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  1. #11
    Moderator camouflage762's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    Was a great BushWeekend 2017.

    Write up to follow.
    Recent studies show that 1 out of every 3 liberals are just as dumb as the other 2

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    AAR as writen by Camouflage762:

    Bushweekend 2017

    Every year for the last couple of years Sports adventure shooting goes camping….with rifles and lots of gear, and generally get very dirty, tired and have great fun doing it, thus….

    At 19:00 on a Thursday night I found myself doing a night walk near the Loskop Valley in Mpumalanga and I was grumpy. Very.Grumpy.

    I had forgotten my boots. (Yes, a monumental facepalm was in order and inside I was summoning every expletive that I had. This is what happens when you do not check your gear….)

    However, it was a beautiful evening. Every now and then bright bolts of lightning would illuminate the darkened horizon, it was a cloudless evening and the Southern Cross reassured us that we were in a beautiful country. A full moon ensured that we had visibility of the trail even without headlamps. Toward the end of the hike, the wind really started to pick up.

    GVC86, Kilroy and BigMac were both our hosts and the staff for the weekend, having planned, prepared and organised the entire weekend. At the end of the hike they sent us back to our camp situated in a grove of trees that both sheltered us and provided ample firewood. Soon however the radio came alive, the staff were in trouble one getting stuck and needing a tow/extraction and another vehicle having a side wall of the tyre punctured. They had to move their camp because the wind made it impossible to do anything remotely administrative where they had set up. Nonetheless, vehicles were quickly extracted and tyres changed. It’s really cool to have the gear and skills at hand to sort out such situation.

    Next morning we were, as per instruction of George the previous evening, up and ready at 7 o Clock ready for the days challenges. The weather was freezing, and as we left the valley en route to the shooting area, the wind increased and it got much colder. Everyone had thrown on the jackets, beanies and gloves. Quite amazing how the weather can change so quickly. Two of the participants had arrived with a cold and this would not help. Indeed it would get worse for some.

    BigMac led us to the shooting range where met GVC86 and Kilroy who were cunningly dressed in Hi-Viz Vests and wearing smirky smiles on their faces.

    Eagle Eye.

    GVC86 briefed us:

    We had a half an hour to spot a series of gongs, ranging in size from 150x150mm to humanoid size gongs. These had been painted beige. Thus they blended in perfectly with the environment.
    We were also given range cards as we would have to gauge the distance from the shooting area to the target. The closest target was about 100m away situated below us. The furthest about 568m iirc.
    I had never participated in such an event before. Identifying the targets for me was incredibly difficult even when guided onto the target by your shooting partner. Remembering where the targets were was even more difficult. However through a combination of team work all targets were identified. Once the target was identified it was then plotted on the range card and we were all scored accordingly. The results were as follows:

    EAGLE EYE
    Participant Targets identified Score
    Plaashaas T1, T4, T6, T7,T8 25
    Dick T1, T4, T6, T7,T8 25
    Betoger T1, T4, T6, T7,T8 25
    Grimes T1, T4, T6, T7 20
    Camouflage762 T1, T3, T7, T8 20
    Dirk777 T1, T4, T6, T7, T8 25
    Shotgun T1, T4, T6, T7, T8 25
    Tracer T1, T4, T6, T7, T8 25
    · T1 – 150x150mm square gong painted khaki/beige
    99m from observation position
    · T2 – 150x150mm square gong painted khaki/beige
    134m from observation position
    No participant identified this gong
    · T3 – 150x300mm rectangular gong painted khaki/beige
    227m from observation position
    No participant identified this gong
    · T4 – humanoid silhouette painted green
    212m from observation position
    · T5 – 150x300mm rectangular gong painted khaki/beige
    169m from observation position
    No participant identified this gong
    · T6 – humanoid silhouette painted green
    309m from observation position
    · T7 – humanoid silhouette painted green
    215m from observation position
    · T8 – humanoid silhouette painted green
    568m from observation position

    5 pts per target identified and plotted on range card.

    Thereafter the pairs of shooters started to engage the targets, each had 15min for a total of 30min per pair. the goal being to try and get first round hits. The wind was really howling and I had my doubts about the 55grain .223 and the ability to get hits further out. Shooting position depended on which rock one felt most comfortable on. Amongst the .223 MSR there was a Brno 308 with iron sights and a 300 Win Mag with a quality scope on.
    Scores were as follows:

    EAGLE EYE SHOOT
    Participant T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 SCORE
    Plaashaas SRH FRH MISS FRH SRH FRH FRH MISS 24
    Dick SRH FRH MISS SRH MISS MISS MISS MISS 9
    Betoger MISS MISS MISS SRH MISS MISS MISS MISS 2
    Grimes MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS 0
    Camouflage762 MISS MISS MISS MISS SRH MISS MISS MISS 2
    Dirk777 MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS 0
    Shotgun SRH FRH MISS FRH FRH MISS FRH MISS 22
    Tracer MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS MISS SRH MISS 2
    · FRH = FRIST ROUND HIT – 5 PTS
    · SRH = SECOND ROUND HIT – 2 PTS

    I was really impressed with 777 and his iron sighted BRNO, He shot damn close to the targets that many of us were missing with optics on. Plaashaas had to borrow a rifle due to the fact that his AR optics (A reputable brand) was fogged up. This is probably as a result of the L2 hike in January in which we had some of the heaviest downpours ever on a hike. Somehow moisture had gotten in and now it was an aquarium.

    I was really impressed with the organisation of this shoot. GVC86 had built a portable ‘sled’ that had a single bicycle wheel at the rear. He was able to move this which packed his rifle, admin gear, spotting scope etc. over very rocky terrain easily. He then used the top of the boxes as a desk from which to spot and do admin.

    By now it was close to midday and were told to get some food down our necks and be ready for the next exercise in 15minutes.

    TO BE CONTINUED......

  3. #13
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    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    AAR CONTINUE:

    That done, all rifles were verified chamber empty, mags out by 3 persons. We were then sent into the same area, where, we would have to hide from GVC86 and Kilroy who would search for us using binoculars and a spotting scope. BigMac would then be sent out under the direction of the two spotters to locate us. They would have 30 minutes to do this.

    No one was keen to be the first bloke who had been “made” and we all disappeared into the bush. I was about to hide myself in amongst the rocks and a thorn tree when I remembered that we were in puff adder country. I radioed this to the group to choose the hidey hole carefully and respectfully. Kilroy reminded me that there were no puff adders as the black mambas had chased them all away!

    This did not ease my hesitation as I tried to make myself comfortable. I had this theory that if one was relatively comfortable on could remain absolutely still for longer. As I was wearing a powder blue shirt (My favourite Sas shirt) I took my poncho and put it on. I suspect that I must have looked like a green Jaba the Hut wearing a poncho which flapped around in the wind. I was approximately 320m from the spotters. However GvC86 and Kilroy did not want us to simply hide, they also wanted us to be able to see them. (So, after 30 minutes in which none of us were spotted ;-)

    (I reiterate: Before the event the rifles were checked by at least 2 Staff and a fellow participant to ensure Chamber Empty and Mags Out)

    The Spotters would then hold up flash cards, these had to be read and then the participant would have to radio in what he saw. However if you were spotted up until then you were out.
    Amazingly none of were spotted even when we had to move to get a better view of the flash cards.
    This gave rise to the comment from some smartalec that the boys from Gauteng are better at hiding than shooting.

    It had been a long day and it had gotten progressively hotter as the wind had subsided, jackets had been discarded and beanies replaced with caps and hats.

    Endurance:

    GVC86 had adapted a course designed by our very own Bushboy.

    IT really was an epic COF.

    The overall length of the course that the shooter would be moving on would be about 300m.
    Shooting would be done from 10m with pistol, 25m with pistol and rifle and from 50, 75, 100, 150 & 200m with Rifle. At the 50m mark one would have to pick up a tyre to simulate a wounded buddy and carry it for the remainder of the event, only dropping it off at about 100m from the finish line.

    Targets were steel silhouette gongs, scoring would be done by sound and a spotter who would observe the silhouette that would be used for the longer shots. The RO would also track the shooter from a quad bike which would ride parallel to him to verify finger was off the trigger. Shooting positions ranged from kneeling, supine and using a very wobbly barricade. As challenging as the shooting was we all realised that this really was physical event.

    I was up first, determined to make up for my poor performance earlier in the day. However I had a failure to extract on my rifle and this cost me time in sorting it out. By the time I had got to the final firing point my legs felt like rubber bands. Carrying the tyre is, well, tiring. Determined to at least finish at a run, I did my best to jog up the slope.

    However it was not to be, at about 75/50m from the finishing line I literally could not run. My legs went into limp mode and try as I may I could not run. It was a weird sensation and the lesson is that physical condition is as important as ones shooting skills. Interestingly none of the participants could finish at a run. This was not for lack of trying however one could have placed bets where the running would stop as it was all more or less in the same spot. However credit is due to all, as running quite a steep gradient with ones L1 gear, carrying a tyre and still getting hits on target is no small physical challenge.

    Safety was good: muzzles were always down and the RO on the back of the quad ensured that fingers were well clear of the trigger guard.


    ENDURANCE
    PARTICIPANT HITS TIME SCORE
    Plaashaas 20 5:11 168.9
    Dick 14 4:34 112.6
    Betoger 16 5:46 125.4
    Grimes 16 6:12 122.8
    Camouflage762 19 7:39 144.1
    Dirk777 10 5:12 68.8
    Shotgun 14 7:14 96.6
    Tracer 13 5:45 95.5

  4. #14
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    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    Saturday

    Everyone was relatively stiff on the Saturday. So we began with a series of warm ups. Two of the participants had bad sinus and were coughing and another was nursing a stomach bug. (I had also got word that Doc Willie would be joining us, however as signal was spotty we later learn that he had to turn back due to mechanical problems. Thanks for the effort Doc, honoured that you wanted to join us, and glad you got home safely. )

    Big Mac arrived to brief us: We were to try to follow a spoor of a “poacher” which was indicated by fake blood and discarded bandages. It was actually a very pleasant hike in the flat fields of the farm, with a light early morning breeze. Life really was good, what more could one ask: Beautiful scenery and hiking with buddies, with our rifles of course.

    We crossed a few fences when I realised that my veldskoen shoe sole had started to separate from the shoe. Fortunately Tracer was able to dig into my pack on my back and give me roll of duct tape that I carry in my IFAK and after short delay we were back on our way. BigMac in his role of staff would correct us if we went off course and ensure that we were sticking to the plan and timings. Pretty soon as we arrived near the shooting range the terrain became very rocky and the group was forced to break into two. A dummy was placed very near where I had been hiding the previous day. It was recognized that if something was going to happen it would happen near the dummy.

    The group split into two, one with Grimes, Betoger and Plaashaas following a track alongside a waterfall and another a couple of hundred meters to the left. The hope was to all crest the rise at the same time.
    However what we had hoped for and what the staff had planned were two totally different ideas. We got a call over the radio that Plaashaas had (in the scenario) suffered an injury and had to be moved. Tracer being the most senior in terms of medical training, went through the motions of making the scene safe, stopping bleeding and monitoring breathing etc.

    No matter how lightweight you buddy is, it is a bitch to move a casualty even if he is half co-operative.
    Nonetheless as we got closer to the dummy we heard a distant ‘bang’. Over the next 5 or so minutes there followed another 2-3 bangs. BigMac informed us that is was GVC86 firing blanks and that we were all not to adjust the condition of our rifles, Try as we could we could not spot him, and after what seemed like an eternity BigMac Radioed GVC86 and told him to stand up.

    Lo and behold there he was, about 350m from us, near where we did the exercise the previous day.
    The irony is that as we had made our approach to the dummy some of the group were approximately 40 to 50m from GVC86. But was it not for some low bush and a few rocks and a pretty neat gillie suit he would have been made.

    Frankly if this was not an exercise it would not have been a good day for any of us. What was the point of the exercise (There was no scoring or shooting done by any of us) Simply put it was for the experience of trying to find a long range shooter in a very realistic environment. One can read about the exploits of marksmen and snipers through the years and it felt very uncomfortable realizing that we had been observed for most of the morning.

    However GVC86 (we got to get him a better Callsign) did not have it all his own way. He was hot uncomfortable and got a stiff neck for his efforts. Add this that when we were closest to him he was facing away from us and had his own set of nerves to deal with. After a round of much back slapping and congratulating the staff and an excellent morning we still had to carry Plaashaas back to the clubhouse.

    Additionally we were told that we had an hour to relocate our camp to the clubhouse. However as we had not vehicles Betoger and Tracer would have to leg it back, fetch the vehicles, pick us up and then get us back to camp to do the packing.

    Thereafter it was time to socialise and it was a pretty good evening, but I have to wait for the police report to tell you exactly how good. J

    Thanks to GVC86, Kilroy and BigMac (He is BIG) for a fantastic weekend. It was well planned, safe and challenging. Sports adventure shooting really is privileged to have blokes of such calibre that are prepared to sacrifice personal time for others. Attention to safety and detail was excellent. Setting up gongs in rough terrain and then having to verify that they are visible when short staffed is an entire day’s work.
    Those who were sick to some degree or other: Well done for putting on a brave face and continuing with the weekend.

    Well done Sas MPU!

    END AAR - AUTHOR - CAMOUFLAGE 762

  5. #15
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    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    Thanks for the write up! This was an awesome weekend!

  6. #16

    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    Well done Sas MPU!!!!
    Great fun!!

  7. #17

    Default Re: Bush Weekend 2017

    Congratulations on a successful bush weekend GVC, Camo and the rest, I really wanted to join you guys, but it was not to be.

    Next time.

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