Inconsistency

[WalkedUp]

I was on top of the world after a great round last week, now feel down in the dumps after an awful outing. Total score was only 4 different but it was the way I was missing them that annoyed me. 9/10 on the first stand, missed the second bird of the last pair. Then every other stand would pretty much be pair, pair, 1,  double miss, double miss 🙈 I know I get flustered under pressure, I need to slow down and relax rather than over think. How best to improve consistency? Gun fits and I can find the clays (most not all of the traps) initially. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Practice and shoot plenty of different grounds.

[Smokersmith]

Google pre-shot routine .. that should help.

It’s also a fair guess that after hitting the first few, you’re trying to make sure of them and end up looking at the gun to measure lead .. you can’t look at both!!

[Farmboy91]

I try not to think at all, when I do start thinking about what I'm doing it puts me off what I'm doing and it all starts to go down hill from there if you know what I mean. 

Rightly or wrongly I've always shot gun down, I try to keep clays as close to shooting in the field as I can.

 

[LeedsZeppelin]

3 hours ago, Smokersmith said:

Google pre-shot routine ..

This. I find a pre shot routine helps me keep my concentration levels up, distractions down, and helps me focus on the next pair only and not my score or previous misses.

3 hours ago, Farmboy91 said:

I try not to think at all, when I do start thinking about what I'm doing it puts me off what I'm doing and it all starts to go down hill from there if you know what I mean. 

I'm the opposite. When my mind drifts away from the task in hand, my concentration drops and my score lowers. 

I like to visualise each shot as I load the cartridge in each barrel, take a few deep breaths to maximize oxygen levels whilst adjusting my stance, visualise the break points again whilst mounting, then call pull. Hopefully muscle memory takes over from there.

Although I'm far from the best shooter, I appreciate how much the mental game plays in clay shooting. It is similar to golf in the fact that a round can be won or lost in your own head, especially if you dwell on previous mistakes.

[Robden]

After missing a couple or so, I then find that I'm trying, not to miss, rather than going after it.  Subtle, but big difference.........IMHO.

[manthing]

The only bit of the sport I'm consistently good at, is being inconsistent. 

Not been since lockdown started so it should be interesting when I finally do get.

[Diver One]

I have shot once since march

same score as when I shot pre lockdown......both rubbish!     Maybe next time , or the next

[TIGHTCHOKE]

36 minutes ago, Diver One said:

I have shot once since march

same score as when I shot pre lockdown......both rubbish!     Maybe next time , or the next

Well at least you have consistency!

[WalkedUp]

Thank you for all the interesting responses. I definitely think I do tend to “look” too much rather than just shoot as the stand goes on. Also when people are waiting behind I get into the “try not to miss” mindset. A pre shot routine would probably help distract myself. On driven game I avoid closing the gun until the bird is almost upon me to keep a fast, fluid mount. Maybe the same thing. 

[Smokersmith]

Never call pull if you’re thinking about missing the bird ... you will!!

Positive mindset, and hard focus on the target ... keep your brain out of it!!

[Westward]

I've reffed and scored at several 100 registered sporting comps and there's fairly clear pattern that many C class shots would be in B class but for the unnecessary misses. Same goes for the many B class shooters who are technically good enough for A class and would be with a tad more consistency.

Over the years I've become convinced that the main reasons for inconsistency are either wrong hold points or changing hold points. So often I see someone hold correctly and nail the first couple of pairs, then when the brain gets involved, all too often the hold point changes enough to cause a miss on the 1st bird and the almost inevitable miss on the 2nd. It happens to me often enough so being aware of it isn't a cure, you need someone watching and commenting until repeating the exact same process on every pair becomes ingrained.

[Scully]

Have a look at the book ‘Positive Shooting’ by he whom must not be named. Tells you everything you need to know about pre shot routine......footwork, addressing the target, mount etc etc.

It’s a good book.

[enfieldspares]

Ask if you can shoot every stand as a single followed by a single "on command". That way you'll see if the "bogey" bird is the first of the pair or the second of the pair. If when taken singly then second bird isn't in fact the "bogey" bid then the problem is taking that shot too hurriedly perhaps? Or too late? 

Edited July 17, 2020 by enfieldspares