Why Shoot a European?

European shoots are a great way to introduce your friends or business clients to Flint Oak. They are designed for Private groups of all sizes. This type of shoot is ideal for those not able to Field Hunt. When you factor in the unpredictability of Kansas weather, even the most experienced shooter will be challenged, while the novice will have an enjoyable experience hunting with friends. The camaraderie and atmosphere of these shoots is a great tool for team building. With all this in mind, why not schedule your European Shoot soon?

Open European Shoots

The Major European
The Major European, our “Grand Event”, is usually held every other Saturday throughout Hunt Season (See calendar for schedule) The pageantry of this event make each and every shoot unique because of the mix of participants, the weather and a myriad of other factors.

The Open Mini/Phoenix
The Flint Oak Open Mini/Phoenix is usually held the third Wednesday of each month throughout hunt season (See calendar for schedule). The Phoenix has recently been remodeled to accommodate twelve to twenty-four guns also, therefore this shoot will alternately be located at the Mini-European or Phoenix site. Members can book a few or a lot of guests.

The Major European
Held on Saturday mornings, this is the “granddaddy” of our Europeans. It includes a huge Hunter’s breakfast, a ride on the Flint Oak Hunt Wagon, coffee break around a toasty campfire, a prime rib lunch, and an equal share of the day’s harvest. The European has 39 blinds that surround the hill. Pheasants are driven to flight towards the shooters. As the pheasants are shot, the Flint Oak Retrievers are picking up birds even as you shoot.
When the brace is over you move to a new blind and the fun starts all over. Each blind offers you different shooting challenges. Shooting the European with a special friend or family member will make memories that last a lifetime.

The Mini-European
The Mini was the first private European shoot introduced to Flint Oak. This shoot has proven to be very exciting and even sportier than we first anticipated. It is a twelve blind shoot that will accommodate up to twenty-four shooters.  The west side (blind 7 through 12) could be called the “forest side”. The birds are on the shooters QUICK, much faster than you think. The gunners need to help each other by yelling information to one another. The birds darting through tree openings verify the importance of staying alert at all times. Instinctive “snap shooting” ability is a real plus. Most of the bag comes from pass shots behind the blinds.  Blinds 1 and 6 transition from the forest to the prairie side (blinds 2 through 5). Circling and turning birds provide some long lead shots with the birds in full view and really moving fast! Very few birds harvested end up in front of the blind on the prairie side, verifying the speed the birds build up prior to being shot.  Every Mini-European produces shots that will be remembered and talked about for years to come! For Private Groups, the Mini continues to be a crowd pleaser. Be prepared or you’ll miss your shot!

The Phoenix
The Phoenix was a mythical bird that arose from the smoke and ashes of its own destruction! Thus we thought it was an appropriate name for this driven shoot be-cause those birds just seem to keep rising and flying despite smoking shotguns! The Phoenix is located on the westerly portion of Flint Oak and has just recently been remodeled to accommodate twelve to twenty-four shooters. There are more trees and a totally different terrain than any of our other Europeans. It has a brand new look!

The Mecca
Webster defines the Mecca as “a center of activity sought as a goal by people sharing a common interest.” We at Flint Oak certainly hope that is true with our Mecca. This shoot is nestled in the upper end of a long brushy draw. Sitting among some very large oaks and blackjacks with cedars and oaks in the center it produces some challenging shots. The shoot also sets astride a creek that forks into a bigger creek. The area is a very pretty site. As you move around this shoot from timber to clearings the variety of shooting opportunities will amaze you. This shoot, unlike some Europeans, is very versatile. Groups of eight to sixteen shooters will be able to use the shoot. With up to sixteen guns, extra birds will be a blast. We’ve added many of your suggestions from last year.

The Scottie/Double Scottie
The Scottie lies toward the east and is ideal for six to eight shooters. This shoot allows smaller groups to enjoy European style shooting.  The “Double Scottie” is different in the fact that the gunner rotates around the circle twice, giving more shooting opportunity and a second chance at mastering the nuances of each shooting position. A coffee break after the gunner has gone around once enables the group to cuss and discuss each blind and set new strategies for the second round. The harvest percentage is usually much higher on the second round.  This shoot is ideal for those small groups of friends or clients that you wish to entertain on a more personal basis. It’s not quite as tricky (unfair) and should be even more fun than last year.

* To increase the fun and add more shooting pleasure, extra birds may be purchased for each of these shoots except the Major European.