[Zig-zag]

Hold points and focal points can be hard to find consistency in the dark sky. Especially if you hold a high gun. Also a lot of people tend to shoot quicker in the dark and throws off your timing. I think it’s cuz you can see the target better at night.

 

[WadHopper]

It's not uncommon to get to a club early, shoot a couple rounds during daylight then have the club reset targets (which translates to a few extra cranks on the spring) before starting the program. That's when the scores drop off. That's also part of the reason I quit shooting at night.

 

[mjfish]

I first started shooting at night under lights. Then when I got back into shooting in shoot in the daytime. I switched to red lenses and it makes the targets really pop. Especially against a dark background. I was never a fan of yellow lenses but they do help in low light conditions.

 

[flashmax]

I shoot best in the day. But at night under the lights not a good.
Eyesight is perfect. Gun is great. The birds look like they are on fire under the lights. No problem there. It’s gotta be the reaction time is slower after a long day. Tried napping before. Tea, Mountain Dew. Any ideas?

Under the lights your beads look taller and are MUCH more prominent in your peripheral vision as you swing your shotgun to the target. Also their position seems to shift as you change posts. Combine that with backscatter of light off the inside of your shooting glasses and you’ve got lower scores.

So. Use side shields on your shooting glasses and something like a magic marker on your beads to kill the glare off them.

Then get back to us.

 

[vatrap]

I shoot best in the day. But at night under the lights not a good.
Eyesight is perfect. Gun is great. The birds look like they are on fire under the lights. No problem there. It’s gotta be the reaction time is slower after a long day. Tried napping before. Tea, Mountain Dew. Any ideas?

A lot of it depends on the targets, black rim targets look a lot smaller and faster at night (they aren't but it gives the appearance) and you also lose some depth perception in full dark. Like some others have said don't use a "glow" type sight, it's a real distraction for some people. Probably the biggest thing in my experience is you generally don't see the target as quickly due to the shadow cast by the traphouse in the middle stations so be more aware about moving the gun before you really see the target. Different backgrounds will give you some different looks, especially in that period between late dusk and full dark, also something to watch. Side blinders can also help with back cast off of of the lights.

 

[Big Az Al]

Focus on the bird,
The first streak of the bird under lights is going to be brighter and look faster. So concentrating on truly seeing the bird before you move is make or break.

Reacting to the bird while it looks to have a comet tail, before it becomes a bird makes me jump through it either shooting to soon or lifting my head to see where it went.

The timing is really no different day to night but visual trickery is immensely different.

At some shoots shoot offs get in under the lights. Gaining confidence shooting twilight and dark with the lights can only help.

Working at "see the bird!" And the streak is not the bird you are trying to see will help it make sense. The streak should bring your eye to the bird

but you shouldn't move your gun while the streak or comet tail is still your view of the bird.

An odd thing is that when I slow it down this way while it seems slower I break the bird sooner.

Al

 

[povs9]

Thanks everyone! New thing to try.

 

[John55]

I started on night targets over 50yrs ago, was several years before I shot any day time matches. Back then we shot white targets, about 20yrs ago the clubs switched to all orange when lights improved. Never has bothered me to shoot at night, in fact I prefer it! You don’t see much of the background unless it’s really close and that can throw off your depth perception until you’re used to night shooting. Some folks struggle while others excel, same as in day time.

 

[visible chip]

Shooting in the dark sucks. I recommend you avoid it.

 

[flashmax]

Shooting in the dark sucks. I recommend you avoid it.

Nah. It’s just that you suck at doing it in the dark!

evil grin <

 

[Big Az Al]

Shooting in the dark sucks. I recommend you avoid it.

I alluded to shoot offs, if avoid shooting under lights? What do you do when you shoot your way into a shoot off when the lights come on?

Just have fun and learn before you have (maybe, unless you know that will never happen) to find out!

Al

 

[John55]

I alluded to shoot offs, if avoid shooting under lights? What do you do when you shoot your way into a shoot off when the lights come on?

Just have fun and learn before you have (maybe, unless you know that will never happen) to find out!

Al

Those that can’t or won’t learn to shoot under the lights are typically the first ones knocked out of the shoot offs. Makes it easier for the ones that excel in it.

 

[likemybrownings]

It's not uncommon to get to a club early, shoot a couple rounds during daylight then have the club reset targets (which translates to a few extra cranks on the spring) before starting the program. That's when the scores drop off. That's also part of the reason I quit shooting at night.

I am more thinking Wadhopper has to be back to the Roost before the rooster is in his nest, preventing peckertracks about himself?
Not so much about lighting on the trap field as the self perseveration?
Who said that??

 

[WadHopper]

I am more thinking Wadhopper has to be back to the Roost before the rooster is in his nest, preventing peckertracks about himself?
Not so much about lighting on the trap field as the self perseveration?
Who said that??

My roost would change at the drop of a hat and the hen knows. I quit playing that game a decade ago. That's why there's no ring.

I've tried blacking out the bead and all the other stuff but when the target's in another zip code by the time I catch it, it serves nothing but to destroy my ATA shooting habits. The majority of my targets are shot in daylight and I plan to keep it that way 😉

 

[likemybrownings]

My roost would change at the drop of a hat and the hen knows. I quit playing that game a decade ago. That's why there's no ring.

I've tried blacking out the bead and all the other stuff but when the target's in another zip code by the time I catch it, it serves nothing but to destroy my ATA shooting habits. The majority of my targets are shot in daylight and I plan to keep it that way 😉

I was considering the Chicken Rooster, The other stuff is between you and the domestic Hen! LOL

 

[Champion II]

You guys need to take lessons from boys in the hood they do a good job shooting at night. Look at the totals on the night shoots in Chicago, Baltimore, and New York City they have it figured out.

 

[visible chip]

Nah. It’s just that you suck at doing it in the dark!

I alluded to shoot offs, if avoid shooting under lights? What do you do when you shoot your way into a shoot off when the lights come on?

Just have fun and learn before you have (maybe, unless you know that will never happen) to find out!

Al

I shoot just fine in the dark, though I don't like it.

I try to avoid it because only prostitutes and muggers should work in the dark. And miners too, I suppose.

 

[Rhodesengr]

I love night shooting. I have only been shooting for about 18 months but I noticed early on that I tended to do better at night. That is still the case. I try to figure everything out but I am not sure I have this one figured out yet. I have some ideas. For one thing, the background is more uniform at night: basically just black. During the day, the background is more prominent and maybe causes distraction; sky, trees, dirt. The target moves from one to the other: sky to tree, tree to sky, etc. At night, there is usually less wind. I don't know but I do better. The ONLY thing I don't like about night shooting is needing bug spray. In the last month, I have started experimenting with lens colors to improve my daytime shooting. Kind of liking the Colormag lens I have the lightest one. The orange really pops almost like it's glowing but I still see a lot of background.

 

[spitter]

I shoot best in the day. But at night under the lights not a good.
Eyesight is perfect. Gun is great. The birds look like they are on fire under the lights. No problem there. It’s gotta be the reaction time is slower after a long day. Tried napping before. Tea, Mountain Dew. Any ideas?

You're human, nothing is perfect... want to be better when shooting under lights, then put in time and practice under lights...

If you're honest with your practice you'll see improvement over time.