Sports adventure shooting 16-17September 2016

[camouflage762]

Sports adventure shooting

16-17September 2016

Conditions: Hot to cold and very windy


Co-ordinators: Plaashaas and Tracer

We knew that it was going to be good when we received a detailed briefing a week prior. It laid out kit required, medical emergency info and procedure as well as an overview of the coordinators expectations as well as the Sas radio frequencies, tones etc. (ICASA licensed)

It also included a map which had some really important info on it if one had actually bothered to study it.

The coordinators really had planned this well and arrived on the Friday to set up. The range looked impressive with its many props and targets.

The wind was extremely strong, so much so that the 6m flag pole atop the butt could not be raised as we feared it would bend. Sandbags had to be used to secure props and target stands

As it was the flag at the 100m line shredded along the seam and developed a hole in it by end of practice on Saturday.

Friday night we had the awesome sight of a beautiful full red moon rising over the range. I had chosen to sleep out on the range. My tent lit up like a solar jar and it got bitterly cold as the night wore on.

Saturday 17 September.

The staff were up early doing final set ups on the range; participants drifted in ready for the 07:00 briefing.

Some participants had read the briefing and had brought the correct gear, others not, and were running around like headless chickens trying to obtain spare maps, emergency info sheets, pencils and re-programe radios etc.

Tracer then gave a detailed safety & event briefing including the use of maps, declination GPS settings/format.

The participants were split into two teams and each team had to select a leader, navigator and radio guy.

First exercise was to plot a Latitude and Longitude of a location on the range. This was done with gear on standing.

Both groups got pretty close to the correct answer.

The group of two teams then had to work together to do a grid search for two envelopes that would contain info for the next way point. Trying to co-ordinate a large group to work together can be like herding cats at times!

With envelops found each team then had to navigate on a bearing for a given distance to the next way-point.

As I was on team one I can only relate our experience: ToothFairy worked out the compass bearing to follow as the instruction as the bearings given were based on true north.

ToothFairy then paced out the distance and we found a heavy tyre, large blanket, full 25l jerry can and some lengths of brandering.

There were also instructions to the next way-point: SkyWalker told the team to pick up the items and to follow ToothFairy.

I was super impressed when we arrived exactly at the next way-point! This had been after a 350 walk carrying some very bulky items.

Team 2 then arrived and we were told to observe the targets 300m distant which consisted of a mixture of shapes and colours mixed in with friendlies.

Team2 had taken there time to "make a plan" to carry the gear. Sometimes however it is simpler to just get on with the task as this can save a lot of time depending on circumstances

Those who have pics, please post them.

More to follow....

[camouflage762]

@ 300m we were instructed to engage a particular target. Inter group communication was not too good: and this would be reflected on the hits on the target eventually.

The groups then moved to the 200m line and engaged a different set of targets. At this point those who had actually read the briefing were allowed to drop their L2 gear.

Moving to the 100m line more targets were engaged with the exercise coming to an an end at the target line.

To be honest the hits on target were disappointing, a combination of poor shooting, and, the groups not actually communicating as to the status of targets. However in our defence we were not given much time to confirm hits once the shooting started. It really does get noisy and chaotic once the shooting starts

On the plus side the whole stage was run extremely safe: No sweeping of muzzles or finger ill-discipline was observed. Understand the COF was run over a distance of 300m and about 200m wide, some of it at a jog. Well done to all for this.

Next event was an FBI handgun shoot qualification. 60 hits were required in different time frames at different distances and shooting postures.

Whilst the qualification shoot is quite basic it 48 hit pass requirement ensured that if you do not have the basic skills down to pat you were not likely to make the cut of being an FBI agent....

It’s a good drill and great for running a large detail through a COF.

Scores ranged from 45 to 58. I got 52 and could account for two missed shots due to malfunction I could not clear in time.

11 out of the 12 participants passed, and after the disappointing rifle shooting it was quite pleasing.

The final exercise would be familiar to most IPSC and IDPA shooters: A range with lots of props including a cut out of a blue “VW Golf” resplendent with silver hubcaps as well as the obligatory wooden doors and 45 gallon barrel.

A combination of steel and paper targets had to be engaged from various position including from underneath the car. Scoring was time plus penalties. (Yours truly had the worst score)

It was great fun even if there was a bit of waiting. At one point we noticed smoke on the eastern side of the range. I went to check it out on my quad whilst the group continued with the exercise.

Fortunately the fire was no threat to the land that we were on, however the farmer was informed. It was extremely blustery and dry and if the wind had turned it would have been disastrous for the grazing that remained after what has been one of the driest hottest seasons we have had on the range since Sas began in 2010.

Fire is such a concern that we plan for it in our briefings and have fire beaters and CO2 extinguishers just in case.

Lets continue to pray for rain!

Whilst the blokes ran the exercise again with their rifles, Honey badger set about moving some of the beehives near the clubhouse.

Some of the hives had been vandalised earlier this year and the owners had decided to move them. Honeybadger is an expert with bees, having done Thesis on Bees

(They are indeed fascinating creatures and give us wonderful honey. I have been privileged to participated in two bee re-locations with HoneyBadger and Box, but I digress)

At this point the days shooting activities wound down with the usual “Free Time” for shooting followed by the cleanup of the range: It is worth noting that EVERYTHING has to be transported onto the range. Aside from flag poles we cannot leave any infrastructure or equipment on the range as it will disappear or be vandalised, this is learnt from bitter experience.

Again a massive thumbs up to Tracer and Plaashaas for an excellent set up and training session. Approximately 5 hours of training had taken 3 weeks to plan and 12 hours to set up.

Whilst the participants were tired, dusty and sunburnt, Tracer and Plaashaas were knackered and deserved their cold beers at the braai that followed.

Thanks to all who attended for a safe training day

Next session in October will be the 2nd last for the year.

[GVC86]

Nice guys,

Have to make a plan to get to funky town more often.

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[LukeS]

Thanks to all involved it was one of the best training days I have done in a while.

Really appreciate the effort involved in setting up.

To the rest of you crazy okes.... It was a pleasure as always!


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[Mbadger]

Was a brilliant day training and learning so much. Big thanks to Plaashaas and Tracer.