Favorites Types of Stages

[litl rooster]

I am a new shooter so keeping the sequence simple is a big help. But following a Gunfighter even confusses's me more. I do like bonus targets not that i always will hit them. When I practice at home I do make up a senario's and use a bench and a wooden horse and walk it out first. If you didn't have the senarios it might be a little boring, especially since you may wait a half an hour at each stage. I guess the clubs who have more props are having the best stages. Read about one club who used a outhouse to start the stage. I love shooting so why not make it more fun and be creative.

[Camille Eonich]

We just added and outhouse and a gallows to our props at Iredell.  The gables has a platform that drops when you push the lever.    The outhouse has a gabled roof and the back opens up as well as the door on the front.  The back opening up is for viewing purposes as well as for shooting out of.


Arcey, love the fishing idea.  I think it would be great fun for a local match!

Oh lil Rooster...makes it easier for me if I don't watch the person right before me shoot.  Time at the loading table after I get guns loaded is for going over and over the stages.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Litl Rooster, sure wish I could be with you and Montana at the SCSC shoot this weekend, but I am too far away.

I'm crazy. I shoot Gunfighter AND I adore the stages Arcey writes. While I like recoil and shooting my Wartog loads, what is keeping me hooked on this game is the thinking part of it. I'd drive 3+ hours one way to shoot Arcey-written stages. Like I said, I'm crazy.

I've written one match so far, and my favorite stage on that match was the last one. The shooter had to carry a pie around with him as he moved from shooting point to shooting point. The shooting part wasn't complex, but at the end of it, he had to put the pie in the face of a dummy. Since the shooting was over, the pie in the face was off the clock, but you should have seen the vigor the folks put behind that pie throw!

Yep, lemme kick the door down of an outhouse before shooting, like we did at MDS last year. Or shoot from a wagon while sitting.

At the same time, I understand that some folks don't like five or six stages straight of the silly/creative stuff. Some just want to "run-n-gun." So I think (and I could be wrong) the best solution is to have a mix of stages in the match: some "fast" and some creative or thinking stages.

Arcey, I am looking forward to shooting more of your stages and you remain an inspiration to my stage writing.

Cammie, this is an excellent thread, thank you!

From the sunshine State,



AnnieLee

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[Big John Denny]

Haven't been around SASS matches as long as most of you, but what I do like are easy to understand stages, not always easy to shoot, just easy to understand what the shooter is supposed to do. If you got to use a crib sheet to shoot a stage, it's to complicated.

I like targets to be separated some. Several stages I've shot the pistol targets looked like plate racks at a speed shoot. I don't mind bonus targets, but hate bonus gimmicks like throwing cards into a wash bucket. For it to count as a bonus you ought to have to shoot it.

I admit I'm physically impaired and will never sit in a bathtub or mount a barrel horse. If I sat in the tube it would take at least two good men to get me back up. If I fell off the horse and landed on my new fake knee my next mount would be an ambulance to the hospital.

Other then that, I'm game for most anything.

[Missouri Marshal]

Well I ain't no expert but I'm workin on writin my 4th match.  Anytime I go to a match I try to listen to what the other shooters are saying about the stages and consider their comments when writing a match.  I love fun stuff, extra stuff on or off the clock, tossin dynamite, stabbin a bad guy with a knife, Stuff like that.  I was goin ta have a stage where the shooter had to shoot a bow, off the clock, but when I went to see how much the bow and arrows would cost I dropped it.  Would have cost me over $100.  Maybe some other time.  Would like ta shoot from a Horse prop or toss a lasso.  To me it's the extra, fun stuff that separates us from just another target shoot.

    When I write a match, I spend allot of time on the story, try ta use names of my pards that will be shooting it and have it make a little sense.  I like to try and find something different, something the shooters will remember, even if it's just a silly line.  As I have found out, writing a match ain't easy and your always gona have someone that complains about something, well if ya don't like what I write then write one yourself.  I welcome constructive criticism  but don't care for whiners.  One thing that really bothered me at one match I wrote was that the posse marshal didn't even read the story line, jus the round count and firing sequence.  That bothered me, I spent allot of time and thought writing it, do me the courtesy of at least reading it.  I have been told by several of my pards that I do a good job writing matches, I try and do appreciate the positive comments, makes me want to do more so I try to make a point of thanking the match writer.  It's not an easy job.  If ya want ta see the matches I've written, just go to my website at http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2w4h3/

[Arcey]

Thankee fer sayin' so, Annie.

Lemme join ya in sayin' Cammy done good on this thread.


..

[litl rooster]

 This is a good thread....I only got into this type shooting to meet some good folks and have fun...Not to win(ok that's low on the list). Not to sit and complain or was that whine?

[Marauder]

Missouri Marshal,

I'm trying to see your website, but it currently isn't loading.

I like to read other folks work for ideas. 

A few other  things  I also like to see with stages:
I like most to be gunfighter friendly
I like some to be set up so left handed folks have the option to move such that it is easy for them

Sometimes, you can set up the stage where you have to take two or three steps between each gun - moving slightly forward.  It makes it seem like shooting on the run, but with only a 2 or 3 steps, folks essentially can't get in trouble.

Watch for a sale on kids toys and get a cheap bow and arrow set.  They are fun. 
I like some activities, but generally not while on the clock.  Easy things to set up such as thowing rocks, throwing a knife or stabbing a dummy/pillow/stump.  But as mentioned, I prefer that bonus's be shot.  (And bonus's are really only a mind game since they are worth the same 5 seconds generally, but some folks enjoy the idea.)

We have borrowed the bonus idea from Western 3 Gun.  Have a few larger targets with a white circle in the middle and a hit in the white is a 1 second bonus.  The surprising benefit is that fewer folks get misses even if they don't get the bonus.

[Missouri Marshal]

Missouri Marshal,

I'm trying to see your website, but it currently isn't loading.

I like to read other folks work for ideas. 
.

Don't know why it won't load fer ya.  I just hit it and it worked fine.  Ifin yer really interested in the stages I can e-mail them to ya if ya can't git on my site.  Jus let me know.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

MM, how many arrows do you need? I might be able to help.


AnnieLee

[Ozark Iron John]

There's another'n I like called the Christmas Tree pattern.  You run to the first barrel and go around it on your left side.  You've got five strong side White balloons.  Run to the rundown barrell and go around it on your right side.  Rundown the five Red balloons.  Five seconds for missed balloons.  The really fast guys/gals do it less than 20 seconds.  Your's truly is up around 60 seconds.  Yeee!  Haaaw!



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[Camille Eonich]

OIJ...tell us more about the different types of stages in mounted shooting and what makes them easier or more difficult.

Please.....

[Missouri Marshal]

Don't worry about it Annie Lee, I already re-wrote that stage without it.  I wouldn't want to use someone elses stuff anyway, some of them are probably going to catch some shot or splatter and git messed up.  It was  for the Sept Match at West Point, you know how that range is set up.  I have to have enough arrows for an entire posse to shoot the stage without calling a cold range to retrieve them, I wuz figurin about 20, cheapest I could find were about $2.50 each.  That's $50. plus anouther $50 fer a bow.  I know I could get a cheaper compound bow but that jus don't look cowboy(or indian) enough.  I jus got my PP Tax bill on my truck and the city wants it money so no bow and arrows fer awhile.  I'll try it again later.

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

You know what Cammy?
I am so glad that you started this thread.

  I am a newcomer and as green as Kermit the Frog when it comes to knowing or participaing in any of this.
 By getting to read all of the different stage setups and listening to you all talk about it..
It is like I get to "Be there" before I have to "Be there".. ( did that make sense?)

I love listening to Marshal tell me all the escapades that went on in their shooting club in Norway and since he was ""da' man"" there.. he was also generally in charge of setting up and writing the shoots.(The good, the bad and the ugly ..plus the satisfaction in seeing the end results and knowing everyone is having fun)  I know that it takes LOTS of imagination and LOTS of hard work and research  to get the effect and atmosphere that you want.

I have shot some trap and sporting clays with friends quite a bit..but I will be honest in saying that I have been dragging my feet in getting started in actually "shooting in front of people in this sport." 
Marshal just shakes his head and says I will do fine.. but everyone.. even he..remembers what is like being "the new kid on the block"..

Keep up the good threads everyone.. I know that I can speak for many that are just coming in to the sport.. and also those old season veteran's too...
To read everyone's experiences is just like...." Setting around a campfire and getting to  listen to all the great stories" first hand......
Next to...of course...~~~~  Getting to ACTUALLY be there and a be part of it.
((But I'll get there ))

Everyone ..for sharing.

[Ozark Iron John]

OIJ...tell us more about the different types of stages in mounted shooting and what makes them easier or more difficult.

Please.....

There's another one I like shootin, called "Top of the Key".  You ride around the "Top of the Key" and shoot the White balloons from left to right.  You must go outside of the last White one.  Then go around the Rundown barrel and shoot the Red balloons.  My horse does this'n pretty good.  He knows what to do when we head for the Rundown Barrel.  If'n I could just loose fifty pounds, we'd be a whole lot quicker.


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[Ozark Iron John]

The last'n I'll write about it called "The Snake".  You start on the left and weave your way through the Red balloons shooting the White balloons.  The first one you shoot across the horse.  Second, third and fourth you shoot strong side and then weave your way through the Red balloons again.  Shoot the last White balloon across the horse and go for the Rundown barrel.  Round the barrel and shoot the five Red balloons.

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[Sod Buster]

Litl Rooster, sure wish I could be with you and Montana at the SCSC shoot this weekend, but I am too far away.

Jeez, I should start going to those shoots at SCSC.

I've written one match so far, and my favorite stage on that match was the last one. The shooter had to carry a pie around with him as he moved from shooting point to shooting point. The shooting part wasn't complex, but at the end of it, he had to put the pie in the face of a dummy. Since the shooting was over, the pie in the face was off the clock, but you should have seen the vigor the folks put behind that pie throw!

Yup, we all had fun on that stage...the whole match in fact! I hope to see more matches from you.

[litl rooster]

Litl Rooster, sure wish I could be with you and Montana at the SCSC shoot this weekend, but I am too far away.

Jeez, I should start going to those shoots at SCSC.

I've written one match so far, and my favorite stage on that match was the last one. The shooter had to carry a pie around with him as he moved from shooting point to shooting point. The shooting part wasn't complex, but at the end of it, he had to put the pie in the face of a dummy. Since the shooting was over, the pie in the face was off the clock, but you should have seen the vigor the folks put behind that pie throw!

Yup, we all had fun on that stage...the whole match in fact! I hope to see more matches from you.

Where is SCSC?

[Sod Buster]

Where is SCSC?

Saint Charles Sportmans Club in Waldorf, MD
http://www.stcharlessc.com/

There is a match there every 2nd Saturday March-November.

[litl rooster]

Where is SCSC?

Saint Charles Sportmans Club in Waldorf, MD
http://www.stcharlessc.com/

There is a match there every 2nd Saturday March-November.

After  I posted that I went to wildliferangers site, and found it. I have to work tomorrow and will probably thru late November here out.  Thanks for posting iit though.

I had an Ideal for a stage  involving a poker or Faro table. After the last shoot some were whining about sitting down to start the stage. So I am not sure it would work.