Jonathan Citsay’s Guide to Shotgun Skeet Shooting Safety

Skeet shooting is a competitive sport where marksmen use shotguns to break clay targets, which are thrown into the air by devices known as traps. Although this pastime intended to be a recreational activity, it is imperative to the implement the necessary safety precautions, when operating a firearm. Proper gun handling must be thoroughly learned, understood and practiced frequently. Sports enthusiast, Jonathan Citsay has a guide that will teach you exactly how to uphold safety while skeet shooting.

1. Adopt the Right Mentality

As soon as you have decided that you would like to try skeet shooting, you will need to change your mentality to one of caution. Regardless of how sure you may be that a weapon is empty, you can never be too careful. As the user of any weapon, you immediately become responsible for the safety of those around you as soon as you pick it up.

2. Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger

After you have cautiously and carefully picked up the shotgun, you must then immediately exercise proper trigger safety as well as posture; this is for the protection of others as well as yourself. You should always be consciously thinking about where your finger is resting, and this resting position should never be on the trigger itself.

It may feel more comfortable to rest your finger on the trigger of a weapon, but this comfort is never worth trading the safety of others. Instead, get yourself into the habit of placing your finger just above the trigger, along the barrel of your weapon, moving it onto the trigger only when you are ready to fire.

3. Ensure Proper Handling and Posture

In addition to trigger safety, proper posture is also essential, as it can be the difference between staying on your feet and being knocked off-balance by the powerful force a weapon upon firing. In the case of a shotgun, you will want to rest the butt of the gun where your shoulder meets your arm, keeping it firmly pressed between there and the side of your face; this will help stabilize the shotgun. Finally, you should be standing facing slightly sideways, with your dominant foot pointed straight out at the target, and your other foot pointed outwards from your body.

4. Stay on Target

Once you are comfortable with the handling of your weapon, you are reading to move on to the process of safely targeting what you intend to shoot at. Remember is to only point your weapon at the target (in this case, the clay ‘pigeons’ used in Skeet Shooting), and never anything else. It is not enough to merely focus your aim on the target; before you fire, you have to be 100% certain of what is behind and around your target as well. Only when you are confident in your situational awareness are you finally ready to safely pull the trigger.

Jonathan Citsay reminds individuals looking to try skeet shooting, to first ensure they have a comprehensive understanding of the safety procedures before operating a firearm.