Woods Walk, Need Ideas

[Redbearcat]

Took a range officers course at my local club today. While discussion muzzle loader safety it was mentioned that they used too have a muzzle loading woods walk event, which many club members miss.

I stated, after much prodding, that I would consider starting one again.
Problem is I don't have any real knowledge on how to assemble a good, interesting, and competitive woods walk.

I'm open for suggestions. Things liked, not liked, targets, distances, etc.

Help appreciated,

Redbearcat

 

[Tumbledown]

My club has a variety of targets:

Large-link chains, hanging vertically
Hanging "gongs," which are made from an old fire extinguisher or oxygen tank
Knock-down plates
A steel coyote silhouette with a plate hanging in a cutout
A steel plate that requires shooting through a pile of logs to hit it
Hanging tennis balls
Gallon or half-gallon jugs filled with colored water

Yardage depends on the difficulty and size of the target itself.

 

[Coot]

I always liked charcoal briquets hung from a string - they kind of "explode" when hit & don't have to be cleaned up after.

 

[appalichian hunter]

How about a cut out of a hostile individual, or a bear on a cable that could be pulled by a second helper towards the shooter with a pre determined marker that the shooters would be made aware of prior to the actual shot, kind of like a ambush situation. lolly pops set into a log or stump, playing cards tacked to a piece of ply wood 5 shots the shooter with the best hand wins sort of like playing poker, clay birds hung on a nail against a tree like a tree rat, combined situation such as building a fire with flint and steel with a string strung at a height once the string is burned through, throw a hawk at a target, then take a shot at a squirrel target say 25 yd. away so many points awarded for successfully completing each stage, I think this would be good for a team of shooters limit the team to 3 participants, you could develop a timed and point type of score for a event such as this. Ping pong balls hung on a string they would move with the breeze. the possibilities for situational targets is only limited by the individual conducting the walk.

 

[Grimord]

At my club we shoot potatoes, carrots, clay targets, crackers, metal gongs lolli pops, Playing cards, wooden blocks, and eggs. All set a varying ranges along a woods trail with safe back stops. Targets are given point values based on size and difficulty. A plastic zip lock bag at each shooting station that holds peas. One pea for each point, on the honor system. In order to make it more fun we also have a drawing at the end of the shoot with four numbers. The number chosen is the first place winner and down the line. ie, of the top four point scorers, the number drawn becomes first place. This way the best shooter does not necessarily win first place. Encourages shooters to do their best cause they may still win over the top shooter.

 

[yonderin]

My club has to restrict the shooting to the established range so even if you don't know the exact range to your target, you can make a pretty fair estimate.

Some of the challenges are;
CDs blowing in the breeze on a string (they've never accepted my claim to have put it through the hole)
Animal silhouettes with gongs in vital areas (if more than one you have to claim your selected target)
Axe head split
Head to head competition. One shot each on separate targets, first to hit wins the point
Back of playing cards, Pick one and collect number points on card face
Timed gopher on a string pop up
Team stake shoot. First 3-4 man team to shoot a 2x4 in half wins
Skeet. Along with it, a team variation. First man shoots a pop up target which is when the bird is launched. If he misses, no point for him but clay is launched anyway for teammate.

The trail walk is for hawk and knife. Only one wide open standing target, the rest are interesting.
Sidearm throw. Gangsta Mountain Men?
Target on the ground. Stand over it and flip your hawk and knife to stick into it
Target behind light brush
Target has 6 coloured segments. Roll a cube to see which colour you have to hit
Slingshot with a roundball at a target in the trees

Last year they introduced a MM skills competition.
Shoot your food. Animal target and vegetable
Shoot your attacker
Set a trap
Start a fire to cook your meal. Not a full blown fire due the fire risk, get your tinder started.
Considering the "award" they presented to the winner, maybe it wasn't something you'd display at home.

 

[Redbearcat]

Lots of good ideas. Doesn't sound expensive at all if you put you mind to it. It's early, still have a little snow in the ground. And of course my volunteer help doesn't know they're volunteering yet.
I'll have to get a course set up. I think it's a good time of year to start.
Thanks for the input.

 

[Brokennock]

I mentioned this in another similar (almost identical) topic not too long ago. I like practical shooting. How about a "bark the squirrel" target? Wherein the idea is to not hit the mark. Maybe a neco wafer or mini clay, or small cookie, something about the size of a squirrel's head that is easily damaged, taped or glued to a piece of graph paper. The shooter to come closest to the object without busting it winds the round.
An archery club near me used to run a hunter's shoot 3-D event every year. The rules were different than a regular 3-D shoot and a deer and/or other game animal silhouette could be used on the same principle with muzzleloaders. Rather than 3 shooting stakes for 3 different divisions, the 3 stakes were placed at different distances from the target, and sometimes a closer stake was not necessarily easier, the angle might be tough (or unethical) or there might be more brush in the way, shooter might have to shoot from an odd position to make the shot from that stake. Each stake was worth a different amount of points, the furthest worth the most the closest worth the least. The shooter chose the stake they would shoot from. But, there is a catch, well, actually two. 1st, if the shooter made the shot into the vitals they got the points the stake was worth, but, if the shooter hit the target anywhere but the vital scoring area they would incur a negative point penalty of the stake's value. So a 10 point stake with a hit outside the vitals would score a -10. However, a complete miss results in no score at all, the shooter doesn't gain points, but also doesn't have points subtracted from their score.
Catch number 2. The shooter may not back up a stake.
If the shooter rejects the furthest stake and proceeds to the next one and finds the angle, or obstructions too difficult, they may not go back to the furthest stake. They either have to try to make the shot from there, or, go to the closest stake for less points. Remember though, that a hit to the vitals from the closest stake may be better than a wounding hit or complete miss from the middle or furthest stake.