Which 'crow' clay target should I shoot first?

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Which 'crow' clay target should I shoot first?

Simultaneous pairs become easier if you can adapt your technique to suit their presentation.

By John Bidwell

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

If I’m presented with a pair of ‘crows’ that appear simultaneously above the tree line, which one should I take first?

Tuition
JOHN BIDWELL says:
Everything depends on how they are presented in terms of position when you first see them because if they are thrown from the same trap arm there’s a fair chance one will be in front of the other when both come into view.

As someone who shoots maintained lead I always like to take the leading bird first because, then, my barrels are already in front of the next target, ready for me to break it.

On the other hand, if you come from behind a bird to smash it then the natural thing is to take care of the trailing target first before moving up to the second bird and repeating the process.

However, nothing is ever straightforward: with this type of target the clays are just as likely to be drifting sideways when they appear and you will probably not have time to shoot both on the way up.

You might get away okay on the first but the second could well be dropping… forcing you to shoot underneath to trim up the pair.

If you don’t see them for long once they’re above the trees then you will have to visualise in your mind’s eye how they are going to be broken.

Maybe you would be better advised killing the lower of the two with maintained lead and then get across to, and under, the second target as it starts its descent.

Or possibly it would be easier tackling the combination the other way around.

All I can say is that you should watch this pair with the keenest interest and be prepared to use a combination of techniques to have them marked as kills on your scorecard.