High Tower Protocol

[badsworth]

I have just come home after a very enjoyable afternoon with friends busting a few clays at the Purbeck Shooting School in Wareham Forest.

Can someone please advise me on a point of protocol?

One of the stands is a high tower where a couple of the traps launch clays straight over the cage at about 40 yards height. Most of my pals stood facing towards the trap and took the clays coming straight towards them or straight above.

I decided to try something different. I stood sideways on and took the clays as high 'crossers'. My gun was never pointed in any different direction to my pals - it was just sideways on, and still safely within the limits of the cage.

Although most of my friends thought this perfectly legitimate, one of them raised a query about whether this was allowed, especially if it had been a pukka competition. Can anyone tell me if there is any rule against taking such birds sideways on?


Much obliged.

Badsworth 
 

 

[Westward]

Nothing in the rules says you have face the tower. Shooting driven birds as high crossers is not uncommon.

 

[Will Hewland]

I have just come home after a very enjoyable afternoon with friends busting a few clays at the Purbeck Shooting School in Wareham Forest.

Can someone please advise me on a point of protocol?

One of the stands is a high tower where a couple of the traps launch clays straight over the cage at about 40 yards height. Most of my pals stood facing towards the trap and took the clays coming straight towards them or straight above.

I decided to try something different. I stood sideways on and took the clays as high 'crossers'. My gun was never pointed in any different direction to my pals - it was just sideways on, and still safely within the limits of the cage.

Although most of my friends thought this perfectly legitimate, one of them raised a query about whether this was allowed, especially if it had been a pukka competition. Can anyone tell me if there is any rule against taking such birds sideways on?

Much obliged.

Badsworth 

No problem at all, as long as you remain in the cage. If circumstances are odd, I just tell the scorer that I'm going to do it, so they can stand in the right place and are happy.

 

[VicW]

If the design of the cage allows you to safely shoot the high birds as crossers

then there is no reason why you shouldn't.

If,however,the design of the cage allowed you to shoot them as going-away birds I think you would have to think twice about doing it because you are now shooting 180 degrees to the original layout of the stand.

What rule applies to FITASC stands,where there are no cages,in similar circumstances I do not know.

Vic.

 

[Westward]

If anyone positioned themself to shoot in an unsafe direction the ref would intervene at a comp. Straw balers are another story, hopefully squad mates or bystanders would take care of it.

 

[tiptop]

As said high driven can be taken as crossers if safe enough to do so.

Although saying that at some competitons you maybe told that you have to take them as high driven and not allowed to turn sideways on (english open southern counties comes to mind),and on teal you maybe told to shoot them on the rise and not on the way down or it will be targets lost.

 

[DoubleBarrelledDon]

on FITASC you can shoot them driven, crossers or going away, just so long as your facing in a safe direction and make sure you tell your squad if you are gonna turn 180 so they know which way to run.......but the ref should explain that anyway....

 

[Angelfire]

As said high driven can be taken as crossers if safe enough to do so.

Although saying that at some competitons you maybe told that you have to take them as high driven and not allowed to turn sideways on (english open southern counties comes to mind),and on teal you maybe told to shoot them on the rise and not on the way down or it will be targets lost.

Just a question from an ex Tarp shooter. Is it in the sporting rules that a Ref can instruct you where you may shoot a bird.  I was of the opinion that provided you were in the confines of a cage, birds could be shot anywhere between each side of the cage.

Phil*

 

[Fuzrat]

Not sure there is an actual provision in the rule book for this Phil, I am assuming this is like the "local rules" in golf and cricket. 

 

[Fuzrat]

All I can find is this from booklet 7

7.09 The competitor must remain positioned within the area of the shooting stand and is only 
allowed to load cartridges into the gun within the confines of the stand. The gun will at all times be kept 
pointing down the range and targets will only be called for after the Referee has given the signal to start.  
In no case may a Competitor move to the stand before the preceding competitor has left the stand and it 
is their turn to shoot.  
7.10 Shooting stands shall be clearly defined squares no smaller than 0.91m (1 yard) and must be 
within an enclosure. Enclosures must be a minimum height of 2m (2.18yd), to prevent any safety problems 
when addressing or firing at any targets presented. The sides of any enclosure should not prevent the 
Referee from having a clear view of the competitor. 
The recommended dimensions of the enclosure follow the standard Sportrap enclosure size of:
1200mm x 1200mm (47.2in x 47.2in) area with a removable front bar at 600mm (23.62in) height (to allow 
disabled competitors access and position) with enclosure sides to 2m (2.18yd) and a padded top bar 
centrally above the pad. Front entry and variations on the size of the recommended enclosure will remain 
acceptable provided the arc of fire is contained within the exclusion zone.
 
 
Interesting to see that stands Must be within an enclosure and square. I have shot many grounds that use a hoop for sporting, clearly not square and certainly not enclosed. 

 

[DoubleBarrelledDon]

does it really matter though?......and if you notice although there is a reccomendation there is no maximum size.....so you could have a 20 yard cage?????!!!!!!!

I shoot FITASC in preference to sporting so prefer shooting from a hoop anyway as its much more natural and in my opinion if you need a cage to keep you from shooting someone then you really should not be anywhere near a gun....

 

[Fuzrat]

Nope matters very little to me, like you I am of the opinion that if you need to be caged to avoid shooting someone you shouldn't be there, but rules is rules aren't they? no grey areas allowed here

 

[tiptop]

Just a question from an ex Tarp shooter. Is it in the sporting rules that a Ref can instruct you where you may shoot a bird.  I was of the opinion that provided you were in the confines of a cage, birds could be shot anywhere between each side of the cage.

Phil*

I suppose when you enter the cage and the target description is say r/l crosser,high driven on report that is how they should be shot.Not as r/l crosser and how you fancy taking the second.

If the ref say's nothing then i guess you do as you feel,but if all shooters are instructed to shoot the targets as driven then they must be taken as driven.

I personally will try to shoot them as crossers if i can as high driven are my nemisis target.

 

[ExSCA]

Just a question from an ex Tarp shooter. Is it in the sporting rules that a Ref can instruct you where you may shoot a bird.  I was of the opinion that provided you were in the confines of a cage, birds could be shot anywhere between each side of the cage.

Phil*

There are examples where limits will be called - rabbits for instance can have a limit 'shoot it before that post' or whatever. I've also heard refs say that 'this target needs to be shot before it gets past that tree' either for safety, or visibility.

 

[Angelfire]

Aye, thanks for the replies. Most interesting.

Phil*