Ozzy Fudd Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 this isnt a clay vs hunting thread or anything, but i was wondering if anyone thinks it possible that clays dull your reaction times for hunting: my mate and i went hunting yesterday, just for a walk around the fields, see if there was much about. we normally head down a water meadow beside his house, you get pigeons coming out of the hedges and rabbits bolting between the rushes, so its all snap shooting. but yesterday we were nowhere near as fast as we normally are. on the way through the meadow a couple of pigeons flew out of the hedges, neither of us got the guns up in time and just stood there like gormless idiots watching them disappear. half an hour later we called a smoke break near some trees; we had just lit up when i noticed a gray squirrel about 20 feet away, hopping towards a tree. but instead of raising the gun and blatting it i hesitated for a second, giving it time to get behind a tree trunk (which was the start of us sprinting towards the trees and spending 20 mins searching for the little *****) after all this we started thinking whats wrong with us. its possible we were having an off day, but any time thats happened before its only been one of us. then richie said is it possible were not as sharp because of the amount of clays we shot over christmas? this started me thinking. ive always maintained that the biggest problem with clays is that you know ones coming when you shout pull, so while its good in the respect of practice for moving targets, its not good for quick shots with no warning. around christmas and new years we both went through almost 800 cartridges on clays, and did very little hunting. now im not being big headed, but im usually sharper than most of my mates that i hunt with, and even if i start off bad, after the first couple of missed opportunities i always get a shot off as soon as i see something (even if i do miss....) so what does everyone think? could there be some merit in this line of thought, or are we just two ****** thinking too much. ps - were going to hit the sporting trap soon at the clay range, one will shoot, the other will operate it, sending out clays from any and every direction they choose, so the shooter doesnt know whats coming (or when). hopefully it might work and get the reaction times up again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 babby maybe the cold eather was to blame.with cold hands i often get trigger freeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 not sure mate; ive had that before, where your body wont keep up with your brain, this time was the opposite, it was taking a second for my brain to kick in and say "right, shoot it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 sound like the effects of old age mate jus kiddin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 sound like the effects of old age mate jus kiddin im only 25!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEREALTHRILLER Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 You could try what "the boy" and I do when we're shooting compact sporting where there are 8 traps. You shout "pull" but the other person pushes the buttons at random so you don't know which target you're getting. All you hear is the trap to let you know where it's coming from. It keeps you on your toes Try it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeinVA Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 this isnt a clay vs hunting thread or anything, but i was wondering if anyone thinks it possible that clays dull your reaction times for hunting: my mate and i went hunting yesterday, just for a walk around the fields, see if there was much about. we normally head down a water meadow beside his house, you get pigeons coming out of the hedges and rabbits bolting between the rushes, so its all snap shooting. but yesterday we were nowhere near as fast as we normally are. on the way through the meadow a couple of pigeons flew out of the hedges, neither of us got the guns up in time and just stood there like gormless idiots watching them disappear. half an hour later we called a smoke break near some trees; we had just lit up when i noticed a gray squirrel about 20 feet away, hopping towards a tree. but instead of raising the gun and blatting it i hesitated for a second, giving it time to get behind a tree trunk (which was the start of us sprinting towards the trees and spending 20 mins searching for the little *****) after all this we started thinking whats wrong with us. its possible we were having an off day, but any time thats happened before its only been one of us. then richie said is it possible were not as sharp because of the amount of clays we shot over christmas? this started me thinking. ive always maintained that the biggest problem with clays is that you know ones coming when you shout pull, so while its good in the respect of practice for moving targets, its not good for quick shots with no warning. around christmas and new years we both went through almost 800 cartridges on clays, and did very little hunting. now im not being big headed, but im usually sharper than most of my mates that i hunt with, and even if i start off bad, after the first couple of missed opportunities i always get a shot off as soon as i see something (even if i do miss....) so what does everyone think? could there be some merit in this line of thought, or are we just two ****** thinking too much. ps - were going to hit the sporting trap soon at the clay range, one will shoot, the other will operate it, sending out clays from any and every direction they choose, so the shooter doesnt know whats coming (or when). hopefully it might work and get the reaction times up again... I like that babb's Are Clays ruining my reaction time? I was think more along the lines of Vodka is ruining your reaction time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEREALTHRILLER Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 oops - never read the ps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I find the surest way to ruin my live bird shooting is to shoot clays. They are nothing like a real bird and I find that clay shooting ruins my style of shooting. After a day shooting clays it takes me several days before I start to hit real birds again. I cannot snap shoot to save my life, I like to pick which bird in a flock that i am going to shoot at while it is still a couple of hundred yards off and then access the speed , height and angle of the aproaching bird and then calcuate how much lead to give it and allow for wind drift. By the time i have done that a clay has hit the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I like that babb's Are Clays ruining my reaction time? I was think more along the lines of Vodka is ruining your reaction time sssshhh it wasnt vodka, it was alcohol scented water.... I find the surest way to ruin my live bird shooting is to shoot clays. They are nothing like a real bird and I find that clay shooting ruins my style of shooting. After a day shooting clays it takes me several days before I start to hit real birds again. I cannot snap shoot to save my life, I like to pick which bird in a flock that i am going to shoot at while it is still a couple of hundred yards off and then access the speed , height and angle of the aproaching bird and then calcuate how much lead to give it and allow for wind drift. By the time i have done that a clay has hit the ground. now that is interesting, i thought i was losing the plot for a while.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I think you're doing the right thing by introducing some random element to your practice on the clays. I'm a clay shooter, but the sheer predictability of clays always amuses me slightly as it takes away the main similarity between shooting clays and game. Sporting clays is supposed to be simulated game shooting, but it can't really be, because they've taken out the random nature. It's easily solved, as you've said, by preventing the shooter from knowing which clay he's going to get next. I would like to see more of this in sporting clay shooting, you do occasionally find random traps but not often. I think the competition element of clay shooting has made it evolve into a very precise sport, I suppose it needs to be, so that each competitor has identical targets, even down to being allowed to "see a pair" before he shoots. However this has moved it away from simulated game shooting. It now requires very special skills of concentration, but I think all the instinctive element of shooting is removed, which can't be much help to a game shooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I find that I shoot clay completely different to how I shoot pigeons. I tend to shoot clays very early and pigeons I tend to let come in more but then I find I miss more and I seem to struggle to hit them. On clays I can reguly shot 26 out of 30, but I will struggle to do the same on pigeons (I know they fly differently) but I just wish I could get it in my mind to shoot the pigeons the same as the clays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 On clays I can reguly shot 26 out of 30, but I will struggle to do the same on pigeons (I know they fly differently) but I just wish I could get it in my mind to shoot the pigeons the same as the clays. dont we all so does anyone think its possible clays have dulled my reactions a bit? or has it happened to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 they should have sharpened you up if anything. think yer man may have a point about the smirnoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 they should have sharpened you up if anything. think yer man may have a point about the smirnoff :yp: i was completely sober when i went out, hadnt drunk in at least 14 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munst Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) You could try what "the boy" and I do when we're shooting compact sporting where there are 8 traps. You shout "pull" but the other person pushes the buttons at random so you don't know which target you're getting. All you hear is the trap to let you know where it's coming from. It keeps you on your toes Try it :yp: Yeah I ask for random traps occasionally when I'm clay bashing, I also never have the gun in my shoulder when I give the shout. Always wait to mount the gun until I can see the clay, this helps a lot I find. edit - no idea why talking like yoda I am Edited February 10, 2009 by Munst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprinter Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 When i shoot clays, which is seldom as i find them a little boring (expensive and added to the fact i can never hit them) is that on stands with incomers or slow crossers i call for the bird when i am putting the cartridges in the chambers. Then while the bird is on the way, close the breech,safety off (game gun), mount and swing through. I dunno but it feels a bit more real for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 i do that when im practicing, keep the safety on and the gun down, (semi and pump). but my main problem was as soon as you shout pull you know somethings coming out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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