Target range in FT match

[c_m_shooter]

I do seem to think FT is a game you either gotta like or fall back on fishing / golfing. From my history with Archery 3-D IBO style the game is almost identical with only equipment exceptions and the number of shots you take at each animal. The game had popularity across the Nation. Ya Da Ya da Ya Da. Giving everyone half the possible score for a face place hit can't hurt anyone and only help the new or poorly equipped shooters. I think we all agree that knocking down targets is fun. Hitting a face plate is not quite as exciting but it wasn't actually a miss and should be worth something. In a real hunting situation even a shot that impacts 1/2" to a 1" out side a fatal KZ will usually terminate the animal. I really always hated to compare Field target to Hunting because FT is a competition and Hunting is called a sport. Having been a bowhunter most of my life I always appreciated the practice that 3-D Archery gave us. It was the best practice for the real deal. It taught us how to shoot arrows accurately rather than pluck them or fling them. Anyway, it is food for thought and if we don't care to see more new shooters join our ranks than lets not change a thing.

Bill

I still shoot 3d archery in a couple different organizations. At the Deerman matches shots outside of the kill zone but still on foam are a negative 5. You are better off with a 0 for a clean miss than wounding the animal. That really separates the scores, especially in the primitive class. If we did that in field target I would rarely end up with a score above 0 at the end of the day.

 

[Garrettkq]

I remember when i started competing and my scores were pretty dismal. I did leave frustrated. However I knew that I couldn’t have an emotional response to it. Like any other sport sometimes you have to fool yourself you are having fun, and stick with it. For example, in skiing, don’t expect to ski down the double black diamonds on your first day. You will fall and get wet. That’s the fun part! The best way to keep people interested after their first shoot, is to have cool dudes be supportive and be friendly . It’s really that simple. Oh shoot sorry I just realized this thread was about target distance signs. Yeah, don’t like it. Too easy. If ya really need to know, shoot unlimited w a range finder.

Oh, Help me understand what a pic of my trophy wall means? LOL. 

 

[bluebaby]

Great subject... back in the beginning spinners were put out with the targets for the people shooting less powerful guns. I shot a Sheridan pump, so I had to shoot the closest target and the spinner. I still couldn’t compete with the big guns but there were plenty of us low powers to compete against and we had our own competition until we could afford or decide to move up in power. A possibility could be to set up specific matches for beginners and provide the ranges and have them compare what they range to what is provided. Maybe post it at the lane in a way they can’t readily see it but once they are done ranging the can check to see if they are correct.

I personally don’t want to see the ranges provided at matches, that’s part of the competition is being able to range effectively. Freestyle is an option but then your adding a cost for a beginner that may detract from wanting to shoot as well. Not that I want to see another class added but you could creat a beginner class and once they win that class they have to move up. Until they they are competing against their own level and not the upper echelon. 

 

[Motorhead]

Even tho we talk about ranking or how good some shooters may be ? As a match director and running FUN Club events monthly, our focus is to have those present HAVING FUN !

When conversations come up on someone outgunning another or I'm coming for you etc .... it gets addressed with a giggle and statement of IT WILL ALWAYS BE YOU AGAINST THE COURSE and not the other guy you will beat or them beating you. The course BEATS YOU and how bad that beating is becomes the crux of the situation.

At such a time when one can set aside ego, instant gratification, entitlement and all those thoughts one has that there attempt to be successful gets fulfilled, can and will if you want to actually get better at Field Target be realized.

Learning how to fudge / estimate longer ranges, know the pellets falling and not rising, understand the likelihood to UNDER SHOOT is greater than OVER SHOOTING at most ranges less or greater than zero range become part of lessons one may or may not grasp. NOT HAVING RANGES MARKED is part of this dynamic that make Field target the difficult game that it is.





Scott S