As a young pup trapshooter, I was introduced to something called a 'porch shoot' at my first club picnic. The shooting position was a spot even with the clubhouse porch, behind the #4 trap. Exact distance unknown, but well back of the sidewalk. Long way.

The club sharpie encouraged me to enter. Five buck purse, 10 shot event, winners decided by shoot-off in case of ties. Well attended event, the porch shoots drew over a dozen entries - usually our top handicap men.

I coughed up five bucks to enter (it was actually six, one buck to the club for targets).

Old John, who had pity on newcomers, took me aside and explained his technique which was simply to hold even with the maximum height of the targets in elevation, and upon first flash of orange just spot shoot along that line where the target appears to be going. Oh, and use 3deq Federal Champions in 7 1/2. It's largely a game of chance, but you can help the odds sez he.

Well, using John's secret I broke the first five and was leading after the first relay. Talk about instant celebrity status. It was amazing to see the time of flight delay at that distance.

I won the first shoot with 9/10 and thus had enough money to shoot for the rest of the day!

I'll never forget it.

"The price of good shotgunnery is constant practice" - Fred Kimble