Pro tips to help young clay shooters take aim before they jump the gun

Eli Christman, a member of the Soddy Daisy Scholastic Clays, gets in position to shoot.
Eli Christman, a member of the Soddy Daisy Scholastic Clays, gets in position to shoot.
photo Eli Christman

The first time Eli Christman tried clay shooting, he felt like he had no idea what he was doing. Now, four years later, the 18-year-old has won multiple state skeet titles and found a hobby that will serve him for a lifetime.

Clay pigeon shooting is a great way to help kids - and parents - enjoy the outdoors. The sport requires concentration, self-control and discipline, but with enough time, anyone can master it. Just ask Christman.

Though the Soddy-Daisy High School senior started shooting at age 14, as opposed to the many who start at middle-school age or younger, he is already halfway to Master Class, the highest class a sporting clays shooter can reach.

His secret?

"I practice morning and night," Christman says.

In addition to his time shooting outdoors, Christman practices his gun mount - the form to raise a weapon into position - with a DryFire Simulator for 15 minutes before school and 15 minutes before bed. The practice has not only helped him excel at the 40-plus tournaments he attends each year, it has also helped him earn full scholarships to five different colleges.

"It's a smaller world versus football or baseball," Christman says in regards to those hoping to skeet shoot in college, "[but] there is money out there to go to school."

Those dollars still only come to those who truly love the game, he adds.

"You have to be very serious about it and really want to be there and want to help [your team]," Christman says. "It's the same thing as any other sport."

Whether your child is interested in building discipline, getting scholarships or just blasting a clay bird 15 feet out of the air, here are a few pro tips to get you started on your new hobby this new year.

DryFire Simulator

Beginning gear for clay shooting is not hard to come by. You can rent a shotgun, and most safety goggles and ear plugs should suffice. But if you really want to up your game, consider investing in the DryFire Simulator. The video-game-like technology projects a laser onto a wall to simulate a clay pigeon, while the shooter, standing 8-12 feet away, aims and fires at the target using an infrared laser that mounts easily in the muzzle of your firearm. The system provides feedback on why a target was hit or missed, and includes a slow-motion speed to help newbies learn faster. Find out more at dryfireUS.com.

Pro tip: There are several less expensive ways to practice mounting your gun, Christman says. Try tracing your gun-mounted laser pointer along your home's ceiling line or crown molding. Then try to do that immediately after mounting your gun from its loading position to your shoulder, and finally, vary your tracing speed and direction (left vs. right). To practice proper mounting form, trace the vertical line where two walls meet as you raise your gun.

Disciplines

Trap: A clay pigeon is fired away from the shooter from a single stationary position in from of him or her.

Skeet: Clay pigeons are fired at an angle from a high and low tower at the shooter's left and right.

Sporting clays: Clay pigeons are fired from hidden positions as the shooter moves from station to station. The setup is made to mimic shooting in the wild.

Pro tip: Before you start any discipline, take a lesson or talk to an experienced shooter who can give you tips, Christman recommends. This will prevent you from starting to make bad mounting or shooting habits.

Where to Shoot

One of the closest (and best) places to start shooting is Montlake Classic Clays. Located just 30 minutes from Chattanooga for more than 40 years, the club offers a variety of shooting options and courses, as well as lessons to get anyone started. Children under age 18 are allowed access with adult supervision.

Pro tip: Start at station 7, Christman says. With no complex angles, it is typically regarded as the easiest of Montlake's 14 stations.

Gun Safety

While some parents may fear the thought of a weapon in their child's hands, clay shooting gives kids a healthy respect for firearms by teaching them the rules of firearm safety, which they are required to learn before they shoot. This safety education will teach kids that, even though shooting is a recreational sport, guns are not toys - both on the field and off. Some safety tips from the National Shooting Sports Foundation include:

- Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

- Always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

- Never touch the trigger on a firearm until you intend to shoot.

- Know what lies beyond your target before you shoot.

- Keep your firearm unloaded when not in use.

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