Richard L Marshall JR.
Captain Men’s All-American Team

JUST A FEW TIPS FOR NEW SHOOTERS

From time to time I get new shooters ask me how to get started. I would like to share with you, a few important things I think you need or need to do to get started. These are the basics to begin, more details later, but for now… lets get started.

The first thing you should do when getting into shooting is finding a gun that works for you and is reasonably comfortable. When selecting a gun, you should find an experienced shooter whom you trust knows how a gun should fit correctly. By this I mean make sure it is not to heavy or to light. Make sure the barrel and stock are not to long or to short for your style of shooting. Once you have a gun that fits, make sure it shoots where you are looking, not to high and not to low. When it shoots where you are looking, there will be no reason to guess where the shot pattern will travel.

The experienced shooter you trust can help you with the basics of shooting. This person will help you find out first if you are left or right eye dominant. If you are a one or two eyed shooter. Then figure out what is comfortable for you, how to stand on each post, were to hold the gun on the house, how high above the house you should hold, also, were to look for the target and how to focus and concentrate. You should be comfortable when you move to each target. Read, listen, experiment, practice and develop a style that incorporates the basics. You are going to refer back to the basics throughout your lifetime of shooting.

After you get a gun that fits you correctly, you have found out if you’re a one or two-eyed shooter, and you have learned the basics, you need to shoot practice. Shooting practice will help you if done correctly. Don’t get frustrated when practicing; this is a time to work on things with which you’re having trouble. In my opinion, you should shoot practice before the first event of each day to get loosened up. That’s what I would do when I first started shooting. When you practice listen to the person whom you trust, not 10-20 different people. That’s the thing in this sport, everybody is willing to help you and everybody has a different opinion, so with 10-20 different opinions, you will be confused on what’s the right way to shoot. Everybody has there own style of shooting.

You should set some goals to achieve in shooting, so you have something to work towards. Weather it is to break 25,50,75 or 100 straight; make AAA-27-AAA status, or making it to the 27-yard line. Whatever goals you set, work hard at achieving them!

Remember Practice Practice Practice this will help you to achieve every goal you set.

Also remember, shoot one bird at a time, the last target is gone whether dead or not and there is nothing you can do about it, don’t get mad, and have fun!!!!!!!