We all seem to think that long shots with a scattergun are something of a feat - how about the short shot?

I used to hunt a lot with my Dad's pal. He used a 30" full-choke semiauto which shot some very tight patterns, would kill ducks at longest ranges efficiently. Yet, just about every time as we walked to and from the duck holes, we would flush a few korostels* - they are very small birds and they would flush at about 10 paces, fly for 20 or 25 meters and land. My dad's pal was fond of there birds and as soon as one took off, he would nail it before I could get my gun to shoulder. He never missed, which isn't exactly a feat, but what surprised me that the birds were never broken. For all I knew about shotguns, a korostel ought to be turned to minced meat if shot at that distance with that gun. "How do you do it" - I asked (I knew he used no spreaders) - "I just shoot just enough off the bird to get it with side pellets" - he said. And trust me, he meant it!

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* Oops, don't know no English for that bird. Sorry... Its Latin name is Crex Crex... could someone please tell me what it's called in English?

Russian Hunting Shotguns