Local Ground For Local People 🤣

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

So…… I have always wondered how many small Sunday only 1 field, 5 stand, 25 clays places there really is ? I say this as my go to every Sunday shoot is hardly known out of the local ish area. For those wondering it’s Braithwell Shooting Ground based in South Yorkshire.
Basically it’s a small local shoot and that’s just how they like it. Enough patrons to keep running not too many to be running out of clays etc. I have just always wondered how many small grounds there are that don’t really advertise and are still barely findable even if you do know the name



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[Paul120]

There are probably still quite a few, Even though I shoot most weekends and well in touch with the shooting community. Every now and then I come across a club by a handful of people close to near where I live that have operated for years. The number has dwindled quite a bit. In the 80's. Back.then I recon I could shoot DTL 6 days a week and nearly as much sporting in the summer at weekend and evenings at different places each day.

Prize money was well worth winning and as competetive as any registered shoot.

The hardest shoots to win are the 10 bird DTL or 25 bird sporing shoots. You didn't just have to post a good score but also deal with the pressure of intense shoot offs.
That's where the real fun is and where a lot of the best competitors of the past learned how to win.

 

[chesterse]

There are two long established clubs near me, Glen Bank and Crowland. Both are thriving attendance wise but Crowland have been curtailed with the recent flooding. They manage to keep costs down and mainly cater for those not interested in registered competition shooting.
Glen Bank is a sporting ground with 8 or 9 stands for 50 birds which is a great formula for providing variety whilst keeping costs down.
Crowland was historically skeet and dtl but in recent times have introduced two sportrap layouts which are very popular.
There must be hundreds like this throughout the Country and it’s encouraging that they seem to be doing so well!

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

There are probably still quite a few, Even though I shoot most weekends and well in touch with the shooting community. Every now and then I come across a club by a handful of people close to near where I live that have operated for years. The number has dwindled quite a bit. In the 80's. Back.then I recon I could shoot DTL 6 days a week and nearly as much sporting in the summer at weekend and evenings at different places each day.

Prize money was well worth winning and as competetive as any registered shoot.

The hardest shoots to win are the 10 bird DTL or 25 bird sporing shoots. You didn't just have to post a good score but also deal with the pressure of intense shoot offs.
That's where the real fun is and where a lot of the best competitors of the past learned how to win.

It appears that there is a fair few of them around which is positive

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

There are two long established clubs near me, Glen Bank and Crowland. Both are thriving attendance wise but Crowland have been curtailed with the recent flooding. They manage to keep costs down and mainly cater for those not interested in registered competition shooting.
Glen Bank is a sporting ground with 8 or 9 stands for 50 birds which is a great formula for providing variety whilst keeping costs down.
Crowland was historically skeet and dtl but in recent times have introduced two sportrap layouts which are very popular.
There must be hundreds like this throughout the Country and it’s encouraging that they seem to be doing so well!

Yes it is good to hear that there are still shoots hidden away down farm tracks and behind gates you would never know where there. Ours is a 25 round over 5 or 6 stands. We do a round of 25 have elevenses then go round again. At £5 per 25 clays with membership it’s hard to beat. And we occasionally organise a none serious competition like sub 12 bore or semi auto rounds just to keep things interesting.

 

[Martinj]

Two have recently closed in my area (Camberley Gun Club and Three counties) which is a real shame because they have been running for decades.
Both closed, I think, because the landowners put a stop to it.

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

Two have recently closed in my area (Camberley Gun Club and Three counties) which is a real shame because they have been running for decades.
Both closed, I think, because the landowners put a stop to it.

Yes that’s a crying shame especially when they have become part of the fabric so to speak. Our local has been going since 1987 which is longer than I have been alive and I would imagine a good few regulars would pack in. They are great places to go and socialise for the younger generations it’s somewhere to go and shoot that is still fairly cheap. And for the older guys we have some who don’t even shoot a round they just go and walk the first couple of stands have a chat and walk back to the cars and tag on to the next group. Amazing stories though. And nice to just stop and spend some time to talk to someone who has walked a totally different path.

 

[Madrilleno]

We’re still going in Ripley, Derbyshire every other Sunday. It’s been a struggle over the last year with the constant rain which turns parts of the field into a muddy mess, but we keep on. We have found the triple whammy of covid, the cost of living and the poor weather has hit us, but if you’re in the area, come and visit, announcements here: https://bit.ly/ccsc-ripley

 

[FESkent]

We’re still going in Dover, Dover Clay Pigeon Club, started around 1972 CPSA club number 91. Visitors welcome we shoot every Sunday morning at 9am.
https://doverclaypigeon.club/

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

We’re still going in Ripley, Derbyshire every other Sunday. It’s been a struggle over the last year with the constant rain which turns parts of the field into a muddy mess, but we keep on. We have found the triple whammy of covid, the cost of living and the poor weather has hit us, but if you’re in the area, come and visit, announcements here: https://bit.ly/ccsc-ripley

Yes we struggle with the winter time turning the ground into an absolute quagmire. Good to hear of another local ground keeping going though

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

We’re still going in Dover, Dover Clay Pigeon Club, started around 1972 CPSA club number 91. Visitors welcome we shoot every Sunday morning at 9am.
https://doverclaypigeon.club/

1972 that’s some going

 

[Centrepin]

Sycamore near Sheffield. 50 bird Sunday mornings £15. 8 or 9 stands.

Beacon Rod Sheffield, alternate Sunday mornings. Annual membership required, 40 bird.

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

Sycamore near Sheffield. 50 bird Sunday mornings £15. 8 or 9 stands.

Beacon Rod Sheffield, alternate Sunday mornings. Annual membership required, 40 bird.

Been to Sycamore a good few times amazing ground great birds and the view is hard to beat. Only time we seem to go is when the weather is poor though which is always more fun with the wind coming up the valley making it rain from below

 

[TRINITY]

One thing all these little grounds seem to have in common is that they believe shooters come out of hibernation at 10am Sunday morning and then by 1pm disappear once more, till the following week
The shooting fraternity has got much older and there are many retired around, plus many of the younger generation live in a world that's 24/7.
Personally I think many are missing a trick, they are all competing against each other. There are many shooters out there who may find it difficult to fit into a rigid 3 hour time slot on one day per week.

 

[vmax1010]

A lot of these little grounds operate on the "28 day" rule so every Fortnight Otherwise it's planning permission

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

One thing all these little grounds seem to have in common is that they believe shooters come out of hibernation at 10am Sunday morning and then by 1pm disappear once more, till the following week
The shooting fraternity has got much older and there are many retired around, plus many of the younger generation live in a world that's 24/7.
Personally I think many are missing a trick, they are all competing against each other. There are many shooters out there who may find it difficult to fit into a rigid 3 hour time slot on one day per week.

I can see where you are coming from and I do agree although I think it depends on the type of club. The guy who runs ours is able to open in the week also, but he says it’s more effort for the same return as half the people who go on a Sunday just go on Thursday and don’t bother Sunday.

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

A lot of these little grounds operate on the "28 day" rule so every Fortnight Otherwise it's planning permission

I did not know that. Everyday is a school day as they say

 

[FESkent]

One thing all these little grounds seem to have in common is that they believe shooters come out of hibernation at 10am Sunday morning and then by 1pm disappear once more, till the following week
The shooting fraternity has got much older and there are many retired around, plus many of the younger generation live in a world that's 24/7.
Personally I think many are missing a trick, they are all competing against each other. There are many shooters out there who may find it difficult to fit into a rigid 3 hour time slot on one day per week.

Unfortunately for us as a Club we would not have the resources to open on a weekday due to members having to work.
Then even if it was possible the attendance needs to justify the effort to setup and clear away the shoot. We have tried a few Saturday shoots but just find if people shoot on the Saturday they do not attend on the Sunday so double the physical effort for no better financial benefit.
For midweek shooting you are looking at commercial grounds probably with the ability to leave the traps out all week.

 

[TRINITY]

Unfortunately for us as a Club we would not have the resources to open on a weekday due to members having to work.
Then even if it was possible the attendance needs to justify the effort to setup and clear away the shoot. We have tried a few Saturday shoots but just find if people shoot on the Saturday they do not attend on the Sunday so double the physical effort for no better financial benefit.
For midweek shooting you are looking at commercial grounds probably with the ability to leave the traps out all week.

Why not concentrate on Saturday and forget Sunday then. Round me there must be at least six grounds open on a Sunday, I don't shoot at any. However I travel far and wide at least 3 days per week to shoot at a variety of other grounds on different days.

 

[DolphinCTC]

Why not concentrate on Saturday and forget Sunday then. Round me there must be at least six grounds open on a Sunday, I don't shoot at any. However I travel far and wide at least 3 days per week to shoot at a variety of other grounds on different days.

I'm afraid that most people go shooting on a Sunday, if we were to switch to Saturday instead we wouldn't be anywhere near as busy. We did try opening Saturdays as well for a year but it wasn't worth while. I'd like to open only when the weather is good so I wouldn't have to try and put a shoot on in a gale but that wouldn't work either!