Reading Shooting the Gust

[ZenArchery]

Throw a brother some tips, tricks in learning to shoot in inconsistent, swirly, gusty wind. Sustained heavy winds I can deal with. Inconsistent, swirly, gusty winds has me scratching my head. Talk about a good way to completely blow your confidence (no pun intended).

The range I shoot stretches to 1200 yards. My equipment stretches to 1000. I was doing great yesterday until that cold front blew in.

I tried to shoot when gust was strongest at target. Then I tried to shoot when it was strongest at my face. But watching terrain there was no pattern.

If you have any tips, tricks, suggestions help a brother man out.

 

[expiper]

there is no trick to shooting in the wind,,,you just need to know whether to hold to the right or hold to the left,,,,Roger,,,
PS,,,,it takes a lifetime to figger it out,,,

 

[ShootDots]

I shoot at a range where "blustery" conditions are fairly common, especially in the fall and winter months. The problem I see in "reading" the wind in those conditions is you NEVER know exactly when a gust will show up. You can be holding correctly for a certain condition and just as you pull the trigger a forceful gust blows up! Unless you have a crystal ball to "read" those conditions, you can NOT know when they show up. I have witnessed some of the finest shooters in Texas shooting in those conditions and blow 8's or even 7's from time to time, because it is, in my opinion, not possible to shoot very well in very blustery conditions. You may get a "lucky" shot string where you shoot between such gusts, but that is more a matter of "luck in the timing" than being able to read those conditions and pull the trigger at the right time.. Just my opinion..

 

[Joe Salt]

The other thing to look for is Diagonally that will give you vertical! If you have a steady cross wind your shots should stay together, its when the wind lets up that you get caught!

Joe Salt

 

[boltman223]

We have to deal with some GUSTY, switching, and fishtailing head winds at the range i shot at in grand forks, nd. Try Shooting as fast as you can and use the spotter to read the wind( don't forget to keep an eye on the flags though). Try to keep ahead of the wind. If your spotter is moving to the right, say middle of the 9, hold the far left side of the left 9 or even in the 8 ring. Doesn't always work, but shooting fast is your only option sometimes.

Gusty switchy (directions) winds are hard.

 

[joshb]

Shootdots said it. Crystal ball. Switching, gusty conditions are the stuff of nightmares.

 

[chkunz]

My strategy is to shoot fast and chase the spotter, it does not always work. This is no time to keep a data book but try to keep the group centered as much as you can by remembering as much as you can about previous shots. At least shooting fast minimizes the pain. I will say that if you see your stool being blown down range it is probably best to hold up briefly.

 

[broncman]

Oak Ridge today was pure damage control....
Unbelievable winds.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

It comes down to strategy and tactics. When everyone is losing points like water through a sieve, your strategy is the difference between a win and a loss.

I use a couple of different strategies for switchy, twitchy conditions.

First, I use the shoot fast method within reason. Second, I look at the mirage every shot or every other one. To see if a "7" event is in my future. Last, I decide what the winds are and what part of the target I'm going to defend. Some days, I defend the 10 ring, others I defend 9. When people are missing their targets altogether, I try to defend the 8 ring.

You have to trust me, even with national top-tier shooters on the line, I've seen won and won relays with abysmal scores in the 180's.