Station 1

By Ed Scherer

and it is something this writer learned

from our sporting clays friends. They hold Station 1
High House Low House
a lower muzzle and actually come up on (incomer)
(incomer)
the bird as shot is fired. Observe some of
the top notchers in skeet who hold lower
muzzles and you will note coming up on
a target has one great advantage. The bird
never drops out of sight below their barrel.
John Bidwell, the great British
sporting clays gunner and coach, wrote
about coming up on outgoing targets in
the Sporting Clays Magazine and he has
my curiosity aroused. On a windy day, it
Right at it 6” Lead
will pay off so give it a try. It works for this
Ed Scherer was a popular columnist on writer.
instruction for Skeet Shooting Review during break the single the same place as the first

A
the 1980s and 1990s. He passed away in 1995. nytime your muzzle is higher shot in doubles. We tend to rush the first
The following is a print from December 1990. than a 45 degree angle with shot in doubles.
His complete series of articles, station by sta- the ground on the high Head must be
tion, can be found at mynssa.com. ones, it is too high. frozen on the comb as
If there is a tail wind
Observe some of the shot is fired. This
pushing the target the top notchers is a very unforgiving
down, it will disappear in skeet who hold shot as there is little

L ooking at the sky above your

front sights is the key to hitting
high one. This allows you to see the de-
under your muzzle and
that’s when the head
comes off the stock to
lower muzzles and muzzle movement and
that could spell trouble.
you will note coming Pull the trigger, count
parting bird sooner. Should you be look- see where the target has up on a target has one second by saying
ing at the front sight instead, it will take gone. A lifted head will one great advantage. “one thousand one” and
you longer to pull the trigger, and it could cause you to shoot over then take head off stock
cause a miss. Ophthalmologist I have the departing target.
The bird never drops as you dismount. That
taught agree that eyes focused at infinity What is a good out of sight... little trick will win you
(the sky) see the departing bird quicker angle to hold the many a championship
than if eyes are focused on the front sight. muzzle? I’d say 30 and it works on other
So, rule number one on high one is to look degrees above level of the ground at high skeet stations too. If you can’t freeze your
above the barrel. Above means four inches one is correct. head on the stock as the gun fires, the gun
higher than your front sight. There is a spot five yards before the recoils too much and you’d better solve
Where to point the muzzle is the target crossing point that seems to be the that problem soon.
next consideration. Some shooters prefer a best place to break high one. Have a friend
higher muzzle and just as trigger is pulled,
there is a slight downward movement of
the gun. Another method may be applied
watch as you shoot, having that person
stand to the right of Station 2 and tell you
where you broke the target. Be sure to
L ow one is my testing ground for
an eye check. If you are a one-
eyed shooter and are trying to keep both

28 S S R
open, the shot will be missed as you will parting high house, using a slightly higher slightly bent with no more than 60 percent
be way ahead. Cut it back, cut it back, cut muzzle. You will probably need another of your weight on the front foot, please. If
it back. With that second eye open, it will box of shells to complete the test as to you will have your navel looking right into
amaze you at the small lead. A constant which muzzle height to use but think of it the low house and your left foot pointing
lead no wider than the this way. You are exploring where you would like to break the target,
target itself is all that is That little exer- a new and better way to you will be in good shape if you are a
needed. On the single, I’d break the target (maybe) right-handed shooter.
like to see you break it half
cise will simulate and if moving up on the A left-handed shooter should have
way between Station 8 and targets with a tail bird is better, then perhaps his navel facing out towards the fields
the high house. On the sec- wind or a strong this is the way to go. If where the target lands 90 degrees to the
ond shot in doubles, take you are one who has been left of where the right handed shooter has
southerly head
it just a little later, but cut coming up on the depart- his navel pointed. The right foot and toes
that lead back even further wind. ing high one, maybe you of a left handed shooter should be point-
as the target has slowed should leave well enough ing toward the breaking spot.
up. If you are a right-handed shooter with alone. My chief concern is for the person, Do you have a white knuckle grip
both eyes open and if the left eye is the your writer included, who for years has on the forearm? I’d like to see you loosen
master or dominant eye, you will continue held a fairly high muzzle and has come up that grip, ensuring a smoother swing.
to miss shooting ahead. The only solution down on the target as shot is fired. These Remember, in skeet the swing is the thing.
is to patch the left eye, switch shoulders, or shooters seem to have more problems on
close the left eye on firing. Low one is also the irregular targets. This concludes the reprint of Ed’s series on shooting
the targets by each station. Articles may be found
tricky under the lights as night targets are on mynssa.com.
black underneath, making them difficult
to see. L et’s check foot position on
Station 1. Feet should never
Other shots are not affected as much be more than a foot apart, the front knee
as high one if the target height is incorrect.
It is important target height be checked
before starting the round of skeet. Ask the
club to “hoop” the target before start-
ing to assure a target with proper height.
Nothing is more devastating than practic-
ing a higher than normal high one shot at
your home club and then arrive on sight
and shoot a lower target. With a higher
high one, the muzzle is invariably moved
up also, adding to your woes as the lower
target emerges.

D o this for a starter. Get a

practice field of your own and
with a friend in the high house, shoot two
boxes of shells on the departing high one
target, but between shots have your friend
vary the height of the high house target.
That little exercise will simulate targets
with a tail wind or a strong southerly head
wind. One will be up, the other down but
practicing and hitting those irregular high
house one targets gives confidence to hit
any high house thrown. I think you will
find that coming up on that target works,
as target is never below your barrel.
Now try coming down on that de-

july 2010 29