Sporting Clays Ramblings: 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!)