hosting a shoot-questions

[newtewsmoke]

am considering hosting a winter fun shoot and would like feedback to what types of targets and scoring will work the simplest, the layout will be real similar to an archery 3-d shoot where you go through the course in small groups using the honor system of keeping your own score. I dont really want to use paper targets or stuff that disentigrates because we dont want to be constantly replacing targets before the next shooter can shoot. Steel is expensive and heavy, but may be the best choice, but I dont know how we'd score the hits, just a hit is so many points and a miss is 0? Everyone would bring something to donate for a prize with the best shooter picking from the prizes first and so on. Thanks... Scott

 

[roundball]

"...I dont really want to use paper targets or stuff that disentigrates because we dont want to be constantly replacing targets before the next shooter can shoot..."

Steel would be my first thought because the above criteria eliminates so many other possible targets.

But if not steel, then at least for close ranges, where it might not be too burdensome to reset targets, a case of clay pigeons is pretty cheap...set up a row of them on a board or something...hit or miss score.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

Inflated party ballons tacked to stumps, branches, boards, whatever, make good cheap reactive targets. Not much mess to clean up and hits are instantly seen from a distance. They can also be inflated to different sizes for increased difficulty and the bright colors are easy to see.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Pots and pans from flea markets hanging by chains are always a hoot. We have a local "Thrifty Shopper" that sells used clothing and there is a kitchen area. I get old pans for $1.

Also got a pair of Woolrich bib overalls for $4.99 that were new as far as I could tell - never hemmed and no wear - compare to $139 at Cabelas for the same overalls!

 

[BigDogg]

Charcoal briquettes, dum dum lollipops, raw eggs, clay birds, all make good targets that you can definitely see a hit. Keep the scoring simple. One hit= one point. Have a "shoot-off" for any ties.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Steel targets are great if they hang so you can see when they're hit. It makes scoring easier. Some steel like old oxygen tanks will ring too.

Other cheaper targets like lollypops stuck in a 4X4 post are challenging. They are numbered so the shooter has to call his shot. The same thing can be done with charcoal brickets hanging by strings from a horizontal post. These "visual" targets are a lot of fun.

GW

 

[Bill Hall]

Back in my rendezvous days, we shot at all kinds of fun things.

1- There's the unopened beer can hanging from a string (invite Stumpkiller and use coors light). Use cheap soda if booze is an issue.

2- lolypop shoot. Set up a board on a sawhorse, drill holes to hold lolypops. Cheap.

3- Balloons, or even water balloons hanging from a tree or other set-up.

4- Roll the clay pigeon. The shooter rolls his own clay pigeon past a line, then has to shoot it where ever it lands. Add obstacles to the range, like lawn gnomes, rocks, old newpapers, Obama posters, etc, get creative. No need to stop and replace clays. Set up limit lines along the sides of the range, so nobody ends up shooting sideways if the clay turns sideways.

5- The stake bust. Anything from a log to a 2x4 can be used, but you need lots of shooters to have at least two teams. Lots of smoke, noise, and fun.

6- Long distance gong. Any cheap chunk of metal can be used, as long as it goes "BEEOING!" when hit. Pot, pans, old backhoe bucket, whatever. You start out close, eliminate the shooters who miss, then back up 10 or 20 yards. Keep backing up until you have a winner. You need lots of range for this one, and you may be surpirzed at how far back it goes before a winner is declared. I've seen it go back 200 yards. Quite a delay from the shot to the sound of the hit.

Might think of more later. Bill

 

[matt denison]

I once went to the Rocky Mtn. nationl rendezvous where all of the targets were vegatables. Environmentally friendly, VERY reactive, less expensive in the long run compared to buying steel to make targets.

You won't believe how a potatoe or an onion explodes when hit. Carrots close up, squashes farther away, A ten pound bag o' taters is quite a few targets. Set them out or hang them at various ranges to separate the men from the boys.

Add some charoal briquettes. One or two steel targets like a fry pan or a shovel with a broken handle. Old dull rusty lawn mower blade, 6 foot length of chain. lots of room for imagination.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

2 X 4 with shallow holes drilled in the top into which you place the filter end of cigaretts or lolly pops are alot of fun. Plastic water bottles (full) hanging on a string. Cheap plastic toys like rubber ducks on a string. Hang tin cans containing various sums of cash on a string...cut the string and you keep the contents of the can...couple of cans contain only notes that direct the shooter to surrender any cash already collected to the shooter before him, etc.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Soda crackers, or graham crackers make good, biodegradable targets for informal games. Use the little 2 1/2" square quarters for short range shots( 25 yds or less) and the full cracker for longer targets. You stand them up by wedging them into cracks in boards, or tree trunks. I suppose you could take "2 by" and rip a slot down the length of the boards to hold the crackers, too. Use two range officers, one to go with the squad of shooters, and keep score, and the other to follow behind and put up new targets to replace those broken. We used to give bonus points if someone shot the center out of a clay target and left the rim behind. O for a miss, 5 for a hit, and 10 for the center hit.

We have shot beer bottle caps, slices of damaged hickory hawk handles, or closet rods(wood), eggs, both empty, and with yolks and whites- and a rotten Egg to take points away from that shooter--
in addition to all kinds of reactive targets to put out on a field. Corn cobs still work. We shot a " Kick the can" game with rifles, giving 1 point for every foot the can moved from its starting spot.

One New Years Day, it was about 10 degrees out, and the river next to the club was frozen more than 8" thick with ice. We shot chunks of ice along the river banks, hanging from tree branches, where the high water mark left the ice pieces suspended several feet above the new ice we walked on. I have shot at knot holes in trees, snags sticking up out of a flooded river, and all manner or rocks, or stumps along trails. Hit or miss.

 

[ny griz]

Good topic,gave me a few ideas for our upcomming winter shoot. :thumbsup: Griz

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Hit or miss targets are the easiest to administer...,

The advantage of the steel target is that it rings when hit, so even if there is lots of smoke, you get an audible noise. If you have lots of shooters, you may need to pause to re-blacken the surface with spray paint.

Rits, oreos, lollipops are all biodegradable as mentioned. Graham crackers are even bigger..., eggs are good, but might be expensive. Balloons are good, but pick up all the rubber when done as some birds will pick up the pretty colors in spring and that causes problems. Clay pigeons are toxic to some critters, especially hogs, and are more expensive... Dried cow-pats work for flying targets.. :grin:

Veggies are best when used in winter for if you pre-freeze them they stay that way and burst when hit. You can paint taters and onions different colors too...

Super cheap generic soda cans are fun, especially if you lay them on their sides and shoot at the tops. The cleanup is pretty easy.

The biggest problem with a large group of shooters is merely the need to place new targets if you run out of targets at a station.

Don't forget the "impossible" cutting the ball on a double bitted axe to break the targets event. ("Impossible" as Myth Busters says so... 'cause they couldn't do it :haha: )

"Stake cutting" matches where teams line up and the first group to cut the pine 2x2 at 25 yards in half wins is a fun event.

Remember that depending on the ground temp, you may be shooting at frozen ground if you place targets on or very near the ground... might be sorta like shooting at concrete, and though the folks with all lead ball might not cause a problem, folks shootin' wheel weight ball (and many of us do these days) might give ya some interesting ricochets..., so try to elevate the targets a bit.


LD

 

[Ranger1759]

If you have a quarry near by, look into conveyor belt....our club got a huge roll of old belt for free...they were just going to cut it up and toss it....it cuts reasonably with a circular saw or skill type saw, but you will have to replace the blade... You can cut it into different shapes and sizes....the best thing is the holes from shots close right back up....we have been shooting the same targets for about 4/5 years now without replacement....if I can find them I'll get some photos on here..

We did circles, squares. Some with holes cut into the center to make rings of different thicknesses....

We even cut animal shapes....bear, buffalo, rams

It's light and very durable.....prolly 3/4 of an inch thick heavy rubber coated canvas...

Hope this helps!

Ranger