As is often the case really good riflemen arent so good with a shotgun and vice versa. I freely admit I waste lots of shotgun shells while dove hunting. I follow through in the swing. Too much lead, not enough lead? I really cant put my finger on what the problem is. Dove season is fast approaching and it's on my mind.

Sayyyyy whatttt You don't know how to shoot a shotty? What shotgun are you using? Gauge and load?

How far are you leading?

Not saying I dont know how, been shooting one for decades. I'm saying I want to get better.

Winchester Super X2, 7 1/2 shot, 1 1/8 ounce.

Cant tell ya lead. Dont have a Mil reticle on the shotgun

Bring it over and I'll give you the crash course

Maybe a crosser 20 yards out, three bird lengths.

This is an issue I've struggled with as well. Go out and bust some clays, but have someone stand behind you, while your shooting. They can tell you if the wad, is behind/above/below, etc the clay.

One other thing I had to force myself to do, is not focus on the bead at the end of the barrel, but rather the moving clay itself.

And keeping both eyes open.

As silly as it sounds, it's easy to over think things like this.

I downgraded to a .28 ga O/U from a 12. Few weeks ago I hit more clays then I ever have. Go figure. May've been the drop in recoil that's allowing me to shoot better.

Both eyes open I do. Overthink I do. Always try to make sure I'm looking straight down the rib, the rib is flat, and the bead centers with the rear end of the rib. In other words I'm trying to shoot it like a rifle.

I don't know about a 3 bird lead maybe scale it back to 1 1/3 or 2 bird lead on them. Shoot with both eyes open and don't focus on the bead or the rib. let your eyes do the aiming for you. Do you shoot lefty or righty? I know you're a lefty, but if you shoot right and use both eyes open your dominate eye might be taking over and causing the issue.

Left handed shooter. I can run a rifle well right handed. I occasionally shoot a pistol right handed, I never shoot a shotgun right handed. I can shoot a scoped rifle with both eyes, so both eyes with a shotgun isnt a problem. Why I dont get whats wrong.

Swinging past the bird then following through after the shot is usually the easiest way, I know some skeet guys just stick the gun up and wait for the bird to get there. I do the follow through (I think), but you well know it's just gonna take the reps to get the feel of it. As for how far to lead, there's so many factors involved that you can't really say without being in the field. Wind direction and speed, angle of the birds path, distance, etc etc.

Main part is don't overthink it, I know that I keep both eyes open but other than that I really couldn't tell you how I shoot cause I just see the bird, pull up on it and sqieeze the trigger.

Think of throwing a football to a guy running across in front of you. How much do you lead him? Stop "thinking" and let your subconscious do the work. I "spot shoot". As soon as the stock hits my shoulder, the trigger is getting pulled. I guess I just think of where the bird will be when the shot gets there, and I am swinging as the gun rises. Never think about how far ahead I need to be, and never see the sight. I will admit it works better on quail, pheasant, and such, but works pretty well on doves as well.

Birds coming towards you, I usually pull up on it and shoot right as I'm covering him with the barrel. Going away you gotta out it under him. Going away at an angle you gotta put it under him and also lead him horizontally

For me, shooting a shotgun is all about feel and instinct shooting instead of true aiming like you do with a rifle. There are people that can show you the form, teach you the follow through, and that stuff will help, but you pretty much just have to practice to get it right. Shooting clay pigeons and trap will help with the timing. Don't over think it

Believe me I get lead. Shoot where the bird will be not where it is right now.

Just gotta figure out how much lead for a given situation. I dont get skunked, I always bag some bird. But I've seen guys go to the field with 20 shells and come back with a limit. Not me.

For $450 now wait, I'm running a special....for $250 I'll show ya what I know

I couldn't resist...

Seriously, a new shooter and someone who hasn't shot a lot of clays...if you miss it you shot behind. Just nature of the beast. Give it more lead, make big movements not little. For example, if you miss always double your lead. That is the best advice I can give someone who hasn't shot a lot. Also, a quartering bird doesn't require as much lead as a 90 degree crossing bird.

There are many ways to handle the gun, Ramball mentioned the swing by method above. Intercept and diminishing/sustaned lead are two additional ways. I'm no master but I've paid more than your course from pro's to learn and try to get competitive in shotgun stuff. For what it's worth, if my barrel gets behind the target/bird...odds are I'm going to miss so Ramball's way doesn't work for me. I shoot an intercept or diminishing lead for 95% of every shot I take with a shotgun.

Spend a lot of time on the sporting clay and skeet range.

Yep. Just need more practice and a better thrower than what I have now. At least with a rifle I can practice by myself.

Close your eyes mount the gun then open them. If your not looking down the rib properly it doesn't fit and your fighting the gun. If you are forget about alignment your there. Once you know the gun fits concentrate on the target it helps some people to take the hand on the forearm and point the index finger at the target. Practice at skeet like you would shoot doves drop the stock of the shoulder see the target and then mount and shoot. I'd have to watch you to give you more help.

I wondered if the gun didn't properly fit. What you speak of, in rifles, is natural point of aim. I have guys close their eyes, get comfy on the rifle, then open their eyes. If they're not looking straight down the tube of the scope we have to make some adjustments.

Why didnt I think to do that with the shotgun?

You are thinking about it to much. IF (its a big if) the gun fits you closely then look at the target. Dont just look at it and the sights but look at the target closely. When I shoot skeet I look at the clay until I can make out the small circle in the middle and pull the trigger.

My Daddy always said"aim a rifle,point a shotgun".Try When Ive been shooting rifles and pick up a shotgun,I tend to want to aim.

It sounds like some good advise here that I am going to try. I am a 2-3 box to limit guy. Oddly I can hit dove coming at me or away from me every time. The side to side is the issue.

what choke are you shooting? I have that same gun

Improved I believe.

Nothing's safer than a bird on the wing when I have a shotgun in hand, at least historically. I am getting better, having shot a little trap over the last few years. I am sure it's like most folks say though---trying to aim rather than simply point.

It's really too bad I don't have a video of my uncle and I trying to shoot clays back up in Idaho back in the 90s. I think the only bird either of us hit was the one he shot in self defense when I accidently threw one that was headed straight for him. When I saw what was about to happen I hit the dirt hard. I think a clip of that moment would have won us the grand prize on America's Funniest Videos.