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Bury the dog, should you have a bad day shooting!

2367 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  trapshooterjoe7, 
senior smoke
Hello:
Last night I went to an area gun club to purchase some shot. While there, I see a young man dejected over shooting a poor score. As I watched him shoot his second round, his so called body language appeared that he mentally had given up while shooting and his score plummeted even more this round.

As he came back into the club house he was noticeably upset over his shooting. I introduced myself to him and asked him what was wrong? In his mind, the world was coming to an end as these were league scores he just shot, and he felt he let his team down.

I told him "Bury the dog" and move on. He asked me what does that mean? I said everyone has bad days, even All Americans. When yo have a poor day shooting forget about it, hence the saying, "Bury the dog" and get over it.

I asked him how often he shoots? he said 50 targets a week. I said do you honestly think that you shoot enough to be on top of your game each and every week, just shooting 50 targets per week? I told him we are not professionals, and all you and your teammates can expect is that you give you and your teammates 100% effort each week. I told him when you shot your last round I was watching, and it looked to me like you were mentally giving up even before you shot your first target. I told him one of the best things about the shooting sports is that you are only as good as your last shoot. Good or bad, you can always look forward to posting a good score the next time you shoot.

As I was leaving I suggested that he not dwell on poor scores as you just can't get those missed targets back. Look forward to the next time you shoot, and give you and your team 100% effort. Win or lose, that's all you and your team can expect from one another. Told him in every sport, you need to "Bury the dog" and move on.
Steve Balistreri
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senior smoke

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Discussion Starter · #2 ·
tigman46:
I think he did listen. There are numerous newer shooters at area gun clubs that may possibly benefit to this thread. When I first started out, when I shot poorly, which was often, I would come home and I ruined my weekend and also my wife's. One day she said to me "I thought trap shooting was suppose to be fun"? This sport is addictive, and most of us think we are better shooters than we actually are. I started to enjoy trapshooting more once I realized to embrace the good days and forget about the poor shooting days. Let's face reality here, most of us would like to be good enough to make the shooting sports a career, fact is, there are only a handful of shooters capable of actually accomplish this feat.
Steve
 
wolfram

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#3 ·
Even worse than a person beating themselves up over a low score is when some other team member makes a big deal over it. This trap shooting just isn't that important but what is important are the relationships you form in the process.

Good advice you gave to the guy who was down on his luck Steve, in the end you both walked away feeling better about yourselves.
 
senior smoke

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Discussion Starter · #4 ·
Wolfgram:
I agree with you about teammates making a big deal over shooting poorly. All this does is usually make the person that is having a bad day shooting, shoot worse. Years ago, I had a very bad day shooting on a 5 man team shoot. The guy who was shooting above his average, made comments to me with every target that I missed. His comments added more pressure on me, resulting in more losses for me and the team.

After the shoot he pointed out how I ruined the team and I would never be asked to shoot on his team again. He then took it a step further and told everyone in front of the club house how I ruined his team. I took him behind the club house and told him that I hope he is never in the same situation as I, shooting the low score on a 5 man team. I told him I learned a lot about him and shooting that day, and we went our separate ways.

Same thing can be said about shooters yelling at pullers. I have never met a puller, male or female, that wanted to do a poor job. I am totaling against yelling at a trap boy or girl as the result will be even worse pulling. This is my opinion, anyone who yells at a puller should be escorted off the grounds. There is a proper way to speak to these young men and women, and yelling at them is not the way.

One quick story, the same guy that I was just talking about at the 5 man team shoot above, years ago was shooting a ATA event at an area gun club. A young teenage boy was pulling, supposedly slow pulling this particular shooter, and this shooter went crazy on the boy. The young man went to get his older brother who was also the guy running the shoot. Let's just say the shooter never finished his round, and was told not to come back.
Steve
 
dhip

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#5 ·
Well,I'm there,but as posted,keep reminding myself,I do it for fun.I make a point to let anyone know it also,if they ask how I did,I tell them,followed by,I try to remember it's for the fun of it.Haven't met anyone yet that disagrees,in fact several have commented ,more people,including theirselves need to remember that.Competition will take care of itself,having fun so I don't lose interest is first.

Doug H.
 
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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
Bill:
Here is a short story about holding a grudge. Years ago at a local club two old timers I knew had not spoken to one another for years. They just happened to be at the club at the same time that day, and I asked one of them why don't you guys shoot or speak to one another as you two use to be best of friends? He said in the late 60's they went fishing and he asked the other guy to pick up some night crawlers and meet him at the lake. He said I paid him $1.60 for the worms and he thinks I never paid him.

I said you both broke up a friendship over worms and a $1.60? He said yes, as he called me a liar when I told him that I paid him. I should have stayed out of it, but I go up to the other guy and he verified the reason they were no longer friends. I offered to give him the money for the worms and he refused.

I tried to get them together with no luck. At that time one of them was 86, and the other 88. A couple years later when the 88 year old was told that his old friend passed away, he took out his handkerchief and was seen whipping the tears from his eyes. All over some worms???????Absolutely insane!!!
Steve
 
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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
tigman46:
I looked it up on the internet, and I see it's the oldest operating brewing company in the United States, established in 1829. I grow up in Milwaukee of all places, and I never heard of it? I don't drink much beer, but I am sure my friends have heard of it.
Steve
 
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