Canadian Airgun Field Target Association

Tag: Air Rifle

  • HAHA Season Opener – 2026 April 11

    Hi guys, this ones going to be short and sweet.

    We had a great season opener at HAHA on Saturday with 23 shooters, 4 new to HAHA – Tom B, Hector S, Graham A and Bruce Mc .

    Just a couple of quick observations and then the scores:

    • Open PCP and Open Piston had identical winning scores of 45/ 60
    • Hunter PCP and Hunter Piston had identical scores of 100/120
    • Was great day for Peter E, 44 for a win in the Modified PCP
    • Dave D hit 100 first match of the year and for the win in Hunter PCP
    • Nathon S shot a 93 for a personal best I believe.

    See you at Port on April 25!

    Bob W
    Match Director

    Scores:

    NameScoreDivisionClase
    Ted M45OpenPiston
    Magdy H45OpenPCP
    Peter E44ModifiedPCP
    Larry Y39ModifiedPCP
    Tom B38ModifiedPCP
    Raymond C36ModifiedPCP
    James L25ModifiedPCP
    Tom K100HunterPiston
    Rob W100HunterPiston
    Brian W99HunterPiston
    Mike P94Hunter Piston
    Nathon S93HunterPiston
    Tony L92HunterPiston
    Marc S91HunterPiston
    Graham A59HunterPiston
    Dave D100HunterPCP
    Rob G97HunterPCP
    Jon M89HunterPCP
    Ashley W82HunterPCP
    Dave W62HunterPCP
    Bruce 47HunterPCP
    Hector S34HunterPCP
    Bob WDNFHunterPCP

  • Mental Training

    by HS

    Mental training

    For my third and final instalment, a few works on mental training.

    It seems as though any time shooters discuss practice, training, or competitions, there are many topics and at least as many opinions.  This is good and the more we share and exchange knowledge, the richer our experience becomes. 

    The subject of the mental aspects of shooting certainly comes up in these situations.  Here are a few thoughts on the subject. 

    Just as live fire lends itself to increasing skill level for field target shooting, mental training can be a more efficient method to improve in other areas. 

    If you spend enough time at the range you will hear people honestly state that they’ve experienced being nervous on occasion at competitions.  What sort of situations might trigger this? 

    For some people they might get anxious at the beginning of the match and don’t really settle down until they’ve fired a few shots on score.  For others it might occur on the kneeling lane. 

    Match pressure may hit someone who is on the verge of shooting a personal best.  How do we deal with these situations?

    The symptoms of match pressure can include increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, muscle tremors, and inability to focus on the task at hand. 

    One strategy to address this are relaxation exercises.  Progressive relaxation involves focusing on part of the body, tensing those muscles, and then relaxing those same muscles. 

    You can learn to do this sitting at home.  As you do so, also work on relaxing your mind and clearing it of negative thoughts, and instead focus on calming yourself. 

    In the interest of time I will abbreviate the description here, but there is information you can search online if this might help you. 

    • The idea is to begin in a comfortable position. 
    • Contract the muscles in your head; clench your jaw, your eyes, your neck. 
    • Hold the contraction for perhaps 20 or 30 seconds. 
    • Then, release the contraction and relax.  Focus on this feeling, enjoy it, and repeat if needed. 
    • Next do the same first with one arm, then the other arm. 
    • Start with the shoulder, then the upper arm, the lower arm, and finally the hand. 
    • Continue on with your back, your torso, legs, and all the way down to your feet. 

    You will be surprised at the effect it can have on you. 

    Whole body relaxation exercises can be done at home at your convenience.  You can do them before you dry fire or before you leave for the range, or at the range as required. 

    Some say that if your body is relaxed, your mind relaxes as well. 

    Accordingly, this counteracts the effects of match pressure and puts you in control of your physical and mental state.

    This feeling of control in turn increases your confidence during competition. 

    You will find that with practice you can learn to achieve a relaxed state through mental effort only.  While this has been a long path to get to the mental training aspect, you can see how they relate to each other, that being, physical relaxation is used to prepare us for mental relaxation, and then task focus. 

    If this sounds like something that can work for you, consider using the technique proactively. 

    • Incorporate it into your training routine.  Work on simply relaxing one or two specific areas, such as the bicep and the shoulder. 
    • A good time to use it is while you are stretching in preparation for shooting. 
    • Use it as part of your routine on match days rather than only in response to match pressure situations. 

    Another mental training technique is affirmation.  We all have strengths and weaknesses. 

    If we were to create either a physical or mental list of our strengths and weaknesses we can incorporate them into our training. 

    Our weaknesses are:

    • Acknowledged and training strategies developed to systematically address them. 
    • We are not ignoring them but making positive steps through training to change them into strengths over time. 
    • We do not dwell on our weaknesses. 

    Our strengths are:

    • Affirmed and acknowledged
    • Repeating them
    • This reinforces a positive and realistic self-image.

    Perhaps the night before a match you sit down and reflect on your strengths. 

    Think about how you’ve made time to exercise regularly, how much your standing position has improved, how you’ve gained confidence in shooting in the wind, or your other achievements. 

    You may reflect on how your equipment is in top shape, how you have spare parts on hand if needed, or how you’ve addressed deficiencies in your last match in preparation for this match. 

    You may even want to write them down.  Doing so promotes and reinforces confidence in your proven abilities that you can carry into every competition. 

    When actually shooting in either practice or competition you can acknowledge a perfect shot by simply stating to yourself, “that’s like me”, or something similar. 

    Use the method to reinforce your good performance often and create good habits.

    Just as positive affirmations can become part of your preparation, the technique of mental rehearsal can also be used to positively reinforce desired behaviour. 

    No doubt you’ve heard the expression, “practice makes perfect”.  Mental training advocates believe, “perfect practice makes perfect”. 

    Expert opinions vary when it comes to declaring how much task repetition is required before someone becomes expert in their sport, or even to develop a habit. 

    Mental training, done properly, gives that repetition.  

    However, the vast majority of us are not at the top level of our sport and thus are not in a position to “practice perfectly”, rather we are better served by improving the technical and physical aspects of our skill inventory. 

    Those at the top of the sport are not the target audience for this article. 

    The concern for the rest of us is that mental rehearsal may reinforce bad habits, and accordingly, we should not introduce it into our training prematurely.  Instead, we can use mental rehearsal to experience other aspects of our event.

    Having said that, sooner or later we all experience that perfect shot where we do everything correctly and are rewarded with a dead centre hit, a fallen target, and perfect follow through. 

    That is the time where we should mentally replay in detail what we did to achieve that perfect result.  The idea is to make it as real as possible in our mind. 

    Replay the environmental conditions (lighting, wind, mirage, temperature), your pre-shot routine, your hold, checking the wind, the shot, the recoil, the follow through, the centre impact of the shot, the target falling, and your perfect follow through, and your affirmation, “that’s like me”. 

    Re-experience the perfection of the shot in exact detail several times and take satisfaction in your perfect performance as you deserve.  When on the firing line, this takes seconds not minutes, though it is advisable to record it in detail in your shooting diary when time permits. 

    The opposite is also true, that being, in the event of a poor shot, we do not dwell upon it, and simply move on to the next shot. 

    When mentally rehearsing there are two variations of the technique that I will attempt to describe. 

    • Method 1 is described as you seeing something through your own eyes just like everyday life. 
    • Method 2, is described as you watching yourself as someone else would as a spectator, or as though you were an actor in a movie. 

    Method 1 lends itself to rehearsing the personal or micro level of the act of shooting.  You see the crosshair, target, and other details. 

    Method 2 rehearsal allows you to observe the details of your shooting position from the same perspective as everyone else does. 

    Either method may be employed to rehearse non-shooting technique elements.  For example, we can envision preparing our gear, packing it in the car, and driving to the range.  We can imagine the details of arriving, greeting people, setting up, stretching, identifying wind indicators, etc. 

    We visualize and rehearse doing things correctly, and meeting or exceeding our goals for the day. 

    More specific to HFT/FT is mentally rehearsing a shoot off.  This is a situation that is not easily replicated during range sessions, nor is it necessarily the best use of scarce range time. 

    The benefit of mental rehearsal is the ability to create a shoot off in our mind and experience each element under a controlled environment. 

    All things being equal, the competitor who took the time in training to rehearse a shoot off may be said to have an advantage over someone who has never been through it in any form. 

    How else could we incorporate mental training into our training program?  I would suggest it is beneficial when:

    • you need help moving past a training plateau (stuck at a certain score)
    • are facing a perceived/mental barrier (want to clean the standing lanes),
    • or when you need to make unfamiliar territory more familiar and comfortable to address. 

    The exact situations are yours to determine. 

    In closing, the shooting sports are incredibly satisfying by simply enjoying live fire practice at the range.  If you are inclined to consider additional choices designed to increase your enjoyment, perhaps some of the information here will be of benefit to you.

  • Goal Setting

    by HS

    This is the second instalment in my exploration of becoming a more capable shooter. Here we focus on goal setting. 

    Previously we suggested an approach to prepare for the goal setting exercise.  Here we will build upon the products of our self-reflection and initial priority development.  At this stage our focus shifts to what we want to do/accomplish.  These become our goals or objectives, and from there we create a training plan to follow in order to achieve them.

    When discussing training for shooting It is important to recognize the value of live fire practice.  Regardless of the shooting sport, time spent firing rounds downrange is the most crucial element to success for the greatest number of people. 

    Physical and mental training have their place but expertise is best developed by live fire.  Too often you learn of shooters from a variety of shooting disciplines claiming shooting is 90% mental or something similar. 

    The physicality of shooting requires muscular development, control, and fine motor coordination.  The body must learn to accommodate the new demands of the activity and this is accomplished by training over time, and accelerated and maintained by targeted exercise. 

    Effective training accelerates progress.  For those relatively few world class shooters, the claim that shooting is 90% mental, is far more valid since the skill gap is very small. Those same world class shooters certainly fired tens of thousands of shots to get to their level.

    Obviously a detailed or formal approach is not needed by most.  Many people can obtain tremendous enjoyment with a simple approach.  This could be vowing to shoot 250 pellets per week or having one range day in the week prior to a competition and then competing in the match.  For other people more might be needed and desired.

    Traditionally recreational shooters go to their clubs once or twice a week and practice.  Over time the repetition of this practice results in improvement. 

    Goal setting and focused training has the potential to increase the rate of this improvement.  Increasing the frequency of practice triggers something referred to as the training effect. 

    Those who modify their practice habits to benefit from the training effect are most likely to improve.  It’s been suggested frequent training yields greater benefits than infrequent, long duration training sessions, and that benefits of the training effect begin to appear when frequency of training is at least 4 times per week. 

    Since few of us are able to visit an outdoor range 4 or more times per week the question becomes how we can organize ourselves to progress. 

    Let’s do this first for new shooters and then for somewhat more experienced shooters. 

    New Shooters

    A beginning shooter interested in competing would recognize that they are better served to concentrate on goals that have them learning the sport and getting the basics in place, before they set out to achieve a certain score or win a competition. 

    You might want to refer to goals in this format as training objectives.  Such an individual might create something like this:

    Immediate goals (present to 4 weeks):

    • visit range, learn safety rules, meet club members
    •  buy 3 batches of pellets, group test pellets, bulk purchase preferred pellet
    • learn HFT/FT sitting position basics
    • learn natural area of aim/natural point of aim concept
    • establish zero distance
    • create Range/DOPE card for 10 yards to zero distance in 5 yard increments, i,.e., 10, 15, 20, 25, to zero
    • create Range/DOPE card using ballistic program (Chairgun etc.) for 10 to 55 yards.
    • create recording system to document session results and progress
    • enter competitions as available

    These immediate goals can be inferred to meet the SMART criteria without creating elaborate goal statements.  However, some people may choose to write out goal statements for each and check them off as they are completed.  Doing so might provide satisfaction and/or reinforcement.  The choice is always yours.

    Example:

    Goal 5:  I will have a verified Range/DOPE card completed no later than my 5th range session for the following distances 10, 15, 20, 25 (zero) yards.  ACHIEVED/UNACHIEVED (circle to indicate)

    Short term goals (4 to 8 weeks):

    •  progress in sitting position using 40mm targets to achieve 40% to 100% proficiency.
    •  introduction to kneeling position building and establishment of natural area of aim.
    • create Range/DOPE card for zero distance to 55 yards in 5 yard increments, i.e., 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 yards.
      • shoot 10 shots kneeling each range session.
    • enter competitions as available

    Medium term goals (9 to 12 weeks):

    •  maintain sitting proficiency using 40mm targets to achieve 60% to 100% proficiency.
    •  develop kneeling proficiency using 40mm targets to achieve 30% to 100% proficiency.
    • introduction to standing position building and establishment of natural area of aim.
    • shoot 10 shots standing each range session.
    • enter competitions as available

    Long term goals (beyond 12 weeks):

    • participate in National Championships
    •  increase sitting proficiency using 40mm targets to achieve 75% to 100% proficiency.
    •  maintain kneeling proficiency using 40mm targets to achieve 30% to 100% proficiency.
    • maintain standing proficiency using 40mm targets to achieve 30% to 100% proficiency.
    • at season’s end review progress, self-reflect, create new goals for upcoming events.

    Intermediate/Experienced Shooters

    Other shooters might be competitive shooters with a few seasons of experience who derive their enjoyment from shooting matches. 

    The goals and training program they create will be different from the newcomer, whose time frame is shorter/limited to the actual outdoor season.  Such competitors might categorize their shooting activities as follows (physical, technical, skills, tools, & techniques, mental, equipment, gunsmithing, rest/break) and address them over the calendar year. 

    Their long range goal might be to represent their country at an international match in 2 years time.  Accordingly, to qualify, they set their main goal for this season (mid-term goal) at the National Championships in September.

    Goal Example:  I will attend our National Championships in September and will average a minimum of 45/60 over the course of the event.

    Physical:              

    • Sport Specific
      • ability to adopt the sitting, standing, kneeling positions.
      • ability to hold the gun still in sitting, standing, kneeling positions.
      • General Conditioning
      • aerobic, anaerobic, strength, endurance, flexibility.

    Technical:           

    • competence/expertise in the 3 positions sufficient to yield desired scores. 
    • build/modify positions to shrink the natural area of aim to a natural point of aim.          

    Develop/modify shot plan.

    • Integrate monitoring of environmental factors (wind, mirage, light, etc.),breath control, hold, trigger break, and follow through (“put it altogether”).

    Skills, tools,Techniques:       

    • Develop shot calling skills, wind reading, shooting within time limits.
    •  Learn to shoot uphill or downhill.
    •  Learn to modify positions for uneven ground.

    Mental:

    • Learn relaxation techniques,
    • Learn visualization/mental rehearsal techniques, for various situations such as general match nerves, going “clean” on a lane/course, tie breakers/shoot-offs.

    Equipment:        

    • Purchase new accessories/equipment.
    • Clean barrel, clean and maintain rifle.
    •  Clean telescopic sight
    • Check rings, mounts, MOA rails.
    • Torque all screws-rings, mounts, rails, action screws, etc.

    Rest/break: 

    • Time off from shooting

    Gunsmithing: 

    • Equipment repair
    • Upgrading by using a professional gun smith

    The experienced competitor acknowledges that within the broad categories identified above (physical, technical, skills, tools, & techniques, mental, equipment, gunsmithing, rest/break), there is room for improvement that will increase the likelihood of attaining their primary goal. 

    A training program is a tool to achieve their goals.  It is not just the content of the plan that leads to success. 

    Attitude is important also.  Simply firing shots down range without purpose does not lead to maximum benefits.  

    The athlete needs to direct the appropriate level of effort to reach their challenging goals.  Without the required physical and mental effort to create the needed stimulus, progress will be retarded.

    Sample abbreviated 12 month plan.

    November:

    • Season over. 
    • Maintain equipment. 
    • Arrange gunsmithing if needed. 
    • Take a break from shooting. 
    • Maintain/improve general physical conditioning.  Rest.

    December:

    • Analyze and reflect on completed season, results, goal attainment. 
    • Plan new range training sessions. 
    • Plan mental training. 
    • Purchase needed equipment. 
    • If you shoot, shoot for fun as opposed to serious practice, or get some cross training via 10m air rifle or smallbore. 
    • Get a new diary for next season, prepare and organize results/data collection resources. 
    • Maintain/improve general physical conditioning. 
    • Rest.

    January:

    • General physical training ramps up and remains at a high level for January, February, and March. 
    • Low volume indoor range training such as 10m HFT/FT, 10m ISSF, or smallbore. 
    • Gain comfort with new equipment and evaluate the impact of these changes.

    February:

    • General physical training continues. 
    • Sport specific physical training begins to include exercise to increase comfort/endurance in kneeling and standing positions-support arm, core/trunk/back, legs. 
    • Additionally, holding exercises (no dry fire, no live fire) for standing and kneeling at home in full gear. 
      • Aim for 15-30 minute sessions. 
      • Mental rehearsal may be included here. 
        • This might include a mental review of your shot plan, rehearse acquiring your sight picture, breathing, holding, breaking shot, follow through. 
        • Then immediately perform this with your unloaded rifle. 
        • Set the rifle down, repeat. 

    March:

    • General physical training continues. 
    • Sport specific physical training continues. 
    • Increase indoor holding exercises at home or live fire at an approved indoor range. 
      • While your expertise may result in tight groups in the sitting position due to the short distance of the indoor range, this is not routinely the case for standing and kneeling. 
    • Regardless, increase your shot volume.

    April:

    • Transitioning from indoor training to outdoor training is possible. 
      • Regardless, maintain increased shot volume.  Group test pellets if needed outdoors. 
    • Shoot a minimum of one 60 shot course either in practice or at a competition for use as a baseline performance level. 

    May: 

    • Physical training is at maintenance levels so as to not interfere (tremors, pain, fatigue) with range practice. 
    • Range practice kicks into high gear. 
    • Matches may be entered or range days substituted. 
    • Outdoor practice sessions are now the norm and thus skills best practiced outdoors may now be incorporated. 

    June:

    • June continues much like May. 
    • Treat this month’s match as a dress rehearsal for your big match in August. 
    • Adjust your training sessions to target improvement in desired elements.

    July: 

    • July continues much like May and June. 
    • Treat this month’s match as a dress rehearsal for your big match in August. 
    • At this point you have made all the big improvements that have been possible and now are fine tuning for the big match. 
    • Make no major changes in your positions or gear. 

    August:

    • This is Nationals month and you are ready. 
    • By now you should know how many days before the match you should stop training so that you are rested and ready to compete, but not out of practice. 
    • On match day your job is to perform to your best and you have developed a strong base to carry you through the competition. 
    • Following the match you may want to take a few days off. 
      • You need to decide if you need to do so. 
      • Alternately, you can continue to train and keep the momentum going. 
      • A reasonable approach might be to shoot the match on the weekend and then take Monday, Tuesday off and get to the range on Wednesday, then evaluate the effectiveness of the session. 
    • Get back to your general physical training regardless.

    September:

    • How you train in September depends on what you want to accomplish. 
    • At a minimum, you will want to train at maintenance level.  
    • You may want to treat the upcoming monthly match as another big match and go for personal bests. 
    • You may also choose to practice intensely to maximize improvement in a certain area as you did in May and June.

    October:

    • Knowing your season will likely wrap up in November, October is your last month to train hard. 
    • If any aspects of your previous training feels unfinished, you have this time to put in the work.

    November:

    • Season over. 
    • Maintain equipment. 
    • Arrange gunsmithing if needed. 
    • Take a break from shooting. 
    • Maintain/improve general physical conditioning. 
    • Rest.

    Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced shooter, progress can be enhanced by changing our dreams and aspirations to goals and objectives.

    Organized training can improve the odds of achieving our goals and help you get what you want out of the sport.

  • Introduction to Goal Setting

    by HS

    Hunter Field Target / Field Target (HFT/FT ) in eastern Canada finished its season in Nov/Dec.  Until the matches resume in the spring, we have time now to prepare.  Here we will discuss various aspects of goal setting. 

    Rarely is there ever only one way of doing something like this, so the thoughts offered are intended more to stimulate your thinking about your unique situation and how you might incorporate some of the ideas contained here, or substitute your own solutions.  Even better, put your thoughts to paper and submit them for publication as an aid for the rest of us.

    The end of the competitive season is an appropriate time to reflect upon the successes and failures, the causes and cures, and the changes required to address the outcome of this analysis. 

    Along with examining the tangible results of the previous season should come a similar self-reflective process dealing more with intangibles, such as did you have enough fun and enjoyment last season.  This process may take 30 minutes or 30 days; it is up to you. 

    The end result should be that you know what you want out of the upcoming season (or seasons).  Examples of this might be: improve standing scores 20%, score a minimum of 50% on standing lanes next season, shoot a perfect (clean) score on a standing lane, average 90% on kneeling lanes, place in the top 50% at all competitions, learn how your scope shifts with temperature change, enjoy the sunset at my range once per week, etc.

    Some things are easier said than done, so how might we go about reflecting and analyzing our results? 

    • If you recorded your scores in a notebook, your phone, or your phone’s camera, examine these results. 
    • Search your results on the this web site in the Matches section and make note of them. 
    • Did you make notes while practicing at your club or in your basement range? 
    • Use whatever resources are available to you. 
    • Even better, plan a better way to make records and incorporate this into your routine for next season. 
    • Remember, if data gets recorded, if data gets measured, it likely gets addressed and appropriate plans of action put into place. 

    Once you have completed this process, instead of a general awareness, you should have a much clearer understanding of where you have been, where you are now, and where you want to be in the future. 

    In addition to these benefits you are now more organized than previously and have prioritized aspects of your shooting for the upcoming season.      

    As we near the goal-establishment step, we should next consider the tools and resources we have at our disposal or can acquire, that will help us progress toward our goals. 

    Some of these resources are readily available while some are scarce, depending upon our individual situations. 

    Examples of tools and resources include:

    • Access to sport-specific training materials,
    • coaching,
    • gunsmithing services,
    • suitable ranges,
    • sufficient budget, and most importantly,
    • time.

    When setting goals it is highly advised to do so in a responsible fashion.  Goals do not have to be so rigid that it seems they are set in concrete, rather, some goals may need to be set in sand to acknowledge the realities that life presents us such as work demands, personal health issues, or similar situations. 

    Somthing that I’ve effective used and is commonly recommended by experts is using S.M.A.R.T. goals:

    • Specific
    • Measurable
    • Attainable
    • Realistic
    • Time-specific

    There is a great deal of information available for you to research independently but for our purposes we will conclude here.

    Up next we will get into goal setting

  • The Fudd @ HAHA – 2025 Match Report

    by JeffH

    The Fudd @ HAHA – 2025 Match Report

    What an outstanding day for the Fudd!  This past Saturday saw another great Fudd shoot at the Hamilton Angling and Hunting Association.

    To start off, a hearty thank you to:

    1. The Hamilton Angling and Hunting Association for the use of the range and kitchen. It was wonderful to have an indoor space after the shoot, and, as always, the range was excellent. Thank you!
    2. Chris H and Geoff M for the wonderful food! Chris, your chili warmed our cold bones and Geoff, you are truly a master of the carrot cake. Thank you!
    3. To Rob W for another great course. Lots of grumbles and smiles. Well done!
    4. To Marla W for the delicious chocolate chip cookies. Total yum!
    5. To all those that set up and took down the course. Your speed and thoroughness with the process is truly impressive.  Under 20 minutes for take down… simply awesome!  Thank you.

    On with the shoot!

    The day dawned cool at 7C and sunny with no wind. People started arriving about 8:30 am and we were in full setup mode by 9:00 AM. 

    Setup wrapped about 9:45 AM and the 25 shooters had completed sign in. After the standard safety briefing we opened the sight in range so that users could get some time in with rigs that they don’t often shoot.  Nearly everyone showed up with something different, including 8 pistol shooters and 6 shooting iron sight rifles! Plus, three shooters, Ashley W, Nathan S and Rob W, that shot the entire match standing!

    The shoot got underway just before 10:30 AM and still the wind was quiet!  We all got to enjoy Rob W’s interpretation of a full-sized kill zone! To his credit, none of the targets were smaller than ½” and those were up close. The max distance was 34 yards. Definitely a sub-500 fps friendly course.

    Things moved along smoothly and still the wind stayed away! It only started playing about in the last 30-ish minutes of the shoot. Along the way we enjoyed hot chocolate and scrumptious homemade chocolate chip cookies.

    Shooting wrapped up about 12:30 PM and we had the course down and score tallied straight away.

    We then adjourned to the club house for a delicious chili and cake feast. It was nice to have everyone seated together, sharing stories and enjoying the comradery.

    As we tucked into the carrot cake, Jeff H shared highlights from the past season including:

    1. Lots of new shooters at HAHA and Port
    2. Renewed interest from US shooters with John C making nearly every match in Port and another 5 joining for the Nationals
    3. Our highest ever participate rate at the Nationals with 37 shooters
    4. Conversation about increasing publicity for matches
    5. Participating at the World FT Championship in Northern Ireland, with Joel G finishing 3rd. An outstanding result and the best ever performance by a Canadian.

    We wrapped the day with comments about the next Worlds in 2027 in Calgary and encouragement to see everyone at the final match on November 15th in Port.

    A final thank you to all those that joined us for the day and the season.

    See you all again soon.

    Be safe, shoot straight and shoot often

    HAHA Match Directors
    Bob W and Jeff H

    For those that keep track of scores, here is the list with the Fudd specific classes using Hunter rules:

    Brian W72HunterIron Sight Pistol
    Nathan S *55HunterIron Sight Pistol
    Geoff Mac85HunterIron Sight Rifle
    Bob W76HunterIron Sight Rifle
    Tony L70HunterIron Sight Rifle
    Rob W *62HunterIron Sight Rifle
    Ashley W *59HunterIron Sight Rifle
    Lanny119HunterUnlimited PCP
    Howard S116HunterUnlimited PCP
    Chris H115HunterUnlimited PCP
    Dennis E114HunterUnlimited PCP
    Alan G113HunterUnlimited PCP
    Dave D110HunterUnlimited PCP
    Larry Y108HunterUnlimited PCP
    Marc S108HunterUnlimited PCP
    Rob G107HunterUnlimited PCP
    Ted M97HunterUnlimited PCP
    Raymond C94HunterUnlimited PCP
    Magdy H89HunterUnlimited PCP
    Andrew84HunterUnlimited PCP
    Mike P115HunterUnlimited Piston
    Adam113HunterUnlimited Piston
    Joel G111HunterUnlimited Piston
    Tom K110HunterUnlimited Piston
    Dave W84HunterUnlimited Piston

    * Nathan, Ashley, and RobW shot the entire match standing.

  • Canadian Airgun Field Target 2025 National Championship

    by Rob Wright, Match Director

    The weather for this weekend turned out perfect – not too hot, a few breezes, and NO RAIN!

    A HUGE THANK YOU to the organizing team of Jeff, Bob, Joel (+ me) who have been working on this event for months.

    Plus, of course all the people who helped to get things ready, to transport things, to prep and setup the course, to run the match, to run the chronograph station, to be course marshals, to process the scores, to tear down and pack up… This event could not happen without all these people putting in their time, effort, and positive support to make this happen.

    Our Course Marshals for the weekend were:  Joel as Chief Marshal with his team of Jeff, Marc, Dennis, and Richard T.

    We had 37 shooters complete the 2-day event.  Shooters in the Open and WFTF Divisions shot the Red Course on Saturday and the White course on Sunday.  Hunter and Modified did the reverse.  Each course was 10 lanes with 3 targets per lane and 2 shots per target.  We did have one exception on Lane #1 of the White course since we had a very elevated target to provide some additional challenge for those shooting standing.  We set separate targets for the Modified Division shooters on this lane only.

    We had two juniors out, as well as several shooters who only started shooting Field Target this year – it was great to have them out and hope to see them at many more matches to come.

    We again welcomed several US shooters to the Port Colborne club – it was great to have you join us again!

    The courses were planned to be fairly challenging, but my plan crashed into reality and a couple last minute layout changes meant that they both ended up a little easier than planned.  That is not to say that they were easy – no one cleared either course on either day.  (I will make another post with some of the details of Troyer factors and K% for those who want more details.)

    A few highlights: In the Hunter Division, Mike P. edged out Kelsie M. by just 3 points – each of them knocked down 48 of 60 targets on their best day.  In Modified Division, Richard S. only left 3 targets standing on Sunday, and Brandon made 55 of 60 in the Open Division.  Joel showed us the skill that earned him a medal at the WFTF World Championships a few weeks ago and only left 2 targets standing on Sunday.  This was the best result of any division on either day – and done with a 10.5 FPE, spring powered rifle!  These results definitely give the rest of us something to shoot for.

    The Canadian National Champions are the top Canadian shooters in each class.

    Thank you also to the Port Colborne & District Conservation Club for providing the awesome facility for this match (and to Steve and Frances for a great wrap up lunch!).

    Thank you also to our sponsors who made the prize table a huge hit again this year and caused some excitement for those first few names drawn in each round! Make sure that you look to our sponsors when you need anything airgun related.

    AGS:  https://www.airgunsource.ca/

    Airgun Archery Fun:     https://airgunarcheryfun.ca/

    Plus generous prize donations from:

                Peter E.

                Andre N.

                And Ten-Ring (from the CAF forum)

    Of course, there is no point doing all this work if we do not have people come out to shoot – so thank you to everyone who came out to shoot – several on both sides of the border drove almost 8 hours just to join us for this event!

    Thank you to everyone that was a part of this event, I really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing many of you for the rest of the matches this season and of course at the Nationals next year.

    Rob Wright

    Match Director

    Here are the complete results

  • HAHA Match Report – “Can You Clear It” – 2025 October 4th

    By Jeff H, MD

    Another perfect day for FT at HAHA! The day started coolish and quickly climbed up to summertime temps, reaching 29C! Combined with very little wind we had near perfect conditions for the “Can You Clean It” challenge.

    First, some thank you shout outs!

    1. Hamilton Angling and Hunting Association for graciously providing the rifle range for the match, thank you!
    2. Everyone that helped setup and take down the course. It’s truly a pleasure to witness how well you all worked together, thank you!
    3. To all those that made it out to shoot and observe. You are why we do this, thank you!
    4. To our shoot-off contestants. More on this in a bit. Thank you for the extra excitement!

    Folks started arriving at 8:15 AM and we got the course step up by 9:40 AM.  It took a bit longer this time as we painted targets.

    Setup was followed by the safety / shooters meeting where we went through the standard safety protocols as well as talking about the upcoming Fudd match and the CAFTA AGM (Nov 1).  Then we opened the sight in range and started the shoot at 10:00 AM.

    This one was a “Can You Clear It” challenge. What is that you ask? It is where we go outside the typical technical, gear focused parts of FT and explore the mental side. If offers a moderately difficult course to see how many shooters can knock down all the targets. Like last year, we kept targets mostly full sized with nothing smaller than 1” and the distances between 10 yards and 45 yards. It sounds easy on paper… then we go to the real world where the results speak for themselves…

    Fascinatingly, this year no one cleared the course!  We did have a handful of people get tantalizingly close and a few great scores including a three-way tie for the Hunter Piston group with scores of 112/120. For perspective, that translates to 56 / 60 for the Open/Modified/WFTF groups. Outstanding indeed!

    Beyond the ties, notable performances were turned in by Richard S getting the closest at 59/60 (Modified PCP), Chris H with 57/60 (Modified PCP) and Mike H with 115/120 (Hunter PCP). Plus, a pile of season highs by multiple other shooters.

    The highlight of the day was the Hunter Piston shoot off. After Rob, Tom and Tony agreed, we set up a formal shoot off. That meant:

    1. We set out three targets, one for each shooter, at an unknown distance.
    2. The shooters take two shots in seated, then progress to kneeling and standing if the targets are successfully knocked down.
    3. The winner is the person who knocks down the most targets.

    For this one, we used the deer targets and set them out at 33 ½ yards. All three shooters knocked them down for the seated position. Tony dropped out in the kneeling round to take third while Rob and Tom advanced to the standing round. Tom clinched first by edging Rob by a single shot!

    Special mention to Tom who for the first time got the better of Tony after a season long back and forth where Tom typically came up 1 shot behind Tony. The friendly rivalry continues!

    Excellent shooting and great entertainment! Thank you, Tom (1), Rob (2) and Tony (3)!!!

    After that we pulled up the remaining targets. Everything was wrapped up and back in the shed by 1:30 PM.

    A heads up for upcoming shoots:

    • Grenville, October 18th
    • Port Colborne, October 25th
    • “The Fudd” & AGM @ HAHA, November 1

    Thank you everyone for a fantastic day shooting Field Target!

    Jeff H
    Match Director

    Below are the results:

    DivisionClassNameScoreScore Max
    HunterPCPRob G98120
    HunterPCPHoward S107120
    HunterPCPDave D103120
    HunterPCPMike P115120
    HunterPistonRob W112120
    HunterPistonNathan S102120
    HunterPistonTony L112120
    HunterPistonTom K112120
    HunterPistonArt L72120
    OpenPistonJeff H4860
    OpenPCPGeoff Mac4960
    ModifiedPistonCraig W2960
    ModifiedPCPIan T4460
    ModifiedPCPChris H5760
    ModifiedPCPAlan G4960
    ModifiedPCPRichard S5960
    ModifiedPCPRaymond C4560

  • HAHA Match Report – 2025 September 6th

    by Jeff H MD

    The day dawned cool and clear with first arrivals just before 8:00 AM. By 9:00 AM we were in full swing getting the course setup. Before going further, some thank yous!

    Frist, a big thank you to everyone that helped with the setup and tear down. We always appreciate your efforts in setting up the course! You all have become a smooth working crew with the fastest turnarounds we’ve seen!  THANK YOU!

    Thank you also to HAHA Club for providing a fantastic place to shoot. For the first time in recent memory we had no wind, yup, that’s right no wind at HAHA! Quite an event.

    Continuing the trend from the previous match, the course was more challenging as we ramped up for the Nationals next weekend in Port Colborne. We had a season high Troyer rating of 29.62, a smidge under the 30-rating designation for Expert. While a definite challenge the saving grace was the winds stayed down.

    A couple of call outs:

    • High score: Richard S, 59/60
    • Sleeper score: Joel G, 55/60. After placing 3rd at WFTC2025 he came home and put on a masterful spring gun demonstration
    • New Hunter rivalry… Rob W tweaked Tony L by 1 with a 103. Kicker, he did it with a piston rig. Nice shooting Rob

    Everything was wrapped up and back in the shed by 2:00 PM.

    A heads up about upcoming shoots:

    • FT Nationals (2-day shoot), September 13/14 at Port Colborne
    • Grenville September 20th
    • Plus 5 more through October and November, see calendar

    Thank you all for a fantastic day shooting Field Target!

    Jeff H
    Match Director

    Below are the results:

    Tony L102HunterPCP20
    Tom K94HunterPCP20
    Howard S92HunterPCP20
    David D89HunterPCP20
    Kyle A60HunterPCP20
    Rob W103HunterPiston20
    Marc S91HunterPiston20
    Tracy W64HunterPiston20
    Dave Wilby57HunterPiston20
    Arpan D49HunterPiston20
    Richard S59ModifiedPCP20
    Chris H49ModifiedPCP20
    Larry Y44ModifiedPCP20
    Peter E40ModifiedPCP20
    Geoff Mac35OpenPCP20
    Ted M41OpenPiston20
    Jeff H34OpenPiston20
    Joel G55WFTFPiston20
    John C46WFTFPiston20
    Bob W37WFTFPiston20

  • Grenville One & Done Report 2025 August 16

    by Tim Mac

    With holidays and folks off to Ireland for the world match, I was not sure how many folks would be around for this one.  We ended up with ten shooters, including two shooting FT for the first time.  It was fairly hot, but with the humidity being quite low, it turned out to be ideal for a mid-August match.  We did things differently for this one, using 17 lanes with three targets per lane on 16 of them and one lane with two targets.  Shooting one shot per target, this layout gave us a 50 shot match.  Personally, I really enjoy the challenge of the one shot per target format.

    For this, his second match, Radek showed up with his dad, Oldo and his brother Mark, making this a great family outing.  All of them did very well for being so new to the sport.  Mark was shooting a break barrel with open sights, a challenge for even a very experienced shooter.  It was great to meet them at this match and I look forward to seeing them at future matches.

    Hunter springer was the largest group, with three shooters contending.  Rob made the trip from the west and took top honours, just ahead of Blane.  Mark did very well with the gun he had and seemed to have a great time, being taught by one of the best, Rob W.

    Kim shot her usual great score followed by Oldo, who was very happy to knock a few down and hit many more.

    Radek is improving very quickly, scoring a 38/50 on his second match and his first attempt at WFTF PCP, with a borrowed gun no less.  I was able to take top spot this time, but I anticipate great competition in the near future.

    The rest of the competitors were solo in their class.  Jeff struggled with his holdover chart and still managed to knock a good number down, including some long ones.  Richard shot his best match ever, was very please and rightfully so.  Good shooting Richard!

    Andre shot very well as usual, but unfortunately, at least for the group, shot his last match with us.  He is retiring and he and his wife will be moving to France in the near future.  Good luck to Andre and his wife, starting a new chapter in their lives.  We will miss you my friend.

    A big thank you to all that attended and to the Grenville club for the use of the grounds and equipment.

    A reminder that the CAFTA Nations will take place at the Port Colborne FT Club on September 13th and 14th.  I look forward to seeing everyone and enjoying a great weekend of camaraderie.

    Tim MacSweyn

    Full Results:

     

    Modified Division
     PCP /60
    Richard O44
     
     Piston /60
    Andre N40
      
    Hunter Division
     PCP /120
    Kim K82
    Oldo Z31
     
     Piston
    Rob W84
    Blane L77
    Mark Z22
     
    WFTC Division
     PCP /60
    Tim M45
    Radek Z38  

  • Port Colborne Match Report August 23, 2025

    by Rob W

    This was an awesome day to be out in the woods shooting Field Target.  The temperature was comfortable, not too hot and humid, the sun came a went making the shadows change in the forest, and the breeze was a bit gusty, but not crazy.

    Thank you to everyone who came out to make this a fun day.  We had 17 shooters with a few of our regulars away, also a few of our regular shooters were out sick – best wishes to all for a speedy recovery.  A different group of our regular shooters were waaay out of town at the WFTF World Championship in Northern Ireland. (Well done Team, and Way to go Joel!!)  It is always great to have Bob at our matches, but I wish that he could have been with Team Canada for the Worlds instead this week, unfortunately the Air Canada strike took him out of the game.

    In preparation for the Canadian Nationals coming up in less than 3 weeks, I wanted to try out a few different target positions and some lanes that have not seen action this season.  It likely will not surprise anyone that not everyone was in love with all my targets….  A 1 inch squirrel target on a standing lane at a distance of only about 11 yards would not have been controversial at ground level, but it was slightly elevated and introduced a challenge to most shooters.  The Troyer factor for this target including the extras for Standing and Extreme Elevation, still only came out to 22 – exactly the same as Woody on lane #2, but the squirrel only dropped 29% of the time while Woody dropped 76% of the time.

    Shooters might be surprised that the longer target on that lane for standing shooters (the moose with the full sized KZ) actually had a higher Troyer (27) and got knocked down exactly the same number of times as the elevated squirrel.  They were tied for the stingiest on the course.  Marc was the only shooter to drop the squirrel with both shots, and Dennis was the only one to get the moose twice.  (For those who wonder if the course designer has an advantage…. I hit the squirrel twice but did not drop it with either shot, and I dropped the moose once and hit one face-plate).  Modified shooters on this lane had two different targets set out at longer-than-usual distances for the size of the KZ.

    The highlights in terms of scoring were Tom AGAIN posting the best score in Hunter at an impressive 112 (he hit every target on the course and only 8 failed to drop).  David D is still dancing on the verge of triple digits.  In the Modified division, Rob G again lit things up with a 56 only missing 4 targets (he made ALL of the unnaturally long ones). Larry had a great day and set a new personal best for lanes cleared – his practice time at the club is paying off!  In Open division, Dennis and Lanny were trading the lead back and forth all day and Lanny was up by two coming to their final lane…

    Thank you to everyone who helped with setup and tear down and to our Marshalls for the day: Jeff, Ted, and Dennis. 

    Thank you to the Port Colborne club and members for making the range and facilities (and hot dogs!) available.

    Upcoming FT Events:

       HAHA September 6

       Canadian 2025 Championships – Port Colborne September 13 & 14

       Grenville September 20

       Port Colborne September 27

    See you all again soon,
    Rob Wright

    Match Director

    Full results below.

    Modified Division
     PCP /60
    Rob G56
    Larry Y43
    Peter E40
     
    Open Division
     PCP /60
    Dennis E52
    Lanny H52
    Geoff M36
     
     Piston / 60
    Ted M42
     
    Hunter Division
     PCP /120
    Tom K112
    Tony L108
    David D99
    Marc S95
    Peter S87
     
     Piston /120
    Rob W98
    Dave W67
    Arpan D55
     
    WFTF Division
     Piston /60
    Bob W43