NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1264601
28 Nebraskaland • July 2020 Also, kids change their shoes every six months, and the same goes for their gun. Kids grow rapidly, and their body mass and muscles are changing. You need to readjust the gun to the shooter as he or she grows. Do a gun check and gun fi tting every six months, especially for youth shooters. For women, we say they gain muscle. For men – well, we get fat. Any tips for the female shooter? SR: Every female shooter should look up the biography of Annie Oakley and study it. That lady paved the road for every woman in this world. She destroyed the men in her class and was the best of the best. In my years of teaching, I've found that women are typically better operators. They can process better. They are more detailed, and they listen. The world's best shot [Frank E. Butler] went up against Annie Oakley and failed. He ended up marrying her. This is good inspiration for the new female shooter. They have more than hope – they have someone who has already done it. How does gun fi t translate to success in the fi eld? SR: Stop wasting shells and get your gun fi tted. That's my slogan. Always pattern your gun. Then get shooting lessons, which you shouldn't take as a joke. I've hunted big game and small game – I love all of it. I always teach people that it isn't the thrill of the kill. I don't want them to think about volume. I want them to think it's a one-shot gun. One shot, one kill. It shouldn't take three shots. Make it clean. Shooting Instructor: Greg Preston What is the No. 1 problem you see with hunters who don't spend enough time shooting before the season? GP: Hunters who don't spend time shooting in the off - season are not fl uent and comfortable with their shotguns during the hunting season. It's like any other sport – practice is what makes a good wing shooter. Shooting sporting clays, such as trap and skeet, and making sure you learn good shooting fundamentals is one of the best ways to become a good bird shooter. What are other mistakes? GP: Another mistake I see in the fi eld is that a lot of people rush the shot. Take that split second to adjust your feet and get to the leading edge of the bird. Take the time to make a good mount with your gun, which will help you get into a position where you will have plenty of swing and follow through to make a good kill shot. In what ways can practicing at the range translate to more success in the fi eld? GP: As a hunter, shooting sporting clays is a game that was designed to help and improve the shooting skills of hunters in the fi eld. Sporting clays will help you become smooth and comfortable with a shotgun. It will also help you understand foot positioning when shooting targets at diff erent angles – whether it be a clay target or a live bird. The game will also help a person develop a good mount and a good follow through, which is crucial in bird hunting. As a shooting coach, what's the fi rst thing you work on with a new student? GP: With a new student, I always discuss safety fi rst, and then I check to see if they are right- or left-eye dominant. Gun fi t is also important. A lot of people try to shoot a shotgun like a rifl e with one eye open. It's always best to have both eyes open when shooting a shotgun. To warm up, take advantage of shooting clay targets before a bird hunt. If available, hunting guides will often be more than happy to off er instruction.