I just participated in a long-range rifle match hosted by the Bear Creek Shooting Club here in Grant County, and I had a ball.

The match consisted of six stages. Targets ranged from 200 to 1,100 yards, and each stage had a time limit to add a little pressure.

What made the match so much fun was the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly folks I was shooting with.

We had some young kids who were attending their first match, and some old-timers who had competed for years. Some were shooting factory ammo in their hunting rifles, and some were shooting precision handloads in high-end custom jobs.

We all laughed at each other and ourselves when we whiffed what should have been an easy shot.

Casual shooting is fun, and it does help develop your skills. However, the pressure of shooting in competition is hard to replicate on your own. Learning to deal with that pressure is what will take you from a good shot to a great shot.

Whether it’s getting the jump on some wildly flushing chukar, making the shot on the buck of a lifetime or, heaven forbid, reacting in a self-defense situation, training to deal with the stress of the situation will pay dividends.

Of course, going to matches doesn’t have to be a means to an end. Lots of people just love competing in and of itself.

From pistol to three gun to black powder, there is a match to scratch your itch somewhere around within a day’s drive of John Day.

Our local Bear Creek range hosts five or six long-range matches a year, as well as monthly blackpowder silhouettes. If you really want to learn trigger control, they have .22 silhouette matches during the spring and summer.

There are several other clubs around that offer shooting competitions. Seneca Gun Club frequently has trap shoots, and the Central Oregon Shooting Sports Association in Bend, La Grande Rifle and Pistol Club, and Parma Gun Club over the border in Idaho all hold a variety of matches.

Fear of being the new guy, not knowing what to do, not having the right equipment, and the very real possibility of not doing well can be a major barrier to attending your first match, but it shouldn’t be.

My recent match experience was not unique. I have attended all kinds of shooting matches, from skeet to black powder silhouette, and I have been welcomed at every one.

Without exception the shooters have been very kind, offering help and advice. Several times they have even let me shoot with their equipment.

If you have a desire to try some shooting, whether it be three gun or cowboy action, my advice is to just jump in. Yes, you will probably stumble a little along the way, but you will have a whole bunch of fun doing it.

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