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Etiquette

8K views 45 replies 9 participants last post by  jwsmith1959 
#1 ·
On another site that I visit some folks were complaining about being "pushed" by the squad behind them in a recent shoot.
It seems like the folks behind them would come up and put their guns in the rack and stand directly behind the shooter in the box. 6-10' away.
I was never told that there was a specific distance but I always remained in my cart until the squad ahead of me finished. Usually about 10 yards away. I always felt the rack was for the squad shooting .
Anyone care to comment on the proper etiquette?
 
#4 ·
sounds like the classic slow golfer situation.
and since in golf, a slow group can opt to let a fast group pass them....
sounds logical to me to continue to be like golf.
afterall...it is :>.
 
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#5 ·
Part of the issue with what happened with these guys crowding the squad in front of them was that they were not allowed to let them "play though" like you would do in golf. They said it was part of the rules. I am not sure if it was a local thing or if that is a general rule. What do you think Bobski ? can you help me out here ?
 
#6 ·
I don't think bobski shoots Sporting Clays much but I could be wrong.

When we shoot informally, people play through on a regular basis. I've come to the point where I start on Station #3 to avoid this problem, go on to 12, then shoot #2 and #1 on the way down.

In tournament play locally, they don't let them play through. I don't know what they do elsewhere.
 
#7 ·
We pretty much do just like you...and I don't have any problem waiting if I can tell that the last shooter is in the box. A lot of times we will shoot the course in reverse order.
 
#9 ·
and people wonder why i shy away from s.clays.
its too much like golf. and so are the eople.
good luck.
Interesting... Many of the "old Trap and Skeet" guys I have talked with say that they don't like SC's And FITASC because the targets don't fly in a consistent pattern and it upsets their routine. I personally prefer the challenge of not knowing that the targets will be flying in a "set" pattern... BTW my golf shots are the same way.. All over the course !LOL
 
#10 ·
im trying to compare the issues that come up on a golf course to s.clays. they mimick each other....because they are designed after each other.
so youd think...an issue during a s.clays game should have the same fix as a golf course.
 
#11 ·
Yep You would think that.. unfortunately the only thing they have in common is practice, practice and more practice. I have had some folks ask me what is so difficult about hitting a ball off a wooden peg until I take them out on the course. By the same token I have had trap shooters and skeet shooters believe their skills at those games will carry over to SC's and became frustrated when they find out the targets don't fly consistent patterns. All that being said.. I really really love all shotgun games.
 
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#12 · (Edited)
i did.
but scaled back to my favorites.

its been a rough road since most skeet/trap shooters live and act like the only life the game has or is...is nssa or ata.

im plowing a rough row, ive decided to promote and keep alive fun shoots. seems to be working in my little corner of the world.
 
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#18 ·
There is nothing so humbling as missing an easy shot. Whether it be in Sporting Clays or Golf. I mostly shoot with the same group and, encouragement is the only comment we make. We all laugh at ourselves but never at each other. You never know when YOU are going to be the one having a bad session.
 
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#20 ·
I agree. As you become more accustom to shooting with people around you lose that uncomfortable feeling.

Where in West Florida are you ? I am in Palm Harbor
 
#22 ·
I'm down in Sarasota.
We get down your way every so often to shoot at Nokomis. I really like that place.
If you ever get up around Tampa try Tampa Bay Sporting Clays.
 
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#24 ·
One reason I wear electronic hearing - if the background crap gets too loud, I simply turn them off.

Now those damn cigar smokers are something different.................
Although to be fair I made a great new friend form one of them.
I am an ex-smoker, which makes me worse than a non-smoker when it comes to that and cigars are the worst. This guy was smoking his, I politely turned around and said that I had quit smoking and now it aggravates my breathing. He apologized, and walked back to the path at Tampa and always made sure he was way downwind. Every shoot after he and I would run into each other and we became friends, so yes folks can change their behavior that they may not know is causing issues for someone else.
 
#26 ·
Interesting you mention that about being an ex-smoker. Mrs. Flash and I are also, quit almost 11 years ago. Oh, and our course doesn't allow people to smoke on the course itself. Not the SC, not 5 stand, not trap or wobble trap or even the practice stations. Anyway, I digress...

I'd read all the stuff about how we needed to remove all ashtrays from the house, remove all cigarettes, quit doing things that trigger the urge like coffee and booze.

None of that has been true for either of us. We still have ashtrays in every room of the house, have 2 or 3 cartons of cigarettes in the freezer and smoke from smokers doesn't bother us in the least. We don't find it a good smell or a bad smell, just a smell. Still drink coffee and booze and never get the urge to smoke again.

Everyone's obviously different though.
 
#30 ·
I got hooked on morphine in a hospital when I was 15 and that's something that's hard to quit. Got withdrawal pains 3 years after I quit.

When people ask how hard it was for me to quit smoking, I tell them it was 1-½ on a scale of 10. Quitting morphine was a 10

And unfortunately, beer is my problem. Puts weight on like you wouldn't believe. It's okay in the summer when I do laps in my pool every day but in the winter like now it's not so good.
 
#31 ·
I had two major 'triggers' when I smoked, coffee and beer. I went two years without either one, man was I a grouchy SOB first thing in the morning!
A somewhat lesser trigger was driving. Get in, start the car, hit the road, light one up. Part of all of it is muscle memory, even after 24 years, occasionally when I'm tooling down the road with no one else in the car, my subconscious sends my right hand into my t-shirt pocket to grab a smoke that will never be there.
:rolleyes:
 
#32 ·
I agree with the coffee and beer as my triggers also. Smoking in the car/truck not so much but, I did miss the small triangular vent windows that the older model vehicles had. It allowed you to smoke and vent the excess out the window even in Winter.
One of the most missed times was the glow of after spending time in the arms of a loving woman. Cured that by moving ash trays and cigarettes out of the bedroom
 
#33 ·
Etiquette should be observed in all shooting sports.

My first trip back to the skeet field a week or so ago, there were two fellas shooting trap. Both regulars and known to me. I figured I would wait until they were done and see if they wanted to join me for a round or two of skeet. While waiting three other regulars showed up and after the trap shooters finished, they changed their chokes and joined up with the three new shooters and they started a round of skeet. Since they squaded up, I just went back and took a seat near the club house.

One of the workers who was reloading the trap machine, told me to go join them...I commented that they already had a full squad. He said to go ahead and the other shooters said to come on too. I worked at this range as a young man in the late 70's and then (and now) the range rules state maximum squad size is 5...NO exceptions.

I did not enjoy myself as I felt awkward and left after that one round. It should have never happened as the range employee shouldn't have allowed it and the new guys that came should have waited or shot another field.

I am sure they all felt I over-reacted and the fault was mine. I will be going back Thursday of Friday and if asked, I will let anyone know what happened and my feelings on the matter.
 
#34 ·
Etiquette works at the rifle and pistol range too. Shooters should use a brass catcher if they know their semi auto weapons sling brass sideways. Shooters with muzzle brakes should set themselves up as far away from others as possible. To me, most of these things are just common sense, but I have been shooting over 50 years and brought up on the range thinking safety and of others around me.
 
#35 ·
Reminds me of a time when I lived in Carson City. There is a public shooting park for rifle and pistol and full auto.
I get to the rifle range first thing and I am the only one there. This place had 35-40 ambi shooting benches under cover. Another guy shows up and sets up right next to me and pulls out a .338 with a muzzle break. The concussive effect was so bad, I stopped and waited until he was done. What an ass he was! I guess he wanted to show off his cool new elk rifle
 
#38 ·
Sounds like it a lot more like trap than the SC crowd wants to let on as far as the knowing where every shot is going to go.

Even in regular trap you never know what direction it will go in the field, let alone WOBBLE trap.
 
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#39 ·
When I shoot SC, I do it alone or with Mrs. Flash pulling for me, but I don't compete.

I also don't do show birds, I just look at the diagram they have drawn at each station which is fairly accurate, mount the gun and call pull. It's a lot more like hunting that way.

Also after every shoot there are no diagrams up for a few days so every pull is a surprise to me.
 
#41 ·
jwsmith1959...your comment called for me to ask a question.

I am a TOTAL newbie (age 80). I went to my local range today. It was my SECOND time out, on any range, Shooting a shotgun anywhere, anytime. I was going to shoot Trap, since that is what I did Friday.

The Trap machine was broken. The young lady in the office said I could shoot Skeet (NEVER did that before) and there were guys on the course. When I reluctantly arrived at their station?, there were five guys there.

Even I knew that five was a group/corp???

I chose to NOT attempt to break in and just hung around two stations over until they finished and a starter was available for me.

Candidly, I doubted very much that this group of five, who apparently shot together every Monday morning, wanted me to break in, and I didn't want to intrude. What say you?

p.s. I had a ball shooting skeet for the first time, by myself... and with the starter, who was very helpful.
 
#42 ·
jwsmith1959...your comment called for me to ask a question.

I am a TOTAL newbie (age 80). I went to my local range today. It was my SECOND time out, on any range, Shooting a shotgun anywhere, anytime. I was going to shoot Trap, since that is what I did Friday.

The Trap machine was broken. The young lady in the office said I could shoot Skeet (NEVER did that before) and there were guys on the course. When I reluctantly arrived at their station?, there were five guys there.

Even I knew that five was a group/corp???

I chose to NOT attempt to break in and just hung around two stations over until they finished and a starter was available for me.

Candidly, I doubted very much that this group of five, who apparently shot together every Monday morning, wanted me to break in, and I didn't want to intrude. What say you?

p.s. I had a ball shooting skeet for the first time, by myself... and with the starter, who was very helpful.
You did the right thing and most important, you did the right thing for YOU. I can just about guarantee you learned more in that round by your self with the puller helping you than you would have tagging along shooting 25 with the more experienced group of friends. Nothing against ANY ONE. It is just a fact the two groups, them & you, are there with two different goals in mind.
 
#44 ·
As have been noted, you did the right thing. For you and the squad. You got to watch a squad go around the course and did not slow them down waiting for a newbie.

I enjoy helping shooters shooters who are new, but not everyone does.

The 5 man squad is probably a throwback to the old days when most fields used Winchester traps which only held enough birds (plus extras) for a squad of 5. I know my home range can go all morning into the afternoon on a busy day without reloading machines.

Hanging out at that Skeet and Trap field is never a bad thing.

What range did you go too? I am familiar with most for 100 miles or so having shot around here for over 40 years.
 
#45 ·
I was at Carter Country (Spring, TX) for both the Trap and Skeet. I'll be back at CC tomorrow with my son-in-law who is primarily a hunter.

Next week, weather permitting, I'll shoot some Sporting Clays with a fellow I met online here in Houston.

I am getting a ton of experience quickly. I've had a lot of help from some new friends, all met online. I am thinking seriously about selling my little tin boat since I don't use it much here.

I have another tinny in TN., for my Summers. There, it sits in the water 15 minutes from my home. Fishing is easy (catching is not). Here, I am 80+ miles from everywhere I like to fish. The long, busy drives are getting OLD, for this old codger.
Rich
 
#46 ·
Hope you had a good day. I enjoy Hot Wells for Skeet. All American Shooting Centers has Skeet and Trap, but I have only shot rifle there. Clear Creek Gun Range is good and Texas City Shooting Range has a nice facility.

If you really get into Trap, The Metro Gun Club in Angleton has some very fine shooters who can really teach you a bunch. They also have a large contingent of older folks like us, so you would feel right at home. :D
 
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