Went trap shooting for the first time today.

Dumb question... I know you can tell if you hit or miss... but in trap shooting how can you tell in which direction you missed? Do you get visual feedback on the location of your shot?

I dunno... I always wondered this.

And, no, I've not shot trap at all. But I watch the guys sometimes and it is a thing of beauty when someone good is nailing the clays one after another. They make it look easy.
 
I just posted a thread Saturday as I went to the first time...

I was doing a good job at nailing them, I'd say I hit somewhere around 33%... not bad for a first trip imo...

I was getting frustrated after missing a bunch in a row, then I realized I need to lead them a little bit... but downed a good number after that.

Addicting ain't it?
 
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richc said:
Dumb question... I know you can tell if you hit or miss... but in trap shooting how can you tell in which direction you missed? Do you get visual feedback on the location of your shot?
Click to expand...

In the little bit of clay shooting I've done, you quickly start to just know what you did wrong. Your brain just figures it out. But getting yourself to not do it again is the hard part. [thinking] If you mount the gun right, watch the clay instead of the gun barrel, and keep the gun moving, you'll hit it.

But I'm no expert... I can usually only hit about 50% at skeet, a bit less at sporting clays, and I've never actually shot trap.
 
richc said:
Dumb question... I know you can tell if you hit or miss... but in trap shooting how can you tell in which direction you missed? Do you get visual feedback on the location of your shot?

I dunno... I always wondered this.

And, no, I've not shot trap at all. But I watch the guys sometimes and it is a thing of beauty when someone good is nailing the clays one after another. They make it look easy.
Click to expand...

I've noticed you can usually just feel where the shot went wrong. You know whether you missed high or low as soon as you pulled the trigger. In trap you only get one shot so you either break the bird or watch it hit the ground. You can often tell where you hit the bird by the way it breaks. If it breaks up and away, you were behind it. If it breaks down you were on top of it. And if it turns to dust.............you smoked it!
 
My advice is BE CAREFUL clay shooting is very addictive. I just got into it last sept, I started shooting trap then skeet and sporting clays. My favorite is sporting clays or five stand, if you haven't tried sporting you should. Im just figuring it all out and what works for me is keep 2 eyes open see the clay shut left eye see the lead pull the trigger. Doing this I went from hitting 9 clays to hitting 21s and 22s still haven't gotten my 25 but it will come. If any of you are ever around Fall River give me a shout and we'll go break some clay.
 
richc said:
Dumb question... I know you can tell if you hit or miss... but in trap shooting how can you tell in which direction you missed? Do you get visual feedback on the location of your shot?
Click to expand...

Someone with experience can often tell where you're missing by standing directly behind you and taking careful note of where the gun is pointing when the shot breaks. It's a bit of an art, and some people are obviously better at it than others. Depending on the background and lighting conditions, it's possible for someone standing behind the shooter to actually see the shot cloud. Sometimes even the shooter can see it, but because of the recoil usually not.
 
I'm an avid trap shooter and the best way to learn when you are starting out is get some private range time with an RO that can set the machine for one direction and work on straight away, lefts and then rights. After 25 hard left/right birds you quickly figure out whats happening and will be able to "call your shot". I feel body mechanics is a critical first step you must have set up before you call your first bird on a station, once you have that and get it to become instinct then you can refine point of impact or POI.
MB
 
Trap is addictive!

as Madball stated, locking the trap to get a "feel" for the birds can be a big help. Not sure where you're located, but if you're in the Metrowest area, come on out to Southborough Rod & Gun Club some Thursday night and we can help you out.
 
Dick said:
Someone with experience can often tell where you're missing by standing directly behind you and taking careful note of where the gun is pointing when the shot breaks. It's a bit of an art, and some people are obviously better at it than others. Depending on the background and lighting conditions, it's possible for someone standing behind the shooter to actually see the shot cloud. Sometimes even the shooter can see it, but because of the recoil usually not.
Click to expand...

As Dick said, the shot cloud is one way. Some advice that I have been given is to continue to track the pigeon till it hits the ground when you miss it. This will help you track the flight of it better.
 
I too went for my first "real" trap shooting trip this past weekend.
I had previously attended an Intro to Trapshooting Class at the Pelham Fish and Game club. Great class!

This past Sunday I went and used my own gun for the first time. I broke 20 the first round and only 13 on my second. I just ordered a Limbsaver slip on recoil pad because my shot gun only has a hard plastic butt plate. I feel that the large bruise covering my entire should area was a major factor in the lower score in the second round.

Great fun though. I can't wait to go again, I just need another paycheck so I can afford a case of shells [thinking]
 
harrihiker said:
This past Sunday I went and used my own gun for the first time. I broke 20 the first round and only 13 on my second. I just ordered a Limbsaver slip on recoil pad because my shot gun only has a hard plastic butt plate. I feel that the large bruise covering my entire should area was a major factor in the lower score in the second round.

[thinking]
Click to expand...

FYI: If you've got a large bruise from shooting birdshot target loads, you might not have been holding the gun tight enough to your shoulder. Not saying that you shouldn't get the recoil pad (by all means get it), but if you're not holding the gun right your accuracy will suffer.
 
We have a machine that launches the clays at our club. When I started, I went alone a couple of afternoons with a case of shells, and just shot 250 rounds by myself, loading five at a time. When I was done I was really improved greatly. I think that you can get really good really quickly if you just have enough repetitions a few times.
 
last week i took my dad and he hit 9 birds his first time. we went this week and he hit 20.
keep at it , try changing your choke to a modefeid choke. it might help
 
Man I miss shooting trap. I don't know how to explain, it is not unlike swinging a bat in baseball. The more you practice the better you will get. When I started I had 2 guns, my 12 ga. for deer hunting and my 410 ga for bird. I did notice after practicing with the smaller gun my 12 ga scores went up. I don't know if that was the real reason or if it was because my buddy and I started reloading and shooting twice a week. Trap is great practice and loads of fun. What gun/ammo are you shooting by the way?
 

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