3d target placement at shoots??

[Orion]

Bill:  I think your assessment is right on.  The targets are set too far for trad shooters, regardless of skill levels.  I agree, too, with Rod.  Counting all the rings, a course can be made quite challenging (or at least separate the top shooters)and still give the average shooters a good time.  Around here at most any 3-D shoot, several compounders will clean the course, i.e., shoot a perfect score.  A few more will come within a few rings/points of doing so.  Even when the courses are set at what I would consider fairly close ranges for trad shooters, no one ever comes close to cleaning it.  I've never seen it done in my more than 30 years of target shooting, even before 3-D targets were available.

It's been my experience that most but not all clubs, though primarily comprised of wheel shooters, want to accommodate traditional shooters.  At almost every non-exclusive trad shoot I attend, I, and other trad shooters, are asked if we felt the course was set up right for us.  And they incorporate that feedback into the way they set the course the next time.  One or two clubs don't seem to care and continue to set the trad stakes very long.  They get very few trad shooters.  Perhaps that's the way they want it.

[Fallguy]

I understand the problem but from the other angle. As a person has worked to set up shoots for 20 years it is difficult at best to keep everyone happy. Top flight shooters want a challenge. Beginners need to build confidence. Then try to keep the course safe. Allowing people to pick there own shooting spot does not work. A change of 10-15 feet to one side and a bad glance and some one is hurt. Our club has always made safety the number one concern. I have given up a fantastic shot because it would not work with rest of the course more than once. I know from experience that beginners tend to put to much pressure on themselves. They look at the score board and feel that they should be able to be in the top 25% in the first year of shooting. It takes time to learn the skills, make the most of the shots with in your abilities. Then use the rest like rungs on a ladder to mark your progress. There is one other way to get the course setup the way you want it volunteer at your club to help set up a shoot. I have noticed over the years it seems to be the same people at the clubs doing the work.  

[Friends call me Pac]

Drove 2 hours to a 3D shoot today.  Had 20 targets and about 15 were between 30-40 yards from the trad stakes.

I went with the intention of practicing ethical distances for hunting and thought the trad stakes would be relatively close to what I thought were ethical distances.  Not the case so after I turned in my score card I went through the course and took shots in the 15 to 25 yard range.  

Should have left the score card in my pocket and done that in the first place.  The first go round didn't do anything except hammer the fact home that 25 yards is my max and closer is always better if I can get it.

The course was frustrating but the highlight of the day for me was when a small boy said look daddy, that guy has homemade everything!  Of course the only thing home made was fletching my own arrows but in his eyes that long bow and leather quiver must have seemed like something you only read about. Not something that people actually use in this day and age.

Hope he remembers how that guy with homemade everything got his attention and gives it a try himself some day.