sporting clays/skeet

coyote1664 said:
it was a following pair
Click to expand...

Well, in essence, two seperate shots with not much of an interval between.

All I can offer is come up up with a "Plan" on how you intend to shoot them.
Are you well positioned for both shots, i.e., foot position & stance enabling you to swing smoothly on not only the first "easy" bird, but on the more difficult second target ? Can you get the barrel back to a good hold point for the second bird that allows you to pick it up early enough to track it's line ? Are you mentally prepared for the speed of the second bird, with a nice smooth swing to apply tha kind of lead required ? Is this second bird best shot with a "sustained" lead or another variation like "move mount shoot" "come from behind" or "pull away" ? (Some targets are just easier to hit with a different technique) Is that second target starting to drop when you overtake it ... or still rising ? Is the background giving you difficulty in initially picking up the bird or when you want to shoot ? (If so, you may want to refine your hold point, where you insert the barrel into the target line or where you actually try to break the bird to see the target line better) Try to focus, hard focus, eyes wide open on the leading edge of the target, and try to block out extraneous things like the background, trees or other landscape components. Visualize exactly how you are going to do it, and above all, have confidence that YOU CAN. A positive mental attitude is key and a big part of the game.

Lots of variables to consider, but I'm sure there is a method and a way for you to hit those second shots much more consistantly. Beware of advice from the sidelines. No matter how well intentioned, the peanut gallery is not behind the gun, an what looks like under/over/ahead oe behind may not actually be the case. A " two foot lead" for one shooter may mean more or less to another. A good buddy of mine who is a very good clays shooter swears he is either right on a particular target or just slightly ahead ... but he is a pretty much a "swing through" shooter. I prefer a "sustained lead" method for most of my shooting, and on the same shot that buddy shoots
"right at it", I need to be 3 feet ahead and swinging smoothly, even though are hold points and kill points are virtually identical.

Best of luck & good shooting !
 
i typically use a sustained lead myself, when getting ready to shoot I watch the shooter ahead of me and get a mental picture of what I want to do. I try to position myself according to bird directions. Part of my problem with the second bird is kinda what you said about background noise ( trees and other stuff) he second bird at it max height may only be 6 feet. the height of the firest bird is easily 10-12feet if not higher.
 
Rule No. 1 in Sporting Clays ... "there are no trees" ;)

Your second bird giving you trouble seems low and fast. After your first shot at the lazy
first riser, are you actually getting your muzzle back in position to pick-up the second bird adequately to "be in front and stay in front" to shoot it by sustained lead ? Chances are, not. Seems like a good opportunity to try coming from behind to overtake the second bird. Shoot just as the muzzle overtakes the target. Big thing is not to rush the shot. You'll really need to read this target and target line to match the muzzle speed to the target. Is it rising, flat or falling at the point you shoot. Is it more quartering or crossing ? From what you described earlier, the most common "misses" for a target of the sort I would estimate to be either "behind" and/or "over". A little help from experienced shooters who can consistantly hit this target may help, but only you will be able to solve it. Don't be afraid to adapt and try a different approach. Remember the definition of insanity (futility) ? , i.e. doing the same thing. the same way and expecting a different result. Well, if your "usual" isn't working, try something different ! It's very rarely equipment (gun/choke/shells) ... almost always technique and how the mechanics are applied. Practice with a purpose !

Best of luck !
 
Hope you are having fun. We try to change it up all the time. There may only be 5 stands but never have the same presentation. Do not want you guys getting use to it.
hs
 
hs said:
Hope you are having fun. We try to change it up all the time. There may only be 5 stands but never have the same presentation. Do not want you guys getting use to it.
hs
Click to expand...

I typically shoot at a few Clubs, most having 10 stations and a few courses
that have had 14-16. After 23 years of Sporting Clays, I still don't think I've seen anywhere near all the possible target presentations, but some do look familiar from time to time and place to place ! ;)

Just love those that are set with the trap on a tilt to make the birds fade from either right to left - or vice versa, and those that are thrown with a
bit of terrain behind to make you think they are on a line contrary to what they really are. A Club favourite used sparinly in the past was a rabbitt rolled down a pair of rails in a 2X4 that was going a blazing 2 or 3 mph at best ... with a relatively short window of maybe 5 or 6 feet that was more than enough to hit it it. The shot was taken at maybe 6 or 7 yards.
You'd be amazed at the misses :D
 
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