Mr. Bittlekirk Is Missing

Frustrated over your missing? Odds are, it’s not your gun, chokes, loads or shooting methods. 

A fan of football, baseball and shooting, I liked Mr. Bittlekirk at the handshake. In the clubhouse, I inquired about his goals, targets shot per month and problem areas. His comments were insightful, his stated goals achievable.  

When he took his Kolar out of the sleeve, he said “Hey Dan, I really don’t like to miss.”

I asked, “Why's that?”

“Because I get frustrated easily after a miss and everything seems to go downhill from there.” 

Note to self. 

It didn’t take long. After warming up on two Stations, this target had a trick in it he didn’t see. Right at the all-too-obvious break point, it curled slightly downward, sliding under his shot string every time. I watched his frustration close the door on my advice. 

“The target’s not that hard, Dan. I know I can break it!” Arms tight and forehead knotted up, trying hard not to miss, he was determined to be careful. Two more shots went astray. Instead of looking for the swing error, he took each miss personally. A teaching opportunity. 

I called a time-out and asked politely, “What is our objective here?” Looking at me like I was an alien, he said, “To break the target.” Now I’m used to that answer and wait for the right teaching moment. “Our objective here is to build the correct swing.”

We spoke. I retrieved his Kolar from the rack. Finger on the button, I stood quietly as he gathered himself. He swung smoothly and fired. It was beautiful to watch, graceful and deadly. The break was almost irrelevant. He’d seen how he did it. This was a huge step forward, a revelation. He didn’t “try to break the target.” He put all his attention on “building the correct swing.”

 I’d shown him the right swing steps, the correct visual, bird / barrel relationships. By moving his attention to building the correct swing, X. X. X. X. No surprise at all. Good gun management will do that, dependably and consistently. 

Distractions like wanting, needing the target to break, move our attention away from building the swing this target requires. After missing, how can the distracted shooter correct a swing error they never saw? Same for an X swing. Why did that target break?

I won’t go so far as to say missing is an asset to our game but misses—when given the proper attention—teach. Good shooters are fierce about seeing, learning from each X and O swing, using that information to break the next target. Whereas, fighting with frustration in the box only empowers it, inevitably stealing a shooter’s best score.  

I reminded Mr. Bittlekirk, the target will not forgive a shooter’s loss of control. A truth we must face if we’re serious about becoming more consistent and adding X’s to our scorecard.

Think of your concentration or mental focus as your flashlight. If it’s not pointed toward building a good swing, where will your next shot string go?

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If you want to break more targets and shoot with consistency, Dan Schindler’s 3 Excellent Books: Take Your Best Shot, To The Target, and Beyond The Target—are the next best thing to taking a lesson with Dan himself.

Trusted by shooters around the world, these books are a true investment in good shooting. Written in plain, uncomplicated language, they strip away the mystery and lay a rock-solid foundation for improving scores and building consistency.

Packed with practical insights and proven methods, Schindler’s books deliver what every shooter needs: clarity, confidence, and results. And when you’re ready for even more knowledge, the Paragon website offers a wealth of articles and blog posts to keep you moving forward.

👉 Move Your Shooting Forward! Call (828) 693-6600 or visit ParagonSchool.com today.

Thank you for visiting with us. Here’s hoping our paths cross again soon. 

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