Let’s talk about what it really takes to generate more broken birds: Gun Control. Every inch movement of our gun muzzle will decide what happens out at the target, making swing precision non-negotiable.  This is not my opinion; the math says so. Please read those sentences again. For every shooter, no exceptions, swing mistakes promise a lost target.  With the emphasis on controlling our movements, here’s where we begin.  With consistency and improvement priorities, our “set up” steps ask for our undivided attention. Each step is intended to build critical swing precision, before and during the swing. In order, ...

“Our game has an uncanny way of endearing itself to uswhile at the same time revealing every weakness of mind, no matter how well hidden.”― Timothy Gallwey (Paraphrased)Think of the pressure we put on ourselves playing clay target games. We don’t just want that target to break…we need that target to break. When it doesn’t, our pride takes a hit. After all, folks are watching. At least in our mind, we just failed. This creates even more pressure to break the next target. To do well. To stop the embarrassment. Unfortunately, as the craving to succeed intensifies, more targets escape untouched, the inappropriate mental input is spoiling what we want to ...

While definitely not getting our vote for favorite pastime, I think it’s fair to say, missing will be with us for a while longer. The good news is, we all miss and no one likes it. One difference is how each of us reacts to the disappointment.  Not happy with OXXOOX? Welcome to our club. Admission is free. The question now is, how are you handling each miss? Is your reaction important? Yes.Occasionally missing targets is part of the shotgunning experience.  Beyond the fundamentals of good shooting, we’ve also learned that the key to enjoying more hits is productively managing the disappointment of missing. A miss rightfully draws the shooter’s ...

Here’s the long way around to improving. Load the cart with a flat of shells, some hope and a trial-and-error approach to each target. Unfortunately, all this will do is reinforce our old, inconsistent habits that we’ll later want to change. Been there, done that. There’s a better way. Thankfully, it’s not complicated. To advance a skill, consider this commonsense order of progression:Correct repetition of a reliable method builds critical familiarity.Familiarity creates competence.Competence creates confidence.Confidence creates trust.Trust creates XXXXXXXX. Our previous Truth article generated a lot of positive feedback, requesting a follow up.At the top ...