Remember this: Out there in front of you is a moving target.
Watching the competitive shooters at the 2013 US Open Sporting Clays Championship in Georgetown, SC, my son and I observed several prominent and proficient competitive shooters. The target hitting consistency varied depending on the shooter and his/her preferred style.
In the pursuit of investigation, what would be some observations one could glean from watching other people shoot? Well, let us investigate what is exactly moving in front of the business end of the shotgun. When starting out to do any kinds of sport always taken into consideration the following:
- Get checked by a doctor for health problems; eyes, ears, spine, shoulders, reflexes, etc.
- Do your research into the Sporting Clay event.
- Talk to people in the Sporting Clay Field and ask questions.
- Go to Sporting Clay events and read current news.
- Find an exceptional or adequate patient instructor with a good reference list.
- Sign up for the NASC or the NSSA.
- Purchase a gun after shooting, appropriate ammo, clays, clay thrower, or join a reputable sporting clay club.
- Stay away from negative or deceitful people that would hinder your progress or are out only for themselves.
- Practice, practice, practice.
Things to Consider:
Shot-string: Once the shotgun casing ejects pellets, they move in a uniform string formation where each pellet is occupying a differing place in time and space from the other ones. As the pellets travel (depending on choke use or not) and the distance of the target the pellets will spread wider apart but eventually will fall in an arch to the ground if not on a target.
Time lag: The difference in the time you decide to shoot and the time it takes you to react and put the shotgun in play. This also includes the speed at which you swing the gun (which varies with different clay bird speeds.) *If you shoot then do not carry the shotgun all the way through, lag time is going to send the pellets into an area of space that is after the interception of the clay bird; causing a bird away.*
Time lag: The difference in the time you decide to shoot and the time it takes you to react and put the shotgun in play. This also includes the speed at which you swing the gun (which varies with different clay bird speeds.) *If you shoot then do not carry the shotgun all the way through, lag time is going to send the pellets into an area of space that is after the interception of the clay bird; causing a bird away.*
Gun Mechanism Timing: Each gun will probably be different so get your gun evaluated or ask before you purchase.
Fast-moving targets: Swing the shotgun to track the target and over take it. Pull the trigger. This will send the shot-string out into the path of the air borne clay to intercept the clay for a break. Keep your follow through.
Straightaway shot: Cover the target point blank. Lead horizontal and vertical on targets angling away and gaining or losing altitude.
Slow Flying birds: Less lead then a fast flying bird.
Rising Shot: Shoot a little above the target.
Falling bird: Shoot a little below the target.
Target Break point: Approximate area in which you want to break a target. (Consider natural barriers, distance to target, target flight, shot-pattern efficiency, and maximum exposure of target surface.)
Eye Focal Point: Where you will focus your eyes to pick up the target visually after launch.
Between Target break-point and Eye focal point is the Gun hold-point: The direction your muzzles will be pointing when you call for the target.
As we were looking over the shoulder of the shooter from a distance you can get a pretty square assessment of what might be on the shooter’s mind when he’s preparing to yell, “Pull”. One shooter would be standing in the station, gun at the ready, while his amigos are standing behind him doing hand gestures and looking like bird dogs pointing out a fowl. There was a moment where each clay is released to give the general direction from winced the clay makes birth from the bush across its arc to land on the ground. This is when you put on your internal wide angle lens as you go to shoot it while taking the composition in completely.
I waited to see where the target would eject from. There were a couple of machines that had bushes in front. As for where in flight there might be some ‘landmark’ to tip off the shooter when to blast it out the sky I do not know. When you are standing at an angle behind the shooters or to the sides of the station, does not give you a good idea what presents a great shot opportunity unless you are standing in the station yourself. That would be like checking your eyes to see which one is dominant.
As for angles: “If the target will be coming from a sharp angle, over your shoulder or even behind you, don’t screw your body around or move your feet in order to see the target as soon as possible. Foot and body position should never be compromised just to see a target a little sooner. The target break-point should always be your top priority when positioning your feet and setting yourself in for a shot.” (Meyer 37)
I walked the course, which was huge, and each station had a different direction, height, and patterns of sequential target toss that challenged the shooter. Each station affords the shooter to alter his attempt by testing shooting style to hit the clays. There were also stations where shooters where lined up like race horses while taking their turn.
Observing these differing stations gave one a better sense to the care it takes in gauging target activity from the time it leaves the clay target thrower to the moment it reaches the ground; whole or in pieces.
“There is much more to be learned from observing a target than just where it comes from and where it is going. Is it a standard, mini, midi, or battue? Is it raising or falling? Where in its flight is the trajectory most level? Where is target speed most uniform? Are there obstacles that will interfere with visibility or obstruct shot patterns? Is wind affecting target behavior? Does the sun become a factor at some time during the target’s flight? Where in its flight will the target expose the largest surface area to your shot pattern? “(Meyer 38)
Always observe and ask questions. When you step up to that station; you better prepare yourself for silent major decisions.
“There are three major decisions that must be made prior to stepping onto a station and attempting to break a target. First, you must decide on the general area in which you intend to break the target. This is what I call the target break-point. Once the target-break-point is identified, you will then decide upon where the eye focal point and gun hold-point will be. “ (Meyer 39)
When looking at the clay target burst after impact:
- Small piece distribution with one large chunk falling to the ground: Shot to high.
- Big chunk goes to the left: Shot too far to the right. *Bird quartering to the left-shot behind the target.*
- Big chunk goes to the right: Shot to far to the left and ahead of the clay.
As for shooters in the sport that may not be experts just yet, watching, learning, and applying are what helps a shooter become proficient at making his/her mark.
There is a lot to be said for going out to any event no matter what it is. Go, the outing might bring to you a new sense of social participation that you found lacking in your life. If this chance at viewing a sport that is new to you would lead you down to the NSCA booth or online and have you sign up; go ahead. As a novice, getting out there and participation is what is going to open that door to learning sporting clays. All you have to do is sign yourself up. If you never put your name in the pot then no one is going to know how well you might do. Not even you. It's easier to hit the wider side of a sporting clay than the thinner side. Always know what is moving in front of you.
If you would like to see what the NSCA~NSSA are all about click on the link:
http://www.nssa-nsca.org/index.php/2013/05/shooting-tip-shot-tempo/
Literature Sourced:
George Laycock. The Shotgunner’s Bible, revised edition. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1969, 1987. Print.
Meyer, Jerry. The Sporting Clays Handbook. Guilford, CT. Lyons Press. 1990. Print, pgs.37-39.
Angelia's Reading list:
Written by Angelia Y Larrimore
~Courtesy of the AOFH~
Angelia's Reading list:
~Courtesy of the AOFH~
