There’s nothing NASCAR standout Austin Dillon loves more than spending an off day outdoors with friends shooting. In this Backyard Life video, Dillon’s sharing some of his top skeet-shooting tips. And, he begins with what matters most, shooting safety.
Skeet-Shooting Safety
In Dillon’s mind, the most important thing to remember before heading out is always safety. He’s confident that using a shotgun is a very safe activity, particularly following these basic skeet shooting tips:
- Always keep your barrel pointed in a safe direction, unloaded, and broken down until you’re ready to shoot.
- Wear ear protection. “You don’t want to ruin your hearing,” Dillion says.
- Don’t forget eyewear to protect from powder residue.
Shooting Your Shot
After covering safety, Dillon moves on to skeet-shooting tips. He demonstrates different kinds of clay launches. He starts with shooting a single, keeping focus as he yells “pull!”
From there, he shoots a report pair—a configuration in which a second clay is launched immediately after hitting the first one. This tip is all about staying ready. “You’re looking to do a back-to-back,” Dillon explains.
Finally, Dillon demonstrates shooting a pair. With this launch, both clays are thrown at the same time. “You want to catch the fastest-moving target first, then come back to the second one.”
Dillon finishes his skeet shooting demo with a story about one of his favorite activities while shooting with his friends. It’s a game called “Annie Oakley,” in which everyone lines up safely, then takes a turn at trying to hit a target before it hits the ground.
As Dillon sets himself up for one more shot, he restates that, “this is one of my favorite outdoor activities. There’s nothing like getting together and shooting with friends. You just have to make sure to do it in a safe way.” And, we couldn’t agree more!
