I had a shooting lesson with a young lady who had very little experience with wingshooting this week. It set me thinking about the proper order to start a new shooter off on the right foot. I’m working on a story on the subject. Any comments or suggestions?
1. Check for dominant eye
2. Build the shooters gun mount
3. Using a mirror, check gun fit
4. Explain the importance and demonstrate proper stance
5. Fire POA shots on a board to see if the shooter has a concept of pointing
6. For first shots on a flying target, chose an easy going away target with a long hang time before the target begins to fall
As the shooter begins to shoot at his first targets:
7. Explain how a broad awareness of the area the target will appear in shifts to tight focus on the target when it appears.
8. Explain that the focus should be on the target with the barrels in peripheral
9. Explain the concept of follow through
10. Explain the fundamentals of lead and how to begin to estimate it
11. Begin moving the shooter further (right and left) from the trap to demonstrate changes in lead.
12. I try to end the session with a series of confidence building targets and try to let the last target be a broken target.
Lots of good ideas above. My only comment would be that major emphasis about basic gun safety should be number 1.
