CLAY PIGEONS PRELUDE FOR HUNT

Spending a little time breaking a few clay pigeons before the season opener can often mean the difference between a satisfying hunting season and one remembered only for its missed shots.

The days of our grandfathers when game was as abundant as land on which to shoot are gone so the wingshot interested in improving his skills is pretty much left to get his shotgun practice with the fewer hunting opportunities available to him or by shooting artificial targets like clay pigeons.

Of course, clay pigeons can't mimic the afterburner flight of tailwind-stoked dove or the burst of a covey of quail but no matter how good a wingshooter is, clay target shooting will either make you a better shot or keep you as good as you are -- it can't do any harm.

What's more, the sport is relatively inexpensive and in Southeast Missouri, there is a lot of wide-open space in which to shoot, provided you have the landowner's permission.

Cases of clay pigeons can be found in most large discount stores at a price of around $4 for 90 targets.

Prices for a clay target thrower may run anywhere from $4 for a plastic hand-thrower while the sky is pretty much the limit concerning some of the mechanical models.

As a general rule, however, a serviceable mechanical model for practicing can be purchased at local department stores at a price ranging from $35 to $50. A mechanical target thrower will allow the shooter to vary the speed, distance and angle at which the target is thrown.

While an experienced shooter can loop the release lanyard of a mechanical thrower around the "pinkie" finger of his trigger hand and put in some clays practice alone, the beginning shooter is best served if he shoots with a friend who is an experienced shot.

This allows him to not only receive a critique of his gunwork after each shot, but the practice goes a lot quicker with a partner doing nothing but loading and throwing targets.

As to loads, any of the major ammunition companies' dove loads with size 7 1/2, 8, or 9 shot will suffice although light target loads have become more readily available to shooters as the game of sporting clays has progressed.

Sporting clays is a competition in which the shooters progress from shooting station to shooting station where mechanical target throwers are spaced and set up to replicate the varied shooting situations a wingshooter might encounter in both upland and waterfowl wingshooting.

These light target loads, while a bit more expensive than regular field loads, often are a good choice because of the excellent quality of their components.

The beginning clay target shooter might first try shooting at some stationary targets, perhaps hung from an upright stick. Aiming and shooting at these targets gives the shooter a feel for the gun and the way it patterns its shot.

Once the beginner is comfortable shooting from a stationary stance, he or she may then progress by "swinging on" the target much as he would in shooting live game. In doing this, the shooter can get used to swinging the gun and firing when the target is properly aligned.

Once comfortable with mounting and swinging the gun, the shooter can then progress to thrown targets.

Have an experienced friend lob the targets, slowly and in a predictable flight path at first, and offer advice after each shot. As the practice progresses, the thrower should then vary the speed and angle of the targets thrown.

As the shooter becomes better and better at shooting clay targets, he or she may wish to try a hand at sporting clays. A number of ranges are open in both Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.