Mixing It Up A Bit....

[Dave McCracken]

I cheated on my ammo allowance a bit yesterday and headed down to PGC for a bit of practice and stress management. Last week was lighter than some work weeks, but still 50 hours long.

My new addiction to Wobble matches my devotion to Trap, so I took Frankenstein, 4 boxes of 8s, Number Six, 2 boxes of 9s and intentions of shooting 2 rounds each of Trap, Wobble, and Skeet. Frank had the Light Full choke in, and 6 had the 26" Cylinder barrel from the This Old Barrel thread.

I had the range almost to myself up on the trap end. I waited while one shooter finished a round, shot the bull with him a few minutes. I then took my time, shot two rounds of conventional trap, and scored 23 and 24. Not too shabby. Not quite in the Zone, but close. And these targets broke well, many just plain disappearing with no visible rain of shards. Since I'd just shot on Saturday, the extra practice made the difference.

Next, Wobble beckoned, so I moved down, set up, and shot two rounds here with hilarity. Anyone at PGC then might have wondered at the diabolical chortle rolling off the line at intervals. Shot a round and then kicked it up a notch.

I moved the mike on post one back an arbitrary 4 yards and left perhaps three. I shot half a box here with OK results. Moving to post 3, I shot the other half box low gun, except the last 5. Those were shot high gun, left handed. Got lucky and hit three of those.

As was the plan, the differences made the targets more challenging. Breaking up the stylized, machine groove moves lowered my scores, but improved my ability.

And isn't that the idea? I'm not looking for a mess of trophies,just having fun while becoming very proficient with a shotgun. I think it's working.

Then, I moved down to a skeet range, and met by chance with Duckman and some friends of his. We shot together and while the high house from the mid points still has my number, did well for me. The doubles as usual came easier than the singles. Still thinking too much on the line. Getting better though. Duckman and I spoke of trying some SC next, he with that little 20 gauge Guerneri(sp?) and I with 6. BTW,said 20 gave me a first class case of the covets.

For new shooters just getting started with shotguns, I suggest picking a game and staying with it until a fair proficiency is reached, say 20/25. Then, try other games. All are fun.

See ya at the range...

 

[sm]

I'm not looking for a mess of trophies,just having fun while becoming very proficient with a shotgun.

Proficient, Yep...be it clay , game, or more serious applications...More one handles and uses a tool the better the tool becomes an extension of user.

 

[TrapperReady]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I think Wobble Trap is one of the best "playing around" games out there. I don't get to shoot it as often as I like, but when I do we always make up all sorts of different games. A good one to practice for hunting involved two teams of two shooters, each loading one shell. A shooter on one team will call "Pull" and take the first shot. A powdered clay is worth two points. A merely broken clay is worth one point... BUT, if the other member of that team can break the largest piece, then the team gets an additional point.

You can also start deducting points for misses. You can also have the other team gain points by "poaching" the first shot. For example, if you poach and hit, then you get a point. Poach and miss and you lose two.

We'll also move back or forward or shoot between stations as warranted.

For additional pressure, you can always put the lunch tab on the line. For real pressure, put the range fees AND lunch tab on the line.

BTW, it's good old-fashioned fun like this that can really break a person's bias against guns. If you can talk a non-shooter/anti into opening their mind and actually trying it... breaking clays will nearly always get 'em hooked.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks for the responses. I'll add something later, duty calls.

 

[Dave McCracken]

It's later, so....

"More one handles and uses a tool the better the tool becomes an extension of user".

Amen. When it feels like a body part.

Guilliame de Coucy, 16th Century hired sword and fencing instructor, said to exercise with your weapons until you forgot which was the weapon and which was the wielder.

TR, varying the games helps keep the interest up, putting something on the line to strive for gets the old competition thing going too.

I'd love to have a one on one shoot with a wobble trap delivering a clay automatically every 5 seconds or so in a flurry. Have both folks start off with two rounds in the shotgun so as not to handicap double users, and the one that hits the most birds wins. Fast reloading, fast target acquisition, lots of adrenalin. Say 20 birds total, 10 each in theory.

Getting a non shooter out and having fun while meeting the REAL Gun Lobby (Us) is the best way to light the darkness.

 

[sm]

I have shot "The Flurries" .

I have done the 3 man team, and the two man team. Teamwork, rhythm is very very important. I have done this with Pumps, Semi's and O/U's. Talk about "Fun , Fast and Furious".

It becomes real evident real quick if one knows their gun. I honestly don't remember ever looking at my gun(s). I was watching Clays, "feeling" the rhthym of my teamate(s), stuffing shells to keep that sucker fed , pulling triggers, hitting levers, shucking like crazy.

Run a 100 bird flurry sometime. If you "think" you know your gun you will find out. If you do know your gun - you will improve skills.

TIP: Do Not be the fella on the right, anybody's right, no matter what platform the fella on left shoots ...I get first dibbs on the far left shooting position.

I bet you can figure out how I know...

 

[TrapperReady]

There's a game called "Crazy Quail".

At least around here, it's played with the thrower (and trapper) on a rotating platform (protected by a berm). The trapper will launch two targets, wait 5 seconds, then launch 2 more. This is repeated until the requisite number of targets (usually 10 -- so 5 pair) has been thrown.

The presenstations are tough, since you can have two clays moving rapidly in different directions, and the reloads must be done very fast. Typically, the shooting station will have pre-drilled holes to allow the shooter to arrange shells in pairs prior to starting.

I've shot it with an O/U and with an auto. It definitely puts a new spin on things and makes you realize if you are as much "in synch" as you think you might be.

The game takes under a minute, but is a ton of fun!

 

[sm]

Variation Of "Crazy Quail".

A good puller is needed.

On a Skeet Field:
Shooter starts between stations 2 & 3.
Shooter loads only 2 shells.
Puller may throw at any time, a single or double.
Puller may throw from either High or Low House.
Puller pays attention, if a shooter fires once, he needs to throw a single next time.

Shooter is going to "walk" toward station 8 and then "walk" back to between stations 6 & 7.

If a shooter has loaded 2 shells - expect anything, from anywhere, anytime.
A shooter needs to be focused on everywhere, all the time...don't be looking at the gun while loading...the instant a shell or 2 shells is in the chamber...you had better be ready to shoot...you may NOT get the opportunity to get that 2nd shell in...then again you may be quicker than the puller's eyes. *wink*.

--
We have mixed this up even more. starting with different stations, different layouts.

I once got caught having to walk TOWARD the high house from Station 8. I had 3 singles in a row...I got these even tho I was halfway to to the high house.

The puller then started throwing doubles , I got those...

The one I goofed on -was getting caught walking toward the LOW house...I hit the two singles after getting 1 /3 way in...loaded two and felt "smug" about hitting the third single...by the time I realized he had pulled a double - too late - it was breaking to pcs after hitting the ground.

I was using a pump that day.

Weird deal I shot Crazy Quail better with a pump ( model 12 in 20 ga or 870 in 12 ga) than any other gun I tried. Second best was the SX1 I actually competed with and hunted with. Go figure. I think it was because I could keep these 3 platforms "feed quickest", the pumps helped my timing and shot aquistion.

My excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it.

 

[kudu]

We had a flurrie game of 30 birds in sixty seconds,10 from the trap house and 10 each from low and high houses on the skeet field. It was on a tape recording that told the sequence to throw the birds. It was a 2 man team event and each man was about five yards behind station 3 and station 5, so this made the trap targets at about the 30 yard line and skeet targets a bit more tricky. My partner and myself broke a 29 to win high gun in this event, I believe we let a trap target get away. We had bales of straw set up to stand behind with corn stalks in various places to interfear with seeing targets. What a blast!!!

 

[P95Carry]

Good to read about some real fun stuff ....... I reckon for now I'll just plod on with the ''ordinary'' ..... gotta get better at that first

Reminds me .. still gotta make a frame and go pattern some stuff ....

 

[sm]

kudu
Good shooting...don't you hate that "one" that gets away.

To really drive one nuts [as if we needed something else to add to challenge] add a white or green clay. Specify DO NOT Shoot the white or be penalized and make the Green a bonus bird...either points or a prize.

That will make your brain scramble...especially when some joker sneaks in the trap house and puts a moon pie , or a blue target ...now what in the heck do you do?

I shot these....won a pair of cornish hens [blue target] and a box of moon pies.[ moon pie target]

They really got me on that one...My brain said everything was shootable except the white...don't know what would have happened if the moon pie had been bananna flavored.

Oh I missed the green bird...prize was a case of ammo...arrgghhh!

 

[P95Carry]

and puts a moon pie

LOL.

 

[sm]

Chris...

I shared before I "discovered" the fact these moon pies will launch from a trap. [Don't ask why or what I was up to okay].

These are great fun, especially in teaching kids. Really breaks up the hum drum serious attitude we all get in. Sometimes in life we need to "seriously loosen up" and have fun.

We have all just lightened up and shot "the darn thing"...hit more birds, felled more game...enjoyed the whole experience so much more.

Oh it will get one out of filling traps...I don't mind pulling my share of filling traps...but folks get suspicious of "some folks" filling the traps...they made me pull targets...figured it was best to keep an eye on me and I was less likely to get into trouble...Well that "fun game of doubles"...turned into an impromtu game of crazy quail....oops

I take this stuff serious. I was serious competitor.

We did have our fun times though. I was usually in the midst of this as well. I had good mentors that taught me well...be it serious or fun...they taught me well indeed.

 

[riverdog]

I had to pull out my copy of "The Complete Book of Shotgunning Games" by Tom Migdalski to read about Wobble Trap. We aren't set up for that where I shoot but it sounds like a hoot. All we have are American Trap, Doubles, American Skeet, International Trap and 5-Stand. The birds in International Trap move real fast, every bird gets a double tap. American Trap and Skeet is plenty for me, much more relaxed pace. What I need is a target and time to shoot.

I usually shoot Friday AM with a good low pressure group of guys but my schedule has been conflicting. I need to shoot more and may need to start looking at other shooting opportunities.

 

[Kingcreek]

The range officer at our small municipal range is a great shotgun coach and more than once I've stayed and helped clean up just so I can get some of his time. We have shot what he calls "mexican doubles" (hope I haven't offended anyone). Basically 1 shooter and one at the remote on the skeet range. Birds are 4 from each station except 8. none called. birds are launched at the whim of the launcher when he sees the shooter is loaded with 2 rounds in the gun. targets come from either high or low or both and the shooter never knows when or from whence they are coming. all are shot from low mount.
no time to think- just see clay- shoot clay! a couple rounds will really get you shooting instinctive.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Man, this thread has drifted, but what a source of ideas for varying clay games and improving overall shotgunning.

Moon pies? There's better things to do with them. Where's the RC cola?

 

[Rupe]

Man I want to try this. When do I get my lessons???

 

[Dave McCracken]

Any time, ol' Buddy. I'm off next Thursday and Friday, so maybe then if the weather co-operates.

I'll call you later.....

 

[Rupe]

I'll be in Iowa shed hunting on my new place!

 

[Dave McCracken]

Next time then...