Wb123 Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 My shooting has been generally deteriorating since moving to northern ireland and doing a lot less of it. Today i reached a spectacular new low, 16/50 on the mornings sporting shoot, followed by missing both barrels on a walked up pheasant in the afternoon that would have plucked itself and landed ready to eat on a plate if i had one to lay out. I have been practicing my mount in the house, swinging along ceiling lines, but my actual shooting just keeps getting worse. My local clay ground have limited opening i can get to around work, and no coaching available. My next nearest place i know of is an hour away and also looks very tricky to do around work. One of the old boys at the shoot this morning very kindly shot a 14 to save me too much embarrasment, but my shooting is getting rather embarrassing. In the past off episodes have been improved by moving to my side by side which has a bit more cast and shoots a little higher, but i have been missing left and right with no bias to either. Ive only shot my over under for the last six months to try and keep something consistent given the reduction in shooting. Given the difficulty getting formal coaching are there any exercises i can do at home to try and work on the basics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Have you had your eyes tested recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wb123 Posted December 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Have you had your eyes tested recently? Good point, i did just after moving over, new prescription in the right eye (left eye dominant). I asked the optician if it would affect my eye dominance and he thought not. I shoot from the left shoulder both eyes open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 I get the occasional 'on' day, with an 'off' month to make up for it! Seriously though - one thing that does boost the 'off' side - is having to wear a lot more clothes to stay warm in winter. Its not so much that it upsets the fit/mount - more that it makes me slow and cumbersome in movement. This also knock on to a greater tendency to things like lifting head off stock etc. Eyesight, shape, speed and flexibility all change with age - and a session with a coach/fitter would highlight these and recommend remedies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millrace Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 (edited) Have you tried cairnview farms clay ground,, just outside ballymena coaching available opens at night and if you were there chatting to him you may find he could work somethin great place pay as you go and no one looking over your shoulder chittering...... Edited December 31, 2016 by millrace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord v Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 Good point, i did just after moving over, new prescription in the right eye (left eye dominant). I asked the optician if it would affect my eye dominance and he thought not. I shoot from the left shoulder both eyes open. This new prescription maybe an issue... has your eye dominance been tested since? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAsh Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 Although i have never been a good shot, for a period i did get totally lost at sporting I then went and shot skeet for a month andafter a poor start i slowly bult up the score You know with skeet where you should be shooting and i found it helped to get back into the right frame of mind and sight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 I used to be a good shot on Skeet Dtl and sporting but have gone right down the pan lately. My eye's are ok but my stance and gun mount are not right so i am having a bit of tuition and it is working. It is like driving you get into bad habits that need sorting out. I also agree what johnfromUK said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 my off day was yesterday, missed the first 8 pigeons i should have hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 We all have 'em, but I am thinking if it has persisted then it is something to do with your new prescription. I have just needed distance glasses, things were starting to get a tad fuzzy in the distance on the edges and I found I could read the newspaper without my normal 2.5s. First few days out on the birds with the new specs and I could not hit a darn thing ..well 1 in 7 or 8 , when my norm is 1 to 2.5 on driven birds. I did persist because someone had been in a similar situation and now I am back to normal. Try and get a bit more shooting in and see if things improve. Sounds like you were a pretty good shot before, so definitely think it is the new glasses that are throwing you off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 More you think about poor shooting the more itvwill affect your shooting. For the little cost try a easy hit fiver optic bead as only your eye over the gun can see it. Have a few lessons with a good coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 Yep ... the more you think about it, the more you may be aiming ... Next time you're on the clays, start with an 'easy' target, and just focus on staring at the clay, and the clay alone .... let your subconscious do the lead for you. Get your confidence back, and move on .. If that fails ... see a coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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