tom1184 Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Please excuse my ignorance fellas but ive only just started clay pigeon shooting and was just woundering what the competition classes are and the relevant score for each class. Also, ive read on here people talking about shooting "birds only". What does this mean??? If anyone could shed any light on this id be very gratefull. Cheers, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 See here: http://www.cpsa.co.uk/classification-cut-off-points Loads more info on basics on the CPSA website. "Birds Only" is a means whereby you can enter the competition but stay out of the prize fund, the entry fee is usually about £6 less as a result, an invention of the devil, IMHO. It doesn't happen in any other sport, only clay shooting. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom1184 Posted July 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Thanks for that Cat. Thats a big help. Not that im at a standard to be entering comptetions,(best score 34 out of 50) i was just curious thats all. So do people enter "birds only" just to dodge paying an entrance fee?? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 I think its to get the practice of a competition for those shooters who feel they are most unlikely to get near the prize lineup........it is a strange setup, doesn't happen in other sports! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Yes, if you want to practice, then go to a practice shoot. I know what the Captain of my Golf Club would say if I turned up for the Monthly Medal saying I didn't want to pay the full fee as I didn't fancy my chances of beating those guys playing off scratch..............."on yer bike...!!!!", or something similar. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaseone Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) Dont forget that you also shoot against those that shoot 34 out of 50 in your Competition class So enter and see what happens, you never know but you may win your Class p.s I think Cat is in your Class Edited July 27, 2009 by leaseone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Birds only is a bit like a 177 or 22 post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaseone Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 was that HMR or .22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom1184 Posted July 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 I dont think i'll be entering any comps just yet. Certainly wont be shooting "birds only". lol At this stage i'm just really enjoying my shooting. Maybe comps will come futher down the track. Didnt mean to start one of those pointless threads, just didnt have a clue what it ment thats all. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaseone Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Its not pointless as you can see how you are doing against others of the same ability Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Take no notice. There's nothing wrong with birds only It lets you dip your toe in the water, so you get experience of shooting proper targets without wasting money entering a competition that you're unlikely to win. After you've been shooting birds only for a while, you'll build sufficient confidence to enter and shoot it properly. The argument rolls on and on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 *** are "PROPER TARGETS"? How many times do you plebs need telling? they are BIRDS!!!!!!!!!! You talk about birds only then refer to the targets. The sport is known as Clay PIGEON shooting, the name comes from the heritage when real pigeons were used and released from cages known as traps. How is it that there was a major uprising when the CPSA wanted to change their name to Clay Target shooting Association yet people insist on refering to the targets they shot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 *** are "PROPER TARGETS"? How many times do you plebs need telling? they are BIRDS!!!!!!!!!! You talk about birds only then refer to the targets. The sport is known as Clay PIGEON shooting, the name comes from the heritage when real pigeons were used and released from cages known as traps. How is it that there was a major uprising when the CPSA wanted to change their name to Clay Target shooting Association yet people insist on refering to the targets they shot? Targets, birds, frisbees, flying saucers. Who gives a ****? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 at the risk of inflaming a topic with a subject that I am sure has been done to death on the forum... I am currently trying to shoot at harder shoots - graduating from just practice rounds at Dartford & west kent.... together with shooting the likes of Robin Hood at Bluebell Hill..... & now moving on to Gatton Bottom, Keston, Caterham clays. These are in my opinion harder shoots. However, I am only entering birds only. Reason being that a. Upon my 1st visit to each..... I didn't feel that my 55-70 score that I thought I was capable of would be good enough to win my class b. from having shot each one a couple of times.... I KNOW my current scores will not win my class.... as crazy scores in the mid to late 80's are taking C Class. Surely, if you look at the CPSA scores for classifications.... these scores should be in A / B class??? so why are they being allowed to win C class? therefore, if a ridiculously high score is being allowed to win the bottom class..... why should I pay an extra £5-6 to shoot, when I know that my score will not be good enough? If i thought that the comp would be run on a fairer basis.... I would enter the comp..... but at present I view it as a complete waste of money. shooting is getting expensive enough....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) at the risk of inflaming a topic with a subject that I am sure has been done to death on the forum... I am currently trying to shoot at harder shoots - graduating from just practice rounds at Dartford & west kent.... together with shooting the likes of Robin Hood at Bluebell Hill..... & now moving on to Gatton Bottom, Keston, Caterham clays. These are in my opinion harder shoots. However, I am only entering birds only. Reason being that a. Upon my 1st visit to each..... I didn't feel that my 55-70 score that I thought I was capable of would be good enough to win my class b. from having shot each one a couple of times.... I KNOW my current scores will not win my class.... as crazy scores in the mid to late 80's are taking C Class. Surely, if you look at the CPSA scores for classifications.... these scores should be in A / B class??? so why are they being allowed to win C class? therefore, if a ridiculously high score is being allowed to win the bottom class..... why should I pay an extra £5-6 to shoot, when I know that my score will not be good enough? If i thought that the comp would be run on a fairer basis.... I would enter the comp..... but at present I view it as a complete waste of money. shooting is getting expensive enough....! You're right mate, just shoot birds only if that's what you want to do. Despite my strong belief in birds only shooting, I do think it will only be a matter of time before you start entering the competition fully, less than a year in my case. You'll see several instances where you realise that you wouldn't have been a million miles from a C class prize, or a B class prize, had you taken the plunge and entered. So next time, you do enter. It just acts like a stepping stone into competition shooting. I believe that there wouldn't be anything like as many competition shooters as there are, if they hadn't been tempted into it by the cheaper and less pressured opportunity that birds-only offers. It's just a confidence builder, I suppose Sandbagging (shooters manipulating their class, so they get to win lower classes with silly high scores) is another subject really. I don't know what the answer is to that, but you will still see times when you come close enough to the prizes to tempt you to take the plunge, even with sandbaggers doing the circuit. A competition I entered (birds only) at Catton Hall recently was interesting. I got 81 and A class was won with 81. B class was won with 84 and C class with 70-something. It would have been worth me entering, but on the day, I didn't have the balls to do it. It was that that finally made me part with £4.33 to upgrade from Clubman membership to full membership (that and Berettas nagging ) Edited July 28, 2009 by Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyoftheboy Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 You're right mate, just shoot birds only if that's what you want to do. Despite my strong belief in birds only shooting, I do think it will only be a matter of time before you start entering the competition fully, less than a year in my case. You'll see several instances where you realise that you wouldn't have been a million miles from a C class prize, or a B class prize, had you taken the plunge and entered. So next time, you do enter. It just acts like a stepping stone into competition shooting. I believe that there wouldn't be anything like as many competition shooters as there are, if they hadn't been tempted into it by the cheaper and less pressured opportunity that birds-only offers. It's just a confidence builder, I suppose Sandbagging (shooters manipulating their class, so they get to win lower classes with silly high scores) is another subject really. I don't know what the answer is to that, but you will still see times when you come close enough to the prizes to tempt you to take the plunge, even with sandbaggers doing the circuit. A competition I entered (birds only) at Catton Hall recently was interesting. I got 81 and A class was won with 81. B class was won with 84 and C class with 70-something. It would have been worth me entering, but on the day, I didn't have the balls to do it. It was that that finally made me part with £4.33 to upgrade from Clubman membership to full membership (that and Berettas nagging ) thanks for the post Chard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 *** are "PROPER TARGETS"? How many times do you plebs need telling? they are BIRDS!!!!!!!!!! You talk about birds only then refer to the targets. The sport is known as Clay PIGEON shooting, the name comes from the heritage when real pigeons were used and released from cages known as traps. How is it that there was a major uprising when the CPSA wanted to change their name to Clay Target shooting Association yet people insist on refering to the targets they shot? Tell us as many times as you like, still noone gives a ****!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) Tell us as many times as you like, still noone gives a ****!! IGNORANCE is bliss isn't it? Sorry, Spelling error pointed out and corrected Edited July 28, 2009 by MC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 INORANCE is bliss isn't it? What on earth is "inorance"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 There's a pair of Lesser Spotted Targets nesting in the hedge at the bottom of my garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 There's a pair of Lesser Spotted Targets nesting in the hedge at the bottom of my garden Fantastic to see them at this time of year Any pictures? I am having trouble with pigeons at the moment, stealing all the food from the target table in my garden, as well as rabbit birds digging holes and bouncing about the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Fantastic to see them at this time of year Any pictures? I am having trouble with pigeons at the moment, stealing all the food from the target table in my garden, as well as rabbit birds digging holes and bouncing about the place. I did take a couple of pictures, but you can't see them clearly, because they were edge-on (they are Lesser Spotted Targets, Battue subspecies). I'll try again when they turn and show me their bellies Those rabbit birds sound like they're a bit of a problem They shouldn't be digging holes, have you tried laying a mat down to stop them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 I did take a couple of pictures, but you can't see them clearly, because they were edge-on (they are Lesser Spotted Targets, Battue subspecies). I'll try again when they turn and show me their bellies Those rabbit birds sound like they're a bit of a problem They shouldn't be digging holes, have you tried laying a mat down to stop them? I look forward to the pictures I saw 4 pairs of these Lesser Spotted Targets, Battues at Coniston last week but the cruel so-and-so's were trying to shoot the poor things Such a shame, they had beautiful, bright orange plumage. Unfortunately the rabbit birds don't seem to like the mat, the mats tend to get covered in bits and for some reason seems to make their jumping more frequent and erratic. I have thought about growing the grass longer to slow them down, maybe then I can catch them and relocate them humanely. Perhaps to a nice strawbaler in Essex, theres no chance of them being shot there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted July 28, 2009 Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 I look forward to the pictures I saw 4 pairs of these Lesser Spotted Targets, Battues at Coniston last week but the cruel so-and-so's were trying to shoot the poor things Such a shame, they had beautiful, bright orange plumage. Unfortunately the rabbit birds don't seem to like the mat, the mats tend to get covered in bits and for some reason seems to make their jumping more frequent and erratic. I have thought about growing the grass longer to slow them down, maybe then I can catch them and relocate them humanely. Perhaps to a nice strawbaler in Essex, theres no chance of them being shot there I try to get my lad interested in the wildlife, but he's discovered targets He brought one home the other night in a mini. Should have been a midi or even a standard, the little minx. I sat between them on the sofa, he looked like he was ready to shoot his load all evening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom1184 Posted July 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Thanks for your replies fellas. Its good to get the views from both of a subject. Like i said before, im just really enjoying my shooting and just see it as a very good hobbie to have. Who knows what might happens in the future, i may take the plunge into comptetion shooting (if i get good enough!) Tom :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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