Reading the wind

[Les Fraser]

Ok just a topic for discussion, when i won the last shoot at Little River 2011 (the most beautiful range i have seen) i set flags up on the top of mounds of dirt to the right hand side o the range about 100m from the bullet flight i had a flag about 50m infront of the target an I - Ball at about 20m infront of the muzzle and that was it. To the left of myself there was a sea of flags, every shape and colour so wind from left to right was  easily indicated.

unfortunately myself and Ian Davis were on the extreme right side of the range and the wind was blowing its usual blustering fashion with very little let up. The wind was blowing from Right to left at about 12 to 16mph so hold points were changing constantly from shot to shot.

Prior to shooting my detail i would watch the conditions and count the changing of the flags in intensity i knew that there was a constant of about 2 minutes that would hold about an 8 ring group. but this was only every 10 to 12 min or so. This plays some issue because we only get 7 min to fire our 8 shots.

The first target being the warmer is where i tested my theory and fired shots on the back of wind parameters once i identified the wind parameters this is where i stopped. A tight group on the warmer is just that a warmer everyone can shoot a gr0up of 60.5 but it does'nt count for anything. So i use the target to gain information only.

I still use this process when faced with big and changing winds, understanding that wind forms a pattern is valuable information and should be considered.

flag placement is also a mystery to most shooters, they put thier flags inline with the line of sight. i personally don't like this because you can't see the wind picking up and dropping off until it is on your flight path.

i set up flags like most do but i generally read flags of others because i like to know when it is coming and dropping off before it hits my flight line.

I guess what i am trying to put out there is consider all the values of information not just what is in your scope line.

good shooting to all
Les