THE TARGETS
Once we have broken a few straight driven targets, I inform my client that the next target is coming to the left. Shooting driven targets to the left and right can cause the body to tighten and pull the gun off line, especially if the feet are not moved to address the bird. Here we would be looking at how and if any adjustment needs to be made. Sometimes I see people almost squatting to allow the body to swing to where the bird is going. Aside from being awkward it also gives inconsistent results. The correct and graceful way of dealing with a driven target to the left (for a right-handed Shot, reverse for left-handed) is to move the left foot to the expected shooting position, keeping the eyes and muzzles with the target. Once the foot is in place, the gun can be mounted and the shot taken. For a driven target to the right, the right foot should be moved back and the left moved round to the expected shooting position, again keeping the eyes and muzzles on the target. Once the feet are in place, the gun can be mounted and shot taken. This will allow the body to swing the gun and rotate smoothly and on the right line. The shot should be taken in front or in line, which also allows you to take a second shot if the first one is unsuccessful.
Once the warm up and general assessment are done we can then move on to more specific targets for the client’s needs. These can be higher, faster, in among the trees for snap shooting, out in the open, when you see them coming from a long way off, or a mixture of all of these.