Sporting clays etiquette- a rant
- Thread starter thegunnut
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it's on their website. Try Google?
I guess some people expect absolute silence at a shooting event when it's their turn?
I've never been to a range that talking while someone was shooting was not allowed. I mean really, what's more distracting- someone talking behind you while you shoot, or guns being fired on both sides of you , a few feet away?
Someone talking by far. I don't like to hear about how they shot in front of the target or behind it or where the sun was or why they missed. Gun shots are normal.
I turn off the electronics too, but if I can still hear chatter, I just wait for them to finish before I continue shooting.
if you want regimented rules, Shoot trap, but please don't bring those suffocating rules and regs to sporting clay. Within reason I see no problem with someone talking a few yards away from the shooter. With hearing protection I don't see how this can bee a big issue. I realize some guys tend to yell and bit because with hearing protection, they don't realize how loud they are talking. Anyway if they were all quiet, I would have to find another excuse for shooting poorly. Twin city puts on a great shoot. which often draws many shooters. Crowds of people with similar interests are going to chat. Take that away from sporting clay and I will bow out.
Chatting is fine provided it's kept below a dull roar. It's not a bad reminder that we should keep in mind while waiting to keep the noise down a bit. I've probably been guilty too.
Twin City is on to a very good formula. Very easy targets, reasonable prices and a laid back atmosphere.
I'm a member at Twin City and do enjoy these shoots as well, they are getting quite popular and it's nice to see people getting out and involved in smashing some clays on our course. The gabby shooters and un-invited coaches though are a pain at some points I will agree. I take the same approach and just stop shooting until they keep it to a dull roar. I've asked guys a couple of times to move back from a station shooting box if they are going to be chatting loudly to the point of distraction.
Thankfully those occurrences are the exception and not the rule. But let's be honest some folks just don't have a freaking clue on how to conduct themselves with any sense of decorum or respect for others.
Things I've seen that have ground my gears a bit that should be avoided:
Keep it casual and friendly show some respect and keep yer booger picker off my stuff unless you ask and we will all get along just dandy!
Thankfully those occurrences are the exception and not the rule. But let's be honest some folks just don't have a freaking clue on how to conduct themselves with any sense of decorum or respect for others.
Things I've seen that have ground my gears a bit that should be avoided:
- The "coach" whose only advice is "add more lead" or "you were behind it". My response is typically to counter-coach them on their terribly inconsistent gun mount when they get in the box, if they are being dicks about offering advice.
- Shell pickers...as mentioned before come around afterwards or set your gun to extract rather than eject if that's an option.
- Uninvited gun fondlers - I've had this happen a surprising amount of times see guys grabbing my gun out of the rack to look it over without asking. Happy to hand it over if you ask and are respectful, heck take it for a test drive and shoot it a bit too but please ask first.
- Bloody Experts - Who insist on chattering on about being the top pump action shooter every time you run into them, one particular nugget does this and it's rather sad to listen to and frankly none of give a crap.
Keep it casual and friendly show some respect and keep yer booger picker off my stuff unless you ask and we will all get along just dandy!
This is why I always try to shoot with a squad of friends. We all know what to expect from one another and there are no distractions.
Personally I find there is lots of time to chat while walking to the next stand. Also befor and after the shoot. When at the stand, I always stay quiet and if people try to talk to me, I'll nod but make no verbal reply to shorten the conversation or I'll motion to the shooter.
I prefer to watch the targets and have an idea of what's coming. Rather than discuss last nights poker game.
As for a previous poster saying skeet on a sc course, I'd have to take umbrage, practice rounds can be quite chatty, hopefully they are standing back far enough away from the pad.
But in registered shooting, I find most squads are silent and respectful, with chatting kept to between rounds.
Usually the only place I find a disruptive skeet squad shooting registered targets is in the 12 ga. Events when you've been placed on a squad of people who are there for nothing other than fun. That can be awful.
Fortunately I've made it to a point where I can block out anything behind me, but that takes a lot of practice and focus and not everyone can do it.
Personally I find there is lots of time to chat while walking to the next stand. Also befor and after the shoot. When at the stand, I always stay quiet and if people try to talk to me, I'll nod but make no verbal reply to shorten the conversation or I'll motion to the shooter.
I prefer to watch the targets and have an idea of what's coming. Rather than discuss last nights poker game.
As for a previous poster saying skeet on a sc course, I'd have to take umbrage, practice rounds can be quite chatty, hopefully they are standing back far enough away from the pad.
But in registered shooting, I find most squads are silent and respectful, with chatting kept to between rounds.
Usually the only place I find a disruptive skeet squad shooting registered targets is in the 12 ga. Events when you've been placed on a squad of people who are there for nothing other than fun. That can be awful.
Fortunately I've made it to a point where I can block out anything behind me, but that takes a lot of practice and focus and not everyone can do it.
Geese are much easier shooting. Great big lumbering, slow targets, flying in a straight line shot at with magnums throwing almost twice the shot a target load and you can shoot up to three times at each one. Yawn.
I've seen lots of self-proclaimed hot shot geese hunters slink out of a clay target range with their tails between their legs. The smart geese hunters get out for a few rounds before the season to sharpen up their skills.
And yet some people shoot five shots for every goose they take home.It must be all the noise that is distracting them.
the spank
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I guess some people expect absolute silence at a shooting event when it's their turn?
I've never been to a range that talking while someone was shooting was not allowed. I mean really, what's more distracting- someone talking behind you while you shoot, or guns being fired on both sides of you , a few feet away?
Have you ever attended a LARGE shoot? There are tons of distractions. You want to hear background noise you should have shot at The Grand American when it was held in Vandalia, Ohio and you looked out at the Dayton International Airport with planes coming and going in front of you contantly as well as overhead etc. Tractor trolleys running steady all day carting shooters back and forth behind the line, hundreds of shooters shooting at a time, thousands of people milling about and talking going about their day but not once did I experience anyone being rude or obnoxious within a few feet of any squad that was shooting! Those people without an ounce of respect or decorum who are loud or vocal, picking up others guns to check them out without asking, standing next to a shooting post coaching folks they don't know or whose squad they aren't even a part of and just being obnoxious only a few feet away can be disruptive as hell not only to any one shooter but an entire squad. Personally I have no patience for them and have on many occasions spoken to them about their behaviour in such a way as to deliver my point without raising my voice or getting angry though at times I wanted to. Summer before last I watched as two guys were checking out guns on a rack and proceeded to grab the guns. I knew whose gun they had picked up and it was not theirs. I instantly spoke up and asked "is that your gun?" to which they answered "no". I then replied "do you always just help yourself to someone elses belongings without asking?" The one holding the gun set it back without a word while his buddy started to defend their actions but I cut him off and just sternly said "do not touch what is not yours here, if you are interestied in handling the gentlemans gun ask him". On the other end I have had folks eyeing my gun in the rack clearly interested in it but being respectful and not handling it without permission and said "go ahead, pick it up and check it out" and usually I offer to let them try it too going so far as to supply a box of ammo knowing some were on a limited budget. Respectful people get respect in return, obnoxious or rude people not so much.
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the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Hahaha!! I live and hunt in SK too and you have to shoot your clays in the wind too! Awesome excuse though for not being able to shoot worth a damned. Oh and I shoot lots of geese too but have yet to blame the wind when I miss?! Good goose hunters prefer wind as they know it helps to direct birds into the landing zone in the decoys! Nice try though!!
blasted_saber
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perhaps politely asking him to be a little quieter would be better?
The last thing shooting sports need is people quitting from being embarrassed.
The last thing shooting sports need is people quitting from being embarrassed.
1oz 7 1/2 lead shot 425 pellets, average trap load
1oz #2 steel shot 125 pellets, average goose load.
Almost 4 times the amount of shot in a target load.
2 pellets to break a clay pigeon.
4 pellets to kill a goose.
Clay pigeon 40mph known flight path
Goose 40 mph any distance and direction.
Smart goose hunter out for a round probably not whining about distractions. He is used to controlled chaos when the shooting starts.
How many times the target area of a clay target is a .Canada goose? 20 to 30 times perhaps? As for the known speed and flight path of clay targets, have you ever shot sporting clays? As for the 40km/hr nonsense, more like 46-48mph for skeet.
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