Shoot it out!

Shoot until you no longer can think about it. Unfortunately the shell situation may be a hindrance. That is where a Terry Jordan chart would come in handy. No recoil is the biggest factor to help you get a smooth move and trigger pull. If you have developed a flinch, you will absolutely find that out the first few reps.

If no chart, and unlimited shells and funds, shoot 100 straight practice with only time enough to reload.

 

Agreed, shoot through it , dry fire practice, gun mount practice. Possibly loss of muscle memory, heavier clothing??

 

Interesting thing about clay target shooting...

Seems that the harder you try to make it happen, the worse your scores get.

Instead, concentrate on visual focus, a clear mind and proper fundamentals. Relax, don't try to "make" it happen, just "let" it happen.

Good Luck and Good Shooting!

 

Are you HAVING FUN?
Without having fun one miss becomees to many and drags you down.

These voice release systems can lead to MOVING the gun before the bird is seen. Have someone hand pull for you a no pull where you're found moving in sesrch of a no bird at all can be a real eye opener.

But work on the basics all the while just being there to have fun.

Shooting trap only for good scores is a grind worse than the worst job you ever had! So relax and enjoy.

Al

 

Slumps are a fact of life with most things, Golf, shooting etc, just have to keep at it and work your way through it, I found when my golf game went for crap I'd take a little break then hit the practice facility, work on the crappy part of my game until I got it back, shooting is much the same, shoot until it comes back and feels normal again

 

Probably some minor flaw in fundemantals or barrel awareness has crept in (common). Go over the most basic things in your mind (as if you were giving someone a lesson), or get an experience shooter or coach to watch you or film you, or borrow a shot cam. See if you can isolate your misses to a particular station or two.

 

Close your gun before the shooter to your left shoots, look out/focus where you want to break your target--while looking take a deep cleansing breath, mount your gun as it's your turn (don't look down ever) -- Believe you will center the target......don't be a cry baby when you miss.

 

Close your gun before the shooter to your left shoots, look out/focus where you want to break your target--while looking take a deep cleansing breath, mount your gun as it's your turn (don't look down ever) -- Believe you will center the target......don't be a cry baby when you miss.

Do not close your gun when the shooter before you calls for his target or after he calls for his target. If you must close your gun early do it when the shooter two stations before you shoots his gun.

 

Your posting this indicates you need to work on your mental game. You’ve done it before and know what it feels like.

If you think you can or can’t, you’re right.

Practice at home.... very detailed visualization of the entire shot process; the breeze, the sounds, the mount, slow motion target, smooth move, smoke ball..... do this every day..... detailed and exact, and feel the win. Focus hard on the process. Your scores will pop up quickly

 

"If you think you can or can’t, you’re right."
Henry Ford and its so true.

 

Painful fact but reality: the older you are, the worse you'll shoot and improvement to past level difficult/impossible to achieve. That's why there are Senior & Veteran categories with deteriorating average definitions. Get used to it...it's over. Have a nice day and enjoy each one.

 

I shot some pretty good scores back in the day. Then I got older and things started hurting with age. Now I just shoot because I enjoy the game. Sometimes it is what it is. So don't think about it just go shoot. Works for me

 

When was the last time you patterned your gun? Make sure it is still shooting where you are looking. I just broke out of a little slump. Mid-round, I mounted the gun and saw a sight picture that I was not seeing. It was the "light bulb" moment. Not shooting as much over the winter, complacency, I don't know - but basically I was mounting the gun slightly lower on my shoulder. This effectively raised my POI. Ensuring a proper mount - I broke 23, 23, 25 in a fairly stout wind last night at practice. Back to getting solid breaks.

Put the gun on paper, reinforce the sight picture you need to see, then focus on the target and get back to breaking good scores!

 

I would go back to basics.
Foot placement, Gun mount, Hold point, Soft Focus, Key Phrase.
Make sure you are doing the little things right.
Don't worry about the scores they will come back.

Its All Good
West

 

I would go back to basics.
Foot placement, Gun mount, Hold point, Soft Focus, Key Phrase.
Make sure you are doing the little things right.
Don't worry about the scores they will come back.

Its All Good
West

100% in agreement with you. If scores go down, go back to the basics and figure out the problem. Also, advise from the experienced shooter in the club may help.

 

In a slump?? Buy a new gun! It has always worked for me. Job slump, get a new job. Car slump, get a new car. Wife slump, get a new girlfriend.

 

Gin and tonic

 

Gin on your cheeks and tonic for your hair.

 

More of a bourbon man, myself.

 

When I've found myself in a slump, it's usually because I've gotten lazy or just plain disregarded a fundamental somewhere. So I go back to the basics. Make sure you're looking down the rib correctly and adjust your comb if need be. (This was my problem recently since I've lost a good bit of weight and my cheek doesn't have as much natural padding, so my eye wasn't in line with the rib, but since you normally don't look directly at the rib, I wasn't noticing how bad it had gotten. Had to move my comb in and up.) Check your stance and get your feet positioned how you really like them. Make sure the gun is in your shoulder correctly. (This was another issue I had with weight loss.) Make sure your hold points and focus points are where you want them. Make sure you're not moving before you see the bird. (You can practice this by having a friend purposely slow-pull you.)

So just keep shooting, but make sure you're shooting the correct way.

 

Maybe you should just quit shooting and take up some sport that’s not as hard, like golf or tennis.

 

Don't forget chess...if you can find a willing opponent.

 

Your problem can be solved in two simple words....."STOP IT.".....Your Welcome.

 

Take a break and don't shoot for awhile or get a new gun.

 

Do both, take a break then get a new gun for a fresh start 🤣 🤣

 

Ha. There you have it, fuggeddabout the shooting and start drinking! Start off early and heavily, soon nothing else will matter.

 

I don't want to hijack the thread, but the majority of shooters at our small club and especially the over 65yr olds will pitch a fit and even remove a shooter from the line if he/she consistently closes their gun prior to their turn. Closing your gun when the second shooter to your left shoots...fugetttaboutittt...

 

I've always done it that way to help me focus. Never had anyone say a word.

 

Would using a shotkam uncover the problem? I don't have one yet, but sure have the
ongoing slump. So am asking what shooters think.

 

No. The best solution to a slump is to start over and return to the fundamentals of trap. Shooting a gun that fits. Shooting a gun that puts the charge where you look. Proper stance for the station. Proper gun mount. Head on the stock. Proper eye look. Be READY for the target before your call. Look for and see the target before moving to the target. When your gun gets to the target shoot the target. Aiming isn’t necessary. Follow through. ( follow through isn’t an exaggerated moving of the shotgun along the flight path. It is keeping your head on the stock until the target breaks ).

Fundamentals. Basics. Know where your gun shoots. Go to the pattern board.

 

Get your eyes checked. Are you really seeing the target?

 

The optimal strategy to break a slump is adopting a long-term improvement mindset rather than fixating on short-term stats. Approach technique and mechanics issues calmly.

 

stop thinking, start shooting