It doesn’t take a sporting clays course or skeet field to sharpen your shotgun game.
Plus, it’s not a bad way to spend a summer afternoon.
The Hard Crosser With your friend standing 40 yards downrange, and safely to one side, have him hurl a clay left to right as hard as he can.
Vary the heights.
When you start breaking them, move on to doubles if you have a two-clay chucker.
Crossing Away Just like the hardest station on the skeet field, station 2, ducks love to bomb into the decoys over a shooter’s shoulder.
Passing Ducks Position the thrower directly behind you, elevated on a hill or picnic table if possible.
With more than one buddy and thrower, try multiple clays fast and furious, just like a flock of passing ducks.
Decoying Ducks Have the thrower send targets toward you from a safe angle so they hit the ground about 20 yards out front.
If you have a small pond to practice over, all the better.
It doesn’t take a sporting clays course or skeet field to sharpen your shotgun game. With a buddy, a hand thrower, and a case of clays you can easily mimic common field shots and get in gunning shape for waterfowl season. Plus, it’s not a bad way to spend a summer afternoon.
Four training exercises to up your shotgunning game.
1. The Hard Crosser
With your friend standing 40 yards downrange, and safely to one side, have him hurl a clay left to right as hard as he can. Vary the heights. When you start breaking them, move on to doubles if you have a two-clay chucker. Repeat with right-to-left crossers.
