Rabbit Targets   I'm inconsistent when shooting rabbit targets. Sometimes I break them OK; especially medium speed and closer targets. Other times I can’t seem to hit them at all. I do find that I am consistent when I get a good bounce and can shoot them in the air. I need help.   Rabbits are deceptive. Due to this target’s proximity to the ground, the rabbit appears to be moving faster than it really is. Our natural reaction is to generate excess gun speed, resulting in the most common miss on a rabbit: in front. However, most of our squad mates will tell us that we are … [Read more...]

Inconsistency   One thing that drives me crazy on any clays course is the inconsistency of my shooting. I never know how I am going to shoot until I begin shooting. I practice as much as I can afford, but I can’t seem to break the cycle or whatever you would call it.   We all have our great days and our not-so-great days. With that said, inconsistency in performance is often tied to inconsistency in process. Misses typically fall into one of three categories: technical misses, planning misses and mental misses. A technical miss occurs when a target is beyond your technical … [Read more...]

Flinching   I’m a C-class shooter and shoot regularly. Periodically, I’ll flinch on a shot and have no idea why. While I can’t detect a pattern, it tends to happen more often on the first target of a pair. Do you know of any research on why we flinch, and do you have any suggestions on ways to eliminate it?   There is no mistaking a flinch — that momentary “hiccup” as you are about to pull the trigger of your shotgun. The most commonly held misconception is that a flinch is an anticipation of recoil caused by shooting heavy loads. It has been my experience that this is rarely … [Read more...]

Technical Targets   In sporting clays, I often hear the term “technical targets.” What does this mean?   A “technical target” refers to the way in which a target is presented or thrown and is characterized by inconsistent speed or line through the natural break area. A skeet or trap target would not be considered a technical target, as the speed and line are fairly consistent through the break area. With a technical target, the target’s line and speed are less well defined and often deceptive with subtle changes in line and speed through the area where most shooters would … [Read more...]