How to Shoot Skeet Better

Establish a regular breathing pattern before shooting. Try several techniques, such as holding your breath during the shot, or inhaling prior to the shot and exhaling slowly during the shot. Experiment with breathing patterns to find one that works and that can be repeated. Continue using the breathing technique until it becomes a habit.

Use a gun that you are comfortable shooting. Choose a gun that is heavy enough to shoot comfortably and which has little recoil, yet one that can be maneuvered in a steady motion when aiming at the skeet. Children and teens may be more successful using a smaller and lighter 20-gauge shotgun appropriate for their body size, while adult shooters would benefit from the power and distance provided by a heavier 12-gauge shotgun.

Wear hearing and eye protection when shooting. Noise from the gunshot may cause you to tense up during the shot, which decreases accuracy. Fear of being struck in the eye by wadding or debris from the gun may cause you to shut your eyes when you take a shot. Shoot with confidence knowing that your hearing and eyesight are protected.

Choose a level spot on the ground to stand, and shoot with your feet in an athletic stance. Stand with your legs apart and your knees bent slightly. Have your left foot forward if you shoot with your right hand, and vice-versa. Stand with your weight centered slightly toward your toes. Point your feet in the general direction of the shot, then rotate at the waist to track the skeet before taking the shot.

Point the gun in the general direction of the skeet and hold the gun snug to your shoulder prior to taking the shot. Practice mounting the gun to your shoulder from a resting position to find a comfortable and reliable position to hold the gun.

Point the gun at the target rather than trying to use the gun sights. Avoid trying to get a perfect bead on the target since this can take too much time and will cause the target to be too far away to hit reliably. Make a conscious effort to watch the skeet, not the end of the gun barrel.

Pull the trigger toward you using the first pad of the index finger to minimize hand movement during the shot. Avoid using the first joint of the finger to pull the trigger, which can cause the hand to roll slightly and throw the aim of the gun off of the target.

Fire the gun while the skeet is closer to you. The pattern of shot pellets expelled from the cartridge expands with distance. Shoot quickly at a nearer target to ensure the pellets are closer together when they hit the skeet. Track the skeet across the sky with the gun as quickly as possible and shoot before the skeet is too far to hit reliably.

Lead the target, and continue following the target after the shot. It takes a little time for the shotgun pellets to reach the target once the trigger is pulled, so the shooter must aim ahead of, or "lead" the target. Shooters may fail to hit skeet because they shoot where the skeet has been, and fail to follow the target after the shot. The target will continue moving, so the marksman should aim ahead of the target through the entire shot until the target is hit.

Shoot the skeet at the apex of the skeet's movement, such as when it reaches the top of it's flight, or when it starts a turn. The skeet can be easier to sight in at these points because the skeet appears to pause in its flight.

Take rest breaks routinely. Maneuvering a shotgun can be tiring, and muscle fatigue can decrease your ability to track and shoot skeet reliably.

Use ammunition specifically designed for skeet or target practice. Ammunition loads have varying pellet sizes, wadding, and gunpowder quantities, all of which affect how quickly the pellets spread out after exiting the gun barrel. Try different brands of ammunition, then settle on the one that you are most comfortable using.