Confidence is key

Back in the late eighties, I was invited by my friend Tim to shoot some rounds of skeet. Shooting clays was unfamiliar to me, and I could tell I gave off a Happy Gilmore vibe. Unlike me, others at the club were dressed in the latest shooting attire and had their designated skeet guns. My only saving grace was having my 20-gauge side-by-side with me. My newbie status was quite evident, as even before I began, I was being offered instructions on how to shoot. As is typical for clay shooters, I was being taught how to hold my gun up against my shoulder and ready my barrel in front of the skeet house. This was to anticipate the proper lead of the clay as it emerged into flight, something as a bird hunter I had never done. Having confidence I’ll never forget those first two embarrassing rounds I had that morning of seven and eight out of 25. When we had lunch, Tim was puzzled and said, “I’ve seen you shoot birds; what’s going on?” I was a little overwhelmed with the situation and, most importantly, overthinking everything. Back at it after lunch, I was more relaxed as I stood at the line, but this time, I was holding my gun tucked just below my armpit the same way I would if one of my dogs was on point. I then uttered the word “Pull.” The clay machine operator said, “You’re not ready.” Turning to look at him, I said, “I am. Pull.” I heard the clang of the machine, turned, raised my gun, swung on the clay simultaneously, and smoked it. After all these years, I can’t remember my exact score on those last two rounds, but I know it was significantly better, somewhere in the 18 to 20 range. Not anywhere near expert status, but I felt redeemed without a doubt. Robert Churchill wrote Game Shooting – A Textbook on the Successful Use of the Modern Shotgun, published in 1955. In it, he broke down his philoso­phy on shotgunning for game birds into specifics: acquiring the target with your hand and eyes, gun mount including movement, and what I think is most often forgotten, having confidence in your­self and your abilities to allow your subconscious mind, not your conscious thought, to direct your shot. This last part holds my fascination and what I think affected me that