Kyle Wintersteen has learned to deal with missing birds—particularly when witnesses are present—through a fail-proof coping mechanism: excuses, and lots of them. So, here are a few species-specific suggestions to help you save face this season.

by Kyle Wintersteen
October 17, 2014


Here's a confession for you: Every autumn I'm known to miss a few pheasants and ducks. Okay, more than a few, but it's not my fault, really. The thrill of cackling roosters flushing underfoot or drake mallards careening to the decoys is enough to make a shotgun feel foreign in the most seasoned hands. To lose that childlike excitement may result in better wingshooting, but I doubt we'd enjoy the experience as much.

In any event, I've learned to deal with missing birds—particularly when witnesses are present—through a fail-proof coping mechanism: excuses, and lots of them. So, here are a few species-specific suggestions to help you save face this season.

Teal
"They were too small and too fast."

Canvasbacks
"They were too big and too fast."

Pheasants
"Did that rooster's cackle sound weird to you? It threw me off."

Northern Shoveler
"I really didn't want to shoot a spoonbill, but you called the shot so I went through the motions."

Quail
"I was too taken aback by the beauty of that covey rise."

Mallards
"Those drakes decoyed so hard that I shot over them."

Doves
"My shotgun barrel is too long to catch up to these speed demons."

Ruffed Grouse
"I expected the bird to weave through the trees, but instead he zig-zagged."

Geese
"I waited too long looking for leg bands."

Gadwalls
"You can't hardly see gray ducks against this overcast sky."

You see? It's easy. And before long you'll convince yourself—if not your buddies—that all those misses have nothing to do with your skill level.

http://www.americanhunter.org/mobile/blog.php?id=31871&cid=57

cheap shells. every thing I blame is on cheap shells.


I don't care if I'm shooting $15/box Kent Shell, i'll still say the quality control has gone down.

shot string distortion in the wind

I didn't pattern my shotgun

call got stuck between my shoulder and the gun

gun powder in my eyes.

That's not an excuse, that's a fact......for a lot of folks!

Unless the cardboard you're "patterning" on is flying through the air at different speeds and distance, while zig-zagging, partnering means nothing.

I've out shot guys with cheap shells and a remington pump with modified choke. While they curse their $25 shells, benelli, and $100 choke.

I used to buy into that stuff but dont no more.

X2, the main reason you miss is shooting where he isn't. Try shooting where he's gonna be.

ive used the "may need to go sight it in" after I miss a dove 3 times

The clouds parted and the sun was in my eyes.

I was trying to brag on my kid one day when was knocking down doves one after another and I said, man your getting good at this, he said nah Im just shooting amungst em. So yall should try that just shoot amungst em.

Ha ha. Same thing has happened to me.

I used to hunt with a guy that shot skeet and sporting clays like it was a religion, when bird hunting he rarely missed. If he missed he took full credit for it, he also taught several of us to do the same. When I miss, I miss, it isn't anything or anybody's fault except mine.

I'll be honest with y'all and I'll tell you: I'm not a very good shot. Period.

When I miss it's almost always from taking bad shots....... Shooting to far or before I'm ready! My fault every time.

I always hit what I'm aiming at!

(even if it was 2 feet behind that bird)

I only do head shots.

Ouch!! Way too true!!

Honest truth. While duck hunting years back, I took a good spill and everything got soaked- including my cheap ammo. I went home and dried it all off and thought nothing of it. Fast forward to the next season, I grabbed my gear and headed out. I had so many "gimme" shots at decoying ducks and missed every single one. Finally, had one duck land in the spread and I decided to give a skillet shot a try... well, the splash didn't look quite right at all. Missed the duck, too. I found a pizza box up near the road and decided to pattern the gun- BANG! Pretty much at 30 yards it was one huge ragged single hole and a wad dent. The cheap steel shot had rusted together inside the shells, but the powder and primer were still good. Can you imagine if I had hit a duck with one? haha!

I thought spoonbill was censored.

My favorite - I just wanted to shoot 3 times.

Best one I have ever heard in the field, we still laugh to this day "I was sighting in my muzzleloader. I'm used to holding dead on". I in no way can convey exactly how it was said or the situation, but the neighbors and I rehash it every year

I was in a 4H turkey shoot with four other guys shooting trap. Came down to me (25 years old kid) at the time and old man in his 60's. I finally beat the old guy in a shoot off. He said he heard a goose hook just before he shot.

Missed? What's that?