There’s one thing better than seeing fabulously high pheasants - cleanly shooting them. But just what is the secret to success? Help is at hand, courtesy of Simon Ward, a professional shooting instructor regarded by many as one of the finest game shots in the land, especially where high pheasants are concerned.

The first bird I shot as a 13 year old was a wood pigeon sitting in a tree. My grandfather had only given me two cartridges so as not to waste any. Fortunately I managed to shoot it, otherwise the bang and recoil from the ancient 30” boxlock would have probably put me off the sport before I had even got started.

Now on reflection I realise that perhaps my concentration had accounted for the first barrel success, albeit stationary. And I would suggest that concentration and focus on every shot are hugely important.

Yes, there are other major factors too - not least gunfit and technique. But the need to focus on both the bird and how you prepare to take the shot is essential.

Over the last six years I have certainly become much more flexible in my thinking about shooting styles, particularly for very high birds. This is since I have been going to Argentina to both coach and shoot. The number of doves out there at every conceivable height, presents the opportunity to experiment in the field in a way which would not really be possible on a day’s pheasant shooting. I have learned so much about extreme range birds. I am talking about 40-70 yards.

I have always been a dedicated fan of the elegant Stanbury style. As a young teenager I spent hours and hours practising my gunmount - I would do it until I could no longer hold the gun, then throw it down on the bed, only pick it up and start all over again. I think I must have driven my mother mad.

But it was no different to my cricketing experience, where the coaches would drum into us the importance of consistency in style and delivery.

The Stanbury method is to take the shot off the front, leading leg (left leg for right handers), quite upright in stance. It looks good and is also hugely effective. Perfect gun mounting time and again is essential, hence my incessant practice. But my experimentation in Argentina has taught me that when birds are over 35 yards in height, and not directly overhead (beyond ‘5 to’ or ‘5 past’) then shooting off the back foot can be very effective. With the use of good footwork, you turn a driven bird into a high crossing shot. You keep your eyes, shoulders and muzzles on a parallel line with the bird. In fact you lock your eyes and muzzles to the line and speed of the bird. It is also much easier to keep on the line of the bird, for most birds, particularly the very high ones, are drifting off a straight line, movement which is not immediately apparent, certainly if you are mounting and shooting in immediate sequence.

This back foot method is more measured, and it gives you time and control. Though don’t leave the shot too late as many do.

Shooting on first aim, as the gun hits the cheek and shoulder, will always be extremely effective on lower driven game, such as grouse or traditional hedgerow partridge (basically anything up to 35 yards), but I am in no doubt that for very high pheasants move consistency will come from turning the bird into a high crossing shot and using a slightly more measured approach.

GUN AND CARTRIDGE

Up until five years ago my shooting had been predominately with side-by-side guns. I started with a 30” Webley & Scott, and then had a Browning A1 over-under for a while, before buying the Holland & Holland Royal. I shot thousands of pigeons and game with all of them. The Webley was choked ¾ and full, while the Browning and H&H were more open choked.

But four years ago I bought a pair of Perazzi 32” over-unders choked full and full. They have added another 15 yards to my effective range, increasing it from 60 to 75 yards, using 32 or 36gram loads of 5 shot. It is a fact that if you want to consistently kill seriously tall pheasants then this is the sort of combination you need. You may prefer another make of gun, or maybe 30” barrels (a good all-round length). But with normal equipment, you may kill well up 60 yards, but not consistently, and certainly not beyond that range.

People say that 40 yards is the effective range of a shotgun. I wouldn’t argue. With a traditional side-by-side with typical improved cylinder and half chokings, you cannot expect to always get clean kills beyond 40 yards - the pattern will break up.

And I wouldn’t wish to shoot any more than 30 gram cartridges in a side-by-side. The recoil would be too great to shoot comfortably. Whereas my over-under weighs 8½lb and has a Kick-Eez recoil pad fitted - consequently it can absorb the extra kick of a 32 or 36 gram load. I also have a Browning Reactor Gelpad on the inside of my shooting vest shoulder.

I am not decrying side-by-sides – far from it. Using Winchester GB 1oz load 6½ cartridges I shot lots of fantastic pigeons and pheasants with both the Webley and H&H side-by-sides. For most game shooting the side-by-side is the perfect gun. Indeed it doesn’t matter what you use, as long as you enjoy yourself and show respect for your quarry. But if you really want to come to terms with the very high ones, then it’s horses for courses and the bigger over-under will do the business.

RANGE

It is very important to keep within your boundaries and increasingly I see people unable to judge range. You can have all the right equipment, but if you can’t tell the difference between 40 yards and 70 yards then clearly it will not help. Next time you take your dog for a walk across a field, viualise 40 yards, then pace it out. Do the same with 60 and 70 yards. You could be surprised.

Admittedly when you are shooting birds in an open sky there is nothing to measure against. So instead turn sideways to look down the line of Guns, and you may well see your neighboring Gun attempting to bring birds down at 100 yards! Just letting a couple of birds pass while you check for range by looking at your colleagues will do no-one any harm, but it will give you a better idea of what you are shooting at.

GUNFIT

The comb height and cast of your gun are the measurements crucial to good shooting, while stock length is a compromise. If your gun doesn’t fit properly then the odds are against you. Guns need to be set up to shoot 2/3 of the pattern high at 50 yards. Most guns are too low - poor gunfit is the biggest bete noir of high pheasant shooting. I will look at this further next issue.

TRIGGER PULLS

The sensitivity and effectiveness of your trigger pulls will make a lot of difference to your performance – 3½ - 4lb should be fine for most. But have them checked. When measuring out these tall birds your thought process needs to be conveyed through the triggers without any kind of delay or resistance. If there is any drag or creep it will affect your performance, and could see you pulling off the line of the bird.

FIELDCRAFT

To help you shoot better, you need to be able to read what’s happening in a drive. Where the birds are flying towards, are they curling, are they dropping in altitude? That’s why instructing in the field is so helpful. I not only get to work on the client’s footwork, timing and gun mounting skills, but also take in what’s going on around him or her. As mentioned most pheasants drift in flight, for they flap their wings for no more than 10 seconds before going into glide mode. If they are falling in height they will be flying at speed, and you need to assess where they are most likely to appear and in what destination they are going to fly. All of this puts you in a better position when the shooting gets under way.

 

 
 
 

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