Sporting Shoots; where- and how was it? (2018)

[Doug Pinnegar]

Had a recent spell of good shoots where the grounds had set some different and interesting targets. The main ones being the Ian Coley June shoot and then the premier league at Honesberie. 

Today broke that spell with a first visit to Kegworth. Considering the level of events they host I was disappointed when 5 stands we got to required a long wait as the scorers had to trundle out and fill the traps themselves. Also, one stand using a single trap to send the same bird 8 in a row. 

 

[chippy]

Northampton today absolutely chucking it down with rain when we got there but sunny after the first stand. Another good round and I was shooting well 8 away until the last two stands where I missed 8. Was hoping for the first 90 with the new gun. Maybe next week.

 

[Martinj]

We too were at Willinghurst, my first time there and I think it was the last one until after pheasants are done.  I enjoyed it and I understand why we had to have 5airs on every stand  so although I really don’t like that I accept it.   I think Steve could do quite a bit with it, he has the vision but it’s going to be hard going building up a following there.  

anyway I hope we have more opportunity for Willinghurst.  

I didn't go but an experienced friend went for the first time and these are his words:

"lots of high stuff , didn't mind that as much as all it's other faults, 10 stands of 5 pairs, my view on 5 pairs is well documented, no Master sheets, cards that fall apart when just a bit damp, that is not the way to run a registered shoot"

I think he said what we are too polite to say. Yes we need Willinghurst, it's still early days, let's hope we start to see some of the problems ironed out soon.

 

[Charliedog]

is there a reason why people dont like 5 pairs on a stand?

 

[Martinj]

Four Counties:

It didn't help that M4 J13 was closed for maintenance and I had to go on to J14 and find my way back. This is on-going work so worth checking next time.

I tried something I don't normally do and replaced my 1/2 choke with skeet for the first two stands which were close sim. bunnies and close o/r R to L and L to R, this probably paid off with 2 x 10 straight, I soon went back to 1/4 & 1/2 for the remainder of the shoot. I had two bad stands where I couldn't get to grips with one of the targets on each, I lost the rest in ones and twos. A recurring trigger freeze problem cost me two targets on one stand (why does that happen?) I enjoyed some good stands but ended up three below my average, I can't say why, things just weren't going my way. It was an enjoyable shoot with a good variety of targets.

 

[P1Fanatic]

Four Counties:

It didn't help that M4 J13 was closed for maintenance and I had to go on to J14 and find my way back. This is on-going work so worth checking next time.

I come from Reading direction and tbh for 4C I always go on to J14 and up through Great Shefford. Google maps says its about 4 mins slower but in reality as the roads are straight and normally quiet I reckon its the same if not faster.

 

[Sian]

is there a reason why people dont like 5 pairs on a stand?

It is very old fashioned to have 5 pairs on every stand.  These days you have mainly 4 pairs, sometimes 3 pairs and a few 5 pairs.  Obviously it depends how many stands they are putting on.  Personally for me it is boring to have all five pair stands so you don't have it happen much and at Willinghurst there was a lack of scorers so could not be helped as Steve wouldn't usually present all five pair stands.

 

[antse7en]

It is very old fashioned to have 5 pairs on every stand.  These days you have mainly 4 pairs, sometimes 3 pairs and a few 5 pairs.  Obviously it depends how many stands they are putting on.  Personally for me it is boring to have all five pair stands so you don't have it happen much and at Willinghurst there was a lack of scorers so could not be helped as Steve wouldn't usually present all five pair stands.

Assuming I had the time on that day I'd be quite happy to score @Steve Lovatt (I live locally so not a big deal assuming it can be shot at the end). 

 

[Richard59]

Bit under the weather awoke very late, still not a bug free 100% so rather than go out and regret doing so I passed over the reg shoot & after swallowing half our medicine cabinet of various pills & potions popped over to Bisley in Stroud (Gloucestershire that is not t'other one) its a skeet ground with quite a decent testing compak today, saw a fair few friendly faces, all are old chums (at my age they / we are all old chums) and will admit had a very pleasant time shooting. glad I went out and shot rather than moping at home, am sure (hoping) one will be same old self for the upcoming mid-week shoots.    

 

[Sian]

Shot Four Counties 50 bird open and their pool shoot then on to Westfield where I took the opportunity to try out the stock from France.  It really did only take a few minutes to fit to my gun and then a little longer to tweak to my requirements. Shot the pool shoot with it but unfortunately it was just a bit too long and couldn’t go any smaller and hindered my gun down mount.  The little butt pads were just a bit too fat but I wouldn’t want them any thinner really so no good for me but it felt quite nice to use.  Made my gun barrel heavy though but I think you can add weight to the stock.  As for my shooting today at Westfield I just terrible, I just don’t know why I have days like that but I was completely incompetent on most stands and I just can’t understand why.  I was really looking forward to it but I just ended up feeling crap.   

 

[Bebo]

Popped in to Gatton Bottom on my way back from shooting Skeet at Bisley this morning. Couldn't find the second bird on Stand 1 and did my usual 2nd bird balls up on a sim pair of l-r crossers. Otherwise it was mostly silly misses. Particularly annoyed with a dropped pair on Stand 12, too much gun movement resulting in pushing just down the left hand side of a simple following pair. Finished on 78.

 

[chesterse]

England Fitasc sporting selection shoot at Park Lodge, excellent targets and facilities. Great to be in the same squad as Mark Webster who won on 93. Brilliant shooting, there were some big targets there. I managed an 80 which I was pleased with.

However if you ever consider going to Park Lodge, don’t take a dog with you. They are very definitely not dog friendly, not allowing them anywhere on site, grounds, car park included. First and last time I’ll be going there!

 

[donna]

England Fitasc sporting selection shoot at Park Lodge, excellent targets and facilities. Great to be in the same squad as Mark Webster who won on 93. Brilliant shooting, there were some big targets there. I managed an 80 which I was pleased with.

However if you ever consider going to Park Lodge, don’t take a dog with you. They are very definitely not dog friendly, not allowing them anywhere on site, grounds, car park included. First and last time I’ll be going there!

Wouldn’t do for me then, no dog no me!! 

We done a little  50 bird shoot in Sussex, the Sussex young farmers shoot at Piddinghoe. Targets set by Jamie Peckham and what a set of targets they were,  not one easy stand, tricky and testing and great fun and friendly too.  Will now look out for more of these little shoots to go to. 

 

[Bebo]

Wouldn’t do for me then, no dog no me!! 

We done a little  50 bird shoot in Sussex, the Sussex young farmers shoot at Piddinghoe. Targets set by Jamie Peckham and what a set of targets they were,  not one easy stand, tricky and testing and great fun and friendly too.  Will now look out for more of these little shoots to go to. 

I have a feeling that he sets the targets at Kingscote.  Not sure it's any good for you though, it's on Saturdays.

http://www.clayshootingsussex.co.uk/fixtures.html

 

[donna]

I have a feeling that he sets the targets at Kingscote.  Not sure it's any good for you though, it's on Saturdays.

http://www.clayshootingsussex.co.uk/fixtures.html

Yes he does, along with Dave his dad. Both excellent target setters. As you say, no good for me as I work Saturdays. However, Dave has been putting on some excellent compact shoots every other Thursday at  Ringmer which we’ve been lucky enough to get to a few of. 

 

[Martinj]

Popped in to Gatton Bottom on my way back from shooting Skeet at Bisley this morning. Couldn't find the second bird on Stand 1 and did my usual 2nd bird balls up on a sim pair of l-r crossers. Otherwise it was mostly silly misses. Particularly annoyed with a dropped pair on Stand 12, too much gun movement resulting in pushing just down the left hand side of a simple following pair. Finished on 78.

We did stand 1 last as is our tradition, the second bird was quartering and dropping so not as much lead as you might think but allow for a little drop, well done for 78 which was LADY HIGH GUN!

I was doing OK, dropped maybe 1 or 2 until around stands 6-7-8 when trigger freeze kicked in and I dropped too many birds before making a partial recovery. The left to right sim quartering crossers (stand 8?) cost me a few, I found them hittable but not a gift, mostly I was hitting the first or second but not the pair. I shot my average and should have done better.

I noticed that a lot of the stands had different layouts to the last time I shot there which was nice.

 

[Bebo]

We did stand 1 last as is our tradition, the second bird was quartering and dropping so not as much lead as you might think but allow for a little drop, well done for 78 which was LADY HIGH GUN!

I was doing OK, dropped maybe 1 or 2 until around stands 6-7-8 when trigger freeze kicked in and I dropped too many birds before making a partial recovery. The left to right sim quartering crossers (stand 8?) cost me a few, I found them hittable but not a gift, mostly I was hitting the first or second but not the pair. I shot my average and should have done better.

I noticed that a lot of the stands had different layouts to the last time I shot there which was nice.

Stand 8 cost me 4.  Hit the first bird every time, but not the second.  Not an unusual problem for me on sim pairs.  I'm crap at taking static or dropping targets as the second bird of a pair.

 

[diver682]

Wouldn’t do for me then, no dog no me!! 

We done a little  50 bird shoot in Sussex, the Sussex young farmers shoot at Piddinghoe. Targets set by Jamie Peckham and what a set of targets they were,  not one easy stand, tricky and testing and great fun and friendly too.  Will now look out for more of these little shoots to go to. 

For those of you that are interested James Peckham is now an official target setter for FITASC

He was awarded this by Mr Palinkas a few weeks ago after designing and setting courses throughout the world which were then vetted by FITASC 

If you shoot any of the major competitions where Promatic are involved you will almost always see him there working hard to ensure everything runs smoothly so the shooters can enjoy the event and not have to worry about no birds 

Well done James  

 

[Richard59]

Wednesday, its the new shooting day, dropped over to Oxfordshire for both the sportrap and their last 50 target reg, during sporting round a flat battery, had an impromptu talk about the grounds restriction and the use of fibre wads, am getting to feel some momentum is building with these and soon fibre wad may be the norm, as for shooting, Sportrap first blew hot hot, cool, chilly & hot for a tidy (v happy with) 20/25. As for the sporting a new (or should I say return to what works for me) approach (coach driven) helped somewhat and one did fell far more at ease on the left to right targets that usually trash my card, straighted the last stand and just one way on four others was a very good return given my recent efforts. As I mentioned, its their last 50 target shoot as July onwards its a 100 target shoot, be interesting to see take up, at present its 50 target shoot seems quite popular with the local non-CPSA shooters, I wish them (the ground that is) good luck going up to 100.

Called into Gloucester for a county fundraiser, a quite testing sportrap, couple of orange targets did take some focus, mine had all gone and it was not my finest 15 mins of shooting, oh well Owls thursday, see some of you there. 

 

[Richard59]

Owls today, for me not the best of days, up at 4.30, on road 5.45, meetings 7.30 to 12,  2.15 hour drive, a very stiff breeze on a very tough which all combined to beat me up / to a pulp. Had worse days, just does not fell like it at present. That said, there were better shots than I that looked crestfallen.

Mr Warren of our parish did offer me some advice yesterday "you ought to flog that gun and take up fishing" lord knows what the chap will be saying to me next we meet.