Video: Footwork Fundamentals For The Perfect Shotgun Shot

Swing and follow-through aren't the only aspects that get you shotgun on target. Master fundamental footwork and you'll bag more birds.

Nothing is more exhilarating than the sound of a pheasant’s wings beating the cold autumn air. And nothing more frustrating than hearing them continue to pound away into the distance after you take your shot. Missed birds downright stink.

Swing or follow-through generally take the brunt of the blame for unscathed fowl, but there could be a less obvious culprit involved. Shotgunning, shooting in general, is such an upper-body dominated discipline stance often plays a distant second fiddle in considerations. But how you plant your hooves just might be what’s costing you birds.

From Dave Miller’s experience, hunters have a tendency of getting off on the wrong foot when they flush a bird. They rush, barely moving their feet, particularly with birds on the periphery. In turn, they bunch up on the initial shouldering of their gun and limit their range of motion on a follow-up shot. That’s all the makings of a miserable day in the field.

Luckily, the Guinness World Record holder for most clays broken in an hour (3,653), shows how to get in the right stance, while not blowing the shot in the above video. Honestly, there’s not a lot of hocus-pocus to it either. It’s mainly an exercise of remaining conscious about getting in a position for success, then executing it in a smooth and natural fashion.

Anyone can do it. The challenge is moving your feet this way every time without fail, even when thumping of a rooster taking flight has you shifting into overdrive.

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