fastfletch ole buddy, i knew i could count on you for a response. i agree that variables are huge. there is no easy solution, but to do nothing and rely on a person or group of people to use common sense, well just doesnt make sense.

my reason for that comment is this. too many times have i exited a range when conditions were not safe. common sense tells me to do so. in bedford, because of the way you are drawn out when groups are busted, means you may be in a group where one or more shooters in the group needs only 10 targets to finish, and you may need 40. if you are on the 7th target of 10, you have 33 to go, the others have 3. if they opt to shoot the last 3 and take the chance, then what do you do. i am uning my common sense, but the others are not. unsafe to me may be acceptable to others. the two shooters in my group shot arrows at a target after i stated i felt is was time to leave. i know they were close to completing the range, and i was far from it. the used common sense that they didnt want to walk all the way out, and back the following day, just to shoot 3 targets. maybe i was wrong, maybe they were wrong. either way, an established set of guidelines, coupled with a valid notification system would eleminate me or them making a mistake.

as for interpreting the rules, according to the ibo, there is no rule, or guideline to go by. the ibo states if you leave a range without the direction of an ibo official, you could be disqualified. what if i think the weather is too bad, and the ibo does not? what if they think its too bad and i do not?

at nelsonville 2 years ago we were cleared from a range due to weather. after a break of about 25 minutes we were told all clear. up the hill we go. after the 30 minute hike back onto the range, another storm, worse than the first hits. again we are directed off the range without shooting an arrow. some opted to stay on the range, not wanting to get run off and on again. i opted to leave for the day and try again on saturday. with as many as 2000 shooters on a set of ranges, do you really think you can leave it up to common sense?