Every club has one or two shooters who take themselves too seriously. They think they are just that close to being a champion or All American. They work at it like it is a job making themselves and others miserable. They try endless equipment changes, trying to get over the top. They go to shooting instructors to perfect their game. They worry about everything around them like their misses are the fault of whatever distractions occur. They will scream, rant and rave when they miss like it makes a difference. It does not. I love to see them taken down a bit. It's a game people unless you are the top 15-25 in Skeet, Trap or Sporting Clays it is not your job.
Fifty years of shooting has taught me a few life lessons on shooting. Never make a bet that requires you to shoot a perfect score. Get a few birds for a cushion. You are going to miss eventually, no matter what you do or how hard you try. Every long run string of hits is started and ends with a miss. You never beat anyone else shooting, you just shot better than them for awhile. All my misses are my fault. Act like a grown up when you miss and move on. No one likes a shooter who complains or acts up when they miss so just shoot the next bird like nothing happened. Treat new shooters or fellows who do not shoot that well with respect. Everyone starts out missing birds and if you live long enough you'll end up missing birds. But by then you will be so happy just to be shooting the misses wont matter to you at all.
The best shooter I ever shot with and the very best .410 shooter I ever saw was the late Wayne Mayes. 200, 100 straights with a .410 in registered targets. Who knows how many in practice. In a class by himself and one of the nicest fellows to shoot with you could ever find. When he missed, the few times he missed, it was like nothing odd had happened. He'd load his option and start his next long run. He made his living shooting and teaching others. Equipment meant nothing to him. He shot in any weather conditions. He'd shoot at any club he could make money if he won. His chances of winning was more than 50:50 I'd say. I watched him load targets for his squad one day and he did not take out the broken targets. Said a broken target should never bother a good shooter. Would not even bother to clear the trap after a broken target. He was a real good shooter who was a pleasure to shoot with and be around.
