Its truly incredible just how much you can forget about shooting from one week to the next. I begin by trying to remember how to stand. It is still too early to have established routine, but I seem to realise the importance of getting the basics right.
In simple terms, I need to look at a clay in the air, decide where I am going to kill it and then point my feet and body in that direction. Then I need to look back to where I will first get sight of the clay. After that it is important to keep my weight on my front foot, gun butt firmly into my shoulder and cheek firmly onto the stock. All that remains is to pick up the clay, follow it, move through it and pull the trigger........ easy.......... not!
Teaching your body to do all of these things reliably is not easy, but I know it'll come if I stick with it.
Fletch offers me a refresher course of what we covered in the first lesson. I am already more fond of some types of birds than others. My natural stubborness leads me to want to practice the ones that I dislike the most. In my mind it is often the way that by doing this I will get better at these harder birds and as a consequence dislike them less.
I seem to spend the day missing the birds I could kill last week, and killing some that I struggled with before. I suppose that is often the way. Permanent frustration for most of the lesson as the information that I thought I had already learnt turns out to be somewhat flawed.
It is one thing to shot when you have a pro stood behind your shoulder guiding you onto the clay. The finite skill the way I see it is to read a clay and to know where you need to be in terms of lead etc. I found the instruction very useful and as I said, with Fletch guiding me my kill rate was more than acceptable. I was looking forward to having a walk round on my own to see how I got on......... I was expecting to take a backward step if truth be told.
Monday 17 December 2007
Thursday 13 December 2007
Lesson 1 part 3.............................
The towers at Sporting Targets Clay Pigeon Shooting ground are not only unusual, but also rather challenging. There are only a few places in the uk where then can launch such difficult birds, so obviously lesson 1 was the ideal time for me to have a go!
We started with a right to left crosser that seemed to be at about a mile away, but in fact was about 100 feet. This requires lots of skills that I seem to lack, firstly at the bird sails directly overhead it makes your stance much harder. I struggled to arch my back without twisting sideways. The other issue with high birds is the amount of lead required, this bird needed what I saw as 2 inches at the barrel, and eventually I killed one. The silent calculation in your head when you approach a stand like that is quite interesting, there are so many variables to include that I now see why experience counts for so much in shooting. The height, speed, wind direction, wind speed, type of cartridge, and choke etc etc, each of these will alter the amount of lead that a bird requires, and if I get all of those right then I will often have my feet in the wrong place, or my weight where it shouldn't be!
I seemed to hit more tower birds with my right eye closed...... Fletch seems to know how to get you to hit stuff that seems impossible, and one eye works for me for high stuff. Note to self, do not forget that information!
I am now starting to build up a database of knowledge for future reference, it doesn't make much sense currently, but I am confident that it will all fall into place eventually.
One of the first things I was told when I started was to stick with one instructor so as to not get confused with different methods........ I wasn't going to let that stop me though, so I set about grilling everyone I knew with any shooting knowledge at all.......... it transpires that everyone who shoots has something useful to bring to the party.
Roll on lesson 2
We started with a right to left crosser that seemed to be at about a mile away, but in fact was about 100 feet. This requires lots of skills that I seem to lack, firstly at the bird sails directly overhead it makes your stance much harder. I struggled to arch my back without twisting sideways. The other issue with high birds is the amount of lead required, this bird needed what I saw as 2 inches at the barrel, and eventually I killed one. The silent calculation in your head when you approach a stand like that is quite interesting, there are so many variables to include that I now see why experience counts for so much in shooting. The height, speed, wind direction, wind speed, type of cartridge, and choke etc etc, each of these will alter the amount of lead that a bird requires, and if I get all of those right then I will often have my feet in the wrong place, or my weight where it shouldn't be!
I seemed to hit more tower birds with my right eye closed...... Fletch seems to know how to get you to hit stuff that seems impossible, and one eye works for me for high stuff. Note to self, do not forget that information!
I am now starting to build up a database of knowledge for future reference, it doesn't make much sense currently, but I am confident that it will all fall into place eventually.
One of the first things I was told when I started was to stick with one instructor so as to not get confused with different methods........ I wasn't going to let that stop me though, so I set about grilling everyone I knew with any shooting knowledge at all.......... it transpires that everyone who shoots has something useful to bring to the party.
Roll on lesson 2
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Lesson 1 Continued.......
We progress from the Grouse to some gentle crossers. Apparently their are only 6 basic types of clays........ incoming, outgoing, left to right, right to left, teal (known as quail in my house) which are vertical birds and rabbits which bounce along the ground. I am told that everything is a variation of one of these, or a combination perhaps. At Sporting Targets Clay pigeon shooting ground they have umpteen variations of everything.
The first crosser I get to have a go at is a left to right that looks fairly straight forward. I miss it. It turns out it needs a bit of lead,( ie aiming in front of where it is so that by the time my shot gets to it it is where it should be and not behind it). Lead it seems is a quirky beast as everyone has a different way of interpreting and vocalising the lead that they see. I decide to give it what I perceive to be an inch an the end of my barrel, but what is probably two or three feet at the clay itself. I kill it. I try again...... perfect lead, weight on back foot.... I miss. And so it went on, miss, kill, kill, miss.... there is a lot to concentrate upon at first as you teach your body new disciplines. Keeping each aspect under control is suprisingly complex as I was finding out!
I was also having an issue with my eyes. I started shooting with my right eye closed as it seemed natural as I was aiming the gun. After a while I tried both eyes open with mixed results, but I am informed that it is better to start eyes open if possible so I muddle on until it seems natural.
We make our way up the range, shooting at a rabbit, which went ok, this particular little blighter wanted no lead, but to aim just under it. kill,kill,kill,kill,....... happy with rabbit we move on.
Shooting my first pair was fun, they were on report whereby the second bird is launched once you have shot at the first. These were outgoing first bird, incoming second..... with Fletch leading from just behind my shoulder I was doing ok. Still shifting my weight to where it shouldn't be on occasion and missing because of it, but otherwise ok.
And then we reached the towers............................
The first crosser I get to have a go at is a left to right that looks fairly straight forward. I miss it. It turns out it needs a bit of lead,( ie aiming in front of where it is so that by the time my shot gets to it it is where it should be and not behind it). Lead it seems is a quirky beast as everyone has a different way of interpreting and vocalising the lead that they see. I decide to give it what I perceive to be an inch an the end of my barrel, but what is probably two or three feet at the clay itself. I kill it. I try again...... perfect lead, weight on back foot.... I miss. And so it went on, miss, kill, kill, miss.... there is a lot to concentrate upon at first as you teach your body new disciplines. Keeping each aspect under control is suprisingly complex as I was finding out!
I was also having an issue with my eyes. I started shooting with my right eye closed as it seemed natural as I was aiming the gun. After a while I tried both eyes open with mixed results, but I am informed that it is better to start eyes open if possible so I muddle on until it seems natural.
We make our way up the range, shooting at a rabbit, which went ok, this particular little blighter wanted no lead, but to aim just under it. kill,kill,kill,kill,....... happy with rabbit we move on.
Shooting my first pair was fun, they were on report whereby the second bird is launched once you have shot at the first. These were outgoing first bird, incoming second..... with Fletch leading from just behind my shoulder I was doing ok. Still shifting my weight to where it shouldn't be on occasion and missing because of it, but otherwise ok.
And then we reached the towers............................
Tuesday 11 December 2007
Lesson 1
Right, so I bite the bullet so to speak and sign up for a lesson. This should give me a taster and let me know if Clay Pigeon Shooting is the sport for me.
I have been given to Fletch, one of the instructors at Sporting Targets, who I soon discover not only a petrol head like me , but also man with a fascinating history of not only shooting with Sir Jackie Stewart, but working with him in Formula 1 too....... He also worked with Ayrton Senna at Lotus in the 80's................. I decide to pay attention to all that I'm told.
We start off with a safety briefing. This seems more that a good idea to me, can't be too careful. Now I know the blunt end from the sharp end, that I must break the gun when carrying it or stick it in a sleeve, only load it in a cage when I 'm about to shoot etc. I also need eye and ear protection.......... now I can't hear Fletch.......... lets hope he's said the important stuff already!
There seems like there is plenty to remember, I am already soaking up bits of info and trying to store them neatly.
We move on to finding out which of my eyes is dominant. I'm left handed, but play golf (shockingly poorly I might add) right handed, I had been concerned that I might pose a bit of a problem as I am not classically wrong handed, but I should have worried not as I seem to be fine. Being left handed I mount the gun in my left shoulder, and I have a dominant left eye which sits looking straight up the top of the barrel. I am told this is good, but then I am told that unlike a rifle you don't "aim" a shotgun, but use hand eye coordination to point it in the right place. This seems to make looking straight up the barrel slightly pointless, but I don't argue at this point..... the man ran Ayrtons car.
We head off with 100 cartridges to try and shoot something. I think we are shooting at Grouse, or at least some clays that I presume behave like grouse do. My brain now has lots to think about, first I have to stand correctly, with feet apart, right leg forward ( as I'm a leftie ) right foot pointing at where I am expecting to shoot the grouse. Keep my weight forward on my right foot. Mount gun firmly into my shoulder, press cheek onto the stock of the gun. I am starting off shooting gun up, ie; with the gun in my shoulder before I shout pull. This is fine by me as time seems quite brief once the clay is airborne.
I am told where to start following the clay, and where I should be trying to kill the clay. The idea is to track its movement with the end of the barrel, and then move ahead of the clay if lead is required. Thankfully no lead is required....... these grouse seem to be ameniable little fellows whose sole purpose seems to be to convince me that I am a natural! I have a modicum of success over the next 10 shots along the lines of , kill,kill, miss (moved feet), kill,kill,kill, ( cheek not on stock), kill, kill, miss ( weight now on back foot ), kill. Lots to remember, and it seems very easy to forget the simplest thing that will make you miss.
Lesson 1 continues tomorrow
I have been given to Fletch, one of the instructors at Sporting Targets, who I soon discover not only a petrol head like me , but also man with a fascinating history of not only shooting with Sir Jackie Stewart, but working with him in Formula 1 too....... He also worked with Ayrton Senna at Lotus in the 80's................. I decide to pay attention to all that I'm told.
We start off with a safety briefing. This seems more that a good idea to me, can't be too careful. Now I know the blunt end from the sharp end, that I must break the gun when carrying it or stick it in a sleeve, only load it in a cage when I 'm about to shoot etc. I also need eye and ear protection.......... now I can't hear Fletch.......... lets hope he's said the important stuff already!
There seems like there is plenty to remember, I am already soaking up bits of info and trying to store them neatly.
We move on to finding out which of my eyes is dominant. I'm left handed, but play golf (shockingly poorly I might add) right handed, I had been concerned that I might pose a bit of a problem as I am not classically wrong handed, but I should have worried not as I seem to be fine. Being left handed I mount the gun in my left shoulder, and I have a dominant left eye which sits looking straight up the top of the barrel. I am told this is good, but then I am told that unlike a rifle you don't "aim" a shotgun, but use hand eye coordination to point it in the right place. This seems to make looking straight up the barrel slightly pointless, but I don't argue at this point..... the man ran Ayrtons car.
We head off with 100 cartridges to try and shoot something. I think we are shooting at Grouse, or at least some clays that I presume behave like grouse do. My brain now has lots to think about, first I have to stand correctly, with feet apart, right leg forward ( as I'm a leftie ) right foot pointing at where I am expecting to shoot the grouse. Keep my weight forward on my right foot. Mount gun firmly into my shoulder, press cheek onto the stock of the gun. I am starting off shooting gun up, ie; with the gun in my shoulder before I shout pull. This is fine by me as time seems quite brief once the clay is airborne.
I am told where to start following the clay, and where I should be trying to kill the clay. The idea is to track its movement with the end of the barrel, and then move ahead of the clay if lead is required. Thankfully no lead is required....... these grouse seem to be ameniable little fellows whose sole purpose seems to be to convince me that I am a natural! I have a modicum of success over the next 10 shots along the lines of , kill,kill, miss (moved feet), kill,kill,kill, ( cheek not on stock), kill, kill, miss ( weight now on back foot ), kill. Lots to remember, and it seems very easy to forget the simplest thing that will make you miss.
Lesson 1 continues tomorrow
Monday 10 December 2007
Clay Pigeon Shooting as a Newbie
Turning forty requires some tough decisions, do you resolve to get fit and do some much needed exercise, or give up and except that some bodies are meant to be this shape! Do you set out on a new quest to discover something new, achieve something you previously thought was beyond you or do you sit where you are and stagnate? I chose the former, and for reveral reasons. For the ten years prior to 2005 I spent every weekend and on occasion some weekdays too Kart racing. I had a modicum of success but reached the point in time where it became too exhausting to continue to do it at a top level. It is I think a young mans game that rewards youth and good health in equal measure.
Since then I have thrown myself headlong into my Search Engine Optimization business. I have missed the competition, the challenge and the mental efforts that I used to enjoy racing, so I have been looking for a new pastime. It is remarkable that this has taken me so long, considering the circumstances, but I have taken up clay pigeon shooting. The reason I say it is remarkable is that firstly my best mate owns what I believe is considered to be one of the best clay pigeon shooting grounds in the UK. Because of this I have spent many evenings listening to discussions about constant lead, crossers, towers, driven birds, chokes, butts, over and unders etc.... without really knowing what was going on...... well now I was going to find out.
Since then I have thrown myself headlong into my Search Engine Optimization business. I have missed the competition, the challenge and the mental efforts that I used to enjoy racing, so I have been looking for a new pastime. It is remarkable that this has taken me so long, considering the circumstances, but I have taken up clay pigeon shooting. The reason I say it is remarkable is that firstly my best mate owns what I believe is considered to be one of the best clay pigeon shooting grounds in the UK. Because of this I have spent many evenings listening to discussions about constant lead, crossers, towers, driven birds, chokes, butts, over and unders etc.... without really knowing what was going on...... well now I was going to find out.
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