There is a similar list people use for fly fishing the Henry’s Fork

Excuses
 

I went through most of the typical excuses pretty early in my clay shooting career. So now I have a new approach that seems to work better. I show up with a gun that has the barrels oriented in the wrong way and made around the turn of the last century. It's important to never have the same gun. People are shocked that you're shooting such a relic and they are somewhat stand offish when you get into the stand. They have NO idea what the gun is because it wasn't made in the last 6 months in some foreign country. And then pretty soon it starts; someone sees a piece come off the target that I was not within a city block of. And then the scorer starts seeing breaks as the target descends into the weeds that I was not even close to. It's a wonderful thing to be an old eccentric misguided gun collector just trying to break at least some of the targets you're shooting at; with a little help from your freinds and squad mates.:)

all the help I can get!
 

It's a wonderful thing to be an old eccentric misguided gun collector just trying to break at least some of the targets you're shooting at; with a little help from your freinds and squad mates.

Some times a lot of help! So we start a new thread category OEMGC, my guess more than a few of us here!!!:rolleyes::rotf:

When I started my clay target shall we say journey forty years ago it didn’t take to long before I understood nothing less than 100 straight wasn’t acceptable in skeet for all but the 410 and the same for 16 yard trap . And so it was as I climbed the class ladders . When you’re coming up thru the ranks you don’t realize there will be peaks and valleys you expect a steady progression and that just isn’t the case . You also need to realize once you’ve climbed the mountain you don’t win each time and unless you wanna look like an ass how to be a decent looser . I was quick on picking up the being decent part , if we were in a shoot off together win loose or draw I made sure I shook your hand and offered congratulations etc . It takes some clay target shooters a long time before they realize , other shooters don’t beat them - they BEAT themselves . But I can tell you after forty years of doing this in one form or another I can laugh about misses a hell of a lot easier than I could early in the journey . Think I’ve said once or twice before , now it isn’t as much about the winning as it is about shooting with folks I like and enjoying their company as well as whatever the feast is that day . Don’t get me wrong I still like the bling as the Crazy Polish guy would say , but if I get none that doesn’t make it a bad day .

I have been struggling to deal with the impact of plate tectonics for years :rotf:

I learned pretty quickly not to give a care. Its definitely loosened me up to make more 25's. I have a friend who takes misses hard and I see it affect the score negatively. Plus I know I am no shooting prodigy. Its just easier to try and do well but not take it seriously. People can talk while I shoot and it doesn't mess me up at all.

There comes a point when you realize:

1) Everybody misses;

2) Some days you got it, some days you don't;

3) No matter how bad you think you are shooting, it ain't over till it's over; and

4) Don't make excuses, just play the hand you're dealt.

After a disappointing day on the range one day, an old man told me: "you haven't had your worst day yet."
I live by that.

I beg to differ ! Once you shot a ZERO you’ve done your worst , there’s nothing less :rotf::rotf::rotf:

Well, at least you got to go shooting. There's that.