JULY 14, 2008

Keith Anglace scored big landing this monster Rainbow Trout while fishing the Fairfield County Fish & Game Protective Assoc. river. This unusually large Rainbow must have been very elusive to get to be this size. It weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 25” in length. Keith caught this big boy using a #12 Brown Wolly Bugger and a 8 1/2’ rod with a 5X leader. After better than a ten minute battle the fish broke Keith’s wooden net while landing it. Congratulations Keith!

How many times has a fellow squad member offered you some unsolicited free advice that influenced your shooting ability in a positive manner?  Hard Question?  I think so.

Hard because it is a two part answer to a two part question. The first part of the answer has to do with our great fraternity of shotgun shooting.  We engage well meaning individuals of all abilities that just want to be helpful.  At any opportunity they volunteer advice to any shooter who they feel could use it.  Nothing they say or do is meant to be anything but positive.  If you disagree with me just ask any beginner this question.
To answer the second part of the question, they are often incorrect or don’t adequately project what they mean so that the “student” may understand how to enact the instructions. Some shooters discount such advice because the “coach du jour” is not even showing as much ability as he is.  Not that a good coach has to be a great shooter, but it helps to be above-average to gain as least some of the shooter’s confidence.

With that said, it is very hard for an experienced coach to make a shooter noticeably better in the course of one round of clays. It takes a good coach to study a shooter, not only to find out what he is doing wrong, but also why, and how to correct it.  The prescription the coach offers may be radical versus the shooters ability to change at that time.  So, the shooter must take all coaching under advisement.  If he is really interested in getting better he will practice to make it work.

“What am I doing wrong?” Ever heard that before?  That question just about makes every squad member an instant “Coach du jour”.  Now you can’t blame them.  If the question is not directed towards anyone in particular, the flood gates of advice are thrown wide open.  So, unless it is said out of utter disgust, and then you don’t care who says what, don’t advertise.

On the other hand, if you are not a competent coach, try to refrain from putting forth and unsolicited advice.  I know the hardest part of doing that is convincing yourself that you are, or are not, competent.  In any event, try and evaluate the goals of the person.  They may be passive about scoring and just happy as a lark to be out pulling the trigger with a bunch of nice people.

If you don’t want to acquire the moniker of being a “coach du jour”, practice some restraint next time you feel the urge to put forth your encyclopedic knowledge to help without being asked directly for assistance.

CONTRARY TO SOME POPULAR OPINIONS… THIS FREE ADVICE COULD BE CONSIDERED PRICELESS OR WORTHLESS!

Successful Clays and Wing Shooting begins with the same principles: complete target focus and a proper attempt to hit the target by executing a good gun mount every time. I hope this simple explanation, assisted by good practice, helps to make you a better shooter.

1. Prepare for the target while in the on deck position.

Read the target line to know where you want to break the target. Know where the trap is located and where the first area of the target flight will be visible to you. Establish where your gun hold point will be. Usually, one half the distance from your perceived break point back to the original area of first target sighting. Mentally break the target as it is being presented to the shooter in the shooting stand. Attain a positive mental attitude towards breaking the target prior to moving into the shooting stand by having a solid game plan. Trust your plan, it will only take minor adjustments to break the target in the event that your plan was not quite right. Don’t copy the shooter preceding you.

2. Enter the shooting stand and prepare for the target.

Exercise what you prepared for while waiting your turn. Leave all chatter and distractions behind you. Make sure you have everything at the ready so there will be no distractions that could divide your focus and concentration.

3. Stance/foot position.

Knowing your target break point, you point your left foot in that direction (right hand shooter). Let’s call that twelve o’clock. Position your right foot slightly behind your left foot and assume a comfortable stance as if you were chatting with someone. This will mean your right foot will be pointing at two o’clock or so. A narrow stance favors your ability to rotate your body freely through the entire swing without lifting your head off of the gun. Bend your left knee slightly to position your weight slightly forward so that your hips and shoulders can move together. For targets under the plain of the natural barrel position (parallel with the ground) at the ready position, accent the bend in your left knee to accommodate a more forward posture and lower your muzzle position. You should never interrupt your focus by allowing the target to fly through your barrel. For overhead or higher presentations, a narrow stance will allow you to pivot and keep your head steady to the stock as you turn in any direction. Head movement is a cause of many misses.

4. Making the shot.

a. Move your gun into the position that you predetermined in your off stand preparation to accept the target. The fifty percent rule that was noted in number 1.

b. Mentally be ready to accept the target. When you assume the final ready position – NOTHING MOVES! The end of the barrels should be at eye level in conjunction with the flight of the target. The butt should be tucked slightly under your armpit to prevent a vertical or “T” lifting motion (straight up and then chase the target). This will enable you to accent the responsibility of the left hand to start the natural pointing action at the beginning of the swing. I call this the bayoneting action. Look hard for the target.

c. Concentration. Total concentration, unadulterated, penetrating, mesmerizing stare to accept the flight of the target. Depending on the target presentation, the shooter should be concentrating on seeing only the one target that will be attempted first. The target selection was predetermined while constructing your game plan in the on deck position. This again requires mental preparation and total concentration. When the target is visible; your concentration should be focused on the head, or leading edge of the target.

d. Call for the target.

e. Mounting the gun. Mounting is based partially on your natural ability to point while keeping your sharp focus on the target only. With your head erect, you guide the end of the barrels through to the leading edge of the target as if you were pointing at the target with your left forehand. Extending your index finger of your forehand can assist in realizing this hand eye coordination technique easier. A relationship between your eyes (actual rear site), the end of your barrels and the target must be realized to establish a starting point which in turn establishes target control, on or close to the target. It is imperative to lock your sharp concentration on the leading edge of the target before any attempt is made to mount the gun. There are no conscious calculations to be made to establish forward allowance (lead) due to target distance and speed variations. Using this mounting system that automatically incorporates forward allowance (lead) into the swing without conscious thought; the eye’s natural ability to determine forward allowance and the momentum developed by using this mounting technique will carry the muzzles through the target and automatically establish a forward allowance. However, you must match target speed with your barrels, be in control of the target, and then move with smooth acceleration away from the target to your already predetermined break point. Your forehand movement will begin the move to the target as soon as you have the target in clear focus and visual control. Remember, your eyes are the only advantage you have to slow the target. You begin your swing and mount together, which is crucial. The amount of movement will be determined by the location of the target. Repetition will establish a mental bank of pictures (muscle memory) that will assist you to know when to pull the trigger without hesitation as you build your mental scrapbook. Without any doubt, mounting the gun properly is paramount to becoming a better shooter. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE mounting to build a solid repetitive, error free gun mount. Everything you do right in an attempt to break the target is negated by a bad gun mount.

Comments

A very important rule in making the best attempt to break a target is to focus your sharp concentration on the leading edge of the target and NOT ON THE GUN BARRELS. The eyes are not capable of keeping the target and the barrels both in sharp focus. The gun barrels are a distraction to a proper attempt to break the target when brought into your sharp focus with the target. This distraction of your full concentration will cause you to be negatively hesitant to pull the trigger at the proper time, resulting in a target missed behind. Or, you will stop the gun swing abruptly upon the instant of fire, again causing a missed target behind.

Bring the gun stock to your head, not your head to the gun stock. You want to shoot where you look and if you move your head it will distract from your concentration and distort your ability to obtain the proper sight picture. HEAD, HEAD, HEAD AND THE TARGET WILL BE DEAD, DEAD, DEAD.

An excellent way to visualize the proper swing with a shotgun is to attempt to spray a running dog with a water hose. You have to obtain a forward allowance with the hose in front of a running dog causing an elongated stream of water that is about twice as wide as a nozzle held straight on. I am not contending here that your shot pattern reflects the water stream. Rather I merely want to point out that you must pass the dog with the water stream in order to intercept the target, or in this instance the dog. You can see that your stream has to be in front of the running dog or you will never intercept it. Gil Ash reminds us to “FOCUS ON THE DESTINATION . . . NOT ON THE TRIP”. Simply put, if you can remember the FOUR B’s . . . “BUTT, BELLY, BEAK AND BANG”, it will instill a rhythm for you to make a deliberate attempt at the target. Said another way . . . John Bidwell proclaims his “MOVE, MOUNT AND SHOOT” theory. Don’t forget . . . GOOD PRACTICE MAKES FOR A GOOD SHOOTER.

Have fun and enjoy this wonderful sport.

Al Anglace Comments and questions to: aaagunsandammo@aol.com