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