Caterham clays

[Ugb25]

Hello all went to caterham clays yesterday very disappointed with the targets £35 for 10 stands of trailing pairs and simultaneous crossers took 3 hours to get round and the burger bar was leaving as we returned to car park at about 2 o clock :(

[Hamster]

I haven't shot there for over 2 years for the same reason, keep meaning to give their registered a go but then I think of the trailing singles and 85 yard teal .

[Ugb25]

I wouldn't bother it's much the same they were even picking up rabbit clays while u waited while they put them back in the trap there must of been at least 30x100 springing teal never seen such a lack of use when you have so much ground to use :(

[Hamster]

I've said this before, reckon it's probably the best terrain in Kent pee'd away by disinterest in the targets and paying shooters.

[Dunkield]

Shame, that was top shoot many moons ago.

[12boreblue]

Hamster you plonker! Caterham Clays is in Surrey not Kent!!!

I shoot it quite often, I like it, it is packed every shoot day now, and the clays are much more varied. Some very challenging birds of late, especially trap one in the car park!, and those distant birds sort the men from the boys. I don't ever remember a day of just trailing pairs and crossers. There is always a rabbit, over head simultaneous and mixed pairs of varying types.

I consider it one of the better clay shoots in the area.

[Dunkield]

Interesting post, that is how I remember it.

They used have teal at ridiculous distances but all the more satisfying when you hit them.

[Hamster]

Hamster you plonker! Caterham Clays is in Surrey not Kent!!!

I shoot it quite often, I like it, it is packed every shoot day now, and the clays are much more varied. Some very challenging birds of late, especially trap one in the car park!, and those distant birds sort the men from the boys. I don't ever remember a day of just trailing pairs and crossers. There is always a rabbit, over head simultaneous and mixed pairs of varying types.

I consider it one of the better clay shoots in the area.

Yes of course, silly me.

 

It can be an extremely good shoot and I used to shoot it a fair bit but as the OP says lately they take the mickey too often with birds off the same arm which in my view is just not on especially in a registered, and certainly not when you've paid £37 for the privilege !

 

Their other trait is trying to steal targets off you by distance, that doesn't go down well when it happens on stand after stand, this has been mentioned by others on different forums with the common theme being that it feels like two different setters have each done half the ground without consulting one another.

[Ugb25]

What I'm saying is that for the money there are better grounds who make more of the terrain and make a real effort to put on good targets we all know that money is tight and speaking for myself I like to get value for my money

[WilkoF3]

Hi all , I shot Caterham on the same day and totally agree . Used to be a good shoot lots of variation but last few times I've shot it the same stands keep appearing , trailing orange going away through the trees and trailing overheads . Don't think extreme range birds do anything but ruin good cards , only shoot birds only now . Definitely better shoots for the money .

[phil moss]

Travel to Barrow Heath in Suffolk, its 1.75 hrs from Caterham for a varied, testing round !!!!

[Hamster]

Travel to Barrow Heath in Suffolk, its 1.75 hrs from Caterham for a varied, testing round !!!!

That's a good shout if you live next to Catherham, it takes me 1.5 hours to get to these wonderful facilitites, so getting on to a 7 hour return drive for Barrow .

[phil moss]

That's a good shout if you live next to Catherham, it takes me 1.5 hours to get to these wonderful facilitites, so getting on to a 7 hour return drive for Barrow .

 

7 hours return.......Really !!!!

 

We are 2 hours from Herne Bay.....Scott Collett, Kevin Howland & Henry Arnold travel all from Kent.

 

Not a lot of time for quality

[Hamster]

 

7 hours return.......Really !!!!

 

We are 2 hours from Herne Bay.....Scott Collett, Kevin Howland & Henry Arnold travel all from Kent.

 

Not a lot of time for quality

 

Put it into AA Route planner and it came up with 5 hours, not that bad actually, will see you one of these days.

[Ugb25]

Just shows its not just me who says nothing changes at this ground just read back page of the free clay shooter mag sept issue

[12boreblue]

As an old quote suggests,' perception is reallity' Really don't see what the issue is here, I have been to far worse shoots with little quality in the clay presentation. For me I find Caterham challenging, yes some of the birds are a long way out, and I like that it's different, but no different from say Southdown. I don't want more than one rabbit on a layout, and as yet I have never seen them putting used clays back in the trap, but nothing wrong with a bit of recycling. No matter where I shoot there is always a variation of going away birds of orange and black, crossers left and right, incoming, overhead, quartering and dropping of varying distances, heights and speeds. Caterham for me is a good quality testing shoot, with varying birds of all types, and very satisfying if you shoot a good score because you know you earned it. We also have to remember that every shoot has to cater for all levels of shooter and the odd cheat, there is always one A class trying to shoot the B or C class!) I work it out that 60-70 birds are for the C class, 70-80 for B's 80-90 for the A's and 90-100 for the top boys and pro's. Every shoot has to include all these shooters and that can't always be easy, as well as keeping everybody happy with varying targets on the day, and for me I think Caterham do a great job, but if you don't like it then don't shoot it. It's still a great hobby even when you miss!!!!!