It's a social thing...

I wanted to share this with others as I think it's an insight into why we love this sport...
This past winter was pretty long, and the spring was wet, which meant that field target in the northeast was shut down from the middle of November through the middle of May. Eric and I had been busy with 4-H and both of us just felt drained and had even talked of leaving field target. Neither of us really knew why we were feeling this way. So on the way down to Binghamton we talked about what our plans were and how we were both unsure of continuing with field target, which brought conflicting emotions from us both.
However, after the shoot we were suddenly talking about how excited we were about this season and all of the things that we had planned. Strange. So I mention the change in view from the car ride down vs the car ride back home and Eric confirms the change in view.
The only thing that I can think of is that we have gotten to the point where we look forward to the social aspect of field target maybe more so than the actual competition. And it's not just seeing people you know. There's teasing, telling jokes, normal everyday trials and tribulations, stories of good times and bad, and the joys and frustrations of everyday life. All are shared as we shoot next to each other with our nearly silent rifles and pistols.
It's a sport unlike any other that I've been involved with or heard about.