past Sanford SXS

[Harry Collins]

Automated traps
Four man squad
Shotgun start (10 stations with a squad on each shooting one single and two report pairs or two true pair)
A new group every one to one and a half hours

This eliminate the trappers and runs between 280 to 400 hundred shooters through the course if you started at 0800 and ended at 1800 (that's 8 AM to 6 PM). It almost took 10 hours to shoot 100 clays (two events) in a day the year I was fortunate enough to attend. The Southern is a wonderful event and I would come every year, shooting or no shooting, if things were a little better on this end. With a little work on Bill's part and commitment by the participants the Southern would run smooth as silk with only an hours or so per 50 bird event rather than half a day.

Harry

[Bill Murphy]

Bill Kempfler is a friend, and I would be glad to assist him in streamlining his course for the Southern. However, I assume he has NSCA shooters and promoters assisting him already, and I have not been involved in NSCA for several years. What I find strange is that the Southern is a business for Bill, and the money is leaking badly from the "course".

[Twice Shooter]

The first year I went to the Southern I talked to a good friend who said he had to wait over two hours at one station to shoot. Others said the same. I physically cannot stand around over two hours waiting to shoot at just one station. I don't know how many stations they shoot but I would be carried off the course on a stretcher. My body can't handle that type of physical punishment so all I shoot is the challenge and hammer event. This year I waited over an hour to shoot a practice round prior to the qualifying round and did not get to shoot the practice round. I also tried to shoot a practice round prior to the hammer event and did not because of the wait. Bill is loosing revenue and I think he knows it but he does not seem to mind. Happy shooters and selling targets does not appear to be a priority. My attendance fits into Bruce's catergory of a social event, which I enjoy greatly, and I will continue to socialize with all my many old, and I hope many new friends I meet there. But I won't try to shoot any of the events except the challenge and hammer event, with or without a practice round. Cheers, Tom

[Carl Beers]

The Southern has one goal for Bill; that is to make money. He obviously feels he can make more money from vendor tables than from shooters. I attended for several years; had a vendor table for one of those years. Found Bill's attitude one I could get along without, so I stopped attending. His targets never change; took along time to get him to add the second 5 stand and now you're saying he's discontinued it? Why am I not surprised. The Southern is a social event rather than a shooting event; I've found other places to interact with SxS enthusiasts and from visiting with recent Southern attendees I think many SxS folks are looking for other venues as well. It happens to fall right in the middle of turkey season and I find the woods much more enjoyable than Deep River....just my thoughts......Carl Beers

[Autumn Daze]

Thanks guys...I find all this conversation very interesting. For me I have wanted to attend for years but the feedback that I got from guys who have attended was just what you all have enforced. I want to shoot...When I attend the Vintagers I shoot...When I attend Hausmanns I shoot all I can.In fact I just now got a call from Anderson and the Michigan boys and they are having a great time at the UP Shoot.

Don,t get me wrong I really enjoy seeing old friends and making new ones and checking out great guns at these events but if I couldn,t shoot at least a little I would be left wanting.