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Flustrated

SmokinJoe said:
If I'm reading this correctly you have an attitude problem. Yes, you have worked hard to get ready for your match, but when things don't go perfectly you just throw up your hands and mentally head for home, if not actually. Seen that too many times. Remember, it ain't over until it's over. Everybody there is dealing with the same adversity that you are. You have to keep trying, and sometimes learning, until you finish that last shot. Work on your attitude, determination and concentration and you will find improvement. But always enjoy the sport and competition with your friends and don't get yourself all worked up when things don't seem to want to work well. Learn from all of it, and learn to be patient, learn the wind patterns and make good decisions about when to shoot.
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Agree. Attitude is everything. You can’t win every time out. My good friend is a pro golfer and he said what truly separates the pro golfer from the really good amateur scratch golfers is that you rarely, if ever, see a great pro golfer compound a poor shot by following it up with another poor shot. Same with shooting, each shot is independent of the last. If you are thinking about your last poor shot, you can’t possibly be thinking about the steps and process you have developed to allow to fire an “X” on your next shot.
Consider reading Lanny Bassham’s book “With Winning in Mind”. It truly changed the way I shoot. A HOF benchrest shooter once told me you can’t shoot angry, and you can’t shoot scared. Neither is conducive to optimum performance.
To me it sounds like the OP shoots great until he gets his first unexpected flier, then the plan goes out the window.
Dave
 
I’m still not very good either but I think what’s helped me a lot is just shooting 1 rifle, in 1 caliber with the same load and the same bullet,,
The way I figure it if I know the rifle and how it shoots that bullet and I have a worse day than usual there’s no use waisting bullets and barrel life trying to tune it when it’s already tuned.
I shot 6 ppc with a 68BT and 28.35 lt32 from March to Oct last year and I never had a day where I thought the tune got me beat
 
I shot for years and fault for dead last each time. I invested money in equipment, bullets, rest, bags, and everything else I could buy. It didn't make a difference.. I was still fighting for last place. I shot against people who rebarreled each year, had the most expensive scopes and rifles, it just seemed natural to them. I then invested in good wind and started watching MY flags and had trust in them.

I have a 6ppc that has 5k plus rounds and I can still place in the top 5 at local matches, ain't no way in a national match. Pay attention to your bench technic and your FLAGS! That has improved me more than anything. I am usually done shooting in less than 2-3 min also. Find a wind you see that your rifle repeats shots in and shoot!

I have found it better to tune rifle in a wind and shoot in a wind rather that what seems like no wind. We shot a night match one time... I couldn't hit the 10 ring. I also feel like I shoot better in the afternoon when there is a wind. Early mornings when flags seem dead, bullets are ove the place. There is always something going on with the wind when it seems dead.

If you can repeat your shots in a steady wind I find it my best friend. Even with a worn out rifle. I'm no expert, but the wind angles affect bullet flight, everyone could agree on that. It's just a matter of learning how it affect the flight. Best wind for me is left hand holding high 10 ring at 11 o'clock or right hand wind holding 10 ring at 4 o'clock. I have learned not to shoot in head winds or tail winds, you can't tell the angle if the flag tails.

I also find that I shoot less rounds (spoters) at 200 yards than I do at 100 yards. Winds tend to increase when we shoot 200 yards late afternoon. Morning winds seem to change more often than afternoon winds.

Has I have always heard, holder high and let her fly!

I played golf once. Learned real fast that I was competing against myself and more than anything. It is supposed to be a fun hobby. Don't compare yourself to others, try to improve on your own scores and don't worry about what everyone else is doing. I don't look at scores until the end of the match.

And it's a mind game. Don't let it get in your head.
 
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Don't overlook diet and physical condition. The lower your pulse rate the easier it is to shoot well,consistently. There's a metric chit ton more to it than laying off the caffeine....

I've shot competitive bare bow archery for 50 years. Left for dead on an operating table 4 years ago..... am healthier today(all things considered) than I was 20 years ago. On ZERO meds,finally. You're health/fitness/diet is a foundational building block that carries over to way more than shooting.... this is exactly the point. The broader your foundation,the easier it is to hammer home the fundementals.... be it archery,golf or tearing up X rings.

Good luck with your shooting.
 
Eric Leonard said:
I’m still not very good either but I think what’s helped me a lot is just shooting 1 rifle, in 1 caliber with the same load and the same bullet,,
The way I figure it if I know the rifle and how it shoots that bullet and I have a worse day than usual there’s no use waisting bullets and barrel life trying to tune it when it’s already tuned.
I shot 6 ppc with a 68BT and 28.35 lt32 from March to Oct last year and I never had a day where I thought the tune got me beat
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I'm headed this direction!! You may see some really good stuff "for sale" when I thin the heard!
 
I get a kick out of reading comments like 2nd place is 1st place looser. The term "looser" connotates so much in terms of condescension that I shutter anytime I see it used. It's just not the right way, imo, to portray our sport to potential new shooters. It gives others the impression that if they don't win, or come in 2nd or 3rd, that they are a "looser." Maybe true in the strict sense of the word, but not in the overall game of participating, learning, developing their skills, etc.

I shoot IBS score, have for nearly 25 years. I enjoy winning, but don't obsess over it or use what to me are words or phrases that can easily convey derison or contempt to other shooters. We are too small a group in a very esoteric branch of shooting. I enjoy the travel, competition, challenges to myself and being a match director at a range hosting IBS score shoots and helping at other clubs when I can so that others that aren't inclined to, enjoy themselves. When I win I'm happy, When I am first or second place or worse looser I'm still happy to have had the chance to compete, enjoy myself and hopefully help others to have done the same.
 
Intheshop said:
Don't overlook diet and physical condition. The lower your pulse rate the easier it is to shoot well,consistently. There's a metric chit ton more to it than laying off the caffeine....

I've shot competitive bare bow archery for 50 years. Left for dead on an operating table 4 years ago..... am healthier today(all things considered) than I was 20 years ago. On ZERO meds,finally. You're health/fitness/diet is a foundational building block that carries over to way more than shooting.... this is exactly the point. The broader your foundation,the easier it is to hammer home the fundementals.... be it archery,golf or tearing up X rings.

Good luck with your shooting.
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This is excellent advice as well. Cardio is a good place to start for any shooter. Even rapid walks. Get comfortable with an elevated heart rate and increased breathing.

Me and my hunting buddy mix it up sometimes and jog back from hanging targets, then wait 20 secs and shoot with an elevated heart rate and increased breathing. Give you quite the rush when you hit the bulls.
 
GPalman said:
I get a kick out of reading comments like 2nd place is 1st place looser. The term "looser" connotates so much in terms of condescension that I shutter anytime I see it used. It's just not the right way, imo, to portray our sport to potential new shooters. It gives others the impression that if they don't win, or come in 2nd or 3rd, that they are a "looser." Maybe true in the strict sense of the word, but not in the overall game of participating, learning, developing their skills, etc.

I shoot IBS score, have for nearly 25 years. I enjoy winning, but don't obsess over it or use what to me are words or phrases that can easily convey derison or contempt to other shooters. We are too small a group in a very esoteric branch of shooting. I enjoy the travel, competition, challenges to myself and being a match director at a range hosting IBS score shoots and helping at other clubs when I can so that others that aren't inclined to, enjoy themselves. When I win I'm happy, When I am first or second place or worse looser I'm still happy to have had the chance to compete, enjoy myself and hopefully help others to have done the same.
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Thank you. I agree! Taking 2nd in the grand agg I'd say is no small accomplishment (I did that last week). Don't care what Tony thinks LOL it's still a lot of work, I love the guys I shoot with and we are all the time helping one another.
 
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cheek9075 said:
If you can repeat your shots in a steady wind I find it my best friend.
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You know, I like this, just a few weeks ago we were shooting in a pretty stiff breeze at 200 years, I had gone to the sighter and holding on the 7 ring, all I wanted to do was hit the 10 ring but ended up getting 3 elevens!! 3 dots! So a steady wind is readable, it is the stuff you can't see or the mirage you can't read (everything shows heavy left to right and the bullet goes left!), so I do have a concept of how this works, I guess I just squeeze the trigger at the wrong time (not knowing what the right time is!).
 
Shooter13 said:
You know, I like this, just a few weeks ago we were shooting in a pretty stiff breeze at 200 years, I had gone to the sighter and holding on the 7 ring, all I wanted to do was hit the 10 ring but ended up getting 3 elevens!! 3 dots! So a steady wind is readable, it is the stuff you can't see or the mirage you can't read (everything shows heavy left to right and the bullet goes left!), so I do have a concept of how this works, I guess I just squeeze the trigger at the wrong time (not knowing what the right time is!).
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I have always had issue with shooting on no to what looks like little wind. I either can't read it or I can't see it.
You also need to learn to zero the scope in the wind. That's key, having a true zero.
 
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