Genuine question

[Iggy]

Have ESP shoots got harder/thought the last few years or have I just got worse?

I appreciate we had lockdown and that affected us all, but pre-pandemic I was fairly settled in A class and had been for a few years, even putting in the odd upper 80/lower 90 score

During lockdown it was nigh on impossible to shoot anyway but when we got going again the only shoots local to me were pretty tough, so my averages dropped and I’m now in B class. 

To be honest my classification doesn’t bother me that much, what’s bothering me is (a) are registered shoots generally harder nowadays, post pandemic (b) have I just lost form and need to get it back, or (c) am I just crap and need to buy a train set instead?

I confess to falling into the usual ‘it must be the gun’ trap and now on my 4th different gun in the last 6 months which will not help at all. My work has also been very stressful for the last 2/3 years, so appreciate that may also be impacting on concentration levels etc  

But is it just me or have things stiffened up?

 

[jasper]

Popcorn. Haven't  had a good popcorn thread for a while. 

Well done Iggy. 

Jasper. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I like popcorn too, but will comment. 
 

I’ve also had a bit of a drop in my average, but I don’t think it’s the shoots. They FEEL harder, but I’m lower down the results list, quite often amongst the last few in AA. I just can’t get round all 12 stands without a slip up these days.
 

I’ve had a head that has been full of work stress and also been through gun chaos. Work is better but I’m still not feeling I’ve got a gun that’s part of me quite yet.

As I say, look at where you are in the results lists 2 years ago and now. Are you further down lately?

 

[Andrew Smith]

Yesterday I shot 50 at Lane End. Straighted the first stand, ended up with just 28/50…….

 

[Iggy]

Thanks all, and interesting to hear your comments Will as they very much echo my own ‘journey’ the last year or two

Looking back, I’m definitely struggling now compared to two years ago….just prior to lockdown I was regularly in the upper 70’s to upper 80’s at most shoots, but my average is now 75 and yesterday I put in a 66 at Kegworth where there just seemed to be very few of the ‘gimme’ stands you used to get to build a score around?

I watched the latest Ed Solomons video last night where he mentioned how ESP targets were changing and he suggests they are getting closer with narrower windows etc, but all the shoots I attend nowadays (mainly Garlands, Kegworth and Kingsley) the targets are just getting further away?

I did wonder driving home yesterday what a newcomer/C class shooter would make it to be honest. I appreciate we need to be pushed to learn and progress, but with the increase in costs we are all aware of just to participate, are we at risk of making this so challenging that we strip the fun/enjoyment out of this for 90% of the entry just to make sure the top 10% feel like they have earned top spot?

 

[Will Hewland]

Thanks all, and interesting to hear your comments Will as they very much echo my own ‘journey’ the last year or two

Looking back, I’m definitely struggling now compared to two years ago….just prior to lockdown I was regularly in the upper 70’s to upper 80’s at most shoots, but my average is now 75 and yesterday I put in a 66 at Kegworth where there just seemed to be very few of the ‘gimme’ stands you used to get to build a score around?

I watched the latest Ed Solomons video last night where he mentioned how ESP targets were changing and he suggests they are getting closer with narrower windows etc, but all the shoots I attend nowadays (mainly Garlands, Kegworth and Kingsley) the targets are just getting further away?

I did wonder driving home yesterday what a newcomer/C class shooter would make it to be honest. I appreciate we need to be pushed to learn and progress, but with the increase in costs we are all aware of just to participate, are we at risk of making this so challenging that we strip the fun/enjoyment out of this for 90% of the entry just to make sure the top 10% feel like they have earned top spot?

Top guys are a bad barometer. I usually rate how hard a shoot is by how many competitors can’t hit 60%. If it’s more than 20% then it’s very tough usually. 

 

[chesterse]

Iggy what you have written could be me! I’m just getting some form back by sticking to one gun and trying to shoot more instinctively. When one has a downturn of form you start thinking about this that and the other. When I was shooting well I was expecting to hit everything I shot at but recently I started having doubts and if you think your are going to miss you will. So much of this sport is about confidence and a mind game.

In terms of targets generally getting more difficult I think a lot of it depends on where you shoot. Targets at some grounds are inherently easier than others. I do think though a little while back shoots went through a phase of being softer to encourage entries but I think there has been a bit of a turnaround on this aspect. It’s so difficult to set a round to keep everyone happy.

I think the standard of shooting has improved dramatically over the last few years and that puts pressure on everyone. Doesn’t matter what class, you can’t give away anything, one target makes all the difference. 

 

[paul b]

If youre struggling at kingsley its not difficult targets making youre scores dip,and from what ive heard from some very good shots kegworth wont do much for anyones confidence.Best bet if you have time/funds is after a garlands go back the following practice day and repeat the problem stands untill you understand whats going on.

 

[Freddypip]

My scores are down but only by 4 or 5. I am not as consistent which I also put down to work, stress and tiredness. I had no time off for Covid-19 - just hassle.

I also used my spare gun in April and it takes a while to get over the change and then change back. There always a honeymoon period with a 'new' gun but its stupid to change unless you know its for the long haul.

I am tempted to say the shoots this year are harder but I've also visited new grounds. I think my scores have dropped because of the variety. I also think grounds have realized that we would prefer a challenge. It should be possible to answer the question statistically by looking at the cut off points for the different grades.

 

[Charliedog]

Discussions with older shooters seem to reflect that they dont like the modern closer, more technical targets and miss having the big stuff up in the sky to shoot at, certainly some of the targets favour younger reactions and this may be why their scores are dipping (not saying you fall into the old category either)

 

[k80ben]

I would say they have gotten easier if you can read targets. If you simply like gaps then those days are gone. 
 

it will be a break down on your form not clays getting harder 

 

[vmax1010]

Have to say with my bad eyesight I prefer closer targets

 

[chesterse]

Discussions with older shooters seem to reflect that they dont like the modern closer, more technical targets and miss having the big stuff up in the sky to shoot at, certainly some of the targets favour younger reactions and this may be why their scores are dipping (not saying you fall into the old category either)

You might be right, if I know a ground has a lot of wizzing around close stuff then I tend not to go there. There is nothing wrong with those type of targets but mixed in with medium and and long range. You have got to be able to shoot everything but don’t find it enjoyable shooting the majority of stands with close targets. Variety is the spice of life.

I guess some of it comes down to money again, the closer quicker targets tend to lend themselves to getting more people through in the time scale.

 

[Iggy]

Thanks all for your replies and comments, looks like a potential mix of issues at play not least of which is my personal dip in form.

Post pandemic I’ve only really stayed shooting ‘regularly’ again over the last few months and by that I mean maybe 2 or 3 Sundays a month and I am also aware that I’ve become very outcome focussed and need to get back to thinking more about the process

I do feel I struggle to read targets, speed and distance at times……any thoughts on how to tackle this or is it just (increasingly expensive) lead down the barrel?

Don’t mean to go ‘off piste’ here, but is there a specific lens colour for example that might help? I have Pilla X7’s and a selection of lenses and I’ve also been faffing around with these as well the last few months  

Thanks all,

Ian

 

[Charliedog]

Thanks all for your replies and comments, looks like a potential mix of issues at play not least of which is my personal dip in form.

Post pandemic I’ve only really stayed shooting ‘regularly’ again over the last few months and by that I mean maybe 2 or 3 Sundays a month and I am also aware that I’ve become very outcome focussed and need to get back to thinking more about the process

I do feel I struggle to read targets, speed and distance at times……any thoughts on how to tackle this or is it just (increasingly expensive) lead down the barrel?

Don’t mean to go ‘off piste’ here, but is there a specific lens colour for example that might help? I have Pilla X7’s and a selection of lenses and I’ve also been faffing around with these as well the last few months  

Thanks all,

Ian

A session with a decent coach would be my advice, take out the guesswork

 

[Will Hewland]

Agree with a coaching session. If things have gone messy, get back on track. 

 

[Jonny English]

I find that one of the main things is to try to isolate 1 problem at a time and work that out. Shoot a registered and then look over your card and work out what has lost you the most targets. This could be anything from a certain type of bogey target, a concentration issue, miss reading targets, lack of preparation outside the cage, hopd and kill points, methid used. If you can isolate a individual problem there is then a wealth of knowledge on line, on YouTube, in magazines to fix that issue. Work on that problem till you have it bottomed out, then analyse a card again and approach the next issue. It takes time but slowly you work it all out and your shooting generally improves.

 

[Finners]

Very interesting thread, not knowing your personal circumstances I'll explain mine and you can decide if there's any relavence to you. I'm a fairly average non competitive shooter (ie I don't do registered shoots) so I'm certainly no "expert" but I too have seen a marked dip in my scores at the shoot's I regularly attend.  I'm pretty certain that at the one shoot in particular, that the targets haven't got tougher. 

On average, I estimate the drop to be around 10 - 15%, so pretty significant.

To clarify, I am 63, always been fairly fit; quite stong with good core strength. However, what I am thinking is the "lay off" during Covid and a bout of the 'rona has possibly affected my general fitness and I find lumping around an 8 plus pound gun a bit more tiring these days. 

In addition to your "thinking too much" comment, I suspect my general tiredness means my concentration level is being affected. So my plan is to concentrate on my fitness and I've toyed with changing to a lighter gun (I don't tend to suffer from recoil and only normally do 50 birders anyway) but that's another story.

But the thing I'm certainly going to do, is get a few lessons to try to get back on track. 

 

[chesterse]

Of course the other big one with drop off in form is the eyes and have they been tested lately!