If you’re considering skeet shooting, be prepared. This American sport is fun and addictive. But if it’s the first time you’ve been to an event, it can feel overwhelming.
That’s why we’re giving you three skeet shooting tips for beginners. That way you know exactly what you need to do when it’s your turn to pull, aim, and fire.
3 Skeet Shooting Tips for Beginners
1. Keep both eyes open.
Shooting a shotgun is a whole lot different than shooting a rifle or 1911 handgun. With no real sights and only a dot to use, you don’t pull your gun and carefully aim like you would with a Ruger 10/22.
Instead you simply pull and shoot when the target, in this case a clay pigeon, comes into view. And remember to keep both eyes open. With a moving target, using both eyes improves your depth perception and makes a solid hit more likely.
2. Stay relaxed.
When shooting skeet, stay relaxed in your stance, throughout your swing, and in your follow through. Once you tighten up, your movements become forced and jagged, making you more likely to stiffen and miss your target.
While many skeet shooters like to have their shotgun pulled to their shoulder before the pigeon is released, if you ever want to go an international competition, start practicing with your gun’s buttstock at mid-torso.
This is the requirement for Olympic skeet shooting and other international events.
3. Watch and learn.
Your last skeet shooting tip: watch and learn, especially at an event with seasoned shooters. See how they move, how they grip their shotgun, and what happens after they shoot.
Also watch the clay pigeons and observe how they rise and drop, if there’s movement to their angles, and what kind of speed their traveling at.
With as little as 20 minutes of simple observation, you can and will shoot better and with more accuracy.