Q&A Tuesday: Shooting to make people more informed about gun safety

For the last 18 months, Dave Fiedler has been managing Nevada's oldest gun club. When he is not running the Capitol City Gun Club, at 3590 Arrowhead Dr., he spends his time training and teaching others about proper hunting and shooting techniques. He has been certified as a level III shooting instructor by the National Sporting Clay Association and has helped design trap, skeet and sporting clay courses in the United States and Europe.

When going out hunting or clay shooting as a novice, what are some things to be aware of?

We recommend that everyone take a hunter safety course put on by the state. They go through all the important things, the keys to being and remaining safe.

Aside from that, it's just common sense, don't point your gun at something that you're not going to shoot at. The bottom line is, if an accident does happen, it rests with the guy that pulls the trigger.

What is the most common mistake made by novice hunters?

The problem is, they get excited, and when you get excited you don't think. The flush of the wing and the dogs going after the bird gets people excited, and they rush. Experienced hunters still feel that excitement, but they know to slow down and make sure everything is OK before they shoot.

What kind of maintenance is necessary to prevent problems while hunting or shooting?

That depends on the type of shotgun you are using. With an over-under, there is not a whole lot of maintenance, just run a brush through it to clean it. With a semiautomatic, you need to take it apart after you shoot it. You need to keep a closer eye on the semiautomatic, but here it's easier because of the low humidity.

What is the most popular game for this area?

Chukar. Everything is a distant second to that. There is some interest in dove, but chukar is by far the most popular.

What is the easiest way for novice shooters to improve their accuracy?

For trap shooters, it's check how you are standing and make sure it's level and balanced. You want 70 percent of the weight on the front of your foot, and bring the gun and the sight up to your eye level, not your head down to the sight.

What's the hardest shot to hit when shooting trap?

For a right-handed shooter, it's a hard right. For a left-handed shooter, it's a hard left because it goes against the way you are standing.

What is the best part about shooting for you?

I always say that I shoot clay targets for myself; I hunt for the dog. When I want to shoot for me, I want the competition. I want to keep score.

What do you tell someone thinking about getting into clay shooting?

It's a fun game. Don't let the media form your opinion; come out and form your own opinion. If you don't like it, that's OK, but at least come try it.

It kind of has a bad rap, but the firearms aren't the problem, it's the people shooting them.