Skeet shooting is a sport that many enjoy, but, often, it can be more than enjoyment. Many people have gone on to compete in skeet shooting contests for prizes and even money. Whether you enjoy skeet shooting for the fun or if you shoot competitively, you can always work on your shooting accuracy. There are a variety of things you can do to improve your skeet shooting that can help you be number one at your next competition. Following are 10 tips that you can use to make your skeet shooting the best it has ever been.
1. Get the Right Equipment – When you are skeet shooting, having the right equipment is of utmost importance. You will want to make sure that you gun fits you right and that it feels right to you, as well. If you are uncomfortable with your gun and how it fits and feels, this will affect your shooting accuracy. Other equipment that may help you includes ear protection, so the noise will not startle you and a hat to keep the sun out of your eyes.
2. Find a Comfortable Mount Position – Some people choose to mount the gun high and close to the body, while others choose to keep the gun low and away from their body. If you are shooting skeet in international competitions, you will be required to do the low mount, but, otherwise, you can usually choose the position you want. Find which position is the most comfortable and use it for the best accuracy while shooting.
3. Body Position – Your body’s position is just as important as the position of the gun when you are skeet shooting. Make sure that you have a firm stance and place your feet about a shoulder’s width apart to get the best position. This will keep you from losing your balance and will help keep your muscles from tightening or tensing at the wrong time and jerking your shot off.
4. Breathe – When you are shooting, make sure that you breathe and relax before your shot to maintain your body’s relaxation. As you walk from place to place, be sure to keep breathing and make sure you are not holding your breath.
5. Point the Gun – It is very helpful if you point your gun in the direction that the target will be. Getting your gun and your body in position for the next shot is very important. If you are already pointing your gun in the direction of the next target you will be ready to make an accurate and quick shot.
6. Focus on the Target – It is important that you focus on the target you are shooting at instead of on the barrel of the gun. Focusing on the target will insure a more accurate shot since you are focusing on what you are actually shooting at.
7. Make a Decision – If you are shooting pairs, you may want to decide which target you are going to shoot first. Making this decision ahead of time is important so you will not have to think about it and miss the shot while you are thinking.
8. Mirror Practice – To get your swing and mount right, you can practice this move in front of the mirror. A smooth, quick swing and mount will enable you to be more accurate. When you practice in front of a mirror, you can check your body position and make sure that you are keeping your body straight.
9. Make a Change – If you are having a time when you are consistently missing the targets, you should make a change in what you are doing. You can change the position of your feet or your mount position to try to correct the problem.
10. Practice – One of the very best things you can do to become more accurate at skeet shooting is to practice. Practice every part of the skeet shooting process from your stance to your swing and your final shot. The more you practice and become comfortable with the process, the better you will do.
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i just started skeet shooting and i enjoy the sport very much ;
i find it easy to shoot doubles then singles i think that i get to inxious shoot and end up shooting behide .
and i also find my self not shooting consistency as far as mounting the
the gun and shooting with both eyes open any tips
thanks for help
It sounds like you may need to practice your follow through. You may be stopping the gun as you pull the trigger. The target moves on and the shot arrives where you were aiming originally. It’s a common fault in many sports and needs some practice to overcome. In a way it’s like working against your instincts.
I am 3,688 weeks old and am proud to be able to assist in a very small 4H shooting sports program. I picked up a used 870 and started shooting again after a 30 year layoff. I would appreciate any guidance to obtain good video (DVD) for training these young shooters. I have always been a better instructor than dooer. i.e. my son shoots par golf and I still have trouble breaking 90. I just want good info to pass on to the kids. Bad habits are hard to break and I don’t want to pass on my bad habits. Thanks
Hi Carl. I guess that makes you around 70 but its an interesting way of looking at your age. Its good to see your still shooting away. I’ve always said it’s a sport for any age.
As for a good DVD, there’s always Amazon. They have this one but I have to admit I have not watched it. I’ll see if I can turn something up with a few recommendations from other.
I’ve been shooting all my life at wild game ,skeet, or sporting clays.
I have to tell you, nothing I’ve experienced matches the excitement I’ve seem in my 14 year old’s eyes the first time he broke a target which may I say, was only a few weeks ago. It has not been that I haven’t asked him to go, he would come and watch me all the time. I don’t know what has come over him to take to the sport of sheet but, I am truly thankful that we have found COMMON GROUND!!!
I forgot to state my age. I’m 42 .
Hi Jerry,
That’s great. I think it always good to find sports that you can share with your kids. It was my dad who got me into hunting and skeet and we spent a lot of time together. In fact, now that he has gotten into his later years he is not so keen on hunting and I spend less time on it as well as a result. The good news is you’ve got quite a few years ahead of you yet.
I’ve been hunting all my life and I’m 53 years old now. I was asked this year to join a skeet league which I’m really enjoying. I’ve never shot Skeet, Trap, or any other type shooting events. We started 5 weeks ago and only breaking 9 to 13 clay targets. But after reading the Ten Tips To Improve Your Skeet Shooting, watching Expert Village.com and getting tips from the guys on our team I consistantly break between 18 to 23 clay targets. But what really helps is the practice rounds we shoot during the week. So anyone looking for good shooting tips check out Expert Village.com you won’t regret it. One other important tip is remove the Modified choke (for hunting) and replace it with a Skeet choke
I am 16 years old. I have been shooting ever since I was 8 years old in the 3rd grade. I guess shooting competitively just came naturally to me. I am in Texas 4-H shooting sports. I am the Pres. of my club have been for 4 years. I am a member of two clubs, the NSSA, NSCA and 4-H. I am in the TOP 5 ALL-AMERICAN in 4-H also a Texas State Ambassador. And I am working towards the Texas State team and then later on USA Shooting. But, even after all the shooting I have done and all the awards and places I’ve gotten I still find faults. Practice makes perfect and if you don’t get enough of it further and further away from perfect you will drift. I find myself very inconsistent when it comes to shooting Skeet. One day ill shoot a 75/75 and then the next day ill shoot a 65/75. The only thing wrong is I cant seem to figure out what my problem is. Also need some tips on how to control being very nervous and missing targets.
I am 19 years old and I shoot competitively for my college. Although I have hunted all my life, I didnt become serious in trap and skeet until I went to college. I plan on shooting at nationals in San Antonio next spring but I have trouble hitting the high house on station 5 and sometimes station 6. I think this may have something to do with my foot placement. Any suggestions? This may help me get that perfect 25 ive been after! Thanks.
Also on tip #7, ive been told that on doubles it is required to pick the bird that is moving away from you otherwise you will be penalized.
Hi, I am 31 years old , and I am practicing skeet shooting , I have a problem that I always close my left eye and aim , I break targets with this . On the other hand , when I open my two eyes - as my trainers advice- I miss. Any advice?
i started skeet shooting last year iv done it like five times and now i can hit anything you toss up
My name is Phoenix. I have been skeet shooting for a few years now and love it. What I like most about the sport is that I am a pacifist, and I really like firearems. So when I shoot skeet, I’m not shooting animals.
Also, as a tip, try to use the bead at the end of the barrel as a reference point, only. And don’t forget to compensate for lead.
Karim,
Let me start out with me saying that you mentioned that you break targets with a single eye. If you shot 75/75 that way… don’t change a thing, you’re technique is working for you. The fact that you have an instructor leads me to believe that you aren’t (then again, neither am I).
One possibility is that you may very well have a dominant eye problem. Most people assume that if they are right handed, that they are also right-eye dominant. An olympic archery hopeful girlfriend in college and my current wife are excellent examples of this not being true (and no, I’m not suggesting we should date).
Try this, point your finger at some distant object (20 or so feet away is fine), make sure you arm is fully outstreched (your finger is as far away from your eyes as possible. A doornob or the top of a lamp works fine. Now, with both eyes open, focus on the distant object (not your finger). Now close your left eye… is your finger still pointing at the doornob? No? Well, congratulations, you are left-eye dominant. If your finger is still dead on the doornob, you are right eye dominant.
It’s a brain thing and you aren’t going to train it out. What you should be doing is making sure that you are shouldering your shotgun on the side of your dominant eye. If you are left eye dominant.. shoulder on the left.. then whether you view targets with both eyes or one… you should be fine.
Shotgunning with both eyes open is correct. Rifleman aim, shotgunners point. Shotgunning is much more instinctive, if you are taking the time to aim at the clay… you are going to be slow and will miss behind many more times than you will hit - 3 seconds is not a long time.
Other than a dominant eye problem, it could be a fit issue with the gun. With one eye closed you may be making sure that you are staring straight down the top of the rail and keeping your head down (staying “on the gun”), with both eyes open, you may be pulling your head-up, or placing a poor mount and not noticing. Practice you mounts. I use the base of a tree branch, others use the top corners of the rooms in their houses. The idea being that, with both eyes open, you use the branch or corner as the break point. Work back from it ( I sure hope your instructor at least taught you that). As you simulate a clay being thrown.. move your head, upper body and the gun towards the break-point. The gun should come up and meet your head while maintaining the lead you want until you feel like the shot is “made”. Bang, break, move on.
If you are closing an eye and aiming, you will take longer to acquire the target (point at which you start maintaining your lead) and I would think re-adjusting for doubles may suffer.
If none of this is helpful, I haven’t helped you any more than your instructor… but at least I didn’t charge you. I wish you the best with your shooting.
Don’t you basterds delete this. I’m sorry. Just all these vietnam memories hauntin me ya know. You know what I sayin nigga. We from the treehouse.
I’m going skeet shooting for the first time tomorrow. I typed “skeet shooting tips” and this was the first article I found and definitely the best. I’ll keep these things in mind tomorrow. I have a 12 gauge and a 30-30. My friend says I can’t shoot my 30-30. Is that right?
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