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Elevated targets on Field Target course

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Kdog

Kdog

Member
May 1, 2016
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Ohio, United States
I'm a fan of having elevated targets on a FT course. If there's any wind it seems as they are more difficult. At Sherwood Airgunners we have the option to having about half our targets elevated either by a.target stand in a tree or shooting up/down a hill. Today I added to our elevated target stands by adding 2 on our Highlands course. One is approximately 12ft while the other is about 18ft. Should make for some epic shots.

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I love it!
The Tulsa Club has a couple, and the Arlington club has at least four. The Tulsa Club, the wind has to be gusty in order to really throw your hold offs into a guessing game. The Arlington Club elevated targets have more exposure to the wind and keeps you on your toes with every shot. I will just about bet you Jeff's upcoming Republic of Texas (RoT) will incorporate those same targets we saw at their last match, and I wouldn't put it past that evil MD to figure out a way to have elevated forced position thirty feet off the ground.
You have been warned...
 
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Franklink said:
@Arzrover and "Don" rigged up a way to pull targets way up into the cottonwood trees for matches once. I'd estimate they were 50-60 feet off the ground. And since suspended, they'd swing and sway in the wind. SUPER COOL target to shoot at during those matches.
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Now that would be something to see...50-60 ft 😳
 
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Kdog said:
Now that would be something to see...50-60 ft 😳
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It really was! They somehow got a rope over a really high limb and hoisted it up with that, and also had a couple guy lines to keep it from spinning. All said and done, it was still swinging with the breeze. Nearly straight up, it was a hoot.

May have been 40-50feet. I dunno for sure but it was high!.
 
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They WERE way fun to me... I really enjoyed bringing out something different, if possible... I REALLY liked putting a target (side faller) on the side of a free swinging log hanging in the air... Another one hanging in the cottonwood tree was high enough to see over my grove of mesquites from my patio... so @Franklink asked if it would be ok to shoot at it from my patio... which we did and had a great time doing it. Ranged at 80 yards... with 20 ft/lb rifles, was a bit of challenge...
I REALLY do not like the groomed golf course or the parking lot ft matches, but I do understand that not everyone has a choice if they want to have matches. I've been to a LOT of different venues and really enjoy it when they showcase the local terrain. The World's at Rio Salado is a good example... Garrett and his crew REALLY did a fine job in my eyes...
Bob
 
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Franklink said:
It really was! They somehow got a rope over a really high limb and hoisted it up with that, and also had a couple guy lines to keep it from spinning. All said and done, it was still swinging with the breeze. Nearly straight up, it was a hoot.

May have been 40-50feet. I dunno for sure but it was high!.
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Ok - I’m still learning
Edumacate me 🥴
How do we hold / aim differently for elevation - up or down shots
 
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Arzrover said:
They WERE way fun to me... I really enjoyed bringing out something different, if possible... I REALLY liked putting a target (side faller) on the side of a free swinging log hanging in the air... Another one hanging in the cottonwood tree was high enough to see over my grove of mesquites from my patio... so @Franklink asked if it would be ok to shoot at it from my patio... which we did and had a great time doing it. Ranged at 80 yards... with 20 ft/lb rifles, was a bit of challenge...
I REALLY do not like the groomed golf course or the parking lot ft matches, but I do understand that not everyone has a choice if they want to have matches. I've been to a LOT of different venues and really enjoy it when they showcase the local terrain. The World's at Rio Salado is a good example... Garrett and his crew REALLY did a fine job in my eyes...
Bob
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Lol, fun memory. For some reason your Red Wolf was there on the patio and one of the guys we lost to golfing was just dropping by to say hi. He sorta dared me to see if I could hit that 80 yard target. It was one of your bell targets. I checked with you since I wasn't sure what was downrange and you gave the all clear. I missed the first time but saw where the pellet went and so I held a bit more for wind and DIIIIINGGGGGGG on the second shot. And it was game on from there, everybody wanting to see if they could get it too. Awesome time.
 
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cavedweller said:
Certainly there is some math involved?
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For the most OCD amongst us? Probably.

I've shot enough at starlings and euro doves up in trees to have an idea of it. It's not a huge difference in change of impact, even for a really steep incline. Say for example a 1 inch kill zone that's 30 feet up a tree. And the base of the tree is 30 yards away. Yes, Pythagoras could be legitimately referenced. When I've been in matches with elevated targets I range by focus to the target itself, and the aim a little low, and a little lower as angle/height increases. For that 30 feet high, 1 inch kill zone at a tree with the base 30 yards away? Something like aiming at 6 o clock on the kill zone or maybe even a quarter inch onto the faceplate below 6 o'clock and it should go down. (Assuming a normal 25-35ish yard zero).

Generally, field target isn't high precision, it's just repeatable good accuracy, and knowing where your pellets are gonna go via dope. And DOPE acronym fully at work in my mentality.....Data On Previous Engagements (that's my whole shoot-and-see-and-document method versus hope the ballistic app is right)

For all of our (field target competitors) agonizing over the minutia, close is usually good enough for a typical KZ/distance scenario of "legal" in an ft match.
 
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Here you go Rudy.

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45 degrees is pretty steep.

It seems counterintuitive, but a negative poi and negative click value is actually a hold under. So, it'll hit about 0.8 inches high at 30 yards, with a 45 degree angle. So for a 1" kill zone like I said in my example, a hold on the bottom of the KZ or maybe slightly more, becomes an X on your score card (a hit).
 
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Franklink said:
Here you go Rudy.

View attachment 541801

View attachment 541802

45 degrees is pretty steep.

It seems counterintuitive, but a negative poi and negative click value is actually a hold under. So, it'll hit about 0.8 inches high at 30 yards, with a 45 degree angle. So for a 1" kill zone like I said in my example, a hold on the bottom of the KZ or maybe slightly more, becomes an X on your score card (a hit).
Click to expand...
Thanks Cole
being as I have No available elevated targets due to suburban location
I definitely need an administrative crutch
 
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Franklink said:
For the most OCD amongst us? Probably.

I've shot enough at starlings and euro doves up in trees to have an idea of it. It's not a huge difference in change of impact, even for a really steep incline. Say for example a 1 inch kill zone that's 30 feet up a tree. And the base of the tree is 30 yards away. Yes, Pythagoras could be legitimately referenced. When I've been in matches with elevated targets I range by focus to the target itself, and the aim a little low, and a little lower as angle/height increases. For that 30 feet high, 1 inch kill zone at a tree with the base 30 yards away? Something like aiming at 6 o clock on the kill zone or maybe even a quarter inch onto the faceplate below 6 o'clock and it should go down. (Assuming a normal 25-35ish yard zero).

Generally, field target isn't high precision, it's just repeatable good accuracy, and knowing where your pellets are gonna go via dope. And DOPE acronym fully at work in my mentality.....Data On Previous Engagements (that's my whole shoot-and-see-and-document method versus hope the ballistic app is right)

For all of our (field target competitors) agonizing over the minutia, close is usually good enough for a typical KZ/distance scenario of "legal" in an ft match.
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Seems like they outlawed inclinometers?
 
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cavedweller said:
Seems like they outlawed inclinometers?
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For some reason I thought I had heard that too. But I just skimmed the most updated rules and didn't find it. I sure could have glossed over it though.

These matches where we were shooting the high targets would have been on 2019-20 probably, so perhaps before this inclinometers outlawing? And the two that I remember with the inclinometers would have probably both been Unlimited/Freestyle class shooters at the time. It wasn't a concern for me at the time, and I'm only remembering it because it thought it was cool as I'd never seen the inclinometer on a phone used this way.

Anybody know for sure if inclinometers were outlawed?

(Again, actually shooting and seeing the influence the angle has on poi is ideal, but I understand being in a suburban location complicates that possibility).
 
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At Mass Rifle, we have at least half our targets elevated. They vary from a few feet, to thirty feet above the ground, all in tree's. our most difficult two, are at 45deg. One is 14yards, the other 12ish. Neither require any adjustment in poa. Of course, new shooters to the targets assume they need to hold under or over, but it's not the case. As Fl has said, until you get past 20yds, and 20deg, there's no need to change your poa.

As for inclometers, the only ban I know of is for the WFTC. It has to do with digital devices, including inclometers, range finders, levels and wind meters. As far as AAFTA shooting goes, I've never seen the ban, electronics or otherwise.
 
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