Registered Skeet Shooters...Would you Attend?

"All shooters have an equal chance at that money regardless of class (perhaps not likely, but still a chance). "

EQUAL chance??? Hmmmmm Perhaps a remote chance....equal??? I'm not so sure. However.

It takes a lot of work to keep people interested, and even more work to recruit new shooters. You can't just hope people will come to you anymore. Failure to address these issues will cause a rapid and perhaps fatal decline.

Exactly what I've been trying to suggest Brad.

I saw a guy down in Maryland talking about some B-C-D-E event he puts on at his shoot. Must find out more about that..what he does and how he does it. Perhaps someone should try it up here sometime..if it hasn't been done somewhere I'm not aware of.

I think it's pretty fair to say that the bulk of the targets shot in a season are shot at by the B-C-D-E crowd not the AAA/AA crowd.

To me that translates into :

a. the most money that goes to NSSA and OSSA comes from the B-C-D-E crowd not the AAA/AA crowd
b. The most money that goes into the hosting club's coffers comes from the B-C-D-E crowd not the AAA/AA crowd.

Yet traditionally all the "added money" goes to the AAA/AA crowd that "normally" wins MOST OF the GC and HOA & runners up titles.

My point is...I'd just like to see something a little extra done for the lower classes once in a while. Show new shooters that "HEY....I can get something back once in a while".....besides watching that AAA shooter taking home all the goodies again and again. Maybe that might encourage some to try to hang around a little longer. Maybe not. But what's there to lose by trying....other than some AAA/AA money once a season.

It's been a slice guys. I think this is the longest skeet related thread I've seen in this forum....and it even remained civil....a good thing. :) I'll leave it by saying......

Shoot well all. And win or lose...HAVE FUN DOING IT. :)
 
Last edited:
"To say that people are getting tired of spending about $500.00 or more every other weekend is a little bit of an exaggeration. I'm not factoring in travell and shells I am just talking about targets."

For some one close enough to shoots, it can be cheaper.

For those of us who have to travel to shoots and cannot spend the weekend in one's own bed each night....I have to factor in all costs. That's where my numbers come from. If it were only target costs...sure...it can be pretty cheap.

A 5 event weekend is $250.00 right off the bat (@ $50/100). Add on a couple "extra" optional things. Then add on gas, ammo, a couple nights in a motel, meals...you're going to exceed $500.00 pretty quick.

Now I'm done. I think. :D
 
Neera said:
My point is...I'd just like to see something a little extra done for the lower classes once in a while. Show new shooters that "HEY....I can get something back once in a while".....besides watching that AAA shooter taking home all the goodies again and again. Maybe that might encourage some to try to hang around a little longer. Maybe not. But what's there to lose by trying....other than some AAA/AA money once a season.
Click to expand...
I'm not a registered shooter other than a brief flirtation with registered trap some years ago but I think what Neera is trying is a good idea.

The bulk of any shooting sport and its success isn't going to be the top guns but the regular standard shooter like me who loves the game and is fully aware he isn't going to be HOA unless through some act of divine intervention.

This is an issue in sporting clays. Courses are increasingly being tailored to challenge the top shooters resulting in frustration by people who don't regularly shoot. At our club we are going through some major changes to our layouts and the targets are getting longer and tougher. Skeet in the woods it is not. Personally, I like the challenge and I'm hitting targets today that would have destroyed me not that long ago.

But when we have even a club shoot I see people who are frustrated, angry and don't come back because the course was set up for the top shooters instead of the regular guy with a pump gun.

Regardless of the game if we don't keep in mind who is paying most the bills we won't be able to keep any of our games successful.
 
Claybuster said:
But when we have even a club shoot I see people who are frustrated, angry and don't come back because the course was set up for the top shooters instead of the regular guy with a pump gun.

Regardless of the game if we don't keep in mind who is paying most the bills we won't be able to keep any of our games successful.
Click to expand...

I think that the way to get around that is make 70 to 80% the course challenging but doable for a guy who knows how to handle a pump but leave a few stations that will separate the winner from the runner up and the class guys.
 
Covey Ridge said:
I think that the way to get around that is make 70 to 80% the course challenging but doable for a guy who knows how to handle a pump but leave a few stations that will separate the winner from the runner up and the class guys.
Click to expand...
I agree completely.

My suggestion is to have 50 per cent stations that a top shooter will run or close to, 30 per cent stations that are challenging/tricky with the remaining stations causing eyes to pop out. It's the last ones that make the difference. Everyone has fun, the top guns do well and all is right with the world.

I also like a variety in presentations and no short windows.
 
Claybuster said:
I agree completely.

My suggestion is to have 50 per cent stations that a top shooter will run or close to, 30 per cent stations that are challenging/tricky with the remaining stations causing eyes to pop out. It's the last ones that make the difference. Everyone has fun, the top guns do well and all is right with the world.

I also like a variety in presentations and no short windows.
Click to expand...

Now if only those skeet shooters would change their targets along these lines they would have a little more fun an not have to worry about those $12.00 pots. They could re name their game, sporting lite:wave:
 
I agree with claybuster there is absolutely gained by embarrassing people be it on the skeet field or in the bush .I shot a registered shoot last year and vowed not to go back after one of the ref`s asked me if I was ashamed of how I shot .I was nervous and I like shooting rifle so I know if I struggle I aim but I felt there was no reason to be chastized for hitting 60% there abouts .I think Neera`s thought is honourable but weather or not it could stop people from going and trying other sports is to been seen .Peoples pride is worth more than money .
just my 2 cents worth.
 
Covey Ridge said:
Now if only those skeet shooters would change their targets along these lines they would have a little more fun an not have to worry about those $12.00 pots. They could re name their game, sporting lite:wave:
Click to expand...

You just have to shoot at Oshawa on a windy day (real windy, not just regular Oshawa windy) to accomplish that.

:D
 
Last edited:
doemaster said:
I agree with claybuster there is absolutely gained by embarrassing people be it on the skeet field or in the bush .I shot a registered shoot last year and vowed not to go back after one of the ref`s asked me if I was ashamed of how I shot .I was nervous and I like shooting rifle so I know if I struggle I aim but I felt there was no reason to be chastized for hitting 60% there abouts .I think Neera`s thought is honourable but weather or not it could stop people from going and trying other sports is to been seen .Peoples pride is worth more than money .
just my 2 cents worth.
Click to expand...

Wow, that is so unacceptable. I can't even imagine what that referee was thinking. It's really contrary to the 98% of the shooting community that is welcoming of everyone, regardless of performance.

I would have probably done the same if I had encountered a jerk like that when I was starting out. I would have let the event management in on what happened, either in person, or a note after the fact. We just can't afford to do this to people who are interested.

I try and make a point of tracking down the new shooters at the events I am involved with, and go out of my way to make them feel welcome.

Doemaster, what you experienced was completely inexcusable. I wish I could make it up to you.

Brad.
 
Claybuster said:
I'm not a registered shooter other than a brief flirtation with registered trap some years ago but I think what Neera is trying is a good idea.

The bulk of any shooting sport and its success isn't going to be the top guns but the regular standard shooter like me who loves the game and is fully aware he isn't going to be HOA unless through some act of divine intervention.
Click to expand...

Couldn't put it much better than Claybuster. I made one venture into Registered Skeet and signed up for NSSA and after about the second shoot and seeing where the prizes were going decided that was not for me. Didn't have the time, resources or interest to dedicate getting to the higher level of competition.

Having said that I love the shotgun sports and fortunate enough to have seven seperate clubs within a two hour drive. Most have a Sporting Clays circut with a Spring DU shoot and use the Lewis Class system so all shooters regardless of ability have a chance at the prizes.

Agreed on target presentations and the course has to be laid out for all persons attending with some / several presentations dedicated to the more skilled shooters.

I attend the various club shoots for skeet and trap when shift work allows but it's pretty safe to say I'll never attend another Registered shoot.
 
"I shot a registered shoot last year and vowed not to go back "

Doemaster....it'd be a shame if that one isolated incident put a bad enough taste in your mouth to make you swear off the game all together.

That is not the "norm".
 
I have an in law relative that I often get squaded with. He is about a 60% skeet shooter and about a 60% trap shooter and he registers sporting clays.
You can find his averages very near the bottom of the stats for Alberta shooters. He is slight below 50% and is happy because he sees room for improvement. He is about twice as good as he was last year. His reason for shooting is to improve. He can hardly wait for the weather to change so we can get to our first registered shoot. Last year his high sporting score was 61.
He has had some #######s make remarks about his shooting but he has more positive.

Sometimes we do not hear the negative remarks so I think that we should offer words of encouragement to the lower scores just to counter some of the ####### remarks we might have missed.
 
Last edited:
Covey Ridge said:
He has had some a**holes make remarks about his shooting but he has more positive.
Click to expand...
In my beginning days I encountered very few a**holes, some but very few. In one case I took pleasure in eventually outshooting him.

If someone isn't shooting well I might offer to make some suggestions but only do so if he or she agrees. Otherwise I keep my mouth shut because there are few things worse than unsoliticted advice. I will always compliment a shooter on something they are doing well and encourage them to keep at it. I might refer them to an instructor because one of the biggest mistakes I made was waiting too long before getting some professional instruction. It made a huge difference.

It's always a bad practice to criticize another shooter for any reason because that's the guy who will kick your butt at some later date. Don't be surprised if he rubs your face in it a little.
 
Thing I failed to say is I really do enjoy pulling the trigger on most anything from bows ,blackpowder, benchrest or shotgun .A couple of weeks ago I shot trap for the second time and I had a blast .Only shot a 17 and a 19 but I had fun .Turned around and went to the club for some skeet and shot a 22 and a 21 but it was still fun .I guess what it all boils down to is the CLASS of people you are shooting with.In this day and age organizers of any shooting sport are trying to keep the old shooters and invite new BUT if you upset any of them for something avoidable that was stupid ,they are not coming back .Example when I was competing in archery there was a certain club who would give plaques to all the equipment divisions for the men but grouped the women all together and they did the same to the kids .To say the least that club went out of business ,lack of participation .
It would take alot more than a negative remark to stop me from shooting.The whole reason I shoot anything is to make me a better hunter.
 
Look I guess i am fairly new to this thing...only been at it for 13 years but what about mini 4 guns... or 200 bird shoots or even 100 bird events? Cuts back on costs for all. Lower costs are more likely to bring out the newer shooters and the old timers. You can also push through a lot more shooters in the weekend. For prizes use the louis system and have everyone bring a prize/donation, everyone gets something worthwhile no one is left out. No one comes off better or worse then anyone else.
 
We have to travel more than 300 miles to get into a registered shoot unless we do one at our club, whichy normall ends up with three people in it.
However, with two gone......
Cat
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom