John, a good bird shot would just recommend that you shoot far enough ahead of a crossing pheasant that you don't put any shot into the body. That's easily said but not so easily done. Last season, I was in a good pond blind and some geese came in real close. I was shooting my favorite ten, picked a goose and body shot him. I was shooting with a couple of guys I had just met who were real waterfowlers and was embarrassed to have taken such an easy shot in the body. As a way to apologize to my new hunting companions for my poor judgement, I said "Dammit, I shot him in the ass." The fellow sitting next to me turned to me without smiling and said, "Yup, you shot him in the ass." Later I redeemed myself by saving an escaping goose at about 90 yards that one of the fellows probably hit a little light. I took him on my second shot but I still felt like I had paid back the body shot at 30 yards.
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