MJN Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 The Rotary Club of Mersea Island is looking to hold a charity shoot in the summer on a Saturday, the initial thoughts are 40 - 50 bird shoot. Open format turn up and shoot between 10 and say 3 ish, raffle prizes, hot food and drinks, a "have-a-go" stand manned by "experts" with guns and cartridges supplied at a nominal charge (say £5 for 10 clays). All profits would go to named charities . What would people want to make it "interesting" to turn up, climbing wall, zip wire, archery, trade stands, a sandy beach, camping ?, ..... The cost we are looking at at present is say £15 per head,(50 clays) would you want cash prizes for top gun (male, female,junior) ? should it be just turn up and shoot ?, teams (of 3)? would you want a 100 birder instead of 30/40 ? what would you be willing to pay and what would you like in return ? The location will be Mersea Island or close by, we have a couple places in mind. Yours thoughts and constructive comments are welcome even if you would not travel that far for what would be a (non registered) strawbale event. what dates should we avoid. Regards Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twitchynik Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 If you could do it a fun flush could go down well. We had 2 of them over Christmas - 1 person, 3 trap, 20 birds and a 2 person, 5 trap, 50 bird one. Great fun and as it's not something that's shot very often, could have a good novelty factor to it. We paid £15 for 1 round on the single and 2 rounds on the double. Could easily offer both for £5 a go. Could even through in a few of those flashing/smoking things from Just Cartridges into each round to get peoples attention and a wow factor to the crowds. Prizes, I think, would only interest the better shooters and thus reduce how many would be willing to pay in to the prize pool whereas fun shoots might encourage more money your way. No harm in having a prize at the end of the day I spose but don't make it the attraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) You want a nice family day and to attract newbies so I wouldn't go for cash prizes it makes it too serious. I shot some hybrid FITASC gig at Hepworth Hall and they factored in "X-birds" which meant every set of targets (all straightforward and hittable) had a trap that fired the odd bird that was very very testing - perhaps daft, but entertaining at the same time e.g. 70 yard springing teal. You want something in there for the novices who have never shot before to smash to pieces and who will come back for more and get into the sport, but you want something mental hard for the existing shooters - everyone likes to have a go at the odd mental target. So, a nice easy layout with the odd mental target or a load of mental targets on a pool shoot for the hardcore. Indeed, I minded of a day spent with Tosspot shooting a major fast battue at 50 yards - 250 carts later and we are still going - no one went home until they hit it. If you have the space have either a single or pair of really really hard targets. You will get the hardcore shooters coming back time after time until they get it. As for side entertainment decent "van" food is top of the list; quality burgers, spit roast <sniggers> etc. If it's aimed at kids or young shots then yes to a climbing wall, zip wire and archery (or cross bows). That ticks all the boxes, well, that an a big bonfire. EDIT Just seen the suggestion for a flush and would second that. Great fun and high turn over of "bodies" - two people shooting at once, 25 targets come and gone in a blink of the eye. Good way to spin the money in. Also, at the Essex team shoot they had a few interesting trade stands - e.g. pen knives and other "boys" toys. That went down well. Get the local Cubs and Scouts involved - they may use it as a recruitment drive - tents, bonfires and penknives etc. Where the Cubs and Scouts go, so do the mums, dads, sibblings etc. Edited January 5, 2011 by Mungler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) I agree on cash prizes, it may just be a "cup" instead. I do like flushes and if shot in a team of three on say a 75 bird shoot can be fun, something to think about. Our problem / concern is the number of stands and getting automatic traps to cover them (FOC). M. Mung. some interesting points there ! I'll keep in mind now where did I put my woggle :-) Edited January 5, 2011 by MGMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Avoid the 23rd July if you can, That is my 40th birthday and I will hopefully be holding my own clay shoot. I think it has been pretty much summed up, the shoot itself needs to cater for everyone. Especially if you want to make it an annual event. The catering needs to be good and reasonably priced as does the shoot. One local club a couple of years ago had their 75th anniversary, and so they held a 75 bird shoot and charged a high entry fee. They lost out as not many people shot it due to the cost (and the fact it wasn't well publicised) If they had done a 40 or 50 bird shoot for a tenner most people would have had 2 or 3 rounds. You can fleece anybody once, but if you want them to come back then you can't. If you have ever done the Young Farmers shoot at little Braxted they have the right idea, charge a tenner a round Give cash prizes to 4th or 5th place and you get the Essex Elite shooting round after round to win the cash. They will happily spend £40 on entries plus cartridges to win £50. Also the catering is edible and reasonably priced. I believe the key to it is publicity, and plenty of it. A pool shoot and a have a go stand all mean extra traps, clays and manpower as well as space to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would suggest you do offer cash prizes as well as trophies, that will attract the more serious shooter and will definitely increase the number of entries that you get. I can name a good few Essex shooters who would attend if the incentive is there, i.e. a decent cash payout, they wouldn't bother if it was trophies only. Don't try to be too ambitious if you've not run one before, make sure you've overbooked on volunteers to help out as some will let you down on the day. Keep the entry fee as low as possible and don't make the targets too hard, no "X" factor silly targets will be necessary. I organised a Charity shoot back in 1990, it was a 40 birder over 6 stands, and we had nearly 400 entries / re-entries, it was a major success. A flush or flurry is great, but will you have the traps / helpers / space to run it..?? Hopefully you'll be able to persuade the local village idiot to help out on the day? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would suggest you do offer cash prizes as well as trophies, that will attract the more serious shooter and will definitely increase the number of entries that you get. I can name a good few Essex shooters who would attend if the incentive is there, i.e. a decent cash payout, they wouldn't bother if it was trophies only. Don't try to be too ambitious if you've not run one before, make sure you've overbooked on volunteers to help out as some will let you down on the day. Keep the entry fee as low as possible and don't make the targets too hard, no "X" factor silly targets will be necessary. I organised a Charity shoot back in 1990, it was a 40 birder over 6 stands, and we had nearly 400 entries / re-entries, it was a major success. A flush or flurry is great, but will you have the traps / helpers / space to run it..?? Hopefully you'll be able to persuade the local village idiot to help out on the day? Cat. That is all well and good however what you need at a shoot like that is numbers through the door. I know of probably 50 or 60 local shooters who would support an event like this cash prizes or not. The essex elite can stay dashing from shoot to shoot trying to win a pound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Try to avoid somewhere that will insist on fibre wads as well if at all possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 The essex elite can stay dashing from shoot to shoot trying to win a pound. Not on a Saturday they won't, as it's likely to be the only one on in the area. Their money is the same colour as anybody else's, the name of the game is to sell as many cards as possible, that's why I would go for a 40 birder over 6 stands, that way you'll avoid big queues and get plenty of re-entries. Don't even contemplate a 100 birder. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) I wouldn't listen too much to Cat, bums on seats and into shooting grounds isn't something that sits well with his "professional shooter" CPSA background, experience and membership. Your best off following the formula of the local and most popular haybale - indeed, if you have a word they might lend traps and help out in return for a plug. They will also have a loyal and regular customer base that will support them - that's why good local haybale shoots still thrive so well; indeed, the management of my local haybale has seen out the last half dozen or CPSA CEO's Edited January 5, 2011 by Mungler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 I wouldn't listen too much to Cat, bums on seats and into shooting grounds isn't something that sits well with his "professional shooter" CPSA background, experience and membership. OK, how many Charity shoots have you run..?? I'm surprised you're still on this Forum, have they given you time off for good behaviour..? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Cat if you "ran" a clay shoot then I can only assume that the role you were left with was setting the traps out and plugging the batteries in I am sure you did that brilliantly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 If ground is suitable you could flush with hand traps a local clay ground/shop may help out with manual traps or twins and with4 trappers you can throw a great flush in alternate pairs I guess you will need a temp 11/6 exeption if you have some other auto traps you could run some have a go stands and make them a pool shoot later by moving firing point? Something for smaller kids bouncy castle? Mini quads? Pony rides? Make it a family fun day perhaps get a falconer to do a display? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STOCKY A391 Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 be aware of it conflicting with any other local days,shoots / countrymans fairs etc. Don't forget to publicise it on here , i'm sure some of the hampshire meet lads could attend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 I tend to support Munglers thoughts here more than Catamongs. Ok you will get good shots come in if they think they will win good money and they will put some cash in themselves but then at the same time I wouldn't bother with that kind of thing unless you can run it either very cheaply or as a seperate part of the scheme. If I knew my tenner was going to the charity of the day I would happily pay it, but for more than a very small part of it to go to someone I know I'll never beat - well I'm not so sure I'd be up for that. I'm sure many others think the same. It's a charity event, not a line the pockets of the local pro's event. Our fishing club tried something similar a couple of years back and when the local sponsored crew turned up to fish it the majority of the regulars walked away! If I could get to it I'd like to see a flush for pairs of guns. It's great fun trying to shoot the clays off of the barrels of your fellow gun! I also like the idea of random clays being sprung on you without a call, that would be very appealing to me even though I probably wouldn't hit many. Food is a major consideration. I spend a small fortune on food at charity events. And how about an air rifle range for the kids that can't handle a shotgun? That should be fairly cheap and easy to set up and run. I agree with involving local clubs too. A big banner with "traps kindly supplied by ...." should be enough to convince them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagsy Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Some good ideas being suggested. One thing you'll struggle to arrange will be the weather so somewhere dry for everyone to stand during a downpour may be useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Thanks for the input guys, as for the weather remember we talking about Mersea here, one of the driest parts of the country, and failing that one of our Rotary members can lay his hands on a large marqee that should suffice for the food tent etc. So the main thing is good grub then ! 40 bird shoot at a tenner a round, a cup for the high scores as we want to raise money not give it away. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Thanks for the input guys, as for the weather remember we talking about Mersea here, one of the driest parts of the country, and failing that one of our Rotary members can lay his hands on a large marqee that should suffice for the food tent etc. So the main thing is good grub then ! 40 bird shoot at a tenner a round, a cup for the high scores as we want to raise money not give it away. Mike Well, good luck to you Mike, you'll attract plenty of Newbies eager to get their hands on a trophy who'll only ever buy one card, but you'll not attract the serious shooter who'll buy 2 or 3 cards to try and win a decent cash prize. You'll probably be about 50 - 75 cards short of where you could be, at a tenner a go that equals £500 to £1000 light on potential revenue versus £100 - £150 payback. It's a bit of a "no brainer" to most people, it's called "speculate to accumulate", but I couldn't expect an Essex man to understand a theory as complicated as that. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Cat, here's one for you.... Copfurn in Margaretting. Come and shoot it and see what you make of it. It's a nice 80 bird set up (part wooods and fields) and with a great tea wagon. It's banged out every time it's on and guess what? There's no prizes... oh hang on, 1st prize is 50 Eley First carts! People shoot it because it's fun and testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Don't waste your breath Mungler, the elite are only interested in shoots if they think they can win a pound. That is why Cat has to keep going abroad. He can't cut the mustard in the UK anymore, too many people keep beating him. He will secretly be hopiing that MGman will stick a score up for high gun and then he will weadle his way to Essex hoping to pick it up. The elite have no concept of fun, there always has to be another motive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) Well it's not so much an "elite" thing for Cat anymore, maybe twenty years ago... Seriously though, Cat you should pop down to sunny Essex and enjoy a fun and testing round at Copfurn and then pop down the A12 and help MGMan set his traps out and charge the batteries. EDIT: I also take on board NJC's point about newbies not wanting to pay an entry fee that supports competition payouts when the competition is something which there is no chance of them winning or coming close to winning. Edited January 6, 2011 by Mungler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) Boys let remember that its about charity and yes voice your diffrents of opinions on which is the best format etc. But is it th best arena to bash out personnel issues which is quite evident in some of the replies. Happy shooting boys OTH Edited January 6, 2011 by Over the hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 But but but Sir, he started it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted January 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks guys, I've not ruled anything out as yet, we may still have a top gun "prize" depends on what someone may divi up for one. you never know. Regards M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasons gold Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys, I've not ruled anything out as yet, we may still have a top gun "prize" depends on what someone may divi up for one. you never know. Regards M. Some sensible replys there, i would have a couple of rounds if it was'nt serious. But if it was probably wont even go like some on here so what you would lose through serious competitors would be made up with people like me. The flush idea of random targets say 4 men and 5 traps is a good idea and always adds to the day. We used to fill some of the clays with feathers and alsorts, then selotape up the bottoms for extra randomness, and is also cheap especially as its more money for charity. Which is the point of the experiment Edited January 6, 2011 by jasons gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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