Fox/Parker Challenge Rules for 2015

[John Truitt]

I will not weigh in on the controversy.

But to answer Mr Harold Pickens question. Yes ejectors would help.
I have shot crazy quail many times previously. Depending upon the timing setting it can be a very/ very fast game and ejectors will most certainly help.

I believe I read someone said it would be slowed down between clay releases this year which IMO will help make it less "crazy" and allow the teams to develop a strategy and plan and execute on each bird. I have never been to HH so I am not speaking with fact or experience for that event just my experiences in the past shooting crazy quail at other events.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Mark Ouellette

Gentleman,


An example is me last year. I shot a rather good round if clays with 14 pound DH 8 gauge. My score was 38 and high of 10 or more Parker and Fox guys and gals on the squad. Team Parker asked me to shoot for them in competition that afternoon. I declined because of three reasons.
1. I had bought only 8 and 10 gauges guns and did not think that a 10 gauge would be legal since Fox never made a gun in that gauge.
2. An 8 gauge is a cannon! The square of a gun's bore is a factor in total air pressure generated by each shot. I was exhausted after shooting my little cannon.
3. Although I had shot the high score of the squad I had done so with a light 8 gauge load, 1 & 3/4 ounces of shot! My integrity would not allow me to claim a position on the Parker squad.

Mark

Just because A.H. Fox company provided their customers with such a limited variety of shotgun guages should not disqualify your big Parker's Mark. Fox Collectors should have to live with those poor marketing decisions of yester year

Seriously I doubt many folks would think trying to swing a gun that heavy and long would be an advantage on clays. You did really well with that beast last year.

[Autumn Daze]

Gents, Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Steve and I have worked pretty hard on trying to cover all the bases. And we will continue to tweek this event as we go forward. Let me address a few of your concerns... As far a scoring goes I agree with Frank that having mixed squads would be a logistical nightmare. As Daryl says those that cheat will always cheat. Trust me that behavior will show up on the Crazy Quail! The only losers will be the squad you are shooting for. As far as ejectors go....no problem. And if Mark wants to shoot his 8. Good for him. Lest us not forget this an amature event being shot by gentlemen who love these old guns. See ya all at Ernie,s ....

[Autumn Daze]

Oh ya .....almost forgot.... The PGCA and the Fox Collectors will be sharing a tent together at the Bo Whoop this year it. So come on down!

[Double Lab]

Just a little clarification on rule #1.

Being a member of both fine organizations would it be kosher for me to sign up let's say Thurs. AM, to shoot a Parker, then in the PM sign up to shoot a Fox and then take the best score and turn it in then decide which team to shoot for?

That is if either one of the scores qualifies.

[10 bore]

Originally Posted by Dave Suponski

Oh ya .....almost forgot.... The PGCA and the Fox Collectors will be sharing a tent together at the Bo Whoop this year it. So come on down!

is this the "keep them closer" thing?

[C.O.B.]

Daryl I believe you have to state which organization your shooting for before hand. I don't think you can choose the best of the two. Nice try though

[TOOL MAN]

Gents,

Allow me to make a few comments, that will hopefully allay some of your fears/concerns:

1) Regarding mixed squads. You're preaching to The Vienna Boys Choir on that subject. We kicked it around ad infinitum but the logistics were prohibitive. HOWEVER, now that we'll be one dysfunctional "family" under the Ringling Bros big top, perhaps that could be accomplished? All competitors have to pass by the Bo-Whoop/Fox/Parker tent on their way to the stands, so it might be easier to acquire a stray Fox or Parker shooter in an effort to keep the squads "honest." Time will tell on that front.

2) Mark: the rules clearly state all gauges allowed (10b ---.410) True, Fox never produced any, but we knew that many did leave from Cherry St. so we allowed them. Fire at will.

3) Harold/John: Dave and I have tried to customize the "crazy quail" to replicate more of a 5-Stand set-up, compared to the insanity of a flurry. Extractors are fine, as you'll never shoot more than a pair of birds at one time. We work with the trapper to slow down the interval between releases. Think of these as report pairs on Red Bull.

4) Daryl: While our two organizations are rife with, dare I say, "switch-hitters," to maximize team spirit we must insist that all shooters choose one team and stick with it throughout the competition. Obviously you can shoot multiple rounds with different guns but they must be from the same maker. Decisions---Decisions!

5) Finally, let me say this. We hear your concerns loud and clear. Though we can't please all the shooters all the time, we try damn hard to please most of the shooters most of the time. Have faith in your Parker/Fox congressmen and know they are working diligently to ensure that this contest will someday very soon, reach the true potential its founders envisioned from the starting gate. Trust me when I tell you: Two years from now, you ain't gonna recognize this place!

[Double Lab]

[DoubleDown]

To further clarify on the Crazy Quail, I shot the challenge last year under this format. Like John said, the typical Crazy Quail setup is quite fast, and hard to shoot with a sxs whether you have ejectors or not. I shot it at Backwoods one year and I don't think I've ever heated up a set of barrels like that before. At the FPC last year they slowed this down to where you were shooting a report pair with the first bird going on your call. I do recall the trapper saying he may speed them up a tad, but never quite a true pair. What made this interesting is that the four machines are constantly spinning on the base, so every pair called for is different. I personally liked this because it gave no advantage to the team going second, not allowing them to watch the presentations and deciding how to shoot before they hit the line. I had a great time shooting this event and look forward to it this year. Harold, if you can score enough on the clays course to make the team I think you'd be deadly in this competition. It's more instinctive shooting than anything.

I'm also looking forward to having both organizations in one tent this year, it should be a lot of fun.

Mike