Ive herd a lot of different things on the range, people say to not close an eye and such. Is this true? Ive always instinctively closed an eye and covered the clay with the front sight and get it every time. Is it more of a keep eyes open and guess where your shots going? I don't get the logic, Ive done it both ways but just want to get info from people who do it often.
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Proper skeet/trap techniques
- Thread starter kx592
- Start date
I always shoot with both eyes open on shotguns / and handguns for that matter...
The idea with both eyes open / is you have a broader field of vision and better depth perception. But there are a lot of shooters that only have one eye / or choose to shoot with one eye closed.
The issue of covering a target / or not - depends on where your gun shoots in terms of point of impact. If you go to the pattern board / put in a full choke -shoot at a dot / and if the shot pattern smothers the dot - it means the guns hits where you look / and the pattern is probably 50/50 meaning 50% high and 50% low.
Many Trap shooter like to float the target over their rib / so they don't cover it completely - and they like to shoot a pattern on their guns that is 60/40 or even 70/30 meaning they are 70% high and 30% low - so they hit the bird as it floats / and as it rises up thru the shot column ...
On Skeet I like a gun that shoots 50/50 ....
Adjusting the point of impact / is why many of us have adj combs on our guns - so we can move that point of impact a little bit to suit what we're doing. My Trap guns are set 60/40 and I have dedicated Trap guns ...my Skeet, Sporting, bird hunting guns ( I shoot the same models ) are all set 50/50...
Hope that helps a little ...
The idea with both eyes open / is you have a broader field of vision and better depth perception. But there are a lot of shooters that only have one eye / or choose to shoot with one eye closed.
The issue of covering a target / or not - depends on where your gun shoots in terms of point of impact. If you go to the pattern board / put in a full choke -shoot at a dot / and if the shot pattern smothers the dot - it means the guns hits where you look / and the pattern is probably 50/50 meaning 50% high and 50% low.
Many Trap shooter like to float the target over their rib / so they don't cover it completely - and they like to shoot a pattern on their guns that is 60/40 or even 70/30 meaning they are 70% high and 30% low - so they hit the bird as it floats / and as it rises up thru the shot column ...
On Skeet I like a gun that shoots 50/50 ....
Adjusting the point of impact / is why many of us have adj combs on our guns - so we can move that point of impact a little bit to suit what we're doing. My Trap guns are set 60/40 and I have dedicated Trap guns ...my Skeet, Sporting, bird hunting guns ( I shoot the same models ) are all set 50/50...
Hope that helps a little ...
I have a buddy that only has vision in one eye / he lost vision in 2nd eye at about 5 yrs old as a kid ....but he is one of the best Skeet shooters around even at about 69 yrs old today .... and he was a nationally ranked downhill skier as a kid, he's a serious cyclist ... all with one eye ...
He whips my butt with only one eye all the time on a Skeet field ...
So try both / see what works best for you .... It can be done both ways..
Same thing on handguns / try it both ways ...
He whips my butt with only one eye all the time on a Skeet field ...
So try both / see what works best for you .... It can be done both ways..
Same thing on handguns / try it both ways ...
oneounceload
Moderator
Targets SHOULD be shot at using both eyes so you have depth perception and can see in your peripheral vision where the target is coming from. There are folks who, depending on the target, may opt to close one eye now and again. I see many do it with rabbit targets. I tend to more often than not, close my off eye just as I pull the trigger - but I use both to follow the bird before I fire
A very good question. In a perfect world it's best to shoot with both eyes open, I was taught to shoot that way by the military. With both eyes open you'll have a better chance of picking up the targets sooner. However, it can present dominance problems to some shooters. This seems to be more prevalent with skeet's crossing shots than with trap targets.
For me the problem occurred intermittently with Skeet's low-three target: While swinging on that long target, just as I was seeing my lead it would seem to take a jump, I'd correct my lead, and inevitability I'd miss. My squad mates would tell me I'd missed by a mile, but to me the lead had looked correct. What happened was my left eye had taken over. In a non-technical analysis, I felt my subconscious got bored tracking that long target and switched eyes as a diversion.
I'm not alone with this condition, other folks I've competed with in Skeet and trap describe the same problem. Having the targets seem to take a jump as they are being tracked is not uncommon. There's a simple solution, place a small spot of tape on the off eye lens of your shooting glasses -- about a half-inch in diameter and positioned so it prevents the off eye from seeing the muzzle. You may have noticed shooters with tape on one lens, now you know why. I tried the tape for several years and it worked successfully.
Another method is to close your off eye as soon as you pick-up the targets and track it with your gun eye only. This requires a conscious effort and you might forget with a problem target. I'm not sure what you do when shooting doubles. Obscuring the off eye is automatic.
Part of competitive shooting is continually fine tuning your technique in an attempt to shoot higher scores. This is especially important as you age and you eyesight and reflexes slowly change. For me it involved moving my hold point out and waiting a little longer before making my initial move on the long crossing targets. Having less time on those crossing targets cured the jumping target and I removed the tape. I guess my subconscious no longer had the time to get bored.
For me the problem occurred intermittently with Skeet's low-three target: While swinging on that long target, just as I was seeing my lead it would seem to take a jump, I'd correct my lead, and inevitability I'd miss. My squad mates would tell me I'd missed by a mile, but to me the lead had looked correct. What happened was my left eye had taken over. In a non-technical analysis, I felt my subconscious got bored tracking that long target and switched eyes as a diversion.
I'm not alone with this condition, other folks I've competed with in Skeet and trap describe the same problem. Having the targets seem to take a jump as they are being tracked is not uncommon. There's a simple solution, place a small spot of tape on the off eye lens of your shooting glasses -- about a half-inch in diameter and positioned so it prevents the off eye from seeing the muzzle. You may have noticed shooters with tape on one lens, now you know why. I tried the tape for several years and it worked successfully.
Another method is to close your off eye as soon as you pick-up the targets and track it with your gun eye only. This requires a conscious effort and you might forget with a problem target. I'm not sure what you do when shooting doubles. Obscuring the off eye is automatic.
Part of competitive shooting is continually fine tuning your technique in an attempt to shoot higher scores. This is especially important as you age and you eyesight and reflexes slowly change. For me it involved moving my hold point out and waiting a little longer before making my initial move on the long crossing targets. Having less time on those crossing targets cured the jumping target and I removed the tape. I guess my subconscious no longer had the time to get bored.
So its normal to close it when zeroing in on the target once identified? I should have clarified what I do, I start with gun in rest position and use both eyes to track the clay then when im ready to shoot i close left and squeeze.
So its really a personal preference? No tried and true fact of how to shoot?
So its really a personal preference? No tried and true fact of how to shoot?
oneounceload
Moderator
The PREFERRED method, as used by many champions is to use both eyes at all times - this assumes your dominant eye is on your shooting hand side.
Otherwise, whatever works for you. I have watched a few folks I shoot with that shoot with one eye closed - except they mount and start that way. In sporting with targets coming from extreme angles, that means they have closed off half of their vision, necessitating them to hold their gun back on the trap and then try to swing and catch up, instead of holding straight away. The result. oftentimes, is a miss.
Shooting targets requires gun movement, but too much movement can be as bad as no movement at all - hence the desire to use both eyes. it sounds like you're using both right up until trigger time (kinda what I said I tend to do) - if it works for you, no reason not to continue
Otherwise, whatever works for you. I have watched a few folks I shoot with that shoot with one eye closed - except they mount and start that way. In sporting with targets coming from extreme angles, that means they have closed off half of their vision, necessitating them to hold their gun back on the trap and then try to swing and catch up, instead of holding straight away. The result. oftentimes, is a miss.
Shooting targets requires gun movement, but too much movement can be as bad as no movement at all - hence the desire to use both eyes. it sounds like you're using both right up until trigger time (kinda what I said I tend to do) - if it works for you, no reason not to continue
+1 on oneounceload's recommendation with one caveat: Close your off eye a little before you actually pull the trigger. If you start closing your eye as you shoot, it may become a precursor to flinching. You want the act of pulling the trigger to be a single event in your muscle-memory. One thing at a time… acquire the target, close off eye, verify your lead, and pull the trigger.
Yes, if you can keep both eyes open. Not everyone can. For instance if you are right handed and have a left master eye it is not going to work for you unless you switch to being a left handed shooter. Same if your eyes are "centered" which is perfect for tennis but hell for shooting. Testing for master eye is easy. Just point at an obeject with both eyes open. Then close one at a time. If you are still pointing at it with your left eye closed then you have a right master eye which is how you want it if you are right handed. Centered eyes require someone that knows what they are doing to test.
We are fortunate in my state (Washington) to have one of the best instructors of shotgun shooting, especially when it comes to eyes. His name is Chuck Dryke and his son, Matt won a Gold Medal in skeet at the Olympics. He knows what is is talking about.
I had a girlfriend once that was ready to give up on shooting. Her shooting was inconsistent to say the least. He diagnosed her as having centered eyes and said all was not lost. She she had to become a one eye shooter. She did well after that. One has to work with with one has. There are great one eye shooters.
We are fortunate in my state (Washington) to have one of the best instructors of shotgun shooting, especially when it comes to eyes. His name is Chuck Dryke and his son, Matt won a Gold Medal in skeet at the Olympics. He knows what is is talking about.
I had a girlfriend once that was ready to give up on shooting. Her shooting was inconsistent to say the least. He diagnosed her as having centered eyes and said all was not lost. She she had to become a one eye shooter. She did well after that. One has to work with with one has. There are great one eye shooters.
I just completed a one day clinic with Mike McAlpine and he determined that I have "center vision". I.e. neither eye is clearly dominant all the time. What I have learned to do is start out with both eyes open, acquire the target, and then at the very last moment I wink my left eye shut just before triggering the shot. Not perfect, but so little is.