I had been to the
Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency Volunteer Rifle & Pistol Club John Sevier Hunter Education Center (TWRAVRPCJSHEC for short) once before to use the
bench rest range.
My second trip was to the shotgun range for skeet shooting with some more friends from church - Red Beard and Hardhat. Slim was supposed to be there, but he had just gotten his nails done or something, so he sent his regrets. Being the good friend that he is, he did suggest that I tell Red Beard and Hardhat that I wanted to go "a dollar a bird" with them. About the shotgun range:
"Shotgun ranges are open on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00-6:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday shotgun range shooters need to check in before 5:00 PM.
Shotgun ranges are open on Tuesday from 6:30-10:00 PM. Tuesday night shotgun shooters need to check in by 7:00 PM.
The range charges $4 for youth and $6 for adults for every 25 targets, in addition to the $5.50 TWRA fee."
We arrived at about 6:30 and got checked in at the front gate. Once you get to the shotgun range, you need to put your name on the waiting list. There are two skeet ranges and they take you through them in squads of about five shooters. Of course, hearing and eye protection are required. Between sessions, the range officers collect money for the targets and ammo (if you need it). You can buy single round tickets or punch cards for multiple rounds. If you don't have a shell bag, they will loan you an apron.
When it was our turn, they let us take six in our squad, since we had a newbie - namely me! There are two buildings that hold the target throwers - the high house on the left and the low house on the right (see pics below). You start under the high house. You must keep your shogun unloaded until you step up to the firing position. The range officer has a remote control to release the targets, so you just tell him "pull" when you are ready. From some stations, you shoot singles (one at a time) and doubles (two in quick succession). You can request, as I did, to get singles only. I lost track of the number of stations, but ultimately you are supposed to be shooting 24 targets. By moving around the field, you change the angle and speed at which the targets go flying by.
As you may recall, I was shooting
a beautiful over/under 20 gauge Beretta Silver Pigeon that was on loan from Hardhat. They require that you use #9 shot - something about the people at the bench rest range get antsy when pellets start raining down on them. (You do actually shoot toward the bench rest when you aim beyond the high house!) It really is a pretty gun and I can say, with reservation, it is the best shooting shotgun I have ever fired.
So, I think I hit about seven targets out of the 24+ opportunities. I know I had more than 24 targets as I never saw one leave the house, so they let me have another chance. At another station, the fastest one I think, the range officer sent one flying just for me track before trying to actually hit it. Red Beard and Hardhat provided a lot of support and good advice, but I am especially thankful for the coaching and patience of the range officer. I was so tense and uncertain about firing a shotgun for the first time that I'm not sure I even had a clue where the clays were flying. The other shooters were very friendly and supportive, too. (
I guess gun people aren't all bad.)
I am proud that I got better as the round went along. I settled down quite a bit and quit worrying about making the gun go *bang* and actually tried to aim. As far as aiming, I was usually way ahead and had to wait on it or so far behind it that I was trying to catch up. Smooth is the key. Once you have smooth then you start thinking about how much you need to lead the bird. I also felt extremely cool when I opened the shotgun and snagged the shell as it popped out. I neatly caught it and dropped it in the shell bag. Also, I'm recording a minor victory for remembering turn off the safety every time.
It was a lot of fun and I hope that I will be better next time. There are seriously not enough hours in the day. Maybe we can setup a challenge where I try to
shoot skeet from the back of moving truck. I bet I am the first one to think of that.
