Jeep® Sporting Destinations

Sporting Clays: Springing Teal

by Pat Lieske

The springing teal is a classic sporting target and appears on virtually every sporting course that you might encounter. It is one that continually gives shooters problems. Shooters seem to think that a springing teal requires a deviation from their normal shooting style. That's not so.

I teach shooters to view the target and determine if it is going straight up or going away at a slight angle. With this knowledge, you can classify each teal shot as either a crossing target or quartering one. You might ask why this is important.

If the teal is going straight up, it is traveling parallel to the shooter and should be treated like a crossing target that requires a bit of lead. If, on the other hand, the bird is going away it is more similar to a quartering target and will require very little perceived lead. In other words, every springing teal is really either a crossing or quartering target.

Let's assume that we are shooting a springing teal that is about 25 yards out in front of you and going straight up. If you were shooting a crossing target at this distance it would be important to have a gun-hold point that is about halfway between where you first saw the target and where it will be broken. So, let's also start the gun halfway up the line of flight of this springing teal.

As the target appears you will slowly begin moving your left hand -- for a right-handed shooter -- toward the target. As this is happening the gun is also being lifted toward your cheek by the right hand. During the gun mount the target will be contacted by your left hand (gun) in order to establish the exact line of flight.

As the gun comes closer to your cheek the gun will begin to overtake the target, inserting above, or in front -- whichever makes more sense -- of the target. With full concentration on the target the shot will be delivered as the gun continues to accelerate away from the target. The result is a broken target.

Now if this same bird is rising and going away from me it has less angle and is more like a quartering target -- a target that we have lots of experience with. I will now move my gun-hold point much closer to where I plan on attempting to break this target. Like a quartering target, I will mount just behind and pull the trigger as the target is overtaken.

A common mistake when shooting springing teal is a gun-hold point that is too low. This results in excess gun speed and a miss over the top. If you are having problems with teal, try using these tips on your next visit to your local sporting clay course.

Copyright © 1999 Pat Lieske. All rights reserved.

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