Blog
– Shooting Tips, Tricks, and Info from Our Instructors –
Shooting Tips
Welcome to what we hope will be a long series of blogs on the shotgun sports. We hope to pierce the veil that obscures some of the more technically complex aspects of shotgunning, sharing information and sparking conversation among the members of the shotgun sport fraternity.
Our head instructor, Luther Cutts (a Level 3 NSCA certified instructor), is continually working on a wide range of topics that we hope will contribute to the continued growth of clay target games as well as upland and waterfowl hunting.
We hope to have something for everyone – from the very basic parts of the game to some of the more complex and controversial topics. We hope that you find these topics enjoyable, informative, thought-provoking or perhaps just entertaining. We welcome your feedback and ideas on what other topics you might want to see in the future.
Hard Focus, Soft Focus or No Focus: The process of using visual data to shoot moving targets
Author: Mark Roberts, Retired Firearms Safety Instructor / Provincial Range Officer (Ontario) In my previous two articles, I mentioned the predictive process all brains, large or small, feeble or...
![Recent Changes to Canadian Firearms Laws [updated 2024]](https://silverwillow.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Changes-to-Canadian-Firearms-laws-1080x675.jpg)
Recent Changes to Canadian Firearms Laws [updated 2024]
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor As an instructor for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), I cannot help but notice the increasing interest in firearms use in...
The Confluence of Safety and Etiquette in Sporting Clays
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Shotgun Competitor If you are reading this, you are likely one of the many people who really enjoys shooting sporting clays. We are a large and...
The Course Setter’s Paradox
Author: Mark Roberts, Retired Firearms Safety Instructor / Provincial Range Officer (Ontario) Most shooters do not see, participate or perhaps appreciate the silent work that goes on behind the...
The Cost of (Not) Engaging a Shooting Coach
Author: Mark Roberts, Retired Firearms Safety Instructor / Provincial Range Officer (Ontario) Neil Peart is considered one of the finest drummers in the music business, yet he was still taking...
Be the Person: Mental health and peer support
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor This blog is going to be different from all the previous ones. It is the product of the confluence of 25 years of policing, many...
The Importance of Vision
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor When a baseball player is hitting well, he or she will say they are seeing the ball really well. When the goalie in hockey can see...
Shooting Lessons and Getting Outside of your Comfort Zone
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor It is amazing how seemingly insignificant actions can have such powerful consequences. I was in the chair at the Endodontist’s...
Cadence in Shotgun Sports
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor Cadence is a noun used to describe rhythm, beat or measure of events, particularly where there is a pattern or...
The Need for Speed: The effect of cartridge velocity on target shooting
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor One does not have to spend a lot of time on the shotgun range or in the clubhouse to hear someone’s theories on the...
Muzzle Control
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor The topic of muzzle control is something that comes up frequently – I believe that everyone knows that it is a fundamental element...
Getting through the COVID-19 doldrums…
Author: Luther Cutts, Head Instructor (NSCA Level 3), Competitor With winter finally winding down and relaxing its icy grip, many of us were eagerly anticipating a return to the clay...
Musings of the Rookie
A guest blog from one of our members, Rob Ridley shares his journey learning and developing his skill in sporting clays. With an entertaining writing style, Rob talks about setting development goals, making a plan, discovering new techniques, and simply enjoying a day out on the course.
5 Things: Sporting Clays Tips I’ve Learned Along the Way Part II
Musings of the Rookie 5 almost completely unrelated things you want to *avoid* or be aware of on the course. Phone addiction. I’m guilty of this, but usually if I’m shooting when on call. I’d like...
5 Things: Sporting Clays Tips I’ve Learned Along the Way
Musings of the Rookie - Sharing the Journey Part 9 Are you still looking for the great secret? Maybe that Trijicon illuminated sight for when you are shooting sporting clays at night? The Teflon...
Stolen Thoughts or Lessons Passed On?
Musings of the Rookie - Sharing the Journey Part 8 I’m not sure I’ve ever had an original thought. Everything there is to think has already been thought by someone else. This submission to...
OSP (Optimum Shotgun Performance) Training
Musings of the Rookie - Sharing the Journey Part 7 Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie Wowww.....! Can't say how many times that was said over a couple days with Gil and Vicki Ash of the OSP Shooting...
Good Days & Bad Days
Musings of the Rookie - Sharing the Journey Part 6 Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie If you are reading this, chances are you have at least shot clays once – maybe several times. Perhaps it is an all...
The Federal 400 Shoot
Musings of the Rookie Part 6 Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie Well, I just finished the Federal 400 at Silver Willow and as the adrenaline fades, I’m too tired to mow the lawn {smirk} so it seems like a...
Don’t Rush – or Be Rushed
Musings of the Rookie Part 5 Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie It started as such an incredible day – and as a spoiler, in the grand scheme of things, it ended as an incredible day as well. The blessing...
Not All Advice Is Good Advice
Musings of the Rookie Part 4: Not All Advice Is Good Advice Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie When I was about 13, for some reason I would think about girls. As a matter of fact, at 13, it’s possible...
Finding the Right Gun
Musings of the Rookie Part 3: Finding the Right Gun Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie In my first submission, I mentioned my old friend the 870 pump shotgun. I knew that sooner or later, I’d have to...
Making a Plan
Musings of the Rookie Part 2: Making a Plan Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie Last time, I talked about goal setting. It’s darn near impossible to achieve your goals if you don’t know what they are,...
Setting Goals
Musings of the Rookie Part 1: Setting Goals Author: Rob Ridley, Rookie I’ve been a member at Silver Willow for a couple of years now. I was hooked at a corporate shoot, and apparently, the Day...