Not even one more shooter has attended as a result of Pigeonwatch post

[matone]

The other thing to remember is that perhaps only 5-10% of people who read your posts on here or any other forum are actually anywhere near to your shoot.

[Redm0002]

matone

 

I hope you are right, with 925 views so far that could mean 45-90 shooters considering a visit to Redbournbury.

Time to put my feet up and have a cup of tea I think.

[12borebanger]

Hi Red, bit of feedback from a local, I'm only 5 mins away. I shoot weekly, clays, pigeon, I go lamping etc. Have a close group of about 10 guys who all do the same, and we go beating all season on one of the closest pheasant shoots to you. All live in St Albans, Hemel, markyate, Redbourne. Yet myself and one other are the only ones to have heard of you. I visit most of the gunshops and one of the local gunsmiths weekly and have never seen a flyer and I've certainly never seen a sign to the shoot and I drive the Redbourne Road and the harpenden roads every week. The biggest problem for me is not the Ford or muddy ground, but starting at midday, I like to be out by 8, cup of tea and a sarnie then shooting by 9. Gives me the rest of the day to do as I please and keep the Mrs happy. I'd lose the whole day for a couple hours shooting if I started at 1230. Currently I can't see you drumming up new business unless you change something and make you self much more visible, online marketing etc. I myself will try and get to you and bring a couple of mates as I'd love to see first hand what your all about, and support a local club, but I just need to find the time first! Atb

[robbiep]

That would be another major problem for me too, even if I did live in the area.

 

My clay club shoots on sundays. Entry by 10am for the 100 bird shoot. Start by 10:15 at the latest. Usually finished and back in the car before 1pm, and that includes a bacon butty and a cuppa half way round.

[hawkfanz]

i,m way out of area and dont do clays very often,but this last post seems to sum it up in one,,,,local shooters whove never heard of you,,sounds like you need to advertise yourselves more.

[Redm0002]

The shoot owner puts boards up on the Harpenden to St Abans road every Friday afternoon before the shoots on Saturdays with arrow directions down Beesonend Lane. The problem is that the local residents complain if the signs are up any longer (yet the rugby club get to leave their signs out for weeks on end).

The site functions as a fishery 13/14 days so each shoot has to be set up from scratch. To set up 6 stands with a pair of birds on each takes some time to do. The launchers have to be pulled up and down the site and require batteries, clays and remotes. The stands have to be placed and safety tape used to designate safe pathways and standing areas. Half of this is done on the Friday afternoon and finished off Saturday a.m. the day of the shoot. In good weather and with enough helpers and the H&S check complete the set up can be finished by 10:30-11:00, so there might be scope to start earlier. I will speak to the owner.

The shoot dates are on the website, the shoot is advertised in magazines and I recently submitted an entry to Shootmart. I personally sent bundles of flyers to something like 22-23 gunshops and dealers a few weeks back asking for them to be made available to customers. Not seeing them means either they haven't been put out on the counters or maybe(?) they have all gone. And I have been posting each upcoming shoot on Pigeonwatch since May 2015.

 

12borebanger - appreciate you taking the time and effort. I am feeding the constructive comments back to the owner. It would be good to see you and your fellow shooters. It may be for just a one off sampler but you never know, it might spark further interest.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

[robbiep]

I personally sent bundles of flyers to something like 22-23 gunshops and dealers a few weeks back asking for them to be made available to customers.

 

 

Businesses get loads of stuff like that in the post. 99% of it goes in the bin - it has to, as otherwise they'd be snowed under. A personal approach would see you do a lot better

[Redm0002]

robbiep

 

It cost me something like £13 in stamps to post the flyers. To personally visit each site would mean hundreds of miles to drive to all of them. I volunteer my help with the shoot, I don't earn anything. I do take and ask to leave flyers if I know I am going to a gunshop.

 

Martin

[Cranfield]

The title of this thread irritates me, as it suggests that in some way its Pigeon Watch's fault that no new customers have attended this Clay Ground.

 

Experienced members have pointed out the downsides of this operation and they are, Shooting on Saturday, suggesting its hard to get to and starting too late in the afternoon.

All perceived problems are within the control of the owners/management.

[Gordon R]

Cranfield - I thought the same, but didn't post as it might seem like I was having a pop.

[dougall]

The title of this thread irritates me, as it suggests that in some way its Pigeon Watch's fault that no new customers have attended this Clay Ground.

 

Experienced members have pointed out the downsides of this operation and they are, Shooting on Saturday, suggesting its hard to get to and starting too late in the afternoon.

All perceived problems are within the control of the owners/management.

i have to agree I felt a small undertone...however I really do not wish to knock the effort,all I can conclude is it is not working......call local basc office/do instruction/have an open day put up some £....if you were local I would give it a go you aint.If there was a 100 bird with prizes may persuade.......I used to live in Harpenden know where ground is would think a good spot......try a membership scheme with benefits?where do local shooters go and why? would be my starting point. But no lessons/talk of crossing a ford 60 birder all sounds very local appeal only to me and having a dig at folk in Newcastle/Scotland/Cornwall et al on a national coverage website sounds bit sour. I wish you well as I do all shooting entreprises but if you cannot attract local shooters,with your current set up you are not going to attract travelling guns.

[longspoon]

Personally I'd give up....flogging a dead horse !

[Vince Green]

I know the area well and used to shoot at Cupid Green for many years. One of the things I noticed was the sgc only condition. Our club was always very dependent on newcomers coming to have a go and then hopefully some of them stayed around. Very much grow your own members, it was hard work

 

By the time people have their own gun they are probably established somewhere else.

 

Also, if you cant find it on a phone or a satnav? people don't do maps these days

 

I would come along but I don't think I could get a pass out for Sat midday and I wouldn't drive my car through a ford out of choice these days, too much electronic stuff on modern cars

Edited August 3, 2016 by Vince Green

[Redm0002]

No fault was intended on the part of Pigeonwatch, apologies if you think the wording could have been better. I wanted a headline title that would attract attention and comment. My usual date and time title attracts 100 views if I'm lucky and no replies. This one to date has attracted just under 1400 views and 37 replies. If it attracts some more guns then it will have achieved its goal.

The site is not difficult to get to, there are permanent brown fishery signposts from the Harpenden to St Albans road and shoot signs are put out on the Friday afternoon before a Saturday shoot.

The ford is like a circular pond, to continue along the lane you have to make a right handed, right angled turn across an edge of the ford.

Daily fishermen and the Saturday shooters all achieve this with no problem.

Being in the countryside, if it rains the site gets wet and can be muddy. That is not exclusive to Redbournbury. Look at the recent FITASC World Championships in Italy, now that was wet and axle deep muddy.

SGC requirement is the law because the owner/ground does not have the General Licence subsection that would allow non certificate

holders to shoot under supervision. It RFO took it away. I have spoken to the owner about making an approach to try and get the relevant section reinstated.

Membership and benefits, it's a 60 bird shoot with tea/coffee on the ticket for £15. Fibre wad cartridges are reasonably priced at £4:50. There is nothing more except a warm welcome, some good banter, bacon rolls etc for purchase and an ever changing, challenging shoot. (I shot the Game Fair Sporting shoot and that was £30 for 50 birds).

 

If anything changes, start time, number of birds, non SGC holders reinstated etc I will let you know.

 

Regards

 

Martin

[Cranfield]

I will not give in to temptation and change the title , but I think this thread has run its course.