfortable with that I went looking for quail.
Found one bird, was about 35yds out. I threw rock to get it to fly then swing
with the bird ,chanting butt, body, beak and pulled the trigger....got one bird today with one shot...only bird I saw today.
Gonna take some practice here birddy birddy, here bird :D

[darkgael]

Buzz: What was the load? If you have a moment.
Pete

[fisherman66]

If you are ever in the Dallas area, stop by and I will show you exactly how not to shoot. I'll even wave my shooter's clinic fee if you buy the shells.

[Buzzard]

Federal Game Shok
12ga
2 3/4"
1oz shot
7 1/2
muz vel 1290
3 1/4 dram eq

Hows that, I copied it off of the box :D

[darkgael]

Thanks.

[Death from Afar]

There really is no rule of thumb. I shot 6 Canada geese on Sunday, and each had a different lead due to angles, range etc. I think that your mind stores what shots work and where and when, and being able to call each lead is to the most part experince.