Solving Pointing Problems

We've all heard about the hunter who doesn't shoot clays but never misses birds, and we've also heard about the clay target champion who can't hit a bird to save his life.

- By Anthony I. Matarese, Jr.

I'm still waiting to meet either one. Sure, there are successful hunters who put their guns away at the end of one season and don't pick them up till the next, just as there are clay shooters who have never gone into the field. But by and large, people who shoot with good fundamentals do well on the range and in the field.

In the columns to come, I will walk you through the process that will make you a better and more successful hunter. Having trouble with certain shots? I hope to help you. If you always shoot limits, great! But maybe I can help you use fewer shells to do it. If you like to shoot clay targets — probably the best practice possible for hunting — this process will help you there as well.

To start, we'll talk about the most fundamental parts of shooting a shotgun: how to point the gun, use your eyes properly, and establish a lead. Without an understanding of these concepts, we can't go any further.

Let's start with the biggest mistake almost everyone makes while shooting a shotgun: they tend to aim instead of point. Many people have heard the concept of pointing a shotgun and aiming a rifle but don't fully understand it.