Winter shoots, travelling to, how far is far enough

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Richard59

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Messages
1,994
Location
Cirencester
Shorter days, it already feels colder, well my fingers defo feel it so, now last winter 2017-2018 I shot (registered shoots this refers to) a fair few times, often the daylight was gone by the time Id return home, whilst I really enjoyed most but not all my days out Im struggling at present to gather the will to “lose” the day drive / shoot / drive the 5/6 hours, am I taking for granted my reg shooting opportunities? Bit of an open question do you all have to travel similar / longer days to shoot competitively? 

 
It depends what else you have to occupy your days off, since getting married I rarely shoot more than one close Sunday comp, this is so I can get back by noon and spend the rest of the day with my lovely wife which is something I enjoy more than clay shooting. 

My line of work means I get to have days off during the week and I have no qualms then about driving 5+ hours in total to get to worthwhile registered shoots, the rest of my free time is usually spent out in the fields with either rifles or shotgun. 

Personally speaking the cold doesn't come into it, I used to get really cold feet out pigeon shooting when in my twenties but don't anymore for some reason, I have simply accepted the reality that in cold weather you need to layer up and be prepared to lose a bit of movement which can cost clays but then so can discomfort when the weather is too hot. 

You're a long time dead. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Man up. 😀. 😀😀😀

I will say just this. You are a long time dead. 

We travel the same in winter as summer. Usually about an hour each way .we have maybe 7 or 8 grounds within this range. Also like gunsite but this is 1 3/4 hour +.  But we still do it. Sometimes.

But I guess if your not feeling it personally , then take a break. Maybe pick your days a little more regarding the weather . Your supposed to enjoy it. 

And buy some gloves .😀

Jasper.

 
Richie, as you know I have quite a few grounds with in the hour drive. It will always be a 5/6 hour, drive/shoot/drive, nature of the beast. You sound more like your not really enjoying shooting at the moment.

 
To experience variety we often travel over 2 hrs one way but there are two of us to share driving.  Some Sundays  may be start out 7 am and back 7pm.  The length of day doesn’t bother me but the after shooting clear up in winter once you get home does.  In winter the difficulty is finding two shoots to do on a Sunday in the time you have due to getting there before last card and light fades.  This sometimes mean the variety of grounds is limited during winter months and we frequent certain ones more.  Tony likes winter shooting as grounds tend to be quieter.  I think if I was more discerning about what weather I shot in I would be in A by now 😂 but I don’t care.  There’ll be a few days during the winter when I will wish I had stayed at home.  I shoot quite a few weekday and Saturday shoots but for Tony it is rare so Sunday is his day.

 
Richie, as you know I have quite a few grounds with in the hour drive. It will always be a 5/6 hour, drive/shoot/drive, nature of the beast. You sound more like your not really enjoying shooting at the moment.
Far from it, yes had one or three days, and not always marred by the shoot itself that made me wish I had stayed home, those apart Im a clayaholic and generally will go out at the drop of my hat, had chance to & Ive now done back to back days practice wise.

Man up. 😀. 😀😀😀

I will say just this. You are a long time dead. 

We travel the same in winter as summer. Usually about an hour each way .we have maybe 7 or 8 grounds within this range. Also like gunsite but this is 1 3/4 hour +.  But we still do it. Sometimes.

But I guess if your not feeling it personally , then take a break. Maybe pick your days a little more regarding the weather . Your supposed to enjoy it. 

And buy some gloves .😀

Jasper.
Too true Jasper, gloves duly bought 

 
I'm certainly not an addict and not too bothered about prizes or classification etc. although I still prefer shooting reg to practice days, but distance wise I draw the line at about 1½hrs.

Earlier this year I made a last minute decision to attend one of EJC's Thursday reg sporting shoots and ended up regretting it. 80 miles of mostly crappy traffic and roadworks everywhere meant it took longer than planned to get there, then hurried round so as to try and get away before rush hour. Consequently I shot poorly, didn't beat rush hour and therefore had 80 miles of even more crappy traffic and roadworks getting home. Sorry EJC, nice ground, good refs and a decent shoot but a pain in the neck to get there from the west and I'm too long in the tooth to put up with 4½ hours of sh*te driving conditions just for a hobby.

 
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