Getting better at sporting clays

[Trapdude86]

[ceh383]

Okay so the most critical thing is matching the speed of the bird with your barrel. Completely matching it! And then slowly stretching the lead until it feels right and taking the shot while the entire time never taking your focus off the leading edge of the clay.

This is pull away, it does work well for crossers. But then you run into Teals, incomers and quartering targets, what do you do? Pull away is a good tool to have, but there are others for different targets. Maintained lead, Swing through, intercept and others. For Teals and Chandells, I usually use intercept. Quartering shots, I usually use Maintained or Swing through, depending on distance and speed.
You are on the right track focusing on the target, that is an ALWAYS. It's a never ending learning curve as targets change.

Have fun with it, it is addicting...

[Trapdude86]

Yeesssss it is just so dang fun!! Starting from a long time trapshooter that’s all I knew at first was swing through. I still do it a lot haha. Even when I think I’m going to do a pull away my shotkam can show it was a maintained because I connected farther in front haha. Gonna keep learning.

[ceh383]

The Shotkam is a good tool to see what you are doing, right or wrong. I have one and love it.

[BigPimping]

I'm getting better at trap. But my eyes aren't what they used to be. But I'm sure having fun doing it.

[ceh383]

I'm getting better at trap. But my eyes aren't what they used to be. But I'm sure having fun doing it.

I hear ya on the eyes bro, but having fun is what it's all about

[fecalguns]

It has been a long road to getting just finally decent (haha) at sporting clays and I want to share some things I’ve learned! Okay so the most critical thing is matching the speed of the bird with your barrel. Completely matching it! And then slowly stretching the lead until it feels right and taking the shot while the entire time never taking your focus off the leading edge of the clay. The second most important thing is the clay breakdown. Tell yourself what kind of clay it is, how far away is it, is it slow speed, medium speed, fast speed? Where do I see it the clearest and appears the slowest? That exact spot will be my kill point and all the other information will help me how to kill it. You are also looking for a visual hold point on the line of the clay where the clay is through with its flash off the arm and you can lock onto it. Also exactly half between my visual hold point and my kill point is where i will hold my gun on the line as I call pull. You cannot skip on the clay break down. Your brain needs this information!! When you have pairs you need to do double the breakdown and what I like to do before I call my first pair is practice my transition move between the two clays. As soon as I see the first bird break I’ll move my eyes to my second Visual hold point and move as fast as needed and start it all over again on the second bird. Ok so that’s what I’ve learned hope that helps a bit

Well said. One thing I will add though that I have experienced that is very underrated is your stance. I personally have had to experiment with my stance since I have a prosthetic leg and I can say through experience that we all need to start with the correct stance when we enter the station. Nothing can destroy you more from losing birds than "running out of gas" when you swing to the right (right handers) or to the left (left handers) and you end up taking the gun off your face to complete the swing because you can no longer move your hips comfortably. It happens and I went through a period of just that.

It can cause you to flinch when this happens. My coach tells me to remind myself to always 'protect my right' when I enter a stand as a right handed shooter.

My $.02!

[RudyN]

Well said. One thing I will add though that I have experienced that is very underrated is your stance. I personally have had to experiment with my stance since I have a prosthetic leg and I can say through experience that we all need to start with the correct stance when we enter the station. Nothing can destroy you more from losing birds than "running out of gas" when you swing to the right (right handers) or to the left (left handers) and you end up taking the gun off your face to complete the swing because you can no longer move your hips comfortably. It happens and I went through a period of just that.

It can cause you to flinch when this happens. My coach tells me to remind myself to always 'protect my right' when I enter a stand as a right handed shooter.

My $.02!