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Forced Kneeling

You can take my comment to Dave exactly as it was worded…as I believe it would be interesting to see how someone would do at both given equal experience or inexperience. But, of course, I said that already.

Mike

"You can take my comment to Dave exactly as it was worded". Oh, I did; but decided to be nice rather than come right out and state you were trying to create the illusion Dave had never shot Standing with sticks. An untruth. I simply corrected the record, nicely.

As for it would be interesting to see how someone would do at both given equal experience, of course it would. But seeing as no-one does have equal experience with both positions in field target, we don't know for sure.

However having as much experience at both as anyone, I not only consider a 1.5X multiplier appropriate for both, but have collected data suggesting that true. Others experienced at shooting both ways that can no longer shoot kneeling agree the two positions equally challenging. And as I said already, WE seek no advantage.

It appears only those enjoying their advantage are unwilling to lose their advantage. But of course, I said that already (too).
 
I’ve been following this thread with interest and I’d like to input a recent (yesterday) observation.
And as a person who is getting older, I find the forced positions becoming more challenging. And by challenging I don’t mean I miss more KZ’s. I still run the same percentages of hits I did five years ago and maybe even make a few more from time to time than before but, challenging of a more physical nature.
I truly enjoy shooting FT. The outdoors, the camaraderie, the sport of it all (PLEASE do not call FT a game. That’s what children play. But I will digress on that point as I have read many of the commenting members various posts elsewhere on the forum)
I’m nowhere near a “professional marksman”. My entire rig cost less than most of you have in you optics alone. Not that I can’t afford a more expensive setup but two more KZ’s for me ain’t worth another fifteen hundred…
Back to my observation…
After our club match yesterday I ask the MD if I could go back to the kneeling lane and attempt to shoot the targets again but standing using a bipod. He agreed as long as there wasn’t anyone down range. During the match, I shot 3/4 in kneeling. (I have no idea what the Troyer was for that lane but the match results and Troyer will be posted soon if you have the need to know.)
Standing with sticks, I managed to hit five out of eight (5/8) times, a slightly lower average than kneeling during the match. When I went to the line to do this experiment, I honestly thought I was going to go 8 for 8 or at least 7 for 8. I find the standing in EFT fairly easy but wasn’t the case yesterday. And one of the reasons I wanted to do this was, the club has members (almost a third yesterday) that is challenged in getting up from a kneeling position. I don’t want to see folks discouraged from shooting handicapped because they are themselves handicapped. We need all the shooters we can get. And shooting standing with sticks in lieu of kneeling didn’t give me an advantage it seems.
So my takeaway from this experiment is, if a rule change is going to be made, it needs to tested multiple times by multiple people. Don’t arbitrarily change it to be changing it. Because once you do, the genie is out of the bottle and it hard to put it back but if you do, make sure the genie is in favor of all parties involved and an advantage isn’t taken nor given.

Thank you for your excellent, well-reasoned post Dave.

Thank you also for- 1) Investing the time and effort to conduct an unbiased poll of field target participants disadvantaged in their beloved sport at your club due to ageism, 2) Investing the time and effort to conduct your own unbiased testing of the two positions being discussed in this thread as a fair means to address that ageism discrimination, and 3) Having the courage to report your polling and testing results knowing you'd likely come under fire from those unwilling to surrender their advantage.

However, knowing you well enough to realize you are man of honesty, integrity and conscience, can't say it's any surprise that such an individual possesses the courage to do what's right despite possible repercussions. Sorry that's what happened, but I suspect you expected as much.

Doubtful we'll see similar unbiased polling and/or unskewed testing from the opposition, much less reporting of (unskewed) results.
 
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Is there a definitive description of Standing With Sticks ? as in just where the sticks contact the rifle ? Or where the hand's are in relation to the sticks as in possibly the fore hand is in front of the stick/yoke and the yoke is at the mid balance point of the rifle ? Or is this just a personal preference as to how one holds everything ?
 
Is there a definitive description of Standing With Sticks ? as in just where the sticks contact the rifle ? Or where the hand's are in relation to the sticks as in possibly the fore hand is in front of the stick/yoke and the yoke is at the mid balance point of the rifle ? Or is this just a personal preference as to how one holds everything ?

No, there isn't. As I understand it that's because the individual largely responsible for Extreme Field Target founding and promotion purposely wants to avoid over-regulation(s), in hopes of also avoiding the EFT rules becoming something/anything like the (thirty-page) AAFTA handbook.
 
I feel that off hand or unsupported shots are part of the skill set for FT. Standing puts everyone in the the same degree of freedom, but kneeling usually helps remove some degrees of freedom or movement if you can kneel. That is why the Kill Zones tend to be smaller for kneeling. I don’t see a flood of young people into FT and if I look at the photos on line of FT matches, I’m betting the average age is closer to 60 than 40. If you want to chase people out of FT start penalizing them for getting old and having artificial knees. Have a sitting lane with no sticks or have a standing mono pod or have some other positions that don’t tend to penalize age and arthritis.
 
How are things going to get better if we won't try anything new/different?

Mix it up, try new requirements, keep it a living format. Require 4 offhand targets, kneeling optional for maximum of 2 of the 4. Let the shooter strategize by selecting which targets to comply with forced position requirements... it would make the shoot more interesting as it would add to the strategy.

If we wanted to shoot the same/limited format, shooting 25 times on the same card, unchanging, we know where to go.
 
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How are things going to get better if we won't try anything new/different?

Mix it up, try new requirements, keep it a living format. Require 4 offhand targets, kneeling optional for maximum of 2 of the 4. Let the shooter strategize by selecting which targets to comply with forced position requirements... it would make the shoot more interesting as it would add to the strategy.

If we wanted to shoot the same/limited format, shooting 25 times on the same card, unchanging, we know where to go.
That is already is in place .... Can't kneel ?, shoot it offhand.
If a competitor CAN NOT do any of the harder & more demanding "Forced Positions" then it's tough to run with the top dogs who can.
A Simple & harsh reality of the FT game !!
 
I have never been excited to shoot forced positions and started Field Target at 50% or less. Most of my competitors shoot really well and our matches are won or lost by one or two points. Now, I never shoot without practicing these positions. My average is 75% now, still working toward a 100%.
I've been down 2 points and finished in fifth place. That just makes me try harder.
 
I have never been excited to shoot forced positions and started Field Target at 50% or less. Most of my competitors shoot really well and our matches are won or lost by one or two points. Now, I never shoot without practicing these positions. My average is 75% now, still working toward a 100%.
I've been down 2 points and finished in fifth place. That just makes me try harder.
When you start to average +/- 90% you will be among the top shooters at any match. While some do clean a course in rare occasions, shooting at 100% sounds great !!!
 
isn’t it already within the current rules to set up a course with the required number of forced positions being all offhand?

If so, that solves all the bad knee issues without changing the rules at all.

Mike
Yes, that was my original point. For GP matches, the rules say that there have to be a certain number of forced position shots, but they don't specify kneeling or off-hand. The only place in the rules that dictate kneeling shots is in the shoot-off rules for GP matches.
 
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As a 70 something year old friend of mine in Cajun Country says...if you cant shoot the kneeling lanes kneeling, feel free to stand. I totally agree. How has this subject gone on 12 pages? Get out and shoot and have fun. Its not like were winning thousands of dollars at our monthly shoots or national shoots, or World shoots. I was just in England at Worlds HFT competition, and the winner who shot 113/120, took home some plaques and a silver cup. See you guys down the road. BC
 
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"How has this subject gone on 12 pages?"

Heck, I don't know how opposing opinions could bicker on endlessly...

In 2023. But I'll hazard a wild guess.

Humans like to talk. Next they'll be singing about talking.🙄


And naming bands about talking.😡 Then those bands will be make songs about talking.🤬


WHERE DOES IT ALL END?!😤
 
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Yes, that was my original point. For GP matches, the rules say that there have to be a certain number of forced position shots, but they don't specify kneeling or off-hand. The only place in the rules that dictate kneeling shots is in the shoot-off rules for GP matches.
The decision between kneeling and offhand for Forced Position shots is up to the Match Director.
Here is the GP rule for Forced Position shots:
At least 10 but no more than 20 shots for the overall match must be Forced Position shots, with a
minimum hit-zone of 3/4" and a maximum distance of 45 yards.


If enough of the commenters on this thread come to attend the ROT GP at ASC in November 17-19, I will make ALL of the forced position shots standing. Who will accept this offer?
 
The decision between kneeling and offhand for Forced Position shots is up to the Match Director.
Here is the GP rule for Forced Position shots:
At least 10 but no more than 20 shots for the overall match must be Forced Position shots, with a
minimum hit-zone of 3/4" and a maximum distance of 45 yards.


If enough of the commenters on this thread come to attend the ROT GP at ASC in November 17-19, I will make ALL of the forced position shots standing. Who will accept this offer?

Kneeling lanes are fine. We should ban oversized sidewheels and sticks from the Hunter class.
 
The decision between kneeling and offhand for Forced Position shots is up to the Match Director.
Here is the GP rule for Forced Position shots:
At least 10 but no more than 20 shots for the overall match must be Forced Position shots, with a
minimum hit-zone of 3/4" and a maximum distance of 45 yards.


If enough of the commenters on this thread come to attend the ROT GP at ASC in November 17-19, I will make ALL of the forced position shots standing. Who will accept this offer?
That’s a great offer, Jeff. It will completely solve the disability issue in a most equitable manner, while simultaneously exposing those who were actually looking to modify the format for their own benefit.

Best of all, it requires no rule changes. Great proposal!

Mike
 
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