How to mark and score pull targets at a match

[Bob3700]

Having ur scorer call out ur shots is essential for several reasons. 1st. it keeps the scorer attentive. 2nd. it confirms between shooter n scorer the shot value that is recorded. If a pulled target, the puller could have the spotter in the correct hole and the value disc in the wrong place. The scorer and shooter need to confer on the discrepancy So the correct value is recorded. Don’t place blind faith in ur scorer. Same on an e target, confirm what on another is seeing.
It is an active game, stay alert n pay attention.

 

[memilanuk]

I remember when I was starting out, watching someone (not me, thankfully) mess up scoring for Jim Cloward at a 500yd prone match. He got done, and the scorer suddenly perked up and said "you still have two more shots". Jim just looked at him, showed him the twenty-two empty cases, and told the scorer "if I was scoring for someone who was shooting all tens and Xs, and somehow missed two shots... I'd write down a ten and an X and keep my mouth shut!"

I realize that can't always work, particularly in a Registered match... but it certainly stuck with me as a situation that I definitely did *not* want to be in as a scorer.

Been on the receiving end of that as a *shooter* all too often, though. Now... if the target comes up, and I don't hear the scorer sounding off within a reasonable time... they get 'prompted' - "Did you see that shot?" I tend to shoot fast, and with a target puller that's on the ball, it's certainly possible to blink, sneeze, have someone ask the scorer a question, whatever and they miss the target go down and up with the spotter in almost the same spot.

Personally, that's why I tend to mark the shot location with a dot in the box along with the shot value when I'm scoring - that way if there's any confusion, it's pretty simple to sort out where something got missed. Of course, that requires the shooter to also be plotting their shots, which is less and less common these days.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

For those of you who have not been to, or plan to go to, Camp Perry - there is no berm to look at.

Not to worry at all (instead, in some places, you can see the waters of Lake Erie). Stand up, face your target, ready to pull...cut out conversations with those around you, and listen for the faint crack of a bullet overhead. Attend to this and it will not be too long before you can tell a fellow puller three points over either side that they just got a shot!

P.S. Nevertheless we still miss one now and then.

 

[Sandstorm]

Having ur scorer call out ur shots is essential for several reasons. 1st. it keeps the scorer attentive. 2nd. it confirms between shooter n scorer the shot value that is recorded. If a pulled target, the puller could have the spotter in the correct hole and the value disc in the wrong place. The scorer and shooter need to confer on the discrepancy So the correct value is recorded. Don’t place blind faith in ur scorer. Same on an e target, confirm what on another is seeing.
It is an active game, stay alert n pay attention.

This right here is probly the best info for any scorer and shooter to read....be on the same page
As a scorer it's your your job to take care of your shooter.

 

[DR_2297]

Not to worry at all (instead, in some places, you can see the waters of Lake Erie). Stand up, face your target, ready to pull...cut out conversations with those around you, and listen for the faint crack of a bullet overhead. Attend to this and it will not be too long before you can tell a fellow puller three points over either side that they just got a shot!

P.S. Nevertheless we still miss one now and then.

Wonderful to have such a seasoned veteran as you amongst us.

 

[Bob3700]

Just for fun, how many here know how to score a rapid fire sitting or prone target? Get out ur chalk n score how many Xs, 10s, 9s, etc. on that vertical board

 

[hoz53]

Not to worry at all (instead, in some places, you can see the waters of Lake Erie). Stand up, face your target, ready to pull...cut out conversations with those around you, and listen for the faint crack of a bullet overhead. Attend to this and it will not be too long before you can tell a fellow puller three points over either side that they just got a shot!

P.S. Nevertheless we still miss one now and then.

I worked the Pitts at Camp Perry Once (or twice).The guys there with me taught me all i needed to know pretty quick like. Especially how to operate the carriers— lol

 

[savageshooter86]

I saw a shooter get his target pulled and refaced during his string. Caused him to lose 10 points when he would have finished with a 199. I had the same thing happen to me during Nationals a few years ago. I was waiting for my condition to return (probably 10 minutes or so) and down went the target. It didn't come back up till time was almost expired and no shot spotter or scoring disk.

A lot of that was going on this year. Refacing targets before time was expired. And having targets down next to an active target( no equal chance to crossfire). Seemed odd they were letting pullers do this

 

[Warren Dean]

A lot of that was going on this year. Refacing targets before time was expired. And having targets down next to an active target( no equal chance to crossfire). Seemed odd they were letting pullers do this

THAT won't be happening next year.

 

[DR_2297]

A lot of that was going on this year. Refacing targets before time was expired. And having targets down next to an active target( no equal chance to crossfire). Seemed odd they were letting pullers do this

If you are not done firing and your target goes down your score keeper should be calling for a line officer to call his counterpart in the pits to get the target back in the air. If the delay causes you to save a round in slow fire then the score keeper and line officer should be telling center line that you need extra time. It was not your fault and you should not have been penalized for it.

 

[Dkk37058]

Bob 3700 very true
I’ve scored quite a few rapid fire scores in the past when I used to shoot across the course

 

[Acyr]

Just for fun, how many here know how to score a rapid fire sitting or prone target? Get out ur chalk n score how many Xs, 10s, 9s, etc. on that vertical board

Did it yesterday!

 

[akajun]

For myself while in the pits, I sometimes have to call out to the line, "Speed up the shooter on Target 10" .

we got one of the pit volunteers to say this at Perry once on accidebt
The guy I was pulling with kept yelling it and the kid immediately said it without thinkikg
Range command was not amused but everyone in the pits died laughing

 

[SSchnd]

Have seen a scorer mismark a shot on a cross fire that was obvious, have seen scorer not jive with shot count.
Was taught a long time ago to provide quality pit service, that should help the next guy going down there to want to do the same for me. With F class even faster service can help a competitor keep within his/her condition.
No more than 7 seconds down in the pit but we should and can be faster than that. No if the wind is blowing so hard the carrier is impossible to move up and down, well that is a different story.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Even with all the new fun e-targets there is something special about waiting for that target to come back up again

We shot a fun match a year or 2 ago where we had local volunteers pulling targets, youd go x, x, 10, x, x, miss. WDF, call down to the pits to recheck, O sorry its a 10 or X we missed that, went on like this the whole day. Think they were all hangover backing in the sun or something

 

[Monte F]

When you are shooting nothing but the center and the puller sees an impact in the berm, they better be able to find the hole. At the SWN a few years ago the shooter next to me got a miss in this exact scenario as the shot hit right next to the spindle. He was not to happy after that, at least the electronics usually do not have the same issue.

 

[memilanuk]

When you are shooting nothing but the center and the puller sees an impact in the berm, they better be able to find the hole. At the SWN a few years ago the shooter next to me got a miss in this exact scenario as the shot hit right next to the spindle. He was not to happy after that, at least the electronics usually do not have the same issue.

...or the shot goes through the hole of the zero in the '10', (or worse) the '9' or the '8'. Or a wrinkle in the repair center that got slapped on in a hurry and dried wonky. Or the shadow of a paster that was peeling up. Seen all of these, and more.

But the more often culprit is a new-ish puller, late in the day when they're a) confident they have it down and b) starting to get tired, whether they know it or not. Shot comes in, target comes down, they paste the hole on automatic cruise control, *then* pull the spotter, paste *that* hole, *then* look for the 'new' hole. No hole (they pasted it as soon as the target came down, remember?), so they run it up as a miss. Shooter has been shooting 10s & Xs, no change in range conditions, so they challenge. Target gets pulled, searched methodically for a hole, nothing found, and it gets run up again as a miss. Shooter goes from leading the pack to somewhere far down the list. I've literally watched this play out - and intervened - on adjacent targets while I'm in the pits - a number of times. I've been on the 'receiving' end of this particular faux pas a few times as well.

Not saying e-targets don't have their own issues... but they're mostly immune to the shenanigans above.

 

[Monte F]

It was if I remember correctly, the first 600 yd. match and he was shooting a 6mm. He challenged it twice I believe. When we went into the pits and checked the target (still had a dirty face) and found the double hole under a paster and the tiny hole next to the spindle in the plastic spotter they use there.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Just for fun, how many here know how to score a rapid fire sitting or prone target? Get out ur chalk n score how many Xs, 10s, 9s, etc. on that vertical board

But how far up do you push the carrier on a 9 yes or a 9 no?

 

[Jeff Porter]

One of my favorite things to do as a scorer when some one is struggling getting their butt handed to them by the wind is to say very loudly when they finally find the middle "AND ANOTHER X!!" Usually breaks the tension a bit and makes everyone around wonder how he is reading the tough conditions.