Sporting shoots. Where - and how did it go?

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Pilford's 40 bird shoot was my destination this morning. I arrived early knowing I would probably have a bit of slithering trouble while parking. I did indeed slither, even with the magic snowflake button pressed in my little Peugeot. I am now convinced that the snowflake button is connected only to the light on the dashboard without any effect whatsoever on the differential... But it was heartening to see how many people were slithering just as much in 4x4 type vehicles which their owners believed would behave impeccably with town style tyres and lots of loud pedal.

The shoot itself was, I though, well thought out, presenting a variety of targets of differing degrees of difficulty. We normally start on stand 5 and work backwards, and I approached stand 1 at the end of our round having dropped a couple of targets due to mince-pie-alcohol-and-too-much-overindulgence related issues (aka poor concentration). That stand 1 had a right to left looper of moderate velocity which seemed to defeat all logic. The arc of shooting was restricted which prevented the shooter taking advantage of the first part of the arc, and I was not alone cursing it. I missed three of the dam' things, and had to be content with 35 x 40.

Quite a good turnout today, much mud, great fun, with a good bacon bap.

Purbeck tomorrow for the resumption of the "Tuesday Morning Old Gits' Club" meetings, in possible preparation for their ESP on Wednesday. It is entirely possible that the management may clip my wings before Wednesday, of course, but one lives in hope.

 
I went to Gatton Bottom today. Great weather, bank holiday, nothing much else on.. The script writes itself.. Felt like about 250 entries..

First half of the course was pretty straightforward and I was 1 away after 6 or 7 stands. Then it got very edgey and tricky in places, so I ditched a further 10. I missed two on an easy following pair having waited 45 minutes to shoot it, coupled with stress of wondering when I would, as the scorer had muddled the inch thick pile of cards.. Last stand (after over 3 hours) was a fast sim pair that my head wasn't bearing up for either. A lesson in focus..

M25 was as awful as you would expect too. Long day! Enjoyable overall..

 
Somewhat suprised no one has commented on Southdown on Sunday.

222 entries on the sporting made for a long day. 3h30 for 100 birds. I only suffered one no bird apart from stand 4 (?) where there were 2 rabbits. One trap either smashed the clay or failed to load it every second cycle. Queues of up to 20 on stands so long waits. The compac comp running simultaneously was booked out so the car park was chokka with 4*4's in the field next to the clubhouse. Tried the pool shoot twice. First time it was closed after I had waited as ref Tony was off to deliver coffee to other refs. The next time the traps were all empty.

bumped into a few regulars. One really ticked off at constant breakdowns. Watched a couple of colts with bright futures and suffered the usual stream of continuous 4 letter language from the usual suspects.

Lovely day out, weather reasonable, certainly not cold, bit breezy but nothing drastic.

Southdown was, well, Southdown!

 
Did Gatton Bottom as well. Got there just after 12noon and  entries were pushing 200, so would imagine it probably did get close to 250. Place was packed, they really should have had 15 stands on (if that is possible at Horne).  Got behind a group of 5 at one point who appeared to have one gun between them and not much of an idea how to use it. I'm not talking about shooting skills but the real basics like opening and loading gun, frightening! Wandered up to stand 12 and waited 45mins to shoot. The rest ot stands were slightly better but 25 minute wait was average until last few stands when crowds thinned out. Tried to leap frog about a bit to find quieter stands. Was waiting on stand one with small group wondering why we were not moving, only to discover the club instructor was conducting a lesson in the middle of competition! Just what you need. Eventually finished at about 3pm, which was not bad compared to some who took near 4 hours. Targets were the usual Horne standard and I would imagine it will be won in the high 90s. Good day out despite the crowds.

 
I went to Gatton Bottom today. Great weather, bank holiday, nothing much else on.. The script writes itself.. Felt like about 250 entries..

First half of the course was pretty straightforward and I was 1 away after 6 or 7 stands. Then it got very edgey and tricky in places, so I ditched a further 10. I missed two on an easy following pair having waited 45 minutes to shoot it, coupled with stress of wondering when I would, as the scorer had muddled the inch thick pile of cards.. Last stand (after over 3 hours) was a fast sim pair that my head wasn't bearing up for either. A lesson in focus..

M25 was as awful as you would expect too. Long day! Enjoyable overall..
Good to see you today Will, enjoyable in places and some good targets as well but I just can't get my head round having TWO single aways on report at a registered. This was always going to be about those two stands of fast together pairs, I lost 8 between the two so 11 away in all wasn't too bad elsewhere. Missed the last yellow bird off the platform ! 

 
Good to see you today Will, enjoyable in places and some good targets as well but I just can't get my head round having TWO single aways on report at a registered. This was always going to be about those two stands of fast together pairs, I lost 8 between the two so 11 away in all wasn't too bad elsewhere. Missed the last yellow bird off the platform ! 
Hamster, I think on stand 12 the single birds going away were supposed to be a "following" pair according to description but the scorer was releasing them on report. Indeed while waiting to shoot it was obvious even his understanding of "on report" was debatable, as there was often quite a pause on the second bird coming! Then again I might just be saying this as I missed 2! ?

 
Horne as well for us. Why is it that missing birds hurts more after 40 mins wait to shoot them ?. The weather was lovely but towards the end and waiting so long I did start to feel cold.  Concentration is hard for me so Given the waiting time I just distracted myself - just can't watch so many before me.  I enjoyed it though.

 
Not going back to Southdown until they sort out the reliability issues with their traps (breakdowns everywhere), stop putting orange clays in the sky, (black clays in the grass) scorers that can see, ( especially the orange ones in the sky ). Get more scorers heard two stands had one scorer for a while. Stop large groups of non-shooting parties shooting reg comps (11 in one group on Sunday) sharing guns etc. Put on what they advertise ie advertised 120 bird on website then put on 100. Put on more stands to cut down on waiting. Clear up the empty shells on the floor from the stands from the week before.

Good Extravaganza this was.

Ohh and 3 hours on M25 Reigate to Staines upon Thames finished the day off.

 
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I went to Southdown with Rosso on Sunday.

Mixed day as I shot quite well with 80 on the sporting and 79 on the sportrap which was a class win so that pays for the New Years Day shoot there.

One target on the sportrap was silly though, even I couldn't see it. 

Had a flat tyre on the landy on the way back coming through Arundel.  Thankfully the inflation kit supplied worked very well and got me back the remaining 70 miles although doing 50MPH on the motorway was a bit painful.  All sorted now with 2 brand-new rear tyres fitted this morning.

 
Westfield today ( me and 250+ others by the looks ) went round with Stew Keen, Jason M, Josh Brown and Nigel Durn, these guys, all good shots all had their moments on some very ( at times very very ) testing targets, had a few brain dead stands myself but generally it was a very pleasant day in good company with some bright sunshine only partly disturbed by some chilly spells.

Carl Bloxham 111 was leading when I left, just pipping our very own Parcours Pete 110, mind you there was a glittering array of seriously good shots still to finish.

Also saw Sain, Tony, Jane, Ade, Chipper, Clynt  and probably a host more of you sorry if I didn't get to say hello, one sight to behold was Charlie Lovatt and his " Angles" namely Cheryl Hall, Nic Heron and another young lass, Ms Hall thought I was taking liberties in the festive period by referring Nic as an angel, however it is the season of goodwill afterall 

 
Westfield today ( me and 250+ others by the looks ) went round with Stew Keen, Jason M, Josh Brown and Nigel Durn, these guys, all good shots all had their moments on some very ( at times very very ) testing targets, had a few brain dead stands myself but generally it was a very pleasant day in good company with some bright sunshine only partly disturbed by some chilly spells.

Carl Bloxham 111 was leading when I left, just pipping our very own Parcours Pete 110, mind you there was a glittering array of seriously good shots still to finish.

Also saw Sain, Tony, Jane, Ade, Chipper, Clynt  and probably a host more of you sorry if I didn't get to say hello, one sight to behold was Charlie Lovatt and his " Angles" namely Cheryl Hall, Nic Heron and another young lass, Ms Hall thought I was taking liberties in the festive period by referring Nic as an angel, however it is the season of goodwill afterall 
Martin Myers was on 115 when we left.  Didn't rub him hard enough today because I shot like I had never held a gun before - just shocking.  So badly I'm staying in tomorrow to do housework instead.

 
A great day out at Westfield 

A pure masterclass from Steve Lovett on how to set a challenging but 

fair set of targets got to get your head down and work your butt off to

score anything respectable but makes you feel good when you do !!

Also good to see my favourite fitasc Ref wynno 

met Sian properly with a Xmas kiss ? Tony wasn't so keen ?

Good to see rich moreing again 

off to purbeck to get blown away today !! 

 
Good luck at Purbeck today - I was planning to go but the forecast is dire. Gusting near there up to 43 Mph, and the rainfall radar has no good news for afternoon shooters...

I know I'm a wimp, but I'm a comfortable warm and dry wimp!

 
Hodnet,  rained for 8 minutes and frank barely made his presence felt, 56 to beat the missus by one

 
Its been raining cats and dogs and blowing all day down here in Devon -  not put my nose outside the door all day!

Floods in Ivybridge and Modbury!

 
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Eriswell lodge has their first reg 100 sporting this Sunday. Will be nice to only travel 15 minutes, hope its a stiff round as my average has jumped up a bit lately after shooting a few soft rounds.

 
Eriswell lodge has their first reg 100 sporting this Sunday. Will be nice to only travel 15 minutes, hope its a stiff round as my average has jumped up a bit lately after shooting a few soft rounds.
Yes I can see the dust coming off the  side by side soon. :lol:

 
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