Target setters

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hnachaj

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
396
It just burns me up having premadonas calling themselves target setters and NOT travelling to any major shoots! I went to two shoots this weekend with of course "expert" target setters. Both shoots had an average of around 50%. Most targets in both shoots were very wind affected!The best FITASC targets were set in the 90s with the World at Okimo in 92 one of the best. There was innovation! There was wonbat at the one near Springfield: A rabbit ran down a drainnage tube some 30 feet above to fall into a pool of water some 20 feet in front! Ever see a "Do-Do Bird"? It is a standard that flips end over end. I had a rabbit that ran through a drainnage pipe that was weighed down under the pond. The rabbit would come out of the water at mid pond as a looper. Those are fun targets that we remember. Spada did a good job last year in Italy with some very imagineative target settings. He TRAVELS and LISTENS! I am NOT a fan of Peckam. Too much repetition! Trying to make the shooter a fool. Good old Syreel shoots and was better at making some interesting targets. Even if he is sometimes full of.... But that donkey in Morrocco loved him everytime he saw Seeryl, it was a full monty with a great HEEHAWWW!
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 The Lone Canadian.Henry/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif

 
I'm actually working on doing an interview with a good UK target setter... I figured that sporting shooters might enjoy understanding how its done, what tricks they user.What questions would ShootClay readers lke me to ask?

 
Matt,It will be interesting who you choose to interview??????As Henry says, just maybe the Peckham's are past their sale by date?Arnie Palmer & Deadly Dyson are very predictable!I thoroughly enjoy the targets at Hodnet, there is always a stand or two that catch us out, but of course the topography at Hodnet lends itself to good target presentations.I will read your interview when it comes along with interest.Interestingly target setters tend to forget it is called Sporting, which initially simulated sporting birds such as pheasant, woodcock etc.,How many of us have shot 90+ out of 100 shots at game????That fact may give a clue as to how to present clays at a Sporting shoot.

 
I think the most likely candidate for an interiview would be Steve from Weston Wood and Westfields you could kill two targets with on stone as he sets up Fitasc and Sporting. In my opinion he is 'The New Breed'.If you do not agree look to his enteries each week he is always booked up and has a high demand so he must be doing something right! plus he is a shooter and has done a lot of travelling about recently taking part in majors etc. Glen.

 
Watch this space... /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-wink.gif

 
It would be interesting to see how each of a series of course setters differ in their approaches. How do they plan a registered?How do they plan a big event?How do they measure the difficulty? My biggest question is - Why do some shoots seem to manage to put targets throught the sun when they know exactly where the sun rises and sets on their ground??? Is this done on purpose or is this just laziness? Glen.

 
the point about setting into the sun could have been more prevalent than at the Worlds last year at Lakenheath on the blue course, the first half of the shoot was so badly set up into the sun that one of the top Scotch lads Willy Gorden who was with us quite after 4/5 stands, like the man said "it's hard enough to hit some targets but when you can't see them but it's impossible to hit them when you can't see them" with the previous week of scorching hot weather could the course setter (I was told John Dyson) not have looked at the weather forecast and thought about were he was going to set up and what colour of clays to use in certain places ? it wasn't that Willy Gordon was shootin bad as he shot a 93 on the previous day - if he was under pressure to hit them how were the lesser talented shooters supposed to cope ?  course setting is a matter of common sense in many ways but when people are paying big money for an event surly they deserve the respect for their entry fee. Course setting needs to take all skill levels into account and not just to cater for the top shooters. Nigel

 
I think you have to accept that the grounds are often limited in the location of stands they have which is why you can`t avoid shooting into the sun at times. The recent Masters 200 birder was a case in point, stands 6-12 were on the left side of the 'Lane' and one or three were doubly hard because of the sun factor. We also had this at a Dartford 'Kent' shoot a couple of years ago where they are at a great disadvantage down one side of their layout which can make a complete lottery of scores if you happen to shoot it at the wrong time. Personally though I can`t see an easy cure? They can`t grow extra land can they? Perhaps they could try and not put the sweet spot right into the sun but that`s about it?! Regarding Setters themselves, I was never head over heels in love with the old Peckham layouts, back in the mid 90`s or so I mean. Too often I felt it was just distance that beat us but today you have to admit they are all bloody killable but still missable too. People say they throw too many loopers but then others throw too many something else. I have to say the ground you have available to work with goes a long way towards whether you manage to entertain people or not.

 
Sorry Hammy but these guys nearly always have the same ground so they should no it off by heart by now so in my opinion no excuse for targets directly thrown in the sun it can be avoided nearly everytime. especially when it is a driven or something ridiculous! The Masters is not exactly a good example as they have so much land to play with so no excuse? We shall see when we learn more from some traget setters then maybe we can be more understanding on this. 9 times out of 10 a high crosser come afternoon is right through the sun when it is at it's brightess? Where's the common sense?maybe there is a perfectly good explanation in some cases? You have a window on each stand and you should throw a target which takes the positioning of the sun into consideration. Also another common problem flexibility within the cage especially for lefties! I have seen many whack their gun on the cage as the stand is set up badly! These are simple things which many course setters seem to miss quite regularly. Glen

 
It doesn`t affect me as I`m right handed but too often the bins are in the wrong spot for left handers making them struggle to hit a fluid routine. While we`re on the subject of poor stands, I`d sooner shoot a nice target thrown into the sun than one that isn`t, BUT which I`ve shot a few /wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-frown.gif/wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-yell.gif times before at the exact same spot, if you know what I mean./wp-content/forum-smileys/sf-confused.gif

 
Yeah no what you mean, I guess it is too easy for the target setter to stand in the cage after setting a stand and shoot a few pairs and see what happens and then also try to visualise it left handed! I'm so glad stands are set up in preference to right handers because it would really annoy me if I couldn't shoot a target in the same place as a right hander due to the cage hindering my swing! Soooo many times it has been an easy stand for me then the left hander steps in and whacks his new gun on a nice metal pole!!!! ooooooh! Glen.

 
I think good target setting is actually not the work of a genius. However, it is the work of somebody who judges well the course as a whole and knows what NOT to set!  I would say DO NOT:

  • Set targets where the sun will be. (Its no excuse if it was cloudy when you set it).
  • Exceed a certain range. Maybe 45 yards if edge on. 65 yards if showing face?
  • Provide little or no time to shoot a target (before it lands / dissapears behind a tree)
  • Set a stand where only a six foot three right hander can see the thing.
There are more `no-no's`, but those are the main ones. Hodnet Brit Open course had absolutely nothing strange or startling about it. But it was a good course that tripped me up all over the place.. for good honest reasons. CSC3

 
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