Back from the range today. Today was a "play day" or "fun day" depending on where you're from. The match consists of shooting "side" matches and usually a shortened stage match, as opposed to a "main" match where we shoot 6-8 stages and no side matches. At Thunder Valley, we shoot the side matches starting earlier in the morning (9am) and then shoot around 5 or 6 stages. Shooting the side matches doesn't have a whole lot of interest for me, speed pistol/rifle/shotgun & long-distance match rifle are about all I shoot. Don't own a big-bore long distance gun and I just don't see dropping the coin at this point for one. Someday maybe. .22 and pocket pistol/derrenger hold very little interest for me because, while .22 whould be really nice to have and plink with, I don't have a place where I can plink. As for pocket pistol, well my big-ass hands won't have much of that! (Although I came in third at the Indiana State in single-action pocket pistol, heh)

We shot six stages besides the side matches which makes for a nice shoot. The weather was an absolutely perfect Southern Indiana day, mid 70's and not a cloud in sight, georgeous! As usual, I was the posse deputy-marshal and ran a timer for about half the shooters. It something I enjoy doing and get antsy when others do it because I'm used to being in charge and always like to think I do a better job when in reallity I think most people just don't want the headache. Either way is OK by me, I just like getting out and shooting for a whole day and leaving all the headaches at home, except for the shooting woes :(

My shooting was pretty typical of the way I normally shoot. I've got too many misses, something I'm honestly trying to get a grip on, but I just am not doing it this year. I try to go fast and keep up with the faster Duelist shooters and don't concentrate on my game. I have a theory that my timer operation and management of the posse also interferes with my concentration, that's my theory anyway :)

As a timer operator/RO, I tend to have pet peeves and let them get to me and I think today was a bad day for one of my peeves. Shooters who don't pay attention! The stage directions are read off and posted at the loading table at Thunder Valley, inevitably, I get a shooter (or 2) who gets to the line and says "what do I do?". I think that's just rude, the timer operator then has to spend yet another couple of minutes reciting the stage directions and answering more questions while everyone else waits. If everyone did that, we could only shoot 3 or 4 stages or need lights! C'mon, it isn't that hard to read the description or pay attention, the other 12-14 shooters managed! Whew! Glad I got that off my chest.

I think I really like this blog thing for giving a flavor of the shooting day.