Has Sporting Clays Become Too Commercialized?

    As I was reading a book about how churches, clubs, and other groups have resorted to gimmicks and other advertising ploys to attract people, I realized Sporting Clays shooting has followed a similar path.  Does this sport exist for the shooters? Or does it exist for the gun and ammunition manufacturers, or shooting clubs, or sports clothing companies?  I would think that the shooter would be attracted to Sporting Clays for exercise, fellowship, competition, and mental relaxation.  So, what has happened?
    Magazines, computer chat groups and forum sites, and television programs are littered with people telling the shooter that he must shoot a certain gun, use a certain load, stand a certain way, wear certain clothes, and shoot at only certain sites.  What started out as a service to shooters has become a means for the above groups to make money without regard for the shooter.  Is it right to charge a fee to read some one's personal opinions about how to shoot "properly"?  Just as the church should exist for the people, sporting clays should exist for the shooters, not the other way around.

    So, how does a church, a club, or even a shooting sport continue to exist without creatively attracting new members?  Education is the answer.  In the case of Sporting Clays, the shooter must be provided with opportunities to learn how to mature in their shooting abilities and become a more effective shooter.  Let's face it, we might say that just shooting the gun is fun, (especially when we have a bad day) but, in reality, breaking the targets is the real goal we have in mind when we shoot. 

    A club could provide free shooting instructions, sporting guns demonstrations, reloading demonstrations, and shooting stations designed to be attractive to all shooters, not just the "master" shooters. These activities are not gimmicks because they are designed primarily to help the shooter, not some business.  Word of mouth expressed by satisfied, motivated shooters would increase the participants of the sport at local facilities.  Did you ever wonder why so many shooters participate for a short period of time and then quit?  They become frustrated because they feel they can't learn how to compete on their own.

    As a retired teacher and coach, I found one of the most difficult aspects of the learning process was to motivate the students to learn on their own time, not merely taking notes, going home, and then repeating the process daily.  Education increases success; success increases motivation; and motivation increases participation.   

    I hope you understand the meaning of my ramblings.  Do you agree that the basics of sporting clays as a true "sport" are being ignored and harmed by commercialization?

"My goal is to translate response into results. Some teachers teach for others to learn. That's not me. Some teachers teach for others to accomplish. That is me."
- Anonymous

Sporting Clays Can Be a Humbling Experience

    Have you ever been shooting Sporting Clays especially well only to fall flat on your face the next time out?  I missed 10-15 more birds than usual.  I wish I could pinpoint the reason(s) for my sudden fall.  I had developed a proven (or I though was proven) plan to follow each time I shot two rounds of Sporting Clays, regardless of the course.  I though I had finally reached a point of proper experience and knowledge to make me more consistent and therefore more "successful" in breaking those dastardly clay birds.  Being a retied science teacher, I felt a scientific approach was my best plan.

   Here was my plan:

• Shoot a 20 gauge the first round and a 16 gauge the second round. I reluctantly put my trusty 12 gauge Browning aside thinking I was reacting too much to the pre-conceived recoil of the larger bore gun.
• Use only improved cylinder chokes in the 20 gauge and mod and full chokes in the 16 gauge.  (The 16 gauge has fixed chokes) I felt I was depending too much on the choke restriction to hit the targets.
• Reload a slightly lower amount of powder (Unique powder) in each of the shells for the previously mentioned guns.  Again, I was worried about recovering in time for a second shot after the recoil of the first shot. (I'm a cheap person too!)
• Use 7 1/2 sized shot always.  I questioned if I was thinking too much about having different sized shot available for closer or more distant targets.
• Concentrate fully on pointing my lead foot to where I wanted to break the target and swung the gun half way back to the thrower.
•  Lift my head slightly to see the target first and placed the stock to my cheek only when I could see the moving target.  I thougt I was seeing the target too slowly and  was consistently shooting behind it.
• Shot at the leading edge of the target unless the target was a fast crosser.  Then I lead it no more than my perceived picture of a 12 inch ruler. (I like Math too)
• Lean into the shot before the target was thrown to minimize recoil effects and "poke and hope" shooting.

    My plan was to simplify my shooting, but I realize as I write this article that the plan was not really that easy.  The technique was easy for me to duplicate since some of it was pre-planned in the preparation of the guns and ammunition.  The plan worked very well until last weeks mis-adventure.  Now my confidence is at a low ebb and I am tempted to throw it all out and begin experimenting anew.

    I have thought long and hard about what caused my bad day.  Here are some reasons (or are they excuses?) I concluded.

• New contact lenses after a bout of pink eye.
• Less clothing on my shoulder.  It was a warmer day.
• Slightly different courses than I am accustomed to.
• Over-confidence.
• Lack of concentration!  I seemed to have a real problem with visualization and comfort that day.  I noticed I missed targets when I didn't plan where to shoot them properly.  I didn't watch the show birds well enough.  Brain block?
• When I stared missing, I had a tendency to ride the target and aim too much.  I did too much second guessing.

    Humm.....  I seem to have answered my own question.  The guns, ammunition, and chokes where the same as usual, not me!  I guess I should write the day off, relax, and look forward to shooting again next weekend.  (good luck doing that!) 

    What do you do when you have a bad shooting experience?  Any advice would be appreciated.  Load 'em up, shoot a lot, and have fun with Sporting Clays.

    From your humbled fellow shooter- Mark.

          Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin