Anyone for shooting league Sporting Clays?

[thunderpout]

My Sporting Clays league team needs a couple of shooters to fill up the roster! We have six guys and you can have up to eight on each squad.  We shoot at Wild Marsh Sporting Clays, just north of Big Lake.  You only have to shoot once a month, for five months.(April - August) 100 rounds a month. You can shoot more to reshoot or practice, but its one outing a month otherwise... Its really a lot of fun... you dont need a special gun or equipment, we all started with/still use hunting guns.  theres a big banquet at the end, ya can win guns and other cool stuff AND improve your wingshooting skills, which besides having fun, is the best thing about it!  Its a walk around type course, for those who arent familar with it, all the shooting stations are automated there so no trappers to tip(or look over yer shoulder) They have three different courses, and ya alternate on them and the owners are constantly changing the targets and stations so ya never shoot the same thing twice.  They keep the five best scores of your team, so its ok if ya dont do so hot each time out.  The people that own and run Wild Marsh are awesome and you wont find nicer folks!  Our team has guys that are new to the sport and a few of us have been doin it for a couple years, but we do the league for fun and to improve as shooters...  We also need a sponser!  Let me know if anyones interested, or if ya have questions, PM me if ya want......you'll have a BLAST!(no pun intended..well, maybe a little...)  They have a website,  I will look it up and post it here....     Thanx!  -Thunderpout

[Faceman]

Sounds like fun but that is a long drive from Mpls. I have never done sporting clays. I used to do clays and a little skeet. But I gave that up about 4 years ago and really miss it.

I gave it up because the club I was shooting at drastically went down hill and then their membership did the same thing.I remember when I first started there it was normal to have to wait 20-45 minutes to get called up, and the year I quit you got up to shoot right away because nobody went to that club anymore. I have been told that club has gotten better since then but I dont know if I want to go back.

[Pegg]

What kind of cost  is there?

[thunderpout]

The Clubs website is www.wildmarshsportingclays.com, I was having problems getting on it though.  Maybe they're updating it...  Pegg, I dont remember all the #'s but theres a membership fee of like $30, once your a member, its about $30 for your two 50rd.(100 rounds total) a month. If ya buy a season card, ya get a free round... The expensive part is the shells, and shells went up over 30% since last season!  Ive been told to prepare for a shocker when I go to buy a case of shells...not looking forward to it!  And then the Sponser fee, which we split between ourselves last year, and we dont have a sponser again this year...yet.  Then traveling expenses.  But it isnt bad considering its only once a month, for five months, unless ya practice or reshoot scores.... the site will have all details for ya...

[Cody Gruchow]

im interested but ive never done it before, im a experienced shooter but never shot sporting clays, if your willing to explain it ill do it, ive been looking into getting started in the first place.

[Pegg]

I will look and see if it is in my budget. Sounds like a lot of fun. I am interested.

[mncowboy]

its a blast!!! i have shot on a team for the last 2 years.   they have rifle ranges to site your rifle on. if your into archery they also have an 3-d archry range and league as well.  The pork chops at the year end banquet are to die for. they are like eating candy.  my bussniess will be sponceing my team again this year.  i do have to warn ya!!  once you try it your hooked!!!!!


monty

[Grute Man]

mncowboy is right -- you'll get hooked and fast!! It's nothing but fun.  I got to shoot 2 rounds with some guys I used to work with and it was just great.  It was better than any stoopid stuffy Christmas party !!!

[thunderpout]

Yep, MNCowboy... those porkchops are the best, aint they?  Its tough to shoot at that banquet when that smell and smoke is wifting through the woods...pure torture! BuckhunterCody,  I'll give ya some info and details tomorrow..But think of sporting clays as golf with a shotgun, each station(theres usually 10-15 per round) is different than each other.  You walk in a huge loopthru the woods and feilds, like golf, to different stations...You may have a station with long crossing targets thru trees, the next may put you on a raised deck shooting at rabbit targets below you, whippin by, bouncing along on the ground, then the next may be targets commin from behind you and overhead droppin into a swamp in front of ya like ducks, then some little oreo sized targets erupting out from behind brush like a quail covey!  It all is limited to the imagination of whoever is settin the targets... Its so much more varied and interesting than the other clay sports, and can be very humbling, but a hell of a lot of fun!

[thunderpout]

I cant get on Wild Marshes web site to get info on costs, but I have info at home, I'll get back to you guys with that.  WM has a spring shoot in early April, I think, to warm up and sign up yer squad... a few of our guys usually hit it to get the season a rollin....

[Cody Gruchow]

yes i would need a practice run, to figure out what its really like. cost isnt really a big deal, but yeah whenever you guys go ill go. ok but send me a pm with the earlyiest date that you guys will be attending so i can put it on the calender. thanks

[thunderpout]

Cody, I may be hittin Metro GC in Blaine this weekend to shake off a lot of rust with some skeet & 5-stand... let me know if ya wanna meet me there if yer free this weekend....

[Cody Gruchow]

not completely sure how much that cost?

[kenhuntin]

Cody, I may be hittin Metro GC in Blaine this weekend to shake off a lot of rust with some skeet & 5-stand... let me know if ya wanna meet me there if yer free this weekend....

when is open shooting at metro? I was thinking about heading up there and perhaps I may catch ya there.

[deadeye]

My son and I may be interested in shooting here.  I can't get on the site.  What do I need to do.

[thunderpout]

Cody, The spring/sign up shoot is April 5th(Sat) ,next weekend, from morning till afternoon, Im not sure how many of our guys are going, but I am goin... its $50 for a membership, and $95 for the sponser fee, that we'll split between us all, unless we find a sponser to help us out... there's a special rate for that spring shoot, like $15 for a round or somthing like that... with food and prizes and other things like different shooting games.  I had a docs appt. this morning so I forgot my sheet the club sent me as I ran out tjhe door, but I'll get the full details this comming week.  Wild Marsh officially opens this sunday, after their first tourney on saturday, which i'd like to shoot, but I havent swung my shotgun since last fall, so id be nice to hit metro GC this weekend if it aint snowin and sloppy out.... Hey Ken! That'd be cool, I know they have open shootin now, and I believe on Sat & Sun's this time of year they are open 10-5, Fridays till 7.  I was thinking being up there at noon on saturday unless its a blizzard out...guys, pm me your phone #'s if ya want... Deadeye are ya talkin bout the league?  If you are, if Codys gonna do it we may not have room now, but not completely sure yet... but they also have a buddy league for two people, that goes on the same courses, the same time as the 5-man league, I started at WMGC doin that there.  We havent gotten ahold of all last years guys yet, we had 6 guys and the limit for that 5-man league is 8 shooters... As far as Metro GC, I believe its like $8 for a round of 25, but dont quote me on that, I'll call em to find out...

[Cody Gruchow]

ok sounds good next saturday i can make it, what time are you going to be there? i cant make it to metro GC on saturday i have to work. so do you shoot next saturday? its been about 2 weeks sense i swung my gun but i only missed 1 time but those were real basic shots. if they dont shoot next saturday can i pay and do a practice shoot?

[thunderpout]

Hey Cody...Yep, that shoot next saturday is just for fun, like a warm up/practice deal...plus its cheaper than usual, which is nice.  If any one else wants to go check Wild Marsh out next weekend, it'd be a good time to give it a try, Ya dont have to be a member, they'll have food and prizes and shooting games to try.  Not sure what time I'll be going yet, need to get ahold of the other guys this weekend...  Deadeye, I still cant get on the clubs site either... I'll get a hold of Debbie and Chris, the owners, to see whats up with the site, not good timing when people are gettin ready for the season....I'll get ya phone #'s and some more info monday....  oh yeah, I called Metro GC and I think the gal there said its $8.50 for a rnd. of skeet and $9.75 for 5-stand sporting clays....

[Cody Gruchow]

ok sounds good ill be there, with plenty of shells to practice with. whats there safety requirements like blaze shooting glass's and such?

[thunderpout]

All ya need is saftey glasses and hearing protection... I'll get ya good simple directions this comming week....

[thunderpout]

I just got on Wild Marshes site, It hasnt been updated yet, but I'll see if prices are the same as last year....

[Cody Gruchow]

so do i have to pay the membership fee everytime i go? or does the 50 cover the whole year

[kenhuntin]

Thanks for letting shoot me with you today Thunder. It was great fun. I have been wanting to go to Metro to improve my shooting for the seventeen years I have lived here listening to the distant gunfire but never dared  go alone. Now I want to go back and take another shot at the birds I missed. Another reason I wanted to go is my oldest daughter is now 15 and if a boy asks her where her father is I want her to answer "probably at the gun club".  If you are reading this Thunderpout you should stop now and go somewhere else because I am gonna talk about you.
   For you guys that are contemplating shooting a league with Thunderpout you couldn't ask for a more cordial, helpful,friendly, informative individual to show you the ropes on etiquette and the operation of a gun club. He is truly an asset to MNO.

[HD]

Sounds like you had a really great time. I was thinking about joining up with you guy's, but I had a few cars to fix this weekend.

Maybe next time, we'll see.

Cause shooting is aways fun!



Hunter

[Grute Man]

DANG!! I want to get out there and join a league but my work has me working odd hours and no days off for the next couple (or so) weekends.     Im just gonna have to get shooting in when I can and not go with a league; it wouldn't be fair to a team.

Glad you guys got together and had a good time.   

[Cody Gruchow]

sorry i couldnt make it work had me all busy until 8pm on my day off. but i will be at wild marsh this saturday

[Cody Gruchow]

pout do you know what time you will be at wild marsh this saturday?

[thunderpout]

Sorry Cody, couldnt get on the computer for a few days, relapsed into sickbay,dang alien flu crap! The membership is a one time deal for the whole year and it lets ya use their rifle site in range, Bad news... one of our better shooters is takin a year off cause hes gonna be a bit strapped for money, so he will just tag along once in a while, but not be on the squad.  So now Im really glad I got ahold of ya!  For this Saturday, I was thinking of being up there late am some time...whats best for you?  One of our guys cant make it, family obligations... not sure about the other guys yet but so far Im pretty open, you can shoot this spring fun shoot any time that day from like 9am to 4pm but Im not sure on the closing time... If any of you other guys want to try the course, It'd be the perfect time to give sporting clays a whirl! Lots of new shooters hit the spring shoot just to give it a try, thats how I got hooked, had a coupon from game fair, sounded fun and gave it a try, and for me there was no turning back...in fact I gave up golf, but then again clays is soooo much more fun...And I dont get pissed off at myself when I dont do so hot, like I did with golf... Its cheaper to shoot than any other time of the year,  The owners do this every year to drum up new shooters, its definatly a family type of deal so kids are welcome....  Hey Grute, You can shoot any time when on leagues there... during the week after work, weekends...the good thing about the leagues there is ya only have to shoot two rounds of 50 a month, which we usually do both the same day, so its just once a month, And because with every one having different schedules, rarely do we all shoot together as a group, ya head up to Wild Marsh when you can fit it into yer schedule, ya grab our squads folder, get that weeks/months sheet and hit the course.  You could go solo, but ya need someone to score and pull the targets (push the buttons) on the automated traps... but its a lot more fun with others of course.  But it is nice from time to time to have that option to fit your shooting day in where you can, makes it pretty easy to work one day a month into most schedules.  Lots of "Fudge room"... so if any one wants to give er a try with me and Buckhuntercody Saturday, let us know...it'll be a blast!

[thunderpout]

Hey Ken, Yeah it was fun to hit Metro GC with ya...Sorry, I had to read your kind words, and now Im blushing.   But yeah, like I told ya, Its a shame we dont take advantage of havin a club like that bein we live so close to it, I'd get amembership there but I really like the walk around style course Wild Marsh and others offer, but I could still hit Metro for fun and practice, which I have, but just not as much as I should... Yep get those kids into it!  One of my buddies on our squads boy is takin gun saftey class now, and I cant wait to get him on our squad soon, one of these years, It'll be great to see a kid learnin to shoot, havin all the fun... It'll be fun for me, let alone his dad!

[Cody Gruchow]

um i think ill leave chanhassen between 9:30 and 10, its about an hour trip maybe a little more, um are they steel shot only? because thats all i own, theres the upside to working at a game farm thats steel shot only, i have alot of shells. um as for the practice run i might want to do it 2 times, just to get a feel for it. thats to bad that one of your shooters cant do it this year. um i think i read that its in clear lake? dont remember but ill go on the site and then get the address then mapquest it.