Oh yeah, the other piece of sage advice : Keep the wooden head on the wooden stock !
It's caught me out a few times. Besides, the Referee will let you know if you hit or miss !!!!
Ah yes, lifting the head. It's thankfully not a problem I usually have. But twice it has most memorably gotten me.
The odd coincidence is when/where it occurred, both times during the Capital of Canada shoot.
I was straight into the last box station 5 low house target, field #3 at NCRRA Shotgun Section in Ottawa, was uncomfortable with my mount so took the gun down, paused put it up again, called for the bird and just to make sure I got an extra good look, I took my head off the gun.
Ended up with a 99, that was the 12 ga. event.
Fast forward to last year, same field, same club, exact same target, last box, but in the 28ga. event, lifted head off gun and ended up with a 99.
And no I wasn't thinking about what had happened before, only realized it after we got off the field.
Oh well, such is life, damn lost targets!