What’s the big picture with electronic shooting targets?

 Everyone, including myself, has an opinion of E-target systems and most likely has been burned by one. Although it’s tempting, I’m not going to stir that pot today. Let’s take a step back and look at the big picture.

I am very fond of using analogies in my articles, so let’s use the sport of poker. What the hell does that have to do with electronic shooting targets? Hold up, hear me out.

Poker has been around since the 1800s. Nowadays, if you turn on a TV, chances are you’re going to find a match on one of the channels.

How did this game’s popularity seemingly explode overnight?

The answer is the invention of the Card Camera. (Hole Card Camera) All of a sudden, late-night card games clawed their way from the dark, smoke-filled back rooms of yesteryear and landed on our TV screens. Thus, poker became a spectator sport with all the trimmings. Innovation made it accessible to the masses.

What happens if new technology catapults a sport into the public domain?

Everything; take my example of the Card Camera. All of a sudden, new opportunities become available. You have more sponsors, expanding audiences, considerable payouts, and an influx of competitors. It would be like falling on your butt and landing in a pile of Christmas.

Let’s be honest; competitive shooting at this time is not a spectator sport. Not because it’s not exciting, suspenseless, or lacks a colorful cast of characters. It’s because there hasn’t been a means to deliver it to spectators. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you E-targets.

Keep in mind that any technology in its infancy will have issues. For example, I used to have a cell phone that was the size of a small suitcase; it worked about two out of every ten times and cost about $50 per minute. So by now, I hope you are starting to understand why it’s such a big deal.

If a target system is acting like an unruly child who doesn’t want to pick up their dirty clothes off the floor, be patient, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the future.

I know from personal experience how glitching systems can frustrate you. We put a lot into participating in an event and then lose because of a software problem. (Ask me how I know.) Remember, things are changing, and we have a front-row seat for the future.

Update:

Since I initially wrote this article. Technology has increased significantly. The chances of getting burned by an electronic shooting target are few and far between. No more getting frustrated over lousy pit service. Like waiting for your target puller to get off her smartphone and mark your target. That actually happened to me.

my last season was shot entirely on E- targets. After almost a thousand rounds for the record, I only had one missed shot. Even then, the range master immediately caught it and corrected it. I thought I won my first cross-fire award.

We are not to the point yet where matches are streamed online, but it’s incoming.

Oddly enough, I attend an event, and it was the first time they had their Shot-Maker electronic target system running. It was the biggest match they ever had, and the system worked flawlessly. I don’t think I would not be out of line in assuming there were probably over 200 people connected at all times.

I guess not having to pull targets certainly increases attendance. This is an excellent sign for times to come.

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