Recommendations for Fall & Winter Shooting

by Golden BB Coach, Mark Gutman

Whether (weather?) you are shooting skeet, sporting clays, or trap, it’s really important to be dry, warm, and comfortable year-round. It’s especially important in the winter. Starting from the ground up, some recommendations for the athletes (and spectators who want to be outside): 

(i) Footwear  

Shooters need to be prepared for snow, slush, and high water on the skeet and trap pads and on the muddy approaches to the clays stands. 

Avoid: gym shoes and socks that are low around the ankles

Recommendations: water resistant boots and thermal socks that extend beyond the ankle; if shooting multiple events (or just plan on being outside for a long time), an extra pair of clean/dry socks is a good idea 

(ii) Below the waist 

Avoid: loose fitting “sweat” pants; they absorb moisture quickly and don't provide any insulation.

Recommendations: a thin thermal layer under jeans provides a surprising amount of insulation against cold temps and wind; jeans with a tight weave will help against absorbing water; when it gets really cold, insulated (flannel lined) jeans are a good choice, especially when worn with the thermal layer.

(iii) Above the waist

Avoid: loose fitting jackets, jackets with “floppy” collars, unzipped/unbuttoned jackets, oversized sweaters 

Recommendations: layer, layer, layer with tighter-fitting tops that allow full movement; it’s better to remove a layer when the weather warms up (or the sun is shining) than to be too cold or too warm; the coat (outer layer) should fit such that it doesn't interfere with your mount; choose clothing that will work with your shooting pouch/vest; if using a shooting vest, you may need a larger one fits over your clothing and doesn't interfere with your movement 

(iv) Head and neck

Avoid: scarves, balaclavas (they inhibit your ability to exhale without fogging your glasses)

Recommendations: old fashion turtle neck shirts keep body heat from escaping; knit hats that cover the ears (but do not cover the face/cheek); for those who use over the ear muffs for noise protection, make sure that the muffs fit over the knit hats; head protection is recommended year round and especially when shooting in winter winds, shards from broken clays can be dangerous (please cover your heads, we don't want to keep you from shooting) and knit hats help keep your head warm 

(v) Face protection

Avoid: covering your face so that you don't interfere with your vision, and you can feel the stock against your cheek ridge; many missed clays result when shooters “lift” their heads from the stock before completing the shot, it’s important to feel the stock 

(vi) Hand protection 

Avoid: bulky gloves on the trigger finger hand; disposable hand warmers inside gloves (they are messy and can burn younger hands)

Recommendations: shooters have to be able to “feel” the shells when loading and the trigger when shooting; use a thinner glove for the shooting hand and a thicker glove for the opposite hand in really cold weather; keep a rechargeable, electronic hand warmer in your coat pocket that can be held with your trigger finger hand (don't place it in the pocket/pouch with “live” shells), these also can be used to charge your phone; remember to charge your electronic hand warmer(s) 

Other recommendations:

For skeet and trap shooters: attach a mesh bag (with a zipper at the bottom) to your pouch/vest, it’s easier to drop spent hulls into a mesh bag than to place them in an empty pocket (or pick them up from the ground later on) and it’s easy to open the zipper and drop the spent hulls into the trash 

Be prepared to clean your glasses when shooting in the wind and snow (yes, we shoot in blowing snow) 

Share your suggestions, we can all benefit from good ideas!