So as birds work my spreads, I watch them to see how close they'll come. When it looks like they're going to bust or slide off, I'll start shooting, provided they are within range.

To help me quickly gauge distances, I set up a few decoys 35 to 40 yards away from my blinds. When the birds reach those decoys, I know they are within range. However, since the birds can quickly back pedal 10-plus yards while I'm shouldering my shotgun, I try to work them closer before opening fire.

Over time, I've come to realize that the optimal shots are those taken at birds in the final stages of landing. Thus, when the birds are really working well, I'll let them move in tight so I can get some close range shooting action.

Something that has worked for me is incorporating a five second rule. As the birds come down the pipe and start into their final stages of landing, I will not holler out the "take 'em" signal. Instead, I'll count to five before calling the shot. By doing so, the ducks and geese coast in just that much closer and in most cases have their feet down and wings wide open when the shooting begins.

Conclusion
It's evident I've made more than my fair share of mistakes. On the other hand, a pro-active approach has helped me overcome these mistakes and made me a better waterfowl hunter. I still flub up, finding ways to botch this or that hunting situation. Still, I'm far more prepared than I used to be, which only leaves making good decisions at the moment of truth. I can nearly always do that!