I agree that clays for the most part are somewhat different than shooting Birds on the wing...Somewhat being relative. Walkup shooting of Pheasants, Grouse and Quail are for the most part different. Doves...Not so much in that Doves are much like clays in that as you said you can set up for them....Almost every Dove opportunity can be duplicated on a clays course, and you can stand in one place and shoot the same target over and over, until you think you have it down. Which in fact is how many of the top clays shooters practice. The average sporting clays shooter goes and shoots all the stations. While most of the top guns take a flat and shoot the same target for all 250 or until that accomplish their standard. Which may be 10 to 20 in a row. Yes, there will be slightly different variation with Doves..One may be higher one lower...but a quartering outgoing, incoming or crosser is much the same...Dove or clay.
More than once have posted a video of Digweed shooting Pigeons and Crows at distances most think can't be done.
Have been around enough top guns to know that most wouldn't want to bet against them in the fields. One has taken 5 out of a wild Quail covey rise more than once. Pheasants to him were much the same as shooting them in a box.
Rudy Etchen stories in the field are the stuff of legend..And I live and shoot with and around those that watched him often. When he had to plug an 870 he could make 5 sound like it wasn't... and he missed infrequently.. He was another that could make a Wild Quail wish it had never taken wing.
Know a couple old live Pigeon shooters, that still today can rack up a score on clays. There are still some live Bird shoots around here, and ZZ Birds are gathering a following.
Most of those I mentioned are Brits, and clays or driven they know the game...If one looks, they are on You Tube doing it..
Great rifle shooters are made by pulling the trigger...There is little difference when it comes to shooting a shotgun..."The Natural" was a make believe movie.
Last edited by battue; 08/14/21.
