I am a member and stockholder of THE WINCHESTER GUN CLUB in Winchester, Virginia. My WGC uses a "voice release" system on most of our 14 trap fields. When I observe some of our best shooters shooting trap with a five man squad and I carefully count and score the targets I usually count 153 targets thrown and 125 targets shot at. Yes, that is correct, for almost every five man squad of trap at the WGC 153 clay targets get thrown to shoot at 125 clays. Recently I was observing a squad that was made up of Officers of the WGC Corporation and members of the Board of Directors of the WGC and the numbers were the same. This 5 man squad threw over 150 clay targets to shoot at 125 clay targets. These voice release systems should be outlawed. Our WGC officers that thought these voice release systems were a good idea should be held accountable for their foolishness. Our voice release triggers throw targets that were not called for due to several reasons and then refuse to throw a target unless you lean over and scream into the microphone. If you want to make sure a target is thrown have somebody shooting a K80 or a KOLAR or a few other types and after he shoots have him open his trapgun and when the ejector kicks the empty shell out of his gun a trap target will be thrown. Even our knowledgeable trap shooters cannot time the opening of their trapguns correctly to prevent the voice release system from throwing a target. Voice release systems and token systems just do not work in actual field conditions. A system that does work is the red boxes used at HHHSC in Pennsylvania and CVSC in Palmyra, Virginia. The box counts your targets and you pay for what you use. If a trap malfunctions and breaks targets you call it in and get it fixed. This stops the idiots that just keep pushing the button hoping for a miracle healing of the trap machine. So when I am KING we are going back to an extension cord with a button and kid from high school pushing it at the trap range and skeet field. Good Shooting To You All, Jent
We have never had the kind of problems that were this bad. I remember when we first got our voice activated system, sometimes someone on the next trap over would call for a bird and it would ocassionally throw a target on the next field over. This was corrected by putting landscaping fences between the traps and that pretty much took care of it. The voice activated system was designed to throw a target according to the certain pitch of someone's voice. I have never had any problem with my voice activating them, although I have seen guys with a higher or lower pitched voice scream into the mike and not be able to set them off. And I would just go on shooting with no problem and he would follow me to the stand I just left and have a heck of a time. This is when you have to either raise or lower the pitch of your voice to get the thrower to release the target. That usually corrects the problem. I hate to say this, but one thing I always loved to see was a guy having trouble with the mike when I was shooting against him. When he has to call for a target more than once, he often misses that bird. Usually out of frustration. I always make it a point to be ready for the target when I have to call for it more than once and I usually break it. I always felt it gave me an edge and I usually used reverse psychology on myself. Keep that in mind when you shoot and you will soon start wanting other people to have problems with the mike because you know you will break yours.
But we have enjoyed our voice activated sytem over the years. We don't have too much problem with guns ejecting shells unless you hold them right next to the speaker. I watched my buddy shoot with his 11-87 Sunday, and he never set off any targets when he loaded his gun. Occasionally, you will see some old codger with a Model 12 slam the receiver shut his gun right next to the mike just before you call for your bird. That gets old after a while. And if you really want to have some fun with your buddy, wait until right before he calls for his target and just tap your mike with the barrel of your gun and set off his target early. After a few times he'll get all screwed up. That's always good for a laugh.
