How many readers on this forum shoot competition?
I myself like to formal/informal target shoot, and do the pin/steel plate thing. Its getting harder to do now days. Fewer people have the time to devote. It seems like I live in gun-game purgatory. A shop owner nearby has interest, and we might try to get a club going......As it stands, the club I used to shoot at as a guest was over 90 miles away, and is not scheduling any more shoots this year.

I shoot informal targets as well as ICORE and Steel Plate matches. I travel from 65 to 100 miles one way to shoot a match depending on which club is hosting.

I used to shoot Skeet and Sporting Clays competetively, as well as IPSC ,NRA Highpower, and 3D Archery. What I discovered is that if you just want to have fun, and enter with that thought-FUN-as first on your list, you can have ALOT of fun, while testing your skills at various shooting games. On the other hand, if you're the seriously competitive type, unless you have large, and I do mean large, amounts of money, time, and the discipline to practice at the expense of all else, you will become frustrated at not being in the winners circle, and it will no longer be fun, it will become an expensive, frustrating, obsession. I quit shooting the shotgun games completely because of the latter, and I still shoot NRA Highpower and 3D Archery, because I went into them with fun as the first priority, and armed with the knowledge that I could never devote the time and expense to be competitive with the G. David Tubb's or Randy Ulmers of the world. I just use these games to keep my rifle/bow shooting skills up to par, and concentrate mostly on hunting, which is alot more satisfying to me.

Got the competition urge out of my system some time back; no problem with those still infected, seem to have developed an immunity.

Could list all tehr easons for stopping, but basically ti just boiled down to it not being stress-relief fun anymore...got to be too serious, and I've enough of that in my real life to spend what free time I have to participate in more.

So...as a stress reliever...heave out a double handfull of empty 12ga. shells as far as you can...standing... plink at them untill they disappear into the tall grass. Reapply as needed.

I shoot sporter rifle and high power rifle at my local gun club. I used to shoot bullseye pistol too but haven't had time last couple years. I agree with mikej about the fun part. When it isn't fun anymore its time to get out. Since winters here in western NY last so long, range time is the best way to keep your hand in for deer and woodchucks.

Personally I don't have the time for regular competition. However, there are 'mail-in' target competitions. Actually shooting competitions take up a great deal of time and not a little cash. I know of a number of folks who dry-fire all week and blow off lead on the weekend. Even so, an hour drive one way is common if not minimal. Then you are shooting 1,000 rounds and back home for more dry-fire and reloading. Good Luck. Have fun whatever you do.

I shoot IPSC and occasionally a plate match here and there, and i try to plink away as many bullets as i can as often as i can.

Another tired retread, I enjoy friendly competition at my local club now-a-days. Folks were just getting way too serious at the Bullseye matches, and the combat leagues required way more miles than I wanted to continue driving.

I have to accept some stress on the job, but not in a relaxing hobby.:D

I shot IPSC at the World Class Level for several years, and loved every minute of it. Then the gamesters took over, and it got too stupid to bother with.