Target Graffiti or Sensible Anticipation?
Feedback on this unanimously in the direction of NOT allowing competitors to adorn their targets with all and sundry. In fact its been pointed out this is just a natural extension of the general principle that competitors should not be interfering or touching their targets in any way at all.
Target numbering systems therefore become much more important. Match Directors probably need to add this to their list of things that just need to be right on the day.
Rule B14.5.2 of the GR&P handbook states: A competitor may place on their target one distinguishing mark with a maximum diameter of 100mm. It may only be placed in the extreme top right or top left corner of the backing board.
Targets should indeed be readily identifiable to the competitor. All should be numbered and all should be identically labelled for consistency and fairness.
I’m shooting at target 4 (but aiming at target 3)
As the rule states – A competitor may place on their target one distinguishing mark with a maximum diameter of 100mm. It may only be placed in the extreme top right or top left corner of the backing board.
Cross shooting is a problem – we have all done it….
Don’t shoot at my target (which one is it again – the red mark?)
Something which has been mooted since removing the ability of shooters to clearly mark their target in line with the style immediately above is the apparent return of much more cross shooting. It may be all very well saying that a shooters should be able to identify their target but the lobbying is that this isn’t happening under the current guidelines and ruleset.
The additional issue (perhaps more relevant) that a shooter who’s target has been cross shot onto can take the highest score (or choose what they prefer) makes a mockery of the level at which we are attempting to shooting at. The ‘pick and choose’ your score approach can be seen as ridiculous if the cross shooting problem is really seen as a common and regular problem which needs to be addressed yet again.
The proposal is that any shooter be allowed to attach a coloured card on their target board as long as it is less than 20cm square (double the size of the current allowable mark) and is only attached/stapled to the back of their target frame so it protrudes from the edge of the target. The argument goes that it also puts the marker in the sight line of the shooter therefore hugely reducing the chance of either them shooting someone else’s target or someone else shooting on their target. Coloured cards are easily and instantly recognised by the brain where as numbers take more computing power and need thinking about!
So – Blackpool illuminations or clean and uniform target marking. Which do we want? The former leaves it in the hands of the shooter. The latter with the match organiser. Maybe vested interests at play but when you have forked out your hard earned to attempt to get a score onto the GRID it really does need to be your score (not help from anyone else) and all counted on your target.
