For those maybe unfamiliar, there is a great difference between one or two guys following a springer or a pointer working waves of brown grass, and the two guys with a lab or two pushing a half mile shelter belt. In the latter case there are some shooters spaced ahead and along the side of the trees, and one or a couple at the end.
This scenario more closely resembles a driven hunt in the UK. In these long belts, wherein you are rarely near a flush and shots granted are mostly after the birds have already shifted into their highest gear and are high. Not too unlike ducks overhead coming toward you at 12 o’clock.
Rarely is there an opportunity for a straight-away because the guys pushing the cover are in what I imagine a ruffed grouse-like scenario to be — too many obstacles. Most are at some angle away, or toward you, or even straight up and at you.
Now add the exponentially increased difficulty the clothing a - 20* wind chill requires, the watering eyes, and numb fingers. Gloves are always a compromise between the viability of flesh and being allowed to work both triggers in the trigger guard. A SxS a bad choice? Perhaps, but I just wanted to use it on this hunt. The biggest problem though on mounting the gun is not getting the heel high enough in the shoulder as it catches the clothing in the armpit, and just like that you are missing high. Technique changes to first pushing the gun out for clearance before snugging back to the shoulder and getting your face down on the stock.
As soon as shooting becomes a conscious step-wise process, you find new ways to miss.
I called my wife immediately about the missing credit card and she found it in the garbage can in the garage, another story. But a sigh of relief.
