Two officers, eight members, two first time guests, two guests, two sons, and one nephew (17 total participants) had a great time at the 3/17/07 Sporting Clays and Skeet Shoot at the Capitol City Trap & Skeet Range. Joe Schram, our new Membership Director, gave a short devotional for his group when they finished the course.
We shot the corporate (hunter) course. It was about the toughest that we have seen it. Station 1 was our third easiest station. It had a fairly easy left to right bird that hooked away from us, followed by a right to left bird that was falling and you had to get it before it got into the bushes. The combined group went 52/128 (.406) on it. Station 2 was our easiest station. It had a right to left incomer that was falling fast followed by a right angled bird that was also falling fast. The combined group went 60/128 (.469) on it. Station 3 was our third hardest station. It had a fairly easy right to left bird that was falling followed by an angled right to left screamer that gave most of us trouble, although Chris Rowley went 4/4 on it (I, Randy Rowley, went 0/4 and the combined group went 20/64 - .313 on it). Station 4 had a quail that flushed to the right of the shooter and dropped quickly. This was the third hardest target (I went 0/4 on it and the combined group went 18/66 - .273 on it). It was followed by a left to right bird that was falling rapidly. This was our second hardest station. We went 40/128 (.313 on it). Station 5 was our second easiest station. It had a left to right crosser followed by a semi-springing teal. The combined group went 56/136 (.412) on it. Station 6 had a left to right crosser that was fairly far out and was falling fast that proved to be our hardest target. The combined group went 16/85 - .188 on it. It was followed by a very close rabbit. This proved to be our second hardest target, although Charles and I went 5/5 on it. The combined group shot 19/85 - .224 on it. Obviously this was our hardest station. The combined group went 35/170 (.206). Most of the targets required a substantial lead and you had to aim below many of them. Joe Schram shot very consistent. His best station was 6/8 and his worst was 4/10.
Paul Ellis came in first place with 36/50. Gary McKenzie came in second place with 33/50. I came in third place with 31/50. I was followed by Joe Schram with 30/50, Tim Drell with 25/50 (his best score), Bret Mercer with 21/50, Charles Cutchens and first time guest Thomas Palmer with 18/50 (Charles' best score), Ken Miller with 17/50, David Drell with 16/50 (his second best score), first time shooter Joe Lung with 15/50, Chris Rowley with 12/50, Bruce Crockett with 9/50, first time shooter Diane Lung with 2/22 (equivalent to 5/50), David Reyes and first time shooter Jonathan Reyes with 4/50 (David's second best score), and Richard Reyes with 1/50 (his second best score). The combined group shot 295/850 or .347. In comparison, at the 12/9/06 Sporting Clays Shoot the combined group shot .440.
Paul and Gary had a good head to head competition. Paul jumped out to a three bird lead on the first station. He increased his lead to five on the third station. Gary chopped it down to four on the fourth station. He reduced Paul's lead to two on the fifth station. On the sixth station Paul broke one more target, finishing with a three target victory.
Tim and Bret also had a good head to head competition. Tim jumped out to a one bird lead on station one. Bret tied it on station two. Tim went ahead by three on station three. On station four he increased his lead to six. On station five Bret caught him by four. On station six Tim out shot him by two, sealing a four bird win.
Charles and Thomas also had a good head to head competition. Thomas went up by two birds on station 1. He increased his lead to three on the third station and to five on the fifth station. Bus Charles out shot him by five on the last station and they ended in a tie.
Ken and David Drell also had a good head to head competition. Ken went up by two birds on the first station. David caught him one bird on the second station. On the third station David went ahead by one bird. On the fourth station Ken tied it up. On the fifth station Ken went ahead by one bird and maintained that lead throughout the sixth station.
Joe Lung and Chris also had a good head to head competition. On our first station (station 6) Joe went up by two birds. He increased his lead to three on the second station and four on the third station. Chris tied it up on the fourth station. On the fifth station Joe resumed a three bird lead and maintained it through the sixth station.
Check out the Clay Target Shoots Scorecard for history, finishes, and averages.