Sporting Shoots 2021. Reports and discussion.

[Martinj]

Hangmanstone for me too, I dropped 3 LH going aways on the first stand which should have been a gift, gradually improved (kicking myself) after a dodgy start for 84, well done for the sim pairs, I dropped a few of those, it took a while to find the midi, did OK on stand 8, ST4 dropped a teal, shot the rabbits 6 feet from the trap. T'was an enjoyable shoot.

Sean said he'll keep squadding on the next Gunsite shoot then back to a free for all.

 

[Will Hewland]

AGL today. The forecast this year is the least accurate I’ve ever known. 50% chance of light rain it said. On stand 11 It was the heaviest rain I’ve ever shot in. Even my trusty Schoffel coat may as well have been made of paper. Bloody soaked. 
 

A good course, on the steadier side. I managed second on 94 but I assume the 99 that won it may have been done in a drier patch, but who knows..

 

[Daz W]

Yep, soaked at AGL too. I started just after 11am, and I think stand 3 was the only one where it wasn't hammering down. Still good fun though, and some good targets.  Shot at 79, which is a registered shoot PB for me. Miles away from the top shots there, but as long as my scores are creeping up, then I'm happy.

 

[Bebo]

Court Farm this morning. Second time I've been to Horne in 18 months or more. Still dominated by teal, going away and quartering away targets. Not my favourites. I understand why some say Horne is easy because there isn't much that needs big leads, but personally I find it tricky because the targets are so fiddly. The two toughest stands I did well on (8 and 9) just to not be able to find two or three targets on other stands. I'd overlead and the over compensate and stop the gun. Wasn't a disaster, but finished on a mediocre 74.

 

[bisondan]

Struggled at Owls Lodge a bit on Thursday, one of those afternoons where I didn't start well and missed 2 or 3 on most stands for 77.  Combination of tiredness from my work exploding over the last couple of weeks and some of it was wind-affected but a pleasant afternoon none the less.

Did a bit better at Willoughby Hedge this morning, but a bit inconsistent again for 86, thought I was a bit unlucky with no birds but my own fault for not resetting and that probably cost me 3 or 4, almost missed the rain but it started with about 3 stands left and got fairly heavy, another nice morning though.

EJC Thursday and Gunsite Sunday next week.

 

[donna]

Barrow for us this morning. Again, another excellent course, quite a few sim pairs which we both shot better today.  A couple of straights, 5 with 1 away and no disasters and what we had been working on went well so was pleased to end up on 79 which is only 1 below my PB.  Only got rained on on last stand which was good!

 

[chippy]

Not sure what's happened to my shooting lately a 94 at highwayman's last week followed by a 94 at Northampton today. Not doing anything different but for some reason they seem to be breaking.

 

[Will Hewland]

Court Farm this morning. Second time I've been to Horne in 18 months or more. Still dominated by teal, going away and quartering away targets. Not my favourites. I understand why some say Horne is easy because there isn't much that needs big leads, but personally I find it tricky because the targets are so fiddly. The two toughest stands I did well on (8 and 9) just to not be able to find two or three targets on other stands. I'd overlead and the over compensate and stop the gun. Wasn't a disaster, but finished on a mediocre 74.

I always find Court Farm very fiddly. It’s a weird bit of ground, basically shooting into a row of trees and bushes, so the targets are a bit unique. Similar targets at Gatton Bottom, but at least there is open background which makes it easier. Now GB is doing reg shoots I’ll get back there soon. It’s been a LONG time. 

 

[Bebo]

I always find Court Farm very fiddly. It’s a weird bit of ground, basically shooting into a row of trees and bushes, so the targets are a bit unique. Similar targets at Gatton Bottom, but at least there is open background which makes it easier. Now GB is doing reg shoots I’ll get back there soon. It’s been a LONG time. 

I definitely need to work on improving at quartering stuff that needs little lead, going to be up at Sporting Targets on Saturday with some friends so I'm going to seek out those targets.  At least I managed not to muck up on teals yesterday.  Don't think I dropped one of those.

Churchills on Thursday and Kibworth on Friday for me.  Thankfully back to targets where you see a gap between gun and clay.

 

[Will Hewland]

I definitely need to work on improving at quartering stuff that needs little lead, going to be up at Sporting Targets on Saturday with some friends so I'm going to seek out those targets.  At least I managed not to muck up on teals yesterday.  Don't think I dropped one of those.

Churchills on Thursday and Kibworth on Friday for me.  Thankfully back to targets where you see a gap between gun and clay.

One approach I would recommend on quartering: Judge the target and decide how much it’s crossing you, which can be almost nothing (so you want to be just on its edge) or significantly (so you will need to see a foot gap perhaps to the side of it). Then let the clay go past your gun a bit, before moving to that pre decided kill picture. Don’t start the gun too low, it’s better to be travelling more from the side, on the line of the clay. The important bit is that you slow the gun as you reach the kill point, because it’s easy to whizz past. 
 

Its not the only way of course, but works for me. 

 

[donna]

Holland and Holland for the 100 challenge, shot a new PB of 82 and I’m pleased to say that apart from one stand on the platform (rabbit and blaze going away with the blaze going behind the bush so I couldn’t see it) I could see all the targets!  Really enjoyed it, lovely atmosphere, good weather and some testing targets, not beating you by distance but angles etc.  

 

[philmoss]

Court Farm this morning. Second time I've been to Horne in 18 months or more. Still dominated by teal, going away and quartering away targets. Not my favourites. I understand why some say Horne is easy because there isn't much that needs big leads, but personally I find it tricky because the targets are so fiddly. The two toughest stands I did well on (8 and 9) just to not be able to find two or three targets on other stands. I'd overlead and the over compensate and stop the gun. Wasn't a disaster, but finished on a mediocre 74.

Thought we would of seen you at Redricks along with Natasha & Angela ??

Plenty to see with a gap between gun & clay there !!

 

[Bebo]

Thought we would of seen you at Redricks along with Natasha & Angela ??

Plenty to see with a gap between gun & clay there !!

Had something on in the afternoon and wouldn't have been able to get back in time for it if I'd come up to Redricks.  It's only an hour home from Court Farm, made it back by 12.30.

 

[Richard59]

Gunsite today, thankfully the Perazzi is back with me so no ultra lightweight wand aka MK38, a big big entry, luckily I missed the heavy rain but the wind did pick up all through the day. Not sure how but in a squad of seven, all new faces to me so a quiet 2 1/2 hours is was too be, another downside of squadding is when the next group is a four and always up your ar er well you get drift, what’s more no matter how many of your squad still to shot one or two of them always want to virtually get in cage on your shoulders to peek at the clays. The shoot, well as earlier it was windy, quite a lot got buffeted about making it interesting rather than too difficult, not sure I have nor will achieve the skill set / reactions of the many to change on the hoof when a clay in flight goes all a wobble. Shot first half well , wheels came off second half Am though trying something different on my l-r bogeys, thing is it’s going to take me some ( a lot of ) time. Overall it ‘twas neither a good nor bad day for I, and looking at the scores in when I left a lot in same boat. Well done Dan 91 was leading A when I left, HG was Stuart Rudling 99, although lots of AAA superstars still on course think that’s in the bag. 
Oxford Friday will be looking for some but not major improvement in my all round shooting.

 

[bisondan]

Gunsite today, thankfully the Perazzi is back with me so no ultra lightweight wand aka MK38, a big big entry, luckily I missed the heavy rain but the wind did pick up all through the day. Not sure how but in a squad of seven, all new faces to me so a quiet 2 1/2 hours is was too be, another downside of squadding is when the next group is a four and always up your ar er well you get drift, what’s more no matter how many of your squad still to shot one or two of them always want to virtually get in cage on your shoulders to peek at the clays. The shoot, well as earlier it was windy, quite a lot got buffeted about making it interesting rather than too difficult, not sure I have nor will achieve the skill set / reactions of the many to change on the hoof when a clay in flight goes all a wobble. Shot first half well , wheels came off second half Am though trying something different on my l-r bogeys, thing is it’s going to take me some ( a lot of ) time. Overall it ‘twas neither a good nor bad day for I, and looking at the scores in when I left a lot in same boat. Well done Dan 91 was leading A when I left, HG was Stuart Rudling 99, although lots of AAA superstars still on course think that’s in the bag. 
Oxford Friday will be looking for some but not major improvement in my all round shooting.

Nice to see you mate.

I started at 10.05 and had a bit of heavy rain to start with which luckily stopped after a couple of stands but the gusty wind stayed about but I didn't have many affected by it; one battue on stand 2 went well shot of where it was supposed to which I hit but then went way out in front of the next, couple of teal on the next stand went stratospheric . and the second bird on 11 was just odd, came out at a funny angle and the wind sort of turned it to one side, missed three of them but hit all of the long midis.

Very happy with 91 in the conditions though.

 

[chippy]

My very small run of 90s came to an end today at highwayman's with an 85. I hate shooting in the wind so iam blaming that and the rain.

 

[Martinj]

Gatton Bottom was cancelled, I drove 42 miles (and return) to find that one out. I rang Michelle who told tales of torrential rain bogging down their trailer, by the time they pulled it out with a tractor it was too late . . 

 

[Salopian]

Dovey Valley yesterday for The Welsh Open .

Brilliant shoot , fantastic targets , a most enjoyable day , caught up with lots of friends who all seemed to have enjoyed their day.

 

[Will Hewland]

Gatton Bottom was cancelled, I drove 42 miles (and return) to find that one out. I rang Michelle who told tales of torrential rain bogging down their trailer, by the time they pulled it out with a tractor it was too late . . 

I had just decided weather looked too iffy when I heard it was canned. Lucky!

 

[woody]

I made the mistake of going to our local ground, Willow Farm, on what looked like a fairly nice sunday morning.  I've never been so wet shooting.  Soaked through to the skin, and so cold for August. Just horrid.