skeet rules

mveniot

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during a club shoot off, if a shooter senses that the birds are not flying over the center stake...can he have the flight checked? if so where does it say this in the rule book?
 
It is my understanding that the field is set up before the match starts .any adjustments after that are at the referees discretion .
 
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It is my understanding that the field is set up before the match starts .any adjustments after that are at the referees discretion .
I'd have to check the book but I think you are right.
In a case where a machine suddenly went out of adjustment I can see it being changed.
But for the most part, I think of it like this:
Everybody is shooting the same birds, so if the wind is up and blowing the birds off course for a half hour, too bad!
We had a guy at our range a few years back that continually demanded the machine be adjusted , I basically told him to leave to or leave the range.
Cat
 
I'd have to check the book but I think you are right.
In a case where a machine suddenly went out of adjustment I can see it being changed.
But for the most part, I think of it like this:
Everybody is shooting the same birds, so if the wind is up and blowing the birds off course for a half hour, too bad!
We had a guy at our range a few years back that continually demanded the machine be adjusted , I basically told him to leave to or leave the range.
Cat

The person thought that he was a better shot than he actually was, and he complained if it was windy, or if it drizzled, or it was cold. It took very little to throw him off of his game. It was tempting to leave the machine out a bit just to annoy him.
 
The most recent Rules Book is available on line on the NSSA's web site.

It's been a few years since I held a Referee's License, however, I think what you may be looking for is covered under the Chief Referee's Responsibilities in Section IV-D-10, dealing with
continuously "irregular" targets being thrown.

Then there's guy Cat described.... ;)
 
The person thought that he was a better shot than he actually was, and he complained if it was windy, or if it drizzled, or it was cold. It took very little to throw him off of his game. It was tempting to leave the machine out a bit just to annoy him.
And unless you were shooting a Kriegoff you were shooting an inferior gun - REALLY Po'd him when I beat him with the Mini Bobwhite 28 gauge !
Cat
 
And unless you were shooting a Kriegoff you were shooting an inferior gun - REALLY Po'd him when I beat him with the Mini Bobwhite 28 gauge !
Cat

He wasn't too pleased with me either.:) If he was half as good as he thought he was, we shouldn't have been able to outscore him, especially shooting sub gauges, when he only shot 12 gauge.:rolleyes:

I am not aware of anyone that was sorry to see him leave the city.
 
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It was a mechanical break down on the arm of the machine. I requested it be checked at station 2 but was told it was the wind. We finished the round and because the first bunch of guys had shot it, the next group had too also. When I shut down the machine, I found a nut had come off on the rubber on the arm.
 
I read the rule book after reading this thread. It clearly states targets must pass over the centre stake dead centre inside the centre hoop and that the only consideration mentioned for wind changing a target is distance. If wind affects distances either by the target falling short and/or carrying past the required flight distance the field is not to be reset as the target is considered a normal target if the targets had been properly set at the correct throwing distance prior to the winds intervention.
 
I read the rule book after reading this thread. It clearly states targets must pass over the centre stake dead centre inside the centre hoop and that the only consideration mentioned for wind changing a target is distance. If wind affects distances either by the target falling short and/or carrying past the required flight distance the field is not to be reset as the target is considered a normal target if the targets had been properly set at the correct throwing distance prior to the winds intervention.

My read is as follows:

A "regular" target is set by ensuring the target flies through near dead centre of the hoop in a "no wind" condition and travels 60 yards +/- 2 yards. Wind may cause the target to land or fall far short or long of the 60 yard distance, but as long as the target [ in windy conditions ] flies through the hoop (doesn't have to be "dead centre ... just pass through the hoop ) it is still considered a "regular" target. Targets not consistently passing through the hoop over the centre stake are considered "irregular" and the shoot should be stopped by the referee and the trap(s) corrected to throw regular targets.
 
I don't think it would be unreasonable at the start of the shoot or at the beginning of a shoot off.
If the targets were obviously not flying over center then then referee could do a quick check I suppose.
The problem is with people continually wanting the machine checked, and I think this is where the referee's judgement would prevail.
I have in the past seen shooters lodge all kinds of protests, and for the most part personally I felt that they were unjustified, but that is just my opinion.
Cat
 
I am of the set it and forget it mentality. If weather conditions affect the target flight so be it. Take it as it comes. If it's a machine malfunction, let's fix it, make sure we are set properly again and get at it. I shoot whatever comes. With the exception of broken targets I cannot recall ever refusing a target because it wasn't a "legal" target.....
 
I am of the set it and forget it mentality. If weather conditions affect the target flight so be it. Take it as it comes. If it's a machine malfunction, let's fix it, make sure we are set properly again and get at it. I shoot whatever comes. With the exception of broken targets I cannot recall ever refusing a target because it wasn't a "legal" target.....

Absolutely!:cool:
Everybody, after all, is shooting the same targets!:)
Cat
 
As long as the targets were actually "set" ... me too. Besides, it's the referee's job to call "no bird" if there's something wrong, not mine.
And personally, I love shooting in the wind ... bothers the hell out of some, but for me it's an extra challenge, keeps me focused and is an opportunity to shine !
Much rather shoot on a windy day at 15C. than a hot & humid day with no breeze at 30C.
 
As a rule of thumb at our club, the machines are adjusted(hooped) about once a month in normal practise. This is because due to property layout, wind is always an issue. During competition days, the machines are hooped first thing in the morning and then adjusted as needed between rounds.
 
I shoot with the same group of guys and girls every week. Never fails, at 10:00 the wind comes up. We've dealt with it for so long we call it wobble skeet! Some of us really enjoy it, others just put up with it. Complaining falls on deaf ears, but if the shooter laughs the whole crew laughs too. It makes for a very enjoyable day, and on the odd day that it is calm, there are quite a few clean rounds shot.

I think during a competition, as long as the machine was set properly with no wind, let 'em fly... everyone is seeing the same crazy targets.

I'm gonna find a hat that says SHUT UP AND SHOOT one of these days.:p
 
Don't make me quote the rule book and I'll tell you how it is supposed to work for registered NSSA birds.

Generally before a squad shoots a field, they will inspect the birds prior to starting. Usually someone stands on station 1, station 7 and station 4 to observe. A trap mechanic should move the birds as desired by the squad. Shoot management does reserve the right to put up a hoop when adjusting targets.

Before each round (and after a mechanical breakdown or other 'significant delay') the squad is entitled to look at 2 birds from each house. If it is the case that the birds are 'not right' they may be adjusted. Generally they are adjusted to the desires of the squad shooting. Keep in mind the hoop rule above.

It is commonly believed that once a round starts that birds may not be adjusted. This is in fact not explicitly stated in the rule book (as verified by the referee responsible for editing the rule book). I can't think of a situation where I've seen this mid round.

Brad.
 
We did adjust them mid-round once in competition, at are our Doubles event earlier this year, the wind shifted and was a steady 20-25KPH to the west and was driving the high house into the ground before the low house. Monday evenings shoot the first pair were about 6' apart as a result of Saturdays adjustment.
 
I shoot with the same group of guys and girls every week. Never fails, at 10:00 the wind comes up. We've dealt with it for so long we call it wobble skeet! Some of us really enjoy it, others just put up with it. Complaining falls on deaf ears, but if the shooter laughs the whole crew laughs too. It makes for a very enjoyable day, and on the odd day that it is calm, there are quite a few clean rounds shot.

I think during a competition, as long as the machine was set properly with no wind, let 'em fly... everyone is seeing the same crazy targets.

I'm gonna find a hat that says SHUT UP AND SHOOT one of these days.:p
The wind is such at our club that the danged birds act like teal sometimes!
Makes for super hunting practise.
Cat
 
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