From Bob Schrager:

The ultimate purpose being to save time on the shooting stations...when appropriate, please give the following excuses by number.

1. My trigger feels funny.
2. My barrel is bent.
3. My stock is loose.
4. The butt of my stock slipped just as I was about to fire.
5. It's a new gun and I'm not used to it yet.
6. It's an old gun and I haven't shot it in a long time.
7. It's a borrowed gun.
8. The wind made the bird wobble.
9a. I thought I saw a piece off the front.
9b. I thought I saw a piece off the back.
10. I didn't say, "pull."
11a. That was a fast pull.
11b. That was a slow pull.
12. I had something in my eye.
13. The guy behind me flinched.
14. I never could hit that bird.
15. I closed the wrong eye.
16. I had the wrong foot position.
17. I missed on purpose to show you that I could miss.
18. If I had hit it, I would have killed a bird flying by.
19. There was some fuzz on my bead.
20. A fly landed on my barrel and I thought it was my front sight.
21. I missed due to an oval pattern.
22. Nobody yelled, "pump."
23. I wasn't using a Muller choke.
24. I hate shooting after ____________ .
25. I have sunburn on my shoulder.
26. My shorts are too tight and I can't breathe right.
27. I caught my foot on a crack in the station.
28. I have slippery shoes on today.
29. Look how dirty my barrel is.
30. The moon distracted me.
31. Artie exposed himself again...and I got to laughing.
32a. The guy ahead of me shoots too slow.
32b. The guy ahead of me shoots too fast.
33. My glasses fogged up. (Especially valid in sub-freezing temps)
34. Someone forgot to put a primer in my shell.

...proposed additions include:

35. I missed on purpose because I didn't want my (brother/wife/son/daughter) to feel bad.

36. __________________________________________ by _________________
37. __________________________________________ by _________________
38. __________________________________________ by _________________
39. __________________________________________ by _________________
40. __________________________________________ by _________________

(All proposed additions will be evaluated by the "Excuses" Committee and if deemed reasonable, will ultimately be added to the "Official" list.) We serious shooters thank you for your interest and help in making this list both thorough and inclusive...and not taking too much time explaining your misses.