Here are our top five tips for bagging a bird. These will seriously up your game!

• Shoot within your personal maximum shooting distance – no “sky busting.” Know the effective range of your shotgun and your own shooting skill. The average hunter is able to shoot successfully at a target that is less than 25 yards away. Set decoys in such a manner to bring the birds in close. Set specific decoys so that they can be used as yardage markers. When birds are in the decoys, you know they are within your effective range. Practice at a trap or skeet range is critical to determine and improve your skill level.
• Learn to estimate distances.
Hunters can train themselves to accurately estimate distance to a target by using the end of the shotgun barrel as a gauge against the size of the bird, using landmarks in the field as reference points, and tracking or following the target with gun barrel or finger.
• Take your time — but not too much time. Concentrate, fire the shot with a steady hand and swing through smoothly. Pellets must penetrate a vital area to bring down a duck instantly. A well-placed shot provides a quick, humane kill.
• Follow through with your shot. Keep the barrel moving after firing your shotgun. Learn to pull through the target. Allow more forward allowance (lead) than you think is necessary when a flock is passing by; many birds are not taken because hunters shoot behind the flock.
• Do not shoot into the middle of a flock. Often such shots wound adjacent birds. On an incoming flight, select an isolated bird, such as the last or highest bird, or a bird on the edge of the flock.

Article Source: National Wildlife Refuge System