This is a good topic and hoping that it continues to be discussed, particularly any input Anthony can provide. Thanks!

Can we please revisit this topic , if you have time to answer Anthony . Thanks

I always see the target come out of the trap if possible but I am not focusing on the target when it comes out. In general I always see the trap but I never look at the trap. My eyes are generally set no further back than half way from my hold point toward the trap. When I first see the clay come out it is out of focus or fuzzy. My shift from soft focus to hard focus occurs as the clay is entering the break point. On a target with more time and more of a break zone I not only see the clay in focus for slightly longer and likely see it even clearer.

As a general rule my shift from soft focus (no detail) to hard focus occurs as or after I have inserted the gun.

Keep in mind if the gun and clay are not in sync you will be unlikely to see the clay clearly.

Anthony, when your eyes move to that half way point do you shift only your eyes avoiding any head movement? Thanks!
PS: It’s taken me some time to truly understand that when good shooters say we must see the bird clearly that the key to that is gun speed matching bird speed.

Always move my eyes first and only my head when necessary.

Interesting. Can you elaborate on why that may be?

Not Anthony but...
The way our limbic system, which controls our 'fight or flight' response (or more correctly, our "freeze, flight or fight" response), is wired has our eyes automatically going to movement. If the barrel/muzzle is not in sync with the target it perceives "movement" and tries to decide which is moving, the barrel or the clay, and whether or not one of them presents a "threat" and should get our undivided attention as such. Until it makes that determination, it doesn't allow us to focus on either. And sadly, we're hardwired that way.

That's not to say that we can't train ourselves to only focus on the target, but it's way easier to get the barrel and target synced up and let the 'computer' decided when to pull the trigger.

Thanks Anthony, that is a great explanation and really helps . I've been trying harder to move my eye hold point farther from the trap and use a softer focus to pick the clay up coming off the arm bit it is a struggle not to lock on to the clay to soon .