See the Details 

Posted On: 09-25-2023

There are so many things one needs to see before ever shooting a single target.  It begins the minute you arrive at the range either in a competitive environment or in practice.  Are you ready?  Parents read this too, as you can also help your youth shooter be better prepared. Over time you and your youth shooter will realize the benefits of awareness and seeing the details. 

Take a minute to see what is around you.   Is the weather consistent with your having a good shoot?  What is the wind?  left to right, right to left, head wind?  How is the wind affecting the targets?  Are they bouncing, moving too fast, being slowed into the wind?  If you watch a few targets, can you predict the next target? Can you tell if the target is set to the right height?  

Stand back and look at the trap house. Can you figure out if the target appears from the center? Can you see that the target is set to fly 22.5 degrees right and left of the center line? Take a few more minutes to see the back ground. What do you see? Trees, open sky, is it close, or far away? How will this affect your target acquisition?  

Now that you have watched for a while, take your finger and start to lead a few targets. Be sure you can see the lead and move not only your finger but also your body as you follow the target. Stand back and follow lots of targets on the range you will be shooting. Now move to imagining your gun is mounted and you start to follow more targets. Be sure to see the lead and get ahead of the target.  

Now for the really difficult part – see if you can predict the target? Remember about 65% of all targets are straight aways so can you get your eyes to moving to the target. Use your soft focus and look outward and let your eyes start to adjust to the moving target. Take a mental note of where the target flies in regard to the background. Is it half way up the tree line or above the tree line? Note in the end this will really help you with your hold points when it is your turn to shoot.  

All of this is designed to get you into a mental focus and preparation for your time on the line. I know it all sounds like a bunch of busy work and maybe to a degree slightly embarrassing for you to do this prior to shooting, but this is how you get better. These are ways you start to improve and step up your game. IF YOU WANT TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE LEVEL YOU ARE ON.  

I hope you will try this. It will help and as an alternative sense of awareness rather than being nervous or not being prepared. Give yourself all the advantages you can.