Sporting shoots. Your personal accounts. 2022

[Will Hewland]

Honesberie today, hot irritated and colourblind.  Couldn’t hack it today.  Two nice surprises though saw Fred “last pair coming” the ref and Paul Hayward, two of my favourite gents and I haven’t seen them in a while.

Honesberie also. Not the easiest shoot I thought. The only target I really objected to was that long orange crosser on stand 7. Fast and too hard to see. Was almost edge on, so it looked like a orange pencil on top of a black pencil and was soon in the trees. Only hit it once. 
 

My mental blocks are compounded when I see the lovely Fred reffing a stand. I always cock it up! And I did. Simple L-R crosser I missed three times. Another not great score with 80, despite hitting some long stuff well. It does occur to me that I have missed a LOT of close L-R crossers with this gun, so will try and practice them. Might be lifting my head to see them; maybe a slight comb lift needed..

 

[Westward]

 I've known Fred for over 20 years and yes he's a character, but he can be quite distracting and at least one ground won't have him as he has a tendency to "help" competitors by advising them on things like how much lead the target needs or where to shoot it.

I never shoot Fred's stand unless he's busy with a queue, as chatting with him puts me right out of shooting mode and I drop half the stand before I wake up.

Credit where it's due though - he is well over 80!

 

[Sian]

 I've known Fred for over 20 years and yes he's a character, but he can be quite distracting and at least one ground won't have him as he has a tendency to "help" competitors by advising them on things like how much lead the target needs or where to shoot it.

I never shoot Fred's stand unless he's busy with a queue, as chatting with him puts me right out of shooting mode and I drop half the stand before I wake up.

Credit where it's due though - he is well over 80!

I’d miss every target on his stand if necessary just to see him.  

Honesberie also. Not the easiest shoot I thought. The only target I really objected to was that long orange crosser on stand 7. Fast and too hard to see. Was almost edge on, so it looked like a orange pencil on top of a black pencil and was soon in the trees. Only hit it once. 
 

My mental blocks are compounded when I see the lovely Fred reffing a stand. I always cock it up! And I did. Simple L-R crosser I missed three times. Another not great score with 80, despite hitting some long stuff well. It does occur to me that I have missed a LOT of close L-R crossers with this gun, so will try and practice them. Might be lifting my head to see them; maybe a slight comb lift needed..

I struggled with that, so hard to see and I only got the last one by going right back to the trap. I also struggled seeing the hopping rabbit and going away both orange and the rabbit up the hill trying to pick it up in that colour, never touched it and threw away it’s partner in frustration.  You cam imagine me William by the last stand I had no F***s to give and threw the going away birds away.  

 

[Richard59]

 I've known Fred for over 20 years and yes he's a character, but he can be quite distracting and at least one ground won't have him as he has a tendency to "help" competitors by advising them on things like how much lead the target needs or where to shoot it.

I never shoot Fred's stand unless he's busy with a queue, as chatting with him puts me right out of shooting mode and I drop half the stand before I wake up.

Credit where it's due though - he is well over 80!

Another Fred fan, and no he’s not offered advice, a ribbing or two well more very many but advice no. Would add if grounds took the “not welcome here” to shots who offer similar such “help”(?) to chums, better halves and in some instances clients during a reg ( no not in stand but in close enough proximity) be a fair few quiet places, such behaviour has, in my experience increased drastically in last few years. 

 

[bisondan]

I’d miss every target on his stand if necessary just to see him.  

I struggled with that, so hard to see and I only got the last one by going right back to the trap. I also struggled seeing the hopping rabbit and going away both orange and the rabbit up the hill trying to pick it up in that colour, never touched it and threw away it’s partner in frustration.  You cam imagine me William by the last stand I had no F***s to give and threw the going away birds away.  

Fred is a lovely fella, for about 4 years he called me 'Dave' despite my name being 'Dan' but I never had the heart to correct him but he's being calling me correctly now for a couple of years.  Personally he's never distracted me or given me advice.

Sian, even I felt beaten by a couple of colours at Honesberie yesterday; that going away orange in to the darkness on 4, then that long rabbit on 11 which was a waste of time as I couldn't get see it remotely well enough to connect with it, and I couldn't shoot it on the mat as the bush was in the way. 

 

[wynno]

Fred is one of the stalwarts of the shooting fraternity, it’s always a pleasure to have a quick chat with him before I shoot, and tbh he’s never offered me any advice on how to shoot a particular target.

It will be a sad day when Fred does give up……. Long live Fred

 

[Freddypip]

Honesburie for me also.

Stand 4 with the hopping rabbit was blank (0) for me - new gun and over the top on the going away and under-leading the rabbit. I had to sit down.

OK with stand 7 when I realized it needed a lot more lead but missed two of the second bird after getting too pleased with hitting the first (5/8).

Ended up 69 which is Ok after a very poor start (dropped 14 from the first 34) and then 17 from the next 66, 4 of which were the rabbit on stand 11.

 

[Westward]

Don't get me wrong, Fred and I have been mates for many years and he will be missed when he finally hangs up his ear defenders.  But there have been a few moans about him, although I don't doubt we all get moaned about. I've been banned by Coley's and totally upset a stalwart of the Fitasc circuity by refusing to back down over a no-bird call. Can't please everyone.

 

[donna]

I’m a Fred fan too!  He’s always got a happy smile on his face and a “hello darling” , it makes my day seeing him at a shoot tbh (never get called darling anywhere else) he’s never offered advice but always a “well done” even if I’ve shot the stand badly.  Wish we had a few more ‘Fred’s’ about. But, I do agree there is a lot of helping going on in the background by friends/other halves etc and it’s never picked up on and I hardly ever see the ruling that you don’t get to see the targets if someone else is already shooting.
 

 

[Will Hewland]

Fred’s great, no problems I’ve seen. I think I just feel I should do well while he’s watching and then I face-plant every time. 
 

Regarding rules being enforced, it’s always going to be an issue with the pool of amateur refs that we inevitably have (and that’s way better than no refs btw). Sometimes people are shocked when a fully trained and keen ref is encountered, enforcing all the rules properly. (Most shooters haven’t read the rules). My mates daughter was given a strong warning for inappropriate dress, for bare shoulders at Honesberie. I had been encouraging her to find a polo shirt recently.. 

 

[jonz]

I believe I had the pleasure of having Fred ref a stand once, his comments as I was leaving the stand was “ Them tablets aren’t working mate” Did make me laugh 

 

[donna]

I believe I had the pleasure of having Fred ref a stand once, his comments as I was leaving the stand was “ Them tablets aren’t working mate” Did make me laugh 

Gotta love a bit of b anter.  At Westfields recently, Phil, myself and a fried were shooting and having a laugh/chat as walking round. Got to one stand and it was a sim pair, me first in.  I hit 8/8, our friend hit 8/8 too. Phil walked into stand and the ref (knowing we were all having a laugh) said to Phil in a very straight face  “no pressure then mate”  We absolutely wet ourselves laughing and Phil missed the first one out!  We all said to the young ref that it was nice to have a youngster with a sense of humour who wasn’t frightened to actually talk to the shooters.  

Ive not spelt b anter wrong but it keeps putting fluffy rabbits in its place! 

 

[Will Hewland]

Oxfordshire Shooting school reg today. Now a decent 12 stand course. Great to see Westward out and about too!

Well that was odd. Started stand 1 ridiculously. Sim away teal and quartering looper. Was a bit nervous of the teal, then just couldn’t pull the trigger on it. Missed first three. Then thought I’ll try last pair other way round and missed the pair. So I’m 5 away after a fairly steady stand 1, now fearing a score in the 70s.. Calmed down, dug in, finished on 92! Best run of 11 stands I’ve done almost ever. I’ve given up understanding it all now.

 

[chippy]

Oxfordshire Shooting school reg today. Now a decent 12 stand course. Great to see Westward out and about too!

Well that was odd. Started stand 1 ridiculously. Sim away teal and quartering looper. Was a bit nervous of the teal, then just couldn’t pull the trigger on it. Missed first three. Then thought I’ll try last pair other way round and missed the pair. So I’m 5 away after a fairly steady stand 1, now fearing a score in the 70s.. Calmed down, dug in, finished on 92! Best run of 11 stands I’ve done almost ever. I’ve given up understanding it all now.

Pressure off nothing to lose. Shoot the rest on instinct without caring. 

 

[Will Hewland]

Pressure off nothing to lose. Shoot the rest on instinct without caring. 

For some that would be the obvious explanation. In fairness I think while the pressure of putting in a great score has just disappeared, I do tend to say “right you can still come out of this respectably”. So a bit of both I reckon. 

 

[Westward]

Yes I thought I'd mosey out for a pop today as Gunsite on Sunday looks likely to be rammed. Glad I went as I haven't seen Will for quite a while and also the 12 stand format is miles better than old 10 x 10.

As for the targets, stand one was problematic for me as 3 of my 4 loopers went behind the tree making them unshootable. The ref didn't quite seem to understand so I didn't push it, but if I'd been reffing It would have been 3 no-birds. The rest of the stands were quite sensibly set with nothing stupid, although I find the very high bund screens on most of the stands quite disconcerting. Otherwise I enjoyed the round, treating it more or less as practice. Happy to have found that if I shoot naturally rather than falling into the way of copying the shooters in front, that I break more clays. The squad was just right too with all of us more or less at a similar level. 

 

[Sian]

Barbury Pro One shoot for us today and we were roasting.  I thought it a very good shoot, thoroughly enjoyable and I do like having the supersporting (?) stands to break it up.   Stand 3 was a nightmare for me, driven and a bird Imfiund hard to read.  I didn’t like that stand either I felt constricted seeing the two wooden posts.   The last stand was also a nightmare, too hot, had to wait due to an issue caused by an idiot two squads in front who shot the stone wall  having shut his gun with his finger on the trigger sending ricochet lead at people nearby including Tony Axcell who was reffing.  Thank God painful but no injuries.   I got to stand 9 low loopy thing and a going away and my gun had a double discharge, good job my stance was solid.   Anyway got a straight.  Onto stand 10 two double discharges so it was either carry on or use someone else’s gun.  I didn’t have a choice so used  Tash’ Kemen, 32 “ barrels, fixed choke, didn’t ask what chokes, thought it better not to and a stock a little too long and no raise in it.  Missed the small orange coming down the bank which was inevitable as I would normally do that gun down to see it and couldn’t with hers.  Happy on stand 11 to get two of the long crosser.  Stand 13 also a supersporting 6 singles was happy to get the battue and the orange last bird.  Stand 14 horrible bunny missed 1.   Was very overheated by the end, felt a bit sick but happy not to have had a complete meltdown at using a strange gun.   I had Cheryl in my head the whole way round having had my lesson with her on Friday.  Remembered to do what she told me to do on the nasty orange quartering or going aways that I so hate.   My score was nothing to write home about but I felt good, I felt I accomplished something using what she has been working on with me and I am so proud of myself for just picking up a strange gun and not entirely embarrassing myself.  A good day.  

 

[donna]

Barbury for us too and it was a scorcher.  Only a 4 man squad, 2 never turned up which was disappointing. Started very well but had a meltdown on stand 5.  Got into shoot and I couldn’t open my gun, ended up taking fore end off etc then when I got in the stand (grouse butt) I couldn’t see where they were coming from and was worried about the gun and came off with a very miserable 1/8.  Picked myself up and shot 6-11 quite well hitting 2 of the crossers on 11.  By the time we got to 12 I was cooked!  Felt faint and absolutely drained. We had plenty of drinks/oat bars to eat etc. but it really took it out of me and I had a big fat zero on 13, I just couldn’t concentrate. Didn’t like the A bird on 15, hit it once but when they are that close they scare me tbh.  Dismal score for me but considering the heat and the effect it had on us wasn’t too bad.  Great targets as usual, large variety of colours and presentations, no complaints there at all, got a lovely cuddle and “hello darling” from Fred so not all bad!  

 

[perazman]

Barbury Pro One shoot for us today and we were roasting.  I thought it a very good shoot, thoroughly enjoyable and I do like having the supersporting (?) stands to break it up.   Stand 3 was a nightmare for me, driven and a bird Imfiund hard to read.  I didn’t like that stand either I felt constricted seeing the two wooden posts.   The last stand was also a nightmare, too hot, had to wait due to an issue caused by an idiot two squads in front who shot the stone wall  having shut his gun with his finger on the trigger sending ricochet lead at people nearby including Tony Axcell who was reffing.  Thank God painful but no injuries.   I got to stand 9 low loopy thing and a going away and my gun had a double discharge, good job my stance was solid.   Anyway got a straight.  Onto stand 10 two double discharges so it was either carry on or use someone else’s gun.  I didn’t have a choice so used  Tash’ Kemen, 32 “ barrels, fixed choke, didn’t ask what chokes, thought it better not to and a stock a little too long and no raise in it.  Missed the small orange coming down the bank which was inevitable as I would normally do that gun down to see it and couldn’t with hers.  Happy on stand 11 to get two of the long crosser.  Stand 13 also a supersporting 6 singles was happy to get the battue and the orange last bird.  Stand 14 horrible bunny missed 1.   Was very overheated by the end, felt a bit sick but happy not to have had a complete meltdown at using a strange gun.   I had Cheryl in my head the whole way round having had my lesson with her on Friday.  Remembered to do what she told me to do on the nasty orange quartering or going aways that I so hate.   My score was nothing to write home about but I felt good, I felt I accomplished something using what she has been working on with me and I am so proud of myself for just picking up a strange gun and not entirely embarrassing myself.  A good day.  

That's pretty shocking re.accidental discharge. Do you know what action the ground took? 

PM.

 

[Sian]

That's pretty shocking re.accidental discharge. Do you know what action the ground took? 

PM.

I don’t sorry.  The shooter’s attitude wasn’t what you would expect.  He seemed to blame there being a wall there, like a grouse butt!  Had a bit of a laugh as he walked away down the trail.   We came after it happened but witnessed his walk down the trail.