Instructors Diary...September

The last few weeks at College Farm Shooting Ground have been really busy and I’ve found myself meeting and chatting to so many people in such a short time that I’m quite dizzy!! I think the bank holiday in late August and the nearing of the end of the school holidays had reminded people that there were possibly only a few weeks left of summer. I have to say I have really noticed how damp and slightly chillier the mornings have become which for me is not only a sign of the season’s changing but a sign that it won’t be long before we will be turning on the heating systems for the winter! One of my other favourite signs of Autumn are skeins of honking geese, yes I know a bit odd but that’s me but when you hear that sound and see them flying over the ground so purposefully on their way it does make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! One other thing I’ve noticed more recently at the shooting ground, we appear to have been entertaining quite a lot of Stag and Hen parties, perhaps it’s a popular time of year? They are always such good fun with some of the groups incorporating quad biking, grass carts, cross bows or even fishing alongside their shooting antics. A recent group I had the pleasure of taking out were celebrating a friend’s 30^th birthday and they too really enjoyed themselves. I have to admit though; one lady in my group did have me worried at the start that she probably wasn’t going to enjoy the experience of clay pigeon shooting at all as she had those tell tale signs of asking a great many quizzical questions before we’d even introduced ourselves!! I could tell just how nervous she was as I began to show her how I wanted her to hold the gun and when I placed the gun gently in her shoulder and rested my hand on her shoulder blade I could feel she had been trying to conceal her trembling. I spent some time chatting to her about the technique we would use to brake the clay when she saw it in the sky but she seemed preoccupied and it was no surprise that when she pulled the trigger it was in a manner that she knew she had to do it but didn’t really care if the target broke or not, and it was accompanied with a shrill screech! “Are you OK?” I asked as I removed the still loaded shotgun from her shoulder, she was still somewhat preoccupied and then she asked “did I hit it?” My honest reply was of course no and she seemed disappointed that she may have to do it again! All of her next seven shots were supplemented with the same terrified squeal but slowly and with some encouragement she did begin to listen and she left the first stand of targets having thankfully hit some. By the third stand her shrill shrieks had subsided and were replaced with an anticipating smile as each time she pulled the trigger on the shotgun, as she began to listen more and more, she watched more and more clays break. By the final stand of the day her yell was now a delighted “Whippee!” and she had improved so much she wasn’t far off winning the group competition! She left having thoroughly enjoyed her experience and even talked about coming back to see us to try some more. From our point of view it is always a real pleasure to watch and encourage someone so doubting of the sport and then leave so converted having had such fun!

Telephone Kevin Grey on 01494 883715 or 07702243308 / Steve Ward on 01844 212390 or 07889185518
Or email kevin@go-clayshooting.co.uk