Sporting shoots 2023. How was it?

[Cuffers]

Tried ABT for the first time yesterday at Fareham Clay Target Shooting Ground. Lovely little club, very welcoming and great hospitality.

It took me a while to get used to the discipline (and the etiquette), shot 14,17,19,22. Really enjoyed it. A refreshing change from ESP, SSP & STR. Having a go at DTL next month too!

 

[Cuffers]

Oxfordshire shooting school this am. Bloody awful! There was a great deal of wind and extremely bright low winter sun. I’m guessing neither of these were a factor when it was set up and nobody cared enough to either look at the forecast, or indeed change anything early this morning. So half the stands were a vision test in shadow, or due to looking into the sun. Plus clays were being blown around and different every time. One to forget.

I stopped shooting at Oxfordshire when they had a live trap, totally open and shooters were able to walk straight past it. When I mentioned it to the staff in the clubhouse I was greeted by a torrent of F's and C's from the head groundsman.

Those who know me know that I shoot alot but I won't be going back there again!

 

[Will Hewland]

I stopped shooting at Oxfordshire when they had a live trap, totally open and shooters were able to walk straight past it. When I mentioned it to the staff in the clubhouse I was greeted by a torrent of F's and C's from the head groundsman.

Those who know me know that I shoot alot but I won't be going back there again!

I was there two days ago. Ridiculous and unnecessary sun issues in the morning, so top ten were all shooters who shot later on. The fella that sets the course is just maddening; very stuck in 1985.

 

[donna]

We shot the sport trap at Owls on Thursday and apart from getting a drenching on layout 2 I thoroughly enjoyed it! For some reason I never shoot it well at that ground but after a disappointing 14 on layout 1, had a 20 on 2 and 3 and a 22 on 4 finishing with a 76 which I was quite happy with and we had a good journey there and back so not too bad a day!

 

[Westward]

I was there two days ago. Ridiculous and unnecessary sun issues in the morning, so top ten were all shooters who shot later on. The fella that sets the course is just maddening; very stuck in 1985.

Haven't shot there for over 2 years and probably won't go again. Too many fiddly targets for my taste and as you say, little if any allowance for the sun. It's more like a Sunday morning straw baler than reg sporting.

 

[jasper]

I was there two days ago. Ridiculous and unnecessary sun issues in the morning, so top ten were all shooters who shot later on. The fella that sets the course is just maddening; very stuck in 1985.

Not just this place . Its happening all over.
It seems there may have been a cosmic shift so the sun comes up in a different place. .........

 

[Will Hewland]

Not just this place . Its happening all over.
It seems there may have been a cosmic shift so the sun comes up in a different place. .........

I just can’t stand overt stupidity. At Oxfordshire SG there are several stands that face absolutely due South. Anybody who hasn’t figured out that low winter sun will be smack in your face there is either stupid or recklessly uncaring. I kinda wouldn’t mind if the sun would sit still, (yeah I know it does, the earth moves) but when half the shooters don’t have an issue later in the day (when it moved across and also clouded over) it makes a nonsense of a competition course. In this example, all the stands affected could easily accommodate lower targets below the bank line, whereas this pillock uses the sun like the setting hoop on a skeet layout. Grrr..

 

[jasper]

As you may recall one of my posts much earlier in the year. The one about courses being fair to absolutely everyone who shoots. Well it's probably nearly a year on from that and I'm still waiting. And ground owners are still grumpy when you point simple stuff out to them. Just trying to help you give us a much better product which we will then be more likely to spend our hard earned on.

 

[chesterse]

Took time out from competition today as there wasn’t much on and have been disappointed with the last couple of registered shoots I’ve done. Similar comments as Will - targets into the sun or hidden in dark shadow and lack of imagination with same old same old.
So went and had a practice round at Grimsthorpe and how enjoyable it was, great targets and a beautiful autumn setting.
How I wish they would have more competitions. I know you can’t go back but we had some brilliant times there when they did regular comps.

 

[Sian]

Gunsite for us and busy as usual. Bit of rain at the start and end but just blowy and cold all round. Good course some of which I shot well and some I might as well have done it blindfold. The stand where I got 2/8 was a going away on report left to right which just needed to be shot at almost. I just didn’t. Yet some nice long ones no problem. My last stand was a very long wait and it wasn’t easy but I thought there were 2 to shoot before me and found myself next and not prepared so no chance and got 3/10. Very cold by the end and soggy. I’m getting over covid so I will celebrate the fact that I made it round at all.

 

[Will Hewland]

Gunsite for us and busy as usual. Bit of rain at the start and end but just blowy and cold all round. Good course some of which I shot well and some I might as well have done it blindfold. The stand where I got 2/8 was a going away on report left to right which just needed to be shot at almost. I just didn’t. Yet some nice long ones no problem. My last stand was a very long wait and it wasn’t easy but I thought there were 2 to shoot before me and found myself next and not prepared so no chance and got 3/10. Very cold by the end and soggy. I’m getting over covid so I will celebrate the fact that I made it round at all.

I gather 190 entries at Gunsite today in the rain.

 

[Westward]

I must be getting old as I looked at the forecast and decided to stay warm and dry. Plus which I cleaned the car Friday and didn't want to come home from a soggy shoot with it looking like it'd been on safari.

 

[jonz]

I gather 190 entries at Gunsite today in the rain.

190 at Gunsite yet only 77 at Westfields ?

 

[Will Hewland]

190 at Gunsite yet only 77 at Westfields ?

Yes. (Possibly a few more non reg to add at Westfields).

 

[Richard59]

190 at Gunsite yet only 77 at Westfields ?

Westfield is 15 crow miles from home, it was foul here all day which would have put a lot off, that said some shot both!

 

[jonz]

Westfield is 15 crow miles from home, it was foul here all day which would have put a lot off, that said some shot both!

Weather couldn’t have been that much different at Gunsite from Westfield , yet two and a half times more entries.
Just made me wonder why Gunsite is that much more popular ?

 

[chippy]

I know it's all round and not sporting but young John Porter shot 149 ex 150 at eriswell yesterday that's world class shooting.

 

[Martinj]

Weather couldn’t have been that much different at Gunsite from Westfield , yet two and a half times more entries.
Just made me wonder why Gunsite is that much more popular ?

Good question, Gunsite and Hangman's Stone are always well attended

 

[chippy]

I know it's all round and not sporting but young John Porter shot 149 ex 150 at eriswell yesterday that's world class shooting.

 

[Nick Selby]

Weather couldn’t have been that much different at Gunsite from Westfield , yet two and a half times more entries.
Just made me wonder why Gunsite is that much more popular ?

Suspect the scores will have something to do with it. Not that I shoot much but it looks to me that some like high scores and some like more challenging targets….