| Sport Action-Skeet Shooting | | | | conservation specialist, act as a support role for |
| Shooters, they're hiding in the blinds, obscured by | | | | agents and offer certification programs for |
| the trees and quietly standing tall in open fields. | | | | instructors and the NRA and ATA." Brooks is one |
| From 80 yards overhead, it drops almost in front | | | | of 14 certified instructors in the world who can |
| of you. Briefly you catch sight of an orange disc | | | | train other instructors in addition to the public. |
| before squeezing the trigger. Skeet and trap | | | | "There are three fundamentals I teach in basic |
| shooting are emerging from the woods to | | | | shooting. One is position of the hands on the gun. |
| novices from all walks of life, thus creating | | | | Two, your eye should be focused on the target. |
| part-time shooters. Another addiction is born. The | | | | And three, acquire proper lead time." |
| challenge and fun of following a clay target, only | | | | "In addition to stance, you need to know which is |
| five inches in diameter, has brought corporate | | | | your dominant eye and ensure the gun is suited |
| executives out of the boardroom and into the | | | | for them," said Brooks. "There's nothing more |
| fields. Even golf addicts swap their 7-iron for a | | | | satisfying than watching someone who has never |
| long barrel, Beretta automatic rifle. | | | | held a gun before, break a clay target." |
| "Pull!" commanded Sandy Mize. A few seconds | | | | When students go out to the range, an instructor |
| later a clay pigeon crosses from right to left | | | | will be will them to observe the stance, shot |
| about 40 yards out. She follows its' path with her | | | | stream (as they are shooting), and proper gun |
| finger then it drops to the berm. "Pull." This time | | | | control, then offer tips to each person. As a |
| with her Beretta tucked neatly into her shoulder | | | | coach, they will be able to tell you why something |
| and her cheekbone on the stock, her eyes follow | | | | is happening. |
| the same path her muzzle inches left and she | | | | It is important to focus on one fundamental at a |
| squeezes the trigger. She nicks the backside of | | | | time, such as stance and proper positioning of the |
| the flying disc. | | | | weapon. "You want to put 60 percent of your |
| "Keep your eye on the target and by the time | | | | weight on your front leg and keep your knee |
| your eye reaches the sight, the target is there. | | | | slightly bent. Keep your feet no more than |
| Then pull the trigger," Bill McGuire, National | | | | shoulder-width apart and most importantly don't |
| Shooting Champion, advises Mize. | | | | rock from foot to foot when moving the rifle or |
| McGuire comes out to "The Willows" in Tunica, | | | | shotgun. You also want to only move from the |
| Mississippi about every six months offering expert | | | | waist up, turning to follow the bird," advices |
| tips and techniques to novices as well as | | | | Brooks. |
| experienced shooters. | | | | Oftentimes when someone has a bad habit, it |
| According to Mike Mize, Hunting Guide and NSCA | | | | only takes practice to correct this habit and form |
| Level III Instructor, "The key to good shotgun | | | | new, better ones. For example, women (and |
| shooting is allowing the sub-conscious mind to | | | | some men) tend to want to lean back at the |
| calculate lead and gun speed. After you choose | | | | waist when shooting. This is wrong. Again, keep |
| your stance and gun hold method is to let the | | | | 60 percent of your weight on the left foot, the |
| conscious mind do the one thing. This is to focus | | | | lead foot, if you are right handed, or visa-versa. |
| as hard and clearly as possible on the target. This | | | | Brooks advices to follow through after you pull |
| allows your eyes to feed your sub-conscious brain | | | | the trigger. Don't stop moving your gun, |
| the speed, distance and angle of the target." | | | | follow-through after the shot. You will be able to |
| Baseball is a great example of how this works. If | | | | see the target shatter (providing you hit it) with |
| you're at bat and the pitcher throws you a pitch | | | | peripheral vision. |
| you do not have time to calculate consciously that | | | | Brooks observed a 75-year old man who had |
| the ball is going 87 mph and will arrive at the plate | | | | been hunting his entire life and assumed he was |
| in approximately .50 seconds slightly high and tight. | | | | right-eye dominant. He came by the shooting |
| All you can do is focus on the ball and trust your | | | | range and when Brooks watched him, he noticed |
| instincts. Also you do not look at the bat, it is | | | | something only a trained instructor or coach would |
| there in your sub-conscious or as a blur but the | | | | notice. Although the man was right-handed, he |
| ball is what you see clearly. | | | | was left-eye dominant. By demonstrating with a |
| "In shotgun shooting the barrel of the gun is your | | | | simple eye test, Brooks was able to ascertain a |
| bat. Some people say they don't see the barrel at | | | | dilemma the man had and didn't even know this |
| all. I think we all see it in our sub-conscious or as a | | | | was affecting his hunting skills. |
| blur. But the most important thing is that you see | | | | "We interrupt the vision and force the weaker |
| the target clearly," said Mize. | | | | eye to take over, align the shotgun and it's |
| After you shoot a while you are sure to hear the | | | | instantaneous," explained Brooks. |
| familiar words "you stopped your gun swing". The | | | | Seventeen percent of women are |
| natural reaction is to push the gun at the last | | | | cross-dominant. This is more common in women |
| second to avoid the stopping of the gun and to | | | | than in men. This means a woman can be |
| create follow through. That is absolutely the | | | | right-handed and yet is left-eye dominant. |
| wrong thing to do. Stopping the gun swing is | | | | Most guns are built with the average man in mind: |
| almost always due to trying to see the lead. That | | | | for men between 5'8 and 6'. This creates a |
| is trying to consciously see the distance between | | | | problem for women where the stock is too long, |
| your gun barrel and the target. To do this you | | | | or too short and the comb of the stock is too |
| have to switch your focus from the target to the | | | | low for women. Brooks recalls one manufacturer |
| barrel. You have taken your eye off the moving | | | | that makes model with a taller stock for women, |
| object, the target, and switched your focus to a | | | | Browning. |
| stationary object, the barrel. This will stop or slow | | | | For lead-time, this will depend on the angle at |
| down the swing of the shotgun. An example of | | | | which you are facing the chutes. Think of the |
| this is if I tell you to point (with your finger) at a | | | | lower numbers on a clock, if you are standing at |
| bus driving down the road, as long as you look at | | | | say the eight o'clock (8) position and the bird |
| the bus your finger will keep moving. When I tell | | | | comes from the chute behind you, you only want |
| you to now look at your finger, it will stop. You | | | | a one-finger lead. This means you want the barrel |
| are looking at a stationary object. "Focus on the | | | | of the gun to be one width of your finger in front |
| target". | | | | of the clay bird. You also want to shoot as the |
| "Once someone comes out and tries it, they're | | | | bird is going up, not coming down. |
| hooked," says Mize. "Guys who play golf think | | | | If you are standing in the six o'clock position and |
| nothing of dropping their clubs and picking up a | | | | the bird shoots out from your left, you will want |
| rifle and the next thing you know they're a | | | | a two-finger lead before you pull the trigger. |
| part-time shooter." | | | | Again, it's worth mentioning that you want to |
| "Pull, don't aim. Follow the bird with your eye and | | | | have faith and think of the gun as an extension |
| allow the shotgun to move with you," advises | | | | of your arm. Keep your eye on the target. When |
| Mike Brooks, instructor and coach with Andy | | | | it (the target) reaches to where your arm and |
| Dolton Shooting Range and Outdoor Education | | | | gun are extended, then you will pull the trigger |
| Center. Brooks spent 17 years with the Greene | | | | and continue follow-through with the barrel. And |
| County Sheriff's Department. | | | | you will have success! |
| Brooks has been with the Missouri Department of | | | | When skeet shooting you will want to shoot the |
| Conservation and the Andy Dalton Shooting | | | | first target coming from the left first as it is |
| Range and Outdoor Education Center for seven | | | | rising, then you will have a few seconds only in |
| years and is the Outdoor Education Supervisor. He | | | | which to slightly move the barrel and fire at the |
| teaches and coaches students of all ages and | | | | second clay bird. In this sport, it's all in the timing. |
| levels of experience. "Here we train the | | | | And practice, practice, practice. |