Sporting shoots. Your personal accounts. 2022

[Bebo]

Shot the Beretta Worlds for the first time on Thursday. I don't normally shoot a Beretta, so had to use a semi-auto that I rarely use. Definitely felt odd on some of the targets as it's so light up front. I enjoyed it nonetheless and didn't totally disgrace myself, finished on 85.

Was in two minds whether to shoot today or not, as I was driving back from the Midlands. Made the wrong decision, went to Horne as I had winnings waiting and it was effectively a free shoot. Can't say I enjoyed it, in fact I probably hated most of it. Piss poor target setting in the wind. A quartering away battue that stayed permanently edge on, pale green targets against a light blue sky, a crosser that had started a long way before it became visible from behind a tree that was so wind affected that there was 25ft or more height difference between birds. Combined with things like a following incomer that was so soft that you'd only miss it by falling asleep from boredom. Worst score I've shot this year, 10 below my average. At least I won't be winning anything so there is no need to go back. Afraid I've got to the stage that I'm voting with my feet and going to have to drive further if I want to do a Reg comp on a Sunday.

 

[Will Hewland]

Berks champs at Hangmans today. Definitely a little stiffer for the occasion. Will Fenner put in a brilliant 97, but not many other scores in the 90s I think. 
 

I don’t know if my head is still confused with Covid effects, or I’m not used to shooting my Perazzi yet, but I p*ssed 6 clays away in my first two stands over-leading them. Not distant stuff. Then fearful of doing it again, I went behind three longer crossers.  So was 9 away very quickly. I shot much of the rest well enough after that but not a great score. A good course though. 

 

[donna]

Afraid I've got to the stage that I'm voting with my feet and going to have to drive further if I want to do a Reg comp on a Sunday.

Same here Bebo, nothing much around here worth shooting, we are going as far as Westfield shooting ground on a Sunday now, long drive I know but targets make it worth the drive.  Barbury is on next Sunday and it’s just turn up, no pre booking so will probably do that.  We’ve decided that we’d rather shoot less times per month but make the ones we do enjoyable with good targets.  Never been disappointed with any of Steve’s shoots or Barbury’s and we’ve done a few at a Coley’s too which we’ve enjoyed.  

 

[Bebo]

Same here Bebo, nothing much around here worth shooting, we are going as far as Westfield shooting ground on a Sunday now, long drive I know but targets make it worth the drive.  Barbury is on next Sunday and it’s just turn up, no pre booking so will probably do that.  We’ve decided that we’d rather shoot less times per month but make the ones we do enjoyable with good targets.  Never been disappointed with any of Steve’s shoots or Barbury’s and we’ve done a few at a Coley’s too which we’ve enjoyed.  

Westfield and Barbury are probably a bit too far for me. I've got almost an extra hour on you I think. Thinking of doing Barrow Heath next Sunday, is that just turn up?

 

[Daz W]

Honesberie for me today. Bit windy but a good shoot nevertheless. I reckon most of us got robbed of a couple of birds by sudden gusts. 

Chrisessig St6 r-l A bird was fast. Decided on maintained lead and to shoot it quick. Worked for me. Overlead the B bird twice, before I dialled it back a bit.

Struggled with st11, only hit the r-l looper bird once. St12 mucked up the 1/4 away rabbit too. I seem to do OK on crossing rabbits, but 1/4 away I'm shooting in front every time. 

Walked away feeling fairly happy with a 79. Better than my p.poor performace at AGL on Friday. Enough said about that one the better. Last few shoots there I've gone in thinking I'm gonna get my pants pulled down (again). Wrong attitude to go into a shoot with, because I made it happen.

 

[Daz W]

Westfield and Barbury are probably a bit too far for me. I've got almost an extra hour on you I think. Thinking of doing Barrow Heath next Sunday, is that just turn up?

Yep, Barrow dropped squaded shoots a while ago. Just turn up. Decent breakfast there too. Cash only payment IIRC.

 

[Will Hewland]

Westfield and Barbury are probably a bit too far for me. I've got almost an extra hour on you I think. Thinking of doing Barrow Heath next Sunday, is that just turn up?

Thought you were South coast? Must not be then. 

 

[Bebo]

Thought you were South coast? Must not be then. 

I am. Right at the east edge of East Sussex. Not far from Battle.

 

[donna]

Westfield and Barbury are probably a bit too far for me. I've got almost an extra hour on you I think. Thinking of doing Barrow Heath next Sunday, is that just turn up?

Yes it is Bebo, good targets there too, and the ones towards the end of the shoot by the railway are normally quite testing.  Again, another good course setter, targets are always doing more than you think.,  my only bug bear there is some of the targets are into the sun and there’s a fair few pink/green targets which I’m ok with but Phil struggles with when green on green etc. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I am. Right at the east edge of East Sussex. Not far from Battle.

Right. Yeah, that is no registered shoot hub..

 

[chippy]

Redricks today and although I only hit 83 I was pleased with how I shot. It was a great course, 13 entertaining stands the best round I've shot for quite a while.

 

[Charliedog]

Redricks today and although I only hit 83 I was pleased with how I shot. It was a great course, 13 entertaining stands the best round I've shot for quite a while.

Redricks for me also, agree a very good round, challenging but all visible and hittable, just how it should be (and you scored much better than me)

 

[Martinj]

Gatton Bottom on Sunday, and they had made a few changes. I was doing well on the first 2 or three stands when I came across the first colour blindness test, a rapid orange R to L orange against a varied background which made it nearly invisible. Next stand there was a bright green teal against a blue/white sky and later on an orange clay over the ripening crop, there may have been other instances.

There was a time when coloured clays were introduced to assist the shooter, to make them stand out from the background, but now colours are being used to deliberately bamboozle us and I'm not a big fan. I thought I'd shot badly but it seems everyone else did too as the high AAA scores were mostly in the 80's with one 90 and a 92

Yours truly

Mr Angry from Hampshire 

 

[vmax1010]

Know what you mean, worst I've seen is a white clay low over a corn field even the ref couldn't see it, if he didn't see it he recorded it as a hit, most people scored 9 or 10 on that stand

 

[Will Hewland]

Totally agree about the colours thing. I’m sure 15 years ago almost every clay was black, with a few orange where the colour was needed! At AGL last shoot there were three edge on orange at fair distance against the sky. Very hard to pick up. Why not black???
 

Horne really has become the worst shoot I’ve been at lately, I may never be back I think. 

 

[donna]

You’re correct Will, when we started shooting (first time round) about 20 years ago, it was all black clays unless you shot abroad where it was mostly blaze clays. Last time we shot in Cape Town about 6 years ago it was mainly blaze clays BUT you could see each and every one of them clearly.  I remember shooting at Owls a few years ago and the ref saying “if you haven’t got Pilla’s on you won’t see the second clay” ???? Most people couldn’t see it at all and lost the target which really isn’t fair. 

 

[chesterse]

British Fitasc Sporting Grand Prix at West Midlands SG, 198 birds, over last weekend.

Well in over 35 years of clay shooting that must be about the best I’ve been to. Fantastic variety of targets making full use of the beautiful ground they have there. Hardly a no bird and everything for us ran very smoothly. 
One small criticism was that there were a few too many one shot targets but it was the same for everyone.

Congratulations to Nick Hendrick who won the event on an amazing 190. 

 

[bisondan]

Gatton Bottom on Sunday, and they had made a few changes. I was doing well on the first 2 or three stands when I came across the first colour blindness test, a rapid orange R to L orange against a varied background which made it nearly invisible. Next stand there was a bright green teal against a blue/white sky and later on an orange clay over the ripening crop, there may have been other instances.

There was a time when coloured clays were introduced to assist the shooter, to make them stand out from the background, but now colours are being used to deliberately bamboozle us and I'm not a big fan. I thought I'd shot badly but it seems everyone else did too as the high AAA scores were mostly in the 80's with one 90 and a 92

Yours truly

Mr Angry from Hampshire 

I shot Gatton Bottom last August BH and came 1st in A and second overall on the day with 91, shot well but didn't really enjoy it as it felt like a slog with lots of edgey stuff and anything that showed any face was a similar colour to the background it was being thrown against.

 

[Sian]

You are all starting to sound like me about the colours

 

[leighH]

Stewart

'British Fitasc Sporting Grand Prix at West Midlands SG, 198 birds, over last weekend.'

What happened to the other 2 targets?

Leigh