Time to dust off the Wall Chart...
My old friend, Terry Jordan, makes one of the best practice tools in the shooting business. He makes a large banner like wall chart that allows you to practice trap shooting in your basement or garage by dry firing at the targets on the chart. It looks just like one of the trap fields at Sparta and allows you to swing to the target and "see" the lead and dry fire. There are small dots to the left or right of the target to give you an approximation of the lead you'll see when shooting trap.
Terry developed the chart while looking for a way to keep his trap shooting game sharp during the winter months in his native Ontario, Canada. It tends to be cold and nasty most of the winter and his shooting practice was limited at best. Many All-Americans use and endorse his chart, including Harlan Campbell!
As the weather begins to turn cold I hang up my chart in the basement and begin to set up a 15 minute a day routine mounting and dry firing my trap gun (and my doubles gun...) so when I show up at the Dixie Grand in January or the Southern Grand in March, my guns don't feel like alien creatures in my hands. Even during the shooting season I'll use the chart for a week or so prior to a big shoot to enhance my actual practice and keep a fine edge on my shooting skills.
There are three important things to consider when opening up a retail store...location, location and location. The three things most important to your success in competition shooting are ... preparation, preparation and preparation!
I have suggested in prior blogs how to go over your equipment (guns, glasses, etc...) during the off season. You and your body are part of your equipment as well so making sure you are ready to shoot both phisically and mentally are just as important as maintaining your guns! So use your winter down time wisely and dry fire your gun at least a couple times a week. Mentally shoot some trap targets while you are resting...you never miss! Work on your setup routine when you dry fire and stay accustomed to handling your guns.
Have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas season and thank you for reading my blog.
Shoot well!
Bob