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The amount of lead given to break any clay travelling at the same speed from a given point is consistent, irrespective of how far the clay is from the shooter.
By Mark Russell
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Here the shooting coach explains how to tackle those clay ground favourites: sneaky little midis, minis and battues.
Fast birds? I've known people spend a lifetime chasing them.
As you get older though, you eventually realise the trick is to let them come to you.
In shooting the principle is just the same!
Shooters become flustered when they're presented with anything other than a standard target. This is down to nerves, and maybe the fact they don't get a chance to shoot 'different' targets often. There really shouldn't be any reason a shooter should go to pieces when presented with something a little out of the ordinary.
So what makes midis, minis and battues so tricky to hit?
Before we examine the theory, let's look at the clays themselves. The standard clay target is just over four inches in diameter and generally flies on a reasonably true path. As with all targets, though, its trajectory can be affected by strong wind. The beauty of the standard clay is that we all know what to expect.
The Midi
Is physically smaller than the standard, being around three and a half inches in diameter and often seems to exhibit different flight characteristics when released from a trap. The midi will fly relatively 'true' as it is released, but can appear to perform unexpected ducks and dives when it is no longer 'under power' - that is when initial velocity has been expended.
The Mini
Is often thought to be a really tricky target to hit because of its small size, just under two and a half inches in diameter. It appears to leave the trap like a bullet and will travel on a consistent line until its velocity drops - which is when it can be seriously wind affected.
Battues
On the other hand are a different kettle of fish. They're roughly the same diameter as the standard clay, but being thin and concave in design they present the shooter with a very fast target indeed. They can also be presented edge on or, if placed upside down on the trap arm, as a scything looper.
So what is the best way to approach these special birds?
For this exercise we'll assume that the shooter's stance, ready position and gun mounting technique are all up to scratch and, after having seen the target presented, the pick up and approximate kill points are clear in the shooter's mind.
THE MIDI
I reckon the midi is one of the best sporting targets you can get. The clay itself is heavy enough to maintain a good speed over quite a long distance but, because it's lighter than the standard target, it tends to come out of the trap slightly quicker than its bigger brother. That said, there should always be enough time to ensure a smooth mount, swing and fire after calling for the bird.
The problem a lot of shooters have with the midi is interpreting the range, and thus the amount of lead needed to break the clay. Because of the target's smaller size it's often quite easy to confuse the midi with a standard. A standard clay crossing at 40 yards will appear to be pretty similar to a midi travelling at just 30 yards away.
Because the shooter will inevitably have shot more standard targets in the past, the mental 'sight picture' he's built up over the years will tell him he needs a certain amount of lead for the perceived distance. In reality though, the bird is probably travelling just that little bit faster than he is used to, and it's also around 10 yards closer. The end result is often a miss!
The bottom line for shooting the midi is not to get flustered. If it isn't obvious or stated on the stand what type of bird you're shooting, ask the referee or trapper. Take your time and don't rush the shot. Don't let the thought of a midi put you off before you even get on the stand - take it exactly as you would any other bird.
- Take great care to ascertain the visual pick-up point.
- Sometimes the angle of flight and the distance can be determined from where the bird disappears from view - whether it flies into trees or undergrowth, or plummets into the ground.
THE MINI
Minis are cracking little targets. The problem with this clay is because it's so small and light, the bird struggles to maintain any sort of speed after 25 or 30 yards. Anything further than this and the bird starts to slow down quite considerably, even in still air, before floating gently downwards. Launched into a strong headwind, I've even seen the mini blown backward when it loses momentum - almost back to the trap it came from!
The trick here is to take the bird early, when it's still under power. Don't rush the shot, but the longer you leave it the more likely it is to be wind affected. Because the mini is such a small, delicate target, even just one pellet from a cartridge is usually enough to break it and enable you to claim a kill.
- Don't panic!
- If it's a rangy target, switch to the tighter choked barrel on your gun. Changing to a tighter choke on a multi-choked gun, if you've got time, is another option.
THE BATTUE
Battues can be troublesome things, but to understand how to break them you've got to understand how they fly.
The battue comes out of the trap very fast. It will maintain its speed and direction until its momentum decreases, when it will flip over to one side and then accelerate into the ground. When the target is presented as a crosser, the wafer-thin profile makes it hard to pick-up visually and a slim target to hit. Most shooters wait until the bird is turning in the air thus presenting a full on target.
This is the preferred kill point – the bird is still under power, offering a full target and travelling in a predictable direction. A fraction of a second later, however, and the clay is turning and ducking and diving.
Another variation often seen around the shooting grounds is when the organiser will present the battue in a completely different way – basically he'll load it upside down in the trap. In this case the clay will roll over and dive very soon after leaving the trap, a real looper of a target. Here you've go to get your shot in before the clay plummets into the ground.
Remember battues can often deceive the shooter because of their erratic flight path.
- If the bird is really fast, shooting maintained lead can often help.
- If the bird flies consistently true, you've got more time to weigh up the flight line than you think. so don't rush!
Think of a clock face and remember the old theory of 'arranging collisions' between the bird and your stream of shot. If the target is presented from left to right, your kill point is going to be somewhere between 4 and 5 o'clock, relative to the bird before it turns onto its side and starts to dive. For right to left birds, the kill point is going to be between 7 and 8.
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