Ask The Instructor: Beat Me Bad

Question: I have a real challenge with targets that emerge from behind something, like a tree, where I can’t see the trap. I try to time my movement but I always seem to get beat by the target. Can you suggest anything?

Answer: There are a couple of techniques that might help. For targets with a short engagement window, I recommend initiating your gun movement before the target is visible. I call this, “the creep” or “cheating the target”. While you will normally have about three seconds or more to engage a target, a target setter will occasionally set a shorter-window target. In these instances, delaying your initial movement until you first see the target may result in the target passing the barrel. To avoid this, start slowly creeping your gun toward the breakpoint before the target is visible, as you call “pull” or immediately following your call for the target. In other words, get a head start on the target by anticipating the appearance of the target from behind whatever is occluding its flight path from view. This will allow you to more smoothly merge the muzzle with the target instead of abruptly reacting to the target from a static position. The second technique is what I call a “count-down” start. This is especially useful when engaging, for example, an overhead target with the trap located behind the shooting stand. In some cases, these targets emerge over trees located behind or above the shooter and may not be visible for as much as three or more seconds after leaving the trap arm. I recommend using a countdown sequence like “one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three……” and so on. For example, lets say that the above-described target emerges from behind the branches of the tree at about “three”. If you start your move immediately after “two-one-thousand” you can efficiently move your eyes and gun to merge with the target, instead of making an abrupt reactionary move after the target emerges. In order to time your movement accurately, you will need to practice the timing of your move a number of times during the show pairs or while other shooters are engaging the pair. The above two techniques can also be used in unison.