Shotgun aiming question?

I know that when hunting moving doves or other birds that you are just suppose to look down the barrel with both eyes open and basically just point at the target without ever really focusing on the bead of the shotgun and not really aim.

But if an animal is sitting still, like a squirrel on a branch. Do you close one eye and set the bead below the squirrel like you would with iron sights or do you just leave both eyes open like when bird hunting?

Someones gonna have to educate me different about that.
Normally, I'll look (and follow) the dove (per say) with two eyes, when the target and background are safe and a good kill zone presents itself, I'll close the non shooting eye, reestablish target and then decide as to leading or what have you to complete the shot.
Open and close each eye looking at a set object at a given distance and see how it moves. Most people are a particular eye dominate. This coupled with you looking down the barrel (a close object) and trying to keep up with a target 30 or 40 yards away, dang near impossible, but we do it all season long.
I will not say the both eyes shooting is incorrect, but it didn't work for me.
Best method I've found is to know where your gun is patterned (bend the barrel if you have to), learn to judge effective distances and know the shot radius for that distance, then find the lead needed for that distance.
Sounds easy, huh?
Targets sitting on a limb, at least all you gotta do is point and click, err, I mean boom.

probly need to pattern your gun ,this means to set up a target at a set distance and shoot once at a set point and see if your shot is placing high or low from your set point or maybe left or right then go with what the other guy said

. Do you close one eye and set the bead below the squirrel like you would with iron sights or do you just leave both eyes open like when bird hunting?

Click to expand...

I keep both eyes open when shooting with iron sights.

Anyway, you pretty much point and click at a stationary target. You need to pattern your gun to determine whether you need to use the 6 o'clock (low) hold you describe, or a dead on hold. Most field guns are set up where you would want to cover a stationary target with the bead.

All that said, if you want to maintain form with a shotgun, with a stationary target, you would mount the gun and pull the trigger as the bead touches the target.

Interesting to hear you guys take apart what I do without much thought.

I have a red dot on my rabbit gun. I have patterned it and adjusted it to center the red dot in the pattern.

I shoulder the gun, both eyes open, and look at the whole picture. When the rabbit is in the scope I close one eye and put the dot where it needs to be depending on the speed he's running.

That's all supposed to workout but sometimes I get another opportunity to practice that technique when he comes back around.

Ruger is correct for most shooting instances, especially where you have kept in practice, conditioned yourself and use the same gun most of the time.
I have too many shooting hobbies, too many guns for the situation and to complicate things, a damaged vertebrate.
I am to the point that I have to think about placing the shot with a shotgun, instead of relying on timing, eyesight and instinct.
Also agree with hound and 25/06.

If I'm shooting at a stationary target, I cover the target with the bead.

If I'm shooting at a moving target, I use a push-through lead (I think that's what it's called). I get on the target, then pull ahead and shoot when it feels right.

I shoot with both eyes open always.