Preparation
At your local shooting ground, practise normal driven targets at a height you expect to be shooting. There is no point practising on a high tower if the birds are going to be half that height – you’ll increase your chances of missing in front. Partridges are commonly found on open land, so find a driven target you can see coming from a long way away. This will teach you not to mount too soon, which can cause an elongated swing that is measured and inefficient. While waiting for the drive to start, barrels should be in a safe direction, either broken or pointing up. When required, drop them down to where your eyes are looking while maintaining a safe direction. As the birds flush, eyes and muzzles will lock on to a bird. They will track it while you adjust your feet to the correct position before mounting the gun to take the shot. Locking on to a target before mounting helps to gauge the speed and distance of the target, as well as getting the gun to move on the same line as the bird. It also helps you to pick a bird out of a covey instinctively. Once the shot has been taken, your feet should return to a neutral position ready for the next target. Practise on lower driven targets out in front and to the sides, ensuring footwork is good and allowing your body to move to take the shot. Easy when you know how. Good luck and enjoy your days.