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Hartmann’s Hint #76: Cell Phones on the Field

 Etiquette #29

A few weeks ago I was creating a pamphlet for instructors that they might want to give their students, something in writing to help reinforce what they were teaching. I consider it a supplement to what the instructors are teaching.

One of the items that I included was a page with skeet shooting etiquette. After I had written as much as I thought should be in the pamphlet, I consulted with Chief Instructor Ralph Aaron on the pamphlet and its content.

Ralph made several comments and one of those is what this hint is about: Etiquette item number 29.

Several hints ago I listed the previous 28 items, and then I wrote more hints about several of those 28 etiquette items.

I consider etiquette as the second most important aspect of skeet shooting, coming in right after Safety, the most important aspect of skeet shooting.

The new etiquette item in my pamphlet, # 29, deals with technology, our cell phones. Almost everyone I know has a cell phone. Shooters who have cell phones need to turn them off before stepping on the skeet field, or, better yet, leave them someplace other than on the skeet field. There are not many things I can think of that are more annoying than having a phone ring as you’re about to call for your target, or someone having a phone conversation as you’re mentally preparing to take your turn. Please be considerate of your fellow shooters!

So, the next time you’re heading out to shoot, leave your phone somewhere other than on the field, or turn it off. Your calls should be able to wait until you and your squad have finished their rounds.

Stay safe,

Barry Hartmann

Barry Hartmann is an NSSA Master Level and NRA Certified shotgun instructor who teaches American skeet and wingshooting. You can contact Barry at threeat8@aol.com or 918-803-2393.

 

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Hartmann’s Hint #78: Visiting Various Shooting Venues

Visiting Various Shooting Venues

 

I have been lucky enough during the years that I’ve been shooting skeet to have shot at many venues. While these have all been great places to shoot, there are also some that had beautiful facilities.

Among these beautiful facilities is The Red Chute Shotgun Sports Club at Barksdale Air Force Base, Bossier City, Louisiana.  In fact, until I was able to shoot in Springfield, Missouri, at the Springfield Rod and Gun Club recently, I had considered Red Chute as the most beautiful venue that I had been to.

The Springfield Rod and Gun Club is located north of Highway 44.  It is located on 119 acres of forest with an area of what looks to me as over 20 cleared and mowed acres where the very nice club house and their skeet fields are located.  They have four fields. I shot on field 2.  The targets were outstanding and easy to see.

For several years I had heard about this club, but this was my first visit there. I only had time to shoot the 20 gauge, as I had booked four people for lessons the next day.  It was a 2 1/2-hour trip each way from the Tulsa area.

After seeing the Springfield club, I have to imagine there are many other venues that are just as beautiful that I just haven’t been able to visit yet.

The shoot was run like a well-oiled machine. Everything ran smoothly. The people were as friendly as any place I’ve shot.

I was treated as well as if  I had been a four-gun shooter. I got lost on the way to the club and called for directions.  Micah Gibbs, one of the gentlemen running the shoot, was more than helpful in getting me there.

I believe that everyone should visit all of the clubs within two or three hours of where they live. Maybe you’ll discover a hidden gem like the Springfield Rod and Gun Club. I will be going back.

Stay safe,

Barry Hartmann

Barry Hartmann is an NSSA Master Level and NRA Certified shotgun instructor who teaches American skeet and wingshooting. You can contact Barry at threeat8@aol.com or 918-803-2393.

 

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Hartmann’s Hints: Coaching Young Shooters

Coaching Young Shooters

 

Coaching young shooters is fulfilling by itself, but then you see these kids put it all together and start winning in registered events. When this happens we, the coaches and their parents, are all proud of them.

Recently the three primary coaches for our team shot a 5 X 50 event with two of our kids.

The coaches didn’t do well, but we were more than satisfied that the two kids did shoot well. Both of them shot scores that got them in shoot-offs.

One of them was the B class HOA champ after a shoot-off with several experienced shooters.

The other one was in a shoot-off for 20-gauge gun champ, and he outlasted his much higher-class competition to take the title. He also won HOA third during another shoot-off.

Working with the youth we’ve had in our group for the last 14 or 15 years has always been fulfilling, and some of these young shooters have shown that they have the skill and desire to compete and win in our shotgun sports.

If you want to coach young shooters, take either of the NSSA or NSCA Level 1 classes and learn how to properly coach and troubleshoot new shooters. It’s a great feeling to watch the youth learn and apply what you’re teaching them.

Stay safe,

Barry Hartmann

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Hartmann’s Hints: Shooting in Turn

Shooting in Turn

 
I was in a shoot-off with several others. The referee called our names and I was second from the last.

I knew the person that was last but not the shooter before me.  There were two people standing next to me, and I asked the one I didn’t know if he was up. He shook his head, no.

I made the assumption that he was just a spectator and wasn’t the shooter before me, that perhaps the shooter before me decided to skip the shoot-off. This was my mistake: I should have asked the referee who was next, but instead I shot my pair.

The referee then stopped me as I was walking over toward the next station and told me that, as I had shot out of turn, I had to shoot the pair again. I knew the rule, so I shot again and missed the second shot.

According to the rule, if you shoot out of turn, the shot(s) don’t count, and you must shoot again when it’s your turn.

My mind was on why the other shooter had told me ‘no’ instead of getting up to shoot.

There are always going to be distractions, and we have to learn to ignore or at least put them out of our minds so we don’t do what I did. Your complete attention has to be on what you’re doing at the time you’re doing it, not looking at or thinking about something else.

Stay safe,

Barry Hartmann

Barry Hartmann is an NSSA Master Level and NRA Certified shotgun instructor who teaches American skeet and wingshooting. You can contact Barry at threeat8@aol.com or 918-803-2393.

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Hartmann’s Hint #53: Too Many Instructors

Too Many Instructors

 

Today I was helping a man who is an A-class skeet shooter. He was using the same gun that he has shot some good scores with. He has recently started missing some shots that used to be easy for him. He had recently sought help from some other instructors and each of them had told him something a little different.

I asked the student if he had patterned his shotgun. He stated he had, and that it shot 50/50.

I furthermore asked him if he had patterned it from a steady rest; his answer was no, he had just stood there and shot at a piece of paper. I’m a firm believer in patterning all shotguns and doing so from a steady rest so the shooter has confidence in where the shot gun shoots. He will now be patterning his gun from a steady rest, and we’ll see if it has a more normal distribution.

The next thing I did was look at his gun mount and stance which looked reasonably good. What I did see was that he was mounting the gun relatively low on his shoulder, which made it possible for him to raise his head on some of his shots.

After that I looked at his eye alignment to his rib, and I noticed that he was looking at the back of the breach, so we raised his comb to better align his eyes with the rib.

I believe that he may have consulted too many instructors trying to solve his problem.

The point I’m trying to make is that he may have TOO MANY different people trying to help him. While all of them may have good intentions and may be able to help him in some way, they may also give conflicting information to the student, and they may miss the root cause(s) of his or her misses.

I believe that people seeking instruction on shotgun shooting should go to one, and only one, instructor until that instructor’s helpful knowledge limit is reached. After that, seek a higher level instructor and follow their instructions.

Stay safe,

Barry Hartmann

Barry Hartmann is an NSSA Master Level and NRA Certified shotgun instructor who can help you improve your skills at American Skeet and wingshooting. To contact Barry, email him at threeat8@aol.com or give him a call at (918)803-2393.