Gambling With Your Shooting : A Sporting Clays Article by Daniel Schindler
The worst thing about being self-taught is the teacher. Its not that we men arent smart because we are. In this case, its kind of like the Drivers Ed teacher saying, Look, well talk about the brake tomorrow, right now just get your coat and Ill get the keys.
Youve been hunting pheasants, quail and ducks for many years. By now, good shooting should pretty much be a no-brainer. Facing your first clay bird, we heard, Yeah, I can do this, throw me a target. Its pretty much a jock mentality. After all, while you may be a bit washer and dryer challenged, you can shoot a shotgun!
From 1960 to 1980 I was a very respectable shot in the game fields. If it had feathers or fur and was in season, you could count on me to fill the tag or game bag followed by modest tales of extraordinary shooting prowess. Back then, I didnt have the first clue how I dispatched game so quickly in the fields of Pennsylvania and Iowa but I did. I had a semi back then too. It was a gnarled 20 gauge SXS that was semi-reliable but really delivered when it counted.
It was in the early 1980s that I first...