What Are Clay Pigeons & Skeet Shooting?

Clay shooting sports are an affordable and fun way to shoot socially while learning or improving upon various shotgun skills. Clay pigeons, also known as clay discs, are flung through the air to simulate bird hunting. Shooters use a shotgun, typically a 12-gauge, to hit the target. You can play for fun or compete in official events, including the Olympics. In this guide, we will discuss the different types of clay shooting games and some suggestions on how to get involved in the sport.

What Is Trap Shooting?

There are many variations of trap shooting, but essentially, they all involve targets being launched from a single house/machine away from the shooter. American trap is simple and popular. There are five "stations," each 16 yards behind the trap house. If you are playing "Singles," each shooter will shoot at five targets from each station. The throwing machine will oscillate so that the path of the clay will be random. After each station has shot, shooters will rotate stations so that by the end of the game, each shooter has shot at five targets from each station for a total of 25 per round.

In "Doubles," the machine does not oscillate. Instead, it throws two targets simultaneously so that each shooter is engaging 10 targets per station for a total of 50 per round.

Official trap shooting events will likely have more targets

What Is Skeet Shooting?

Skeet shooting utilizes two houses/machines: a high house and a low house. There are seven positions on a semicircle with a radius of 21 yards and an eighth position halfway between positions one and seven.

At positions one and two, you shoot at single targets launched from the high house and then the low house, followed by a double where two targets are launched simultaneously with the high house target engaged first.
At positions three, four, and five, you shoot at single targets launched from the high house and then the low house.
At positions six and seven, you shoot at single targets launched from the high house, then the low house, followed by a double where the low house is engaged first.
At position eight, you shoot one high and one low.
For the 25th shot, you either re-shoot the first missed target or, if you had no misses, shoot the position eight low house target.

How to Shoot Sporting Clays

Typically described as "golf with a shotgun," sporting clays is a course with 10 to 15 different shooting stations laid out over natural terrain. Unlike trap and skeet shooting, in which target presentation is repeated, sporting clays deliver an unpredictable array of trajectories, angles, speeds, elevations, distances, and even target sizes – mimicking the flightpath of birds.

Usually, 6-10 targets are shot per squad member at each station for a total of 50 to 100 targets for the course. Targets can be thrown in:

True pairs (same time)
Following pairs (sequentially)
Report (second target launched after firing at the first)

Clay pigeons can also cross from either side, come towards or away from shooters, roll on the ground, or fly straight up. The possible presentation combinations are endless, and courses are frequently changed to maintain interest and challenge.

Five Stand is a condensed version of sporting clays. Due to safety regarding course layout, a sporting clay course is usually at least 35 acres. When that much space is not available, five-stand shooting is an excellent option. Like trap shooting, there are five positions, but instead of one throwing machine, there are anywhere from 6 to 18 machines. Shooters have a "menu" at each station to inform them of the target sequence. Each station will have five targets – a single followed by two pairs. After shooting at the five targets, shooters rotate positions.

Where Can I Go Clay Shooting Near Me?

Finding a location that offers clay shooting sports shouldn't be too difficult, given how popular the activity is in North America. Even private clubs will often have events open to the public. Your best bet is to research “clay shooting near me” to see a list of nearby clubs and locations.

What Accessories Do You Need for Clay Shooting?

As with any shooting sport, the sky is the limit in regards to what you can spend on gear (including shotgun choke tubes: from cylinder, modified, improved cylinder, to full). You do not need an expensive over-under shotgun to compete. Any type of shotgun can be used, so don't feel pressured to go buy new guns and gear right away. Your money will be better spent practicing than on a fancy over-under shotgun you don't know how to master yet.

However, I would recommend that you invest in quality eye protection and electronic ear protection. These items can vary in fit and comfort between individuals, not to mention the personal hygiene aspect. Even if you just attend an event to watch, these items are good, if not critical, to have.

Once you are committed to participating, consider purchasing a shotgun shell holder or a clay shooting vest to organize ammo and small supplies. Sporting clay vests come in different sizes and offer different ways to hold your gear. Having one that you like will make managing your ammo easier.

Have Fun!

The most important part is to show up. New shooters are always welcome and encouraged to get involved. People will be more than happy to offer tips, insights, and loan equipment to ensure that everyone has a good time.