Blend a prairie dog shoot and a “whack-a-mole” arcade game and you got the new air rifle course. The target system was made to imitate a varmint hunt with .22’s at the TOC Finals. For the Regionals, we have adapted the game to not only test a competitor’s accuracy, but their ability to be accurate under pressure.
A brief course description: Start with a loaded rifle, safety on, and pointed down range. Judge counts down and Target 1 pops-up and stands for 10 seconds. Shoot, reload, and wait for Target 2. Repeat for Targets 3-10.
I spent an afternoon with event staffer Ron McElroy (who treated me like a piece of rented equipment on the course), testing the system and we agreed that it’s a lot of fun if you can stay ahead of the targets. It will cause some to panic and is challenging enough to give scoring separation. Any slip will cause you to have to rush at least one shot, which is enough to lose at the Regional level.
From first hand experience, getting behind the targets is like going to buddy’s house and having to put up with his wife’s Chihuahua dog. It growls and makes you a little edgy at first, but you’re a guest so you don’t ear-pinch the thing. Then it starts nipping at your ankles, and you all but forget about everything else that is happening.
Eventually, the sound of those little devil paws on the hardwood cause sheer terror. You try to relax, but you know it’s only a matter of time until that thing is going to bite you somewhere that hurts. Buddy’s wife comes in, calls the demon “Sweetie”, and takes him into the other room. The panic is over, but you missed all of the gar fishing video you came over to watch.
—John
