Bisley at Braidwood
SACS Office Manager Kaylee Fraser describes her first day shooting...
The anticipation and excitement when you first pull in to Bisley is a feeling like no other. Like the first day of school when you don’t know anyone. We gather around in the café and get put in to your groups and head off out with Eric. Having never used a shotgun, I was honestly clueless. We headed out to the first 25 shot practice where we all stood back not wanting to go first! My turn was next and Eric was amazing. He guided me through all the process and what to do. He turned off the safety catch and up came the clay and bang, it shattered. All the girls in the group let out the biggest roar of clapping and cheers. Although it may have been beginners’ luck and I never hit the next three shots! It was honestly the biggest rush of adrenaline I’d ever experienced. We all took it in turns and headed back for coffee and cake. I felt like my whole body was full of energy. It was a massive learning process to find where everything was comfortable. I found it easier when my left eye was shut. Every clay we all hit or missed, we supported everyone good or bad. Each and every time I held that shotgun, I honestly got the fear before I fired it. Questioning how on earth am I holding a gun?! None the less, the more you had a go, the better it got. Managing to hit the rabbit and the grouse was one of the best pegs. Even if stupidly after two shots I got ready for a third go without re-loading! At least it gave us all a giggle.
After lunch we were given score cards and Louise took one for the team in counting the scores. We were all up for it and ready to go. The frustration when we missed was a right stinker, knowing it was a competition. Our second peg was unlucky 13, where we were all in a deflated mood after that! We soon got over it and we were all back cheering each other on in the scorching Scottish sun. At the end we got to see who the winners were and amazingly one of the girls in our group came second! Having been a bag full of nerves at the start, I ended the day on a high. Met some amazing people and felt like I had always known them. I now have the bug. Already trying to organize my next day on the clays!
Picture by Matthew Nutt