New Shooter and Sporting Clays

[TrapperReady]

One of my best friends paid a little visit today. He's what I would term a mild enthusiast. He's got a .22 rifle and gets to the range once or twice a year, but had never fired a shotgun... until today.

Long ago, I mentioned that if he gave me enough notice on a visit, I'd take him shooting. It finally worked out today, and as soon as he arrived, we headed out to my favorite sporting clays course. I brought a couple flats of value-pack ammo, my Beretta 391 and my wife's Benelli Montefeltro.

While driving to the range, we talked over basic safety and such. We continued this over a quick bite to eat prior to hitting the course. I was glad that he'd had the foresight to bring his own hearing and eye protection. Although I always pack extra, it's nice when people are aware of these things on their own.

We shot the club's easiest course, which is ten stations... with the majority of them next to or at least close to the throwers. At each station, I'd shoot first and give him some general pointers. We used a few extra clays at Station One, but he walked away from that with a couple of hits and a smile.

As we progressed through the session, he was hitting more and more... and was particularly excited about the Incoming Dove targets. There's something about reducing the target to its molecular components directly over your head. His score grew larger, and his smile became firmly affixed.

The next station involved rabbits. Not good. But, he gained some experience and a desire to try it again.

After the first round, he had hit a respectable 21/50. Not bad for never having hoisted a shotgun before. Not bad at all.

We went back to the clubhouse and discussed our options. We also talked about the different clay games: trap, skeet, crazy quail, etc... He decided that he wanted another shot (literally) at those $&(#ing rabbits, so we swapped guns and went back out.

Having a little experience under his belt did wonders. At the end of the second round, he had hit 30/50, and dusted half of the rabbits he shot at. BTW, did I mention the smile?

 

[Kingcreek]

Good for you TR.
SC can be tough for a new shooter. Lots of different angles and speeds and presentations that aren't programmed in yet. You must be a pretty good coach.

 

[TrapperReady]

I'm OK, especially when I've got a good student **. My friend is generally very athletic, with exceptional hand/eye coordination... and he follows directions well (unlike those of us who've shot long enough to develop our own "habits").

I picked this particular sporting clays course because I knew that quite a few of the stations were directly adjacent to the thrower. This gives you pretty close to a true straight-away shot, where lead is less important. It also helped to be out there on a Tuesday afternoon, when we had the course largely to ourselves and could work on things a bit.

During the first round, we shot a few extras to get a feel for a presentation. For example, if a station had 3 pair, and he missed the first 5 clays, but broke the last, I'd have him shoot another pair or two and make sure he knew what he was doing right.

Another thing we did for the first couple stations was to hold off on throwing doubles. I'd have him call for each bird individually, so that he could prepare and not be rushed. He shot the entire second round according to the normal COF, which makes his improved score that much more impressive.

Near the end of the first round, we were able to really solidify his gun-mount... making sure that it was right in the pocket. This paid off during the second round, since it got rid of quite a few "too high" or "too low" errors.


** My caveat here is that I've learned from some good shooters and patient teachers. I find that most of the things I explain to newbies is almost verbatim what I was told when I was beginning. In fact, whenever I am asked to help someone with trap, I grab a piece of paper and draw exactly the same diagram I was shown before my very first round of trap.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Kudoes!! Nothing builds good Karma like starting someone off tight.

Those scores are exceptional for the first time. Even if the angles are shallow and no simo or report pairs. Good student, good instructor....

 

[sm]

Trapper -

" You done good" .

A moonpie says your friend " finds the time" real soon to do this again. He did very well first time out.

Like many here , I try to teach as I was taught. First impressions are very important.

Darn pesky wabbits...

 

[TrapperReady]

Thanks guys! It's always fun to see a new shooter break some clays.

Dave - In case I didn't make it clear, the second round was shot "like normal", complete with report pairs or true pairs at each station. His scoring 60% on that was really pretty phenomenal. I made it clear to my friend that he's got some promise and needs to do this more often.

The best thing is that he's from California, and very "Green". I'm hoping that he takes this experience home with him and presents the sport in a very positive light to his friends and coworkers out there.

[trekgeek]
Kinda like during Star Trek TNG, when they send Hugh back to infect the Borg ship.
[/trekgeek]

Steve - We got our Rabbit Revenge on the second round. A thrower at one of the stations was broken, so we were asked to just make up that number of targets at another station. We did just that on the rabbits.

 

[sm]

....but ...but ....you don't understand Trapper. I can nail a rising teal all day long.
Darn pesky wabbits know to jump, dart or whatever at the millisecond I slap the trigger. For awhile - a fella could have become rich on side bets " I can tell you precisely when the wabbit will jump , skip , dart. [ whenever Steve slaps a trigger on one]. Comical.

Oh - I broke the bad spell. I did like I did when I had a bad station in skeet.

I would have my pard , just pull targets w/o me calling. So I ask a few folks when they changed the 5 stand layout - do not tell me, do not let me see the layout.

I just went out and shot w/o calling for birds all by myself and no idea what the sequence was. The puller was a huge help, he keep tossing wabbits at all sorts of times ...he just kept up with how many shells I had in gun and pulled accordingly.

For me, I have to NOT know, so my focus will be sharp. Too easy to get complacent and get in a "routine". My first real 5 stand with the new layout - I didn't miss a wabbit one. Out of habit I hit the teal...they had a new deal , Upon Report another teal went up , jusst everyone once in a while a white teal was thrown ...NOT supposed to shoot the white Teal...white Teal should not rise up if don't want to get shot

So we added some white targets at random Don't shoot. Later Green targets would be used ...bonus if hit them.

Fun deal we did to get folks accustomed to NOT shooting some Hens and stuff at the start of hunting season.

 

[sm]

....but ...but ....you don't understand Trapper. I can nail a rising teal all day long.
Darn pesky wabbits know to jump, dart or whatever at the millisecond I slap the trigger. For awhile - a fella could have become rich on side bets " I can tell you precisely when the wabbit will jump , skip , dart. [ whenever Steve slaps a trigger on one]. Comical.

Oh - I broke the bad spell. I did like I did when I had a bad station in skeet.

I would have my pard , just pull targets w/o me calling. So I ask a few folks when they changed the 5 stand layout - do not tell me, do not let me see the layout.

I just went out and shot w/o calling for birds all by myself and no idea what the sequence was. The puller was a huge help, he keep tossing wabbits at all sorts of times ...he just kept up with how many shells I had in gun and pulled accordingly.

For me, I have to NOT know, so my focus will be sharp. Too easy to get complacent and get in a "routine". My first real 5 stand with the new layout - I didn't miss a wabbit one. Out of habit I hit the teal...they had a new deal , Upon Report another teal went up , jusst everyone once in a while a white teal was thrown ...NOT supposed to shoot the white Teal...white Teal should not rise up if don't want to get shot

So we added some white targets at random Don't shoot. Later Green targets would be used ...bonus if hit them.

Fun deal we did to get folks accustomed to NOT shooting some Hens and stuff at the start of hunting season.