[Dave McCracken]

I was lucky in that I had last Friday off, and took a few hours to head for PGC to shoot with the Geezer Squad. Game of choice was Chinese Wobble, shot from Skeet posts 1,2,6,and 7, with the last 5 shots from a position chosen arbitrarily by the fence back near the 27 yard line. Needless to say, there were no straights posted, but everyone had fun and made some hard shots.

The usual joking among us included a few good natured japes about my TB, the only shotgun there costing less than a couple grand. The list included a custom Grulla, a Parker 20, a pair of Beretta O/Us and so on.

I joked back that the Almighty had made us all with different abilities and strengths, and those unfortunates among us who could not use a pump gun correctly should thank Heaven they were provided alternatives....

But, the point is made that we all had fun.

Saturday was a little different.

I showed back up Saturday intent of shooting more Wobble and if possible some crossing shots as we had the previous day. Such was not to be, cabin fever had lots of folks out to shoot.

I was joined at Range 7 by three young men with their "bird" guns. One Mossie 500, a nice little Ithaca 37 in 20 gauge and a new SIG O/U that Santa had brought. We shot a round together and had fun. After I worked a bit with the 500 owner, he worked through his mixed eye hand dominance and stopped stopping his swing.

Then things got a little ugly.

The new shooter was in late adolescence, had his name embroidered on his natty looking vest, a nice Kreighoff O/U and a sullen look that stated clearly, " I'm not having a good time and you can't make me", I recall that look well, having been there.

We set up for a new round and the kid was next to me. If anything, his look was more sullen. He shot like a machine, demolishing all the clays except for one or two. On misses, he'd jerk around and utter expletives. There was no joy or satisfaction on his hits, while his misses seemed to be personal affronts.
I wondered why he was pursuing something when it was so obviously as much fun as a root canal.

After the round, he was then joined by a 40ish man, also with his name embroidered on his natty vest. He asked the kid how he shot with the look of a military officer getting a report from an underling. As we set up to shot the next round, the man stationed himself behind the kid and muttered orders and instructions after each and every shot. Again, the birds exploded most of the time. Meanwhile, the other trio and I were shooting less well and having much fun doing so.

The pair moved off after that round and it's not sorry I was to see them go. I debated saying something them about loosening up and having fun but my guts told me it wouldn't help. I pitied them as they moved off.

What motivates people to act like that? Striving to be all you can be doesn't demand monomanical obsession. It doesn't require having your sense of humor surgically removed. And it doesn't require giving those you love a hard time because they're not perfect.

So, for those of us who teach something, on and off the field, let's remember to keep things fun and a trophy or two is not worth driving a wedge between family members or friends.....

[proven]

So, for those of us who teach something, on and off the field, let's remember to keep things fun

nice post dave


brian

[sm]

Pull! Swings from behind target , continues swinging thru target , slaps trigger, misses in front - again. Turns toward rest of squad...

Squad member - " Steve you ran a 96, you missed the same bird all day- Low 4 and each time you shot in front before it reached the stake"

Just wanted to make sure you guys fully understood how to NOT hit that bird

"Oh...okay in that case how about some style points - say 98/100 work for you?"



...laughter, handshakes, and razzing all around...

[I]Only when you shoot the little critter honey ...only then... ;)

:D

[kudu]

Good post Dave, this was the main reason I quit shooting registered skeet and even club skeet leagues back a few years back. When I quit having fun, and would get mad at myself for missing a bird and only break a 99 instead of the 100 that I know I should have....

Anyway, when I shoot now it's for the fun and enjoyment of breaking the birds and the company of a few friends. No I don't break 25 after 25 anymore like I used to. I haven't shot a 100 straight in about 8 years, but I will put together the occasional 50 and the rare 75 once in a while. When the pressure is off it's much more relaxing.

I like to play shooting from the hip and can put at least a 20 down on the score sheet most of the time on a skeet range. This gives most of the guys something to grin about, and the occasional person it will pi** off because I am not being serious enough. I will play trap games on occasion for the fun, for some reason people think I can't shoot trap because I am a skeet shooter, untill I walk away with the purse. The same with sporting clays, if I could afford to shoot it more, I still post A and AA scores on most ranges that I have visited, and I am just messing around having fun.

There is a time for being serious, but if you can't have a bit of fun where does it get you?

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, folks. While Shotgunning has a serious side, its attraction for many of us is that it's FUN. Breaking things loudly brings out the kid in us, doesn't it?

And doing something that's fun means that it's likely we'll do it again, thereby achieving expertise by repetition.

Shotgunning, like the other shooting sports, does have its Bobby Knights. I tend to stay clear of them, life's too short to deal with them unless absolutely necessary.

[tall2tango]

Here, here, Dave! Thanx for the post about the stony shooters. It's definitely more fun to relax with the squad than to have things tense up with an unhappy, tightly-strung perfectionist.

Been there and done that as a creative perfectionist. Breaking out of that mold is hard when you are unable to forgive yourself for making mistakes. Hopefully the young man will learn sooner, rather than later, that we learn from our goof-ups if we give ourselves that permission. To be human is to not be perfect. I wish I had learned that much earlier in life myself. It's one of the few pluses I've found that come with Advanced Youth (aka Geezerdom). :what:

Life is a lot better if you are able to set reasonable expectations of yourself and others. I won't be offended if you remind me of this bit of philosophization at the range. :)

BR...

[foghornl]

The father-&-son pair you mentioned sound like the kind of guys that if they were golfing, would throw their clubs into the lake on the second hole.....

Something I have seen done

Why be angry like that ? ? ? ? ? I frequently go shooting to reduce stress, not increase it.

[Dave McCracken]

For me, shooting is a good thing, a stress management technique that borders on Psychotherapy. Breaking things loudly does that.

A quarter century in uniform left me with plenty of memories of humorless perfectionists. It's rare for me to see it in a recreational setting these days. I hope that kid does grow out of it soon, betcha his dad never will.

Two weeks ago I thought I was shooting with another one of these. The man was deadpan as he took his shots. After the round, he was pleasant and amiable. It's just that when he focussed on the target, it was totally. Think of Willy Mosconi lining up on a money shot or a good barn cat staking out a hot mousehole. Wish I could get up to that level of concentration and keep it all 25 shots.

[sm]

Like kudu - I gave up on competing.

At one time I was too serious, and had to back off, my scores went up when I did btw.

I have seen more than one Krieghoff, 3200 , Beretta thrown downrange. Seen too many folks "competing" through their kids.

One reason I chose to NOT get involved with other organized shooting disciplines like IDPA.

I was taught good sportmanship, and to pass this forward. Lead by example.

I also taught my students this as well.

I used Brister's method - BB gun with sights removed - to teach shotgunning.
Sure was a LOT of lessons learned, and FUN. Some folks just don't understand the Fun a bunch of folks can have with BB guns and ping pong balls ...two man teams , playing "golf" and trying to get a ping pong ball to go inside a Soup can lain on side.

We didn't even go shoot the shotguns a few times - the whole reason to gather was the "golf with a BB Gun" game. Watch a Grandpa and grandaughter do this...it is hilarious. Gets kinda serious when the other team is Grandma and Grandson...and Grandma has the keys to the car. :p

[TrapperReady]

In almost any activity, you've got three levels of involvment:

1) Those who do it to participate.
2) Those who compete for fun.
3) Those who compete to compete.

The third category generally produces the "best" results. For those people, they work longer and harder than most everybody else. The activity inevitably becomes work, and there are times it is no longer enjoyable. For instance, I am sure that Lance Armstrong has many days when he would rather do anything except ride his bike. However, to achieve at the highest levels of the game, you've got to work through those moments. If people didn't do that, the Olympics would be full of mediocrity.

I'm not condoning a father pushing his son too hard, and I'm certainly not condoning loutish behavior on the line. I'm just saying that I understand it, and that when it comes to competition (of any sort), the fun can quickly drain away. You have to wonder if someone said something similar about seeing a young Tiger Woods on the golf course with his dad.

[sm]

Trapper -

Great Post.

For me the competitive mindset began to hinder my advancement. A mentor "tried" to warn me - he too had BTDT. Hated it when he said "Moderation in everything" . I was being fussed at for 16 practice rds I had just finished.

I really hated it when - again - he was right. I had the skills, the concentration, the guns and ammo...the mindset was "foggy".

He took my guns home , told me to go shoot some handguns..."plinking" -no serious stuff.

Two days later I was allowed to go shoot. I was a bit "concerned" he had cleaned my guns. :p I ran 398/400. I dropped my first shot in 12 ga on the first box, High 1. :rolleyes: Dropped Low 7 on the 4th box. :rolleyes:

I ran the 20, 28 and .410.

Now - I can hold my own. I have fun. I have the memories of serious times. I gave away all trophies,shooter's kits, T shirts, memoribilia and such, chunked the pics too. Target guns as well. I did keep the one old Field Gun I started with and have it back stock.

One of the last times I shot a round of Trap ( not the game I competed in) I used a Single Shot 12 ga. Had more fun with the squad, we all were shooting single shot H&R Toppers and similar. Folks couldn't understand why us 'geezers' were having so much fun. Our Puller, Range Mgr and helluva a shooter ...was messing up some pulls, laughing so hard...and we had him grab a SS and join us...found someone else to pull. "guys - great idea - great fun" the Mgr said.

Ray Ban Aviator Sunglasses, Leather shell pouch, bandana ( no hat) and paper shot shells...the guys with high dollar guns, vests, toe protectors, and such...well some never will understand. Some asked to borrow guns and shoot a round afterwards...

Serious Fun.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Dave, I shot with those guys.

My first and only round of sporting clays was a couple years ago. The local range was having their 'customer appreciation day' so my son Jim and his brother in law Charlie wanted me to go out with them. Jim was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, using his all black 870 Express. Charlie also had t-shirt and shorts, with a camo-wrapped BPS. I was in my standard jeans and Wrangler shirt, and my gun was at least an O/U, if only a lowly Citori with Invectors.

About stage 4, there was a man and his son, noses firmly held in the air, with their fancy O/U's and their vests and golf cart. Neither one seemed to be having fun, but they were enjoying showing off in front of the "rubes". The father was sternly coaching his son the whole time.

Charlie outshot them. :D

I ended the day with a 50, Jim had a 63, and Charlie had an 84.

[P95Carry]

Oh my - ''they'' are it seems far from uncommon. :rolleyes:

Seen EXACT same .... I doubt those folks even have ''fun'' in their vocabulary. I expect eating at the dinner table is regimented and under the tutilage of the senior person! :p

I am almost relieved to be so darned old -- I shoot, whatever discipline ... for FUN ... I smile, I grin and often laugh - usually at self. I enjoy the fun derision I receive - grin gets wider. :)

Hey - life is short - and fun sure as heck makes the days that much more special. Nice post Dave - says a lot.

[sm]

We had a fun kid's day. Grill fired up , burgers, hot dogs, Lemonade, all sorts of freebies for the kids. We had all ages, we all brought single shot .410's for the youngest. Every kid was going to win a prize. Every kid did win a prize.

Granted some us 'bigger kids" were having a lot of fun. For instance the little kids stood at Low 7 with the single shot .410, they "helped" the adult supervising them. This field was to itself, SAFETY being #1 ...Folks like me hid behind the low house and upon report from kid - we shot the low bird. Hey...fun for the kids...got a bit challenging for Me and the others...

Older age group, this dad was rough and gruff, I cautioned him about language with the kids, and ladies. Well he kept grilling his kid, embarassing him, ...I had enough.

I walked up with a 1100 20ga and said " here - you show him...teach by doing".

He couldn't shoot, he could fuss and gripe, he could armchair, he could not shoot. I took his son down to another field , checked gun fit - his gun didn't , found one that did and from the clubhouse his dad saw his son shoot really well.

I had to go back to the .410 event and shoot while hid. Seems a certain mom had two red headed kids and the son had shot two targets more than the younger daughter..." I can't take them home like that - they will drive me nuts!".

I have shot under pressure, try shooting , from back and behind a Low house to keep sibs even in score so a Single Mom can have piece in the house. :D

Little Brats ( kidding) decided to shoot Hight 1 before they left too...Whew!

Try that shot behind High house with a .410. :p

Hey...it was too much fun, even the red headed girl fixed me a hot dog ...never had Salsa on a hot dog before - not bad, not bad at all... :p

" ...kids are addicted to Salsa , the hotter the better, explains the red hair" - Mom. Mom was a blond, dad too...yep must have been the Salsa.

[Dave McCracken]

Those guys sure get around.

S'funny, I've shot with a couple state champs, ATA HOF folks and others who are at the top of the game.For the most part, they're not humorless automatons nor workaholics.

Committed, yes. Having fun, yes.

One local guy I shoot with has a small tantrum every time he misses. This throws off his concentration, so he's more likely to miss another. It's a self correcting process but unpleasant to observe.

[TrapperReady]

Dave - I've been around and participated competetively in a number of sports. There will always be a certain type of person who seems to derive no pleasure from what they do. Some of these folks will perform very well indeed.

At the higher levels, trap is a game of perfection - a single miss can often preclude a win. Personally, I'm satisfied with a 22, 23 or 25. If I shoot less than that, I know that I'm shooting below my potential (not to mention messing up my average if it's a league round). A 24 is another thing altogether. A 24 is merely a good round which I messed up. And the thing is... I'm not taking this seriously, nor am I a very uptight person. If I were anal-retentive and competetive, it would be very easy to blow a gasket.

You mentioned a guy who is very focused on the line, but once the shooting is over, is completely normal and jovial. I think that's they key. People who get wound too tight are going to focus too much on previous misses, and not be able to concentrate as hard as they are capable of. I've shot with a number of folks who get extremely frustrated if anything happens to break their routine. If the rhythm of the squad is off, they start missing. If the thrower starts breaking birds, they start missing. If they hear someone talking behind the line, they start missing. They've always got an excuse, and it's always someone else's fault.

With those people, I do two things. The first is ignore them, since they're not worth breaking my own concentration. The second thing is to remember them. Often, they are competent shooters... and one day, I may run into them in a shoot-off. That little nugget of information may just help me. :evil:

[sm]

I like what Misseldine wrote about concentration.

Concentration is mentally keyed up - physically relaxed

I interpret this to be great advice, one can recognize these shooters. They may have been telling a joke, laughing at one, talking about their teenager wrecking the famliy car...anything.

They step up to the pad, everything is erased, they only know one thing - that next target. On doubles they focus on the first bird, then the second bird. Total and complete concentration.

They break the birds, fell the game - whatever. It is done, over, no matter if hit, missed, chipped or what. It is history. Back to the jokes, the divorce proceedings, getting braces for the kids...

Until the next station, the next bird is pointed by a dog.

[Dave McCracken]

TR, sounds like you'd play good chess.Gamesmanship has always been important when it comes to competing.

Good point on 24s. If I can hit 24, I can hit 25 but do not. Where's the glitch?
(Rhetorical query, no answer needed).

If I could learn ONE little thing that would aid my scores, it'd be being able to achieve that level of concentration mentioned, and then turn it off until needed again. Doing it all the time would exhaust anyone and tired folks do not score as well as they otherwise could.