Next season

[hipshot]

Don, Don,

I would say you have been well and truly smitten by that 1000 yard game. Good for you, enjoy. What isn't mentioned in amongst all those smiley faces in Brian's post is the fact that Penny had TWO expert, local gentlemen helping her with the calls to get that 10/10. That is what my experience with the 1000 yard line showed me. You can be the best shooter in the world with the best gun and load but if you don't have the BEST spotter you aren't going to win. It's that simple. More than 'gong' shoots, more than Silhouette the spotter makes or breaks it in that game. I've never shot the 1000 at Raton but I have a number of times at Phoenix and that is what I found. 'Spot' (Carole Ann) who is a very competent spotter for Silhouette took one look and begged off. "I'll watch and learn," she said. So far she hasn't reached her comfort zone. So I paired up with a couple of different shooters at different times and the result was that we both ended up the day apologizing to one another. Wind changes that would require a two minute correction for Silhouette are going to take seven or eight when you get out that far and I'm just not up to making that call. I heard the shooters beside me making those calls and they won. I must have heard the phrase, 'be brave' in reference to the call twenty times. Local knowledge of the wind patterns is huge in that game and more so the opportunity to practice at those distances is top of the list. I tried putting together a load I thought would work by shooting paper at the Ram line which is as far out as I can get at home. Didn't work. What looked great at 550 yards fell apart at 900 and worse at a 1000. As a result I think I've pretty much hung it up for that game. I truly hope your experience is better.

Paul

One of those spotters even sang to Penny to keep her calm and he cant carry a tune at all, being a spotter isn't that easy,think I will just keep to shooting.