High 1 - shouldn't it be easier

BPGuy · **Posted:** Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:42 pm

I have had some problems with that one myself lately. For me, at least, the answer came in two parts:

1. I lowered my hold point just a bit. I find that if the target gets to my barrel, it's as good as lost. The lower hold point gives me a bit more time.

2. I remind myself "SEE THE BIRD" right before I call for it. Of course, we all "see" it, but I'm reminding myself to focus HARD on the bird and see it CLEARLY. When I do so, the gun almost seems to magically crush the bird all by itself.

Sprinter · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:59 am

After my first modern skeet competition (where the thrower oscillates) I learned a valuable lesson on High 1. Until then I rarely if ever missed H1. But with the thrower spitting them out real high or real low or in between I missed a few. When the comp was over (I came in third) an instructor came over and gave me a tip. He had me hold the gun a bit higher than I was used to. He said you never want to have to bring the gun up and then down for H1... only down. That , and shooting for the "feet" has been a great help in regular skeet as well.

EyeMissum · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:09 am

Sprinter wrote:

you never want to have to bring the gun up and then down for H1... only down. That , and shooting for the "feet" has been a great help in regular skeet as well.

I never want to have to bring the gun down for H1, unless its caused by wind or something causing the target to get below my barrel. I'd rather come up to the target any day, or have the target come to the barrel.

Normally I let the target come to my barrel. Most of the time, notice, I said most of the time, my barrel doesn't move on a H1 target.

Burnt Powder · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:25 pm

I find it interesting how one person swears you have to hold the gun high and bring it down to break it. The next guy wants it low and bring it up to break it. I like it pointed over the center stake just about 12' above the ground. When I see the rock it is already just about a, well, I don't rightly know how much gap there is between the barrel and the rock, but I know if there isn't any daylight there it is scored LOST!. You have to lead Hi 1 just like any other rock. to do that you have to shoot under it. Now, depending on how far out you shoot it, the danged thing is coming down already too. Now you really need to shoot under it. No, if like MRPOWER said, a bit of wind drifting left, right, or a dipper or diver? You'd better not be above the danged thing, you'll never see the rock untill it's too late.

BTW, do you know which target is the most missed in registered Skeet?

Yup, you guessed it! I think Lo 7 is the next most often missed.

About like shooting Trap. I seldom miss lefts and rights, it's those danged straightaways that get me. :roll:

BP

Em Are Skeet · **Joined:** Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:05 pm **Posts:** 1059

Baron23 wrote:

I hold a tad inside the stake (I'm a right hander)...

Bingo!

Do that and it is easy to come down with the bird, and to keep your head on the stock, since you never loose sight of the bird. And if you combine that with a high hold point you are always making the same move, i.e. down and to the left. Sometime downer, and sometimes lefter, but always down and to the left. Very natural if you keep your eye on the bird.

MRPOWER · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:06 am

Em Are Skeet wrote:

Baron23 wrote:

I hold a tad inside the stake (I'm a right hander)...

Bingo!

Do that and it is easy to come down with the bird, and to keep your head on the stock, since you never loose sight of the bird. And if you combine that with a high hold point you are always making the same move, i.e. down and to the left. Sometime downer, and sometimes lefter, but always down and to the left. Very natural if you keep your eye on the bird.

Not true. I've seen H1's come out waaayy inside. Not always the same move. The only move that any skeet shooter should ever make "the same" on every H1 every time is to the bird--wherever it is, and whatever it is doing.

Em Are Skeet · **Joined:** Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:05 pm **Posts:** 1059

Okay - Then hold inside of the hoop. If it goes inside of that, plucker up and hold the shot.

smyldoc · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:13 pm

You guys are a lot better shooters than me, but when I had trouble on the H1, Mr. Bender fixed it in one bird. I held correctly, but had a tendency to look too high. The bird would come out, I'd see it but my head was off the gun and I never recovered. I try and look only about 6-8 inches over the barrel, ( I know, don't look at the gun....) when I set up and then call the bird, and try to shoot the little quail feet..... That's helped me more than anything, maybe it will work for you.

Now if we can find an easy fix for L6 that worked as well as this has.

magoo · **Joined:** Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:55 pm **Posts:** 1504

Quote:

Now if we can find an easy fix for L6 that worked as well as this has.

Oh sure, it's just like H-2 just backwards. If it were a duck, shoot it in the eye.

Baron23 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:14 pm

Mike - let's look at my complete post....particularly the underlined part.

Quote:

I hold a tad inside the stake (I'm a right hander)...or a tad inside the flight path of the bird if its not flying directly over the stake. Its such a small amount that I don't even notice moving out to the bird...on the other hand, if I get caught by a hard diving bird I can still see it to the left of my barrel so as to be able to make a firm downward move on it.

I find for a right hander its easier for me to move out a tad than in a tad, hence I trie to hold just a little bit inside what I think is the flight path (we do get to look at them, eh?). There is, however and as you point out, no substitute for actually moving the gun to where the bird really is at....but this gives me a little better view on a hard diver.

As I mentioned in my original post, I would rather hold a bit aggressive than get caught waiting on a floater...but sometimes it goes either way. If we are getting diving birds, I'm a little more careful to hold a tad inside so as to be able to keep it in view.

I feel the same way about up/down movement....mostly I don't move or just move a very small bit...downward. I try to hold such that the bird comes firmly to my gun. But if I have to, I'll wait for a floater or go after a diving bird. I don't understand people who say they "never" move on this shot...if you get beat by a diving bird, do these folks just mark it up to experience? Me...I go after them.

I think the most telling part of my original post is where I tell the OP that it seems everybody has a little bit of a variation on how they shoot this shot...where they hold, how high they look, etc. I've never said that my way is the only way...but H1 is a target I'm pretty comfortable with.

Best to you.

son of thurlo · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 9:16 am

RemingtonII wrote:

What might help you on station one is that to master technique (run 25) you have to define that technique. Although it doesn't have to be, it is much easier to define a technique on station one that is consistent (logical) with other stations.

It goes like this for a man (not for a woman): logical, sequential, to lead.

Women have far superior brains to a man's brain, and do not go through this sequencing of events...unless, they have been dumbed-down by a man.

So define the logic of your technique to see, if you want that logic to apply to each station (I think this is easier), or, if you want to do as Bender teaches, which is to master each station, with each station having a separate logic (this too is just fine, but define this for yourself).

My logic is sustained, be one with the gun (not with the clay), and move the muzzle to lead so the eventon of my muzzle is never the same as the eventon of the clay. Of course, if you are going to think that way (logic), then the muzzle will move downwards on station one...I am always shooting to lead. Even, if I were to balance a clay on top of my sights, my thought is to shoot to lead.

You know, back in the 50's, 60' and 70's (until screw in chokes became popular) Poly Choke ruled the world, and they had an absolutely wonderful way of teaching American skeet.

The philosophy was to OWN the space between the houses. Nothing flies whole through that space.

In teaching skeet, they would turn the poly-choke to modified, get the student on station one, and tell the student to break the clay by the low house. They would bring the distances back by 1/4, as mastery of each shot took place, until the student shot the clay about 80 per cent of the way to the center stake. The student owned the space from 80 per cent of the way to the center stake, all the way to the low house. They would learn to shoot all stations like this starting from way out and then moving inwards. (Turn poly to skeet once you get to center stake.)

I'll tell you why else I like this technique. Skeet shooting instruction is, primarily, dominated by champions with EXTREME personality disorder (OCD)....their brains want SAME, SAME, SAME. Their techniques are based on SAME OL, SAME OL, SAME OL, whether it's skeet or having sex...same thing over and over. Ask the wife of any champion skeet shooter about sex, and she will answer, "Same Ol, Same Ol, Same Ol stuff over and over. It's true:)

If you don't have OCD, there is just so much more joy in learning to CONTROL the skeet field with a variety of shots....it's so much more fun, and trust me, your brain is not seeking same, same, same. Plus, you are most likely to be a better lover to boot.

This is an interesting technique, learning to control all the space in the skeet field. If you don't shoot perfect scores, regularly, you might give this idea a try.

If not for all stations, for sure it will help you master station one by shooting station one far out and then bring it in to about 80 per cent of the way to the center stake. Shoot modified choke (farther away shots)until you get to center stake, and switch to skeet, and define you technique and the LOGIC of that technique.

Good luck.

Get off the JD buddy, it's doing you no good at all.

Regards...............................................................................................................................SoT

UWYOshooter · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:02 pm

i always swing up to H1. thats what works best for me though.

MRPOWER · **Posted:** Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:41 pm

UWYOshooter wrote:

i always swing up to H1. thats what works best for me though.

This is the best way I know to miss H1.

Dano523 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:41 am **Posts:** 1034

MRPOWER wrote:

UWYOshooter wrote:

i always swing up to H1. thats what works best for me though.

This is the best way I know to miss H1.

Ditto, and even better yet, make me look like I'm doing the funky chicken when trying to break the second target in a pair as well from doing such well (too low of a hold to begin with, with nothing smooth/fluid when shooting the pair).

Nemo7 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:19 am **Posts:** 37

Wow, as the original poster, I didn't realize I would generate so much conversation, although I should have guessed there would be as many variations on how to shoot it.

Since I posted, I have shot about 20 rounds, and I have finally started to improve. Last Sunday, I missed High 1 repeatedly. I shot over it on a regular basis, and the main reason I found was my starting point was too high. The bird got below the barrel, the barrel blocked my view, I came down until I saw the bird and pulled the trigger, without ever getting any "light" between the barrel and the bird. Now, I hold lower so the barrel won't block my view. I don't want to spot shoot it. I want to make some kind of movement so if the bird does do something squirrely in the wind or for whatever reason, I am not stuck in one spot. With that in mind, I am typically making a slight upward movement, slight being the key word because I am shooting it much earlier than before, and very little movement is needed. It's more of an adjustment than movement. It has worked. I shot four rounds on Sunday and hit High 1 every time, singles and first half of my doubles.

All the change did was allow me to see the bird the entire time, without ever losing sight of it. It also helped me shoot it on instinct, more than thinking about it. I find am much more consistent on the fast shots (aka, not Low 1, Low 2, High 6 and High 7), because I don't have to wait as long. The wait causes me to really measure the lead, rather than just shoot when the lead is right, which I can do out of instinct and hopefully perfect through practice. Now I have some confidence on High 1, I am shooting it quickly and my doubles are improving because I am on the second bird quickly as well. Now on to Low 8.....

skeetboy · **Posted:** Tue Nov 03, 2009 11:41 am

I believe that really there are no 'easy' shots on the field. Skeet is as much a mental as a physical game. I approach high one the same as I approach every target.

My shooting on high one is much like how bender writes in his skeet station analysis.

I imagine a hoop when I hold. I hold to the top of the hoop and eyes above to pick up the target. Then I basically DEAD GUN it with a bit of lead underneath. The less amount of movement to this shot (in my opinion) the better. Make the shot (and all shots for that matter) as easy and as repeatable as possible.

I know when I see the high one, get the reference to my gun position (without having to look at the bead) and pull the trigger it will break. I tell people as it touches the very top of the bead (without looking you know where it is relation to the clay) or a bit of daylight in between the two pull the trigger.

If I see movement of the bird I just move the gun, I don't worry about it just give the targets respect as one top shooter told me. It might look 'easy' or 'unmissable' but never the less GIVE IT FULL concentration, keep the eye on the clay and keep the head on the gun.

Good luck in your shooting Dave

DrJim · **Joined:** Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:59 pm **Posts:** 275

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High 1 - shouldn't it be easier

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