Intercept Method Explained

Thank you for all you replies.  I am sorry my description was so vague. 

May I explain this technique as it was taught to me.

(I was unable to hit ‘fast’ crossers/loopers/quartering targets.  Before I could connect the target it was gone)

This is my Pals’ ‘Intercept Technique’ :

1) Use usual hold points

2) As soon as one sees the leading edge of the clay, mount on what one perceives as the kill point

3) Shoot and kill the bird (one’s mind ‘calculates’ the swing necessary for the kill based on the perceived trajectory between the leading edge and the kill point)

For those who do not employ such, may I ask how the connection with such fast targets is made?

Love and Mercy

Fair Imogen

FairImogen said:

Thank you for all you replies.  I am sorry my description was so vague. 

May I explain this technique as it was taught to me.

(I was unable to hit ‘fast’ crossers/loopers/quartering targets.  Before I could connect the target it was gone)

This is my Pals’ ‘Intercept Technique’ :

1) Use usual hold points

2) As soon as one sees the leading edge of the clay, mount on what one perceives as the kill point

3) Shoot and kill the bird (one’s mind ‘calculates’ the swing necessary for the kill based on the perceived trajectory between the leading edge and the kill point)

For those who do not employ such, may I ask how the connection with such fast targets is made?

Love and Mercy

Fair Imogen

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Sorry, I found that very unclear..

Sorry, Will.  Which bit?

L&M

Fair Imogen

FairImogen said:

Sorry, Will.  Which bit?

L&M

Fair Imogen

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All of it tbh. What is a usual hold point? Seeing the leading edge? Surely it’s all visible at once.. Mount is a start point, but you mention going to a kill point.. Then you mention “swing” which infers moving off to somewhere else, but you were already at a kill point? Apologies, but to an engineer it’s all a bit garbled to me.

Sometimes I just about see the clay let alone the leading edge.  Intercept means to me you are not following it you simply go to the point you want to shoot it and shoot it.  I am a simple person though.

FairImogen said:

Thank you for all you replies.  I am sorry my description was so vague. 

May I explain this technique as it was taught to me.

(I was unable to hit ‘fast’ crossers/loopers/quartering targets.  Before I could connect the target it was gone)

This is my Pals’ ‘Intercept Technique’ :

1) Use usual hold points

2) As soon as one sees the leading edge of the clay, mount on what one perceives as the kill point

3) Shoot and kill the bird (one’s mind ‘calculates’ the swing necessary for the kill based on the perceived trajectory between the leading edge and the kill point)

For those who do not employ such, may I ask how the connection with such fast targets is made?

Love and Mercy

Fair Imogen

Click to expand...

Your method reads as maintained lead with a bit of pull away at the end.

For me on anything really quick, I would hold not too far from the kill point. (I would REALLY pay attention to exactly where the clay will be / where the flightline is first).

I will let the clay come to the muzzle, but not get past. As soon as it touches the muzzle I move off to the kill point (some distance ahead) and shoot.

Imogen, apologies, but to relate it to a current news item, I think your explanation contains all the right elements, just not necessarily in the right order..

Thanks Will.  Sorry, again, for being so vague.

Hope this scenario explains what I was taught.

There was a fast looper that I could not hit.  

I could see it as a blur at Visual hold point and clearly Gun hold point 

But it was too fast for me to employ ‘swing through’ or ‘maintained lead’

I (half) mounted my gun at GH point, and looked at VH point

As soon as I saw the leading edge of the clay, I mounted and moved to what I perceived the kill point would be

That movement in itself creates the necessary swing to kill the target

L&M

Fair Imogen

FairImogen said:

Thank you for all you replies.  I am sorry my description was so vague. 

May I explain this technique as it was taught to me.

(I was unable to hit ‘fast’ crossers/loopers/quartering targets.  Before I could connect the target it was gone)

This is my Pals’ ‘Intercept Technique’ :

1) Use usual hold points

2) As soon as one sees the leading edge of the clay, mount on what one perceives as the kill point

3) Shoot and kill the bird (one’s mind ‘calculates’ the swing necessary for the kill based on the perceived trajectory between the leading edge and the kill point)

For those who do not employ such, may I ask how the connection with such fast targets is made?

Love and Mercy

Fair Imogen

Click to expand...

This is spot shooting although I can see why it can be confused with "Intercept", either way do not make it a habit, there's a reason why no sane coach teaches it as anything other than an occasional tool in the box. 

There is no one method that can be employed on "fast targets", it all depends on orientation, distance, line (is it flat or looping) and of course actual "relative" speed -  a 40 mph crosser 15 yards away is waaaaaay different to a 40 mph crosser at 25 yards. The essential thing to do with "fast" targets is to take their speed out, this can be achieved in various ways but is most definitely dependent on range and "window of opportunity". 

Typically with a very close (and fast) target you kill its speed by holding a tad further out than usual and pay real close attention to its launch............you must not allow it to get the better of your reactions. 

There is very little "typical" about a fast distant crosser, I have seen people tackle them successfully early, late and mid flight, much depends on what method you prefer or decide to employ. 

FairImogen said:

Thanks Will.  Sorry, again, for being so vague.

Hope this scenario explains what I was taught.

There was a fast looper that I could not hit.  

I could see it as a blur at Visual hold point and clearly Gun hold point 

But it was too fast for me to employ ‘swing through’ or ‘maintained lead’

I (half) mounted my gun at GH point, and looked at VH point

As soon as I saw the leading edge of the clay, I mounted and moved to what I perceived the kill point would be

That movement in itself creates the necessary swing to kill the target

L&M

Fair Imogen

Click to expand...

Yes that makes sense to me. I recall years ago having 20 shots at a fast quartering looper with no success. Back then I shot swing through at everything (which I now consider to be an awful method in most cases). I was told to try the method you describe and results were instantaneous. Swing through has two major problems IMO. Firstly it commits you to a straight line movement which clays rarely follow. Secondly it means your muzzle is untimed to the clay, making timing a critical element. 

This all sounds very churchil method to me

ips said:

This all sounds very churchil method to me

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We shall shoot them on the beaches..

Thanks, again

L&M

Fair Imogen

we tend to make sporting very complex         shoot where its going  not where its been   ,   is a pretty good rule of thumb  !!   so many  techniques  , but it usually amounts to the same   , lead  ! 

Doctor Lecter said:

we tend to make sporting very complex         shoot where its going  not where its been   ,   is a pretty good rule of thumb  !!   so many  techniques  , but it usually amounts to the same   , lead  ! 

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Honestly when I hit the target what did I do?... no idea, I saw it I shot it. Normally when I miss the target is it down to lifting my head or not really seeing the target well before moving my gun but I have actually no idea what method I use to break targets other than most importantly seeing the target really well before moving to shoot it what actually happens after seeing it I have no idea other than swinging my gun. I think that is what separates me from really good shooters... they know what they are doing  !

ips said:

This all sounds very churchil method to me

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See.........move.............mount..............shoot

like was mentioned in the previous thread ------ regularly re-discovered as revolutionary!!

jwpzx9r said:

Honestly when I hit the target what did I do?... no idea, I saw it I shot it. Normally when I miss the target is it down to lifting my head or not really seeing the target well before moving my gun but I have actually no idea what method I use to break targets other than most importantly seeing the target really well before moving to shoot it what actually happens after seeing it I have no idea other than swinging my gun. I think that is what separates me from really good shooters... they know what they are doing  !

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you know exactly what you are doing - swing thru pure and simple.  I can't imagine shooting fast target games any other way but that is prolly just my ineptitude showing.

Wonko the Sane said:

See.........move.............mount..............shoot

like was mentioned in the previous thread ------ regularly re-discovered as revolutionary!!

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This is exactly what I was thinking. A coach showed me this method, I never use it, but it worked when he got me to try it. To me it just seemed a bit too much like Luke Skywalker using "the force" 

Finners said:

This is exactly what I was thinking. A coach showed me this method, I never use it, but it worked when he got me to try it. To me it just seemed a bit too much like Luke Skywalker using "the force" 

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It works, you just have to trust your ability..and the force of course

It works for some targets but if its the only tool in your locker,mediocrity will be your future.