Moving from ATA Trap to the BunkerBy BJ McDaniel

Assistant Shotgun CoachUSA Shooting

Part three of three.

If you have been following along in the previous two articles you will now know how to join in asquad and conduct yourself during a round of Olympic trap. You also learned how to get into thecorrect stance and position relative to the target presentation. In this most important section wewill cover how to look for and move to the target including; where to place your eyes, what typeof focus helps us see the target better, when to know when you are ready to call for the target, andhow to swing through the target.

This shooter is holding the muzzle of the gun on the mark on the top of the trap house.

Where to Hold the Gun - the 15-machine bunker layout for Olympic Trap has five markings onthe front edge of the bunker roof. These markings coincide with the center of the three machinesin front of each station. The correct gun hold point at each station is for the shooter's gun to bepointed at the mark - with the front edge of the barrel placed along the leading edge of the bunkerroof. All three machines are set so that their target's flight path cross at a point above the mark onthe bunker. Holding on the mark will allow the shooter to always see the targets above the gun asthey emerge from the trap house. A high gun hold position (as often seen in American trap) is notrecommended because the lower 1.5 -meter targets will often be hidden by the barrel. If the barrelis too high, or the gun muzzle covers the target during the swing, the shooter will lose slight ofthe target - increasing the likelihood of a lost target.

The white lines indicate the approximate crossing point for all three targets.

How moving targets are first seen - The visual system is the key to the physical action inshooting moving targets. All movement begins with an input from our vision. The outcome of theaction relies greatly on our ability to interpret and respond to these inputs. When we talk abouthow good our vision is, we usually speak of having 20/20 or 20/15 vision. While these numbersare a good indication of whether or not we are required to wear corrective lenses, they are not thetotal picture of the vision process as it applies to shooting. Vision in shooting is the process bywhich we react to what we see. We actually see everything! The better shooters have the abilityto recognize what they see and take the necessary actions with the muscle system. To understandhow to look for targets you must remember, moving targets are first seen with the secondaryvision and then tracked with the primary vision. Think of secondary vision as peripheral vision orsoft focus and primary vision as a hard focus on the target. We need to get our eyes into thecorrect position to take advantage of this ability.

Where to place your eyes–The way our eyes work make it easier to change focus from a distantobject to a close one. Changing from a near object to a far one is more difficult and takes longer.This ability is inherent within us to protect against harmful objects that are coming at us.However, in the game of trap the targets go away from us as they exit the bunker. The eyes/mindrealizes we are not in danger and will react differently. To overcome this we must control whatour eyes are doing as we are waiting our turn to shoot. Our vision should be in a ‘soft’ focus anddirected out in the distance (towards the horizon). Hard focusing on the bunker roof, the groundat our feet, or any object (s) close to the shooter should be avoided.

Another common mistake is to look at the gun while it is being mounted. Shooters at some pointduring the mount will look at the gun to see if their head and the beads on the rib are correctlyaligned. They will look at the barrel and then make small adjustment with their head to achieveperfect alignment. If the target is then called for immediately, the eyes will not have had enoughtime to move back out into the target zone to see the target correctly. To solve this we must alsocontrol what our eyes are doing during the mount. When mounting the gun, care should be takennot to look at the barrel, but instead the eyes should be kept looking out in the distance. It isimportant that the gun should fit well enough so that it is not needed to consciously align the headwith the rib. After the gun is mounted, and just before calling for the target, the shooter’s vision

should be placed on the ground in front of the bunker about 1.0–1.5 feet above the front edge.This is at or slightly above the target crossing point and in line with the mark on the roof. Thisspot may differ for each shooter on each individual field due to lighting and backgroundconditions and may require some small adjustments until the shooter can see the targets clearly.

The shooter's vision should be placed 1.5 -2.5 feet above the front edge of the bunker.

When to call for the target–Once the gun is mounted and held on the mark on the bunker roof,the eyes must have a chance to adjust into the correct position to look for the target. A commonerror is to call for the target too quickly. The correct method is to look out over the gun to theground in front of the bunker, focusing (with primary vision) on some object at that spot. Whenstaring at this blade of grass, or other object, awareness must expanded until the shooter becomesaware of the front edge of the bunker in his secondary (peripheral) vision. It may be necessary toexpand awareness all the way to the adjacent marks on either side of your station. The shooter isnot visually focused on anything in this area, but he will be aware of any movement in this zone.This process may take 2–3 seconds. Make sure you allow the time for this to happen. Once theeyes change from the hard focus at the blade of grass to the softer focus that includes the bunkerroof, you are ready to call for the target.

Upon seeing the movement of the target the eyes should zoom-in on the leading edge of the targetwith a hard focus. When the target is visually acquired in this manner it is seen quicker, it won'tfeel that it has a jump on you as it comes out of the bunker, and it will allow for a smooth visualmovement to bring the target into focus. Another common mistake is to rush the barrel of the gunto the target when the flash of the target is first seen. This usually happens because the eyes arenot initially set-up properly and the target is not seen well. Rushing the gun to the target before itis in clear focus will result in a loss of control and decreased scores. Stay at home on the markuntil the eyes lock onto the target, and then move the gun. The target movement should bepicked-up with secondary vision, judged for its direction and speed, and then primary visionshould be centered on the leading edge of the target, all as the gun is just starting to move.

Swinging Through the Target - In ATA shooting there are several techniques used in swingingto the target. The most common is to hold a high gun, look around the gun until the targetappears, and then, as the target moves above the gun, to move the gun to the target. As the barreltouches the trailing edge of the target the trigger is pulled. By using a gun with a high Point ofImpact (70/30 or greater) the gun actually builds in the correct lead and shoots in front of therising target, breaking the target. Because some of the bunker targets are flatter than ATA targets,this technique does not work well in Olympic trap. Remember that bunker guns generally have aflatter POI than ATA guns. The correct method is to swing through the target and pull the triggeras its leading edge is reached. Where to break the target in Olympic trap becomes a function ofhow quickly the shooter can react to the emergence of the target and how far the gun needs tomove in order to obtain the correct sight picture. Once the shooter sees the movement anddirection of the target, the gun should begin to move along the target’s flight path. The trigger ispulled as soon as the barrel touches the leading edge of the target. It is essential that the guncontinues to move along the target’s flight path even after the first shot is taken because a secondshot at the same target may be required.

Now, go out and try it - You now have the basics of the game and are ready to begin developingyour abilities as a bunker shooter. These three articles were designed to get you started into theOlympic style of trap shooting. How far these fundamentals carry you is a function of your owndetermination and dedication. Start by going out and finding a bunker near your home, and give ita try. Practice awhile and then join a USA Shooting sanctioned match. We would like to see youat one of the Selection Matches or the National Championships. You will like the challenge andcamaraderie of this Olympic sport and remember, always have fun!