how to set up a sportingclay course

Sporting clays course design is largely dictated by the range facility’s available terrain. They are set up as roving courses consisting of 10 to 15 shooting stations or stands. Competitors walk to each station, though many large courses allow the use of golf carts. 1.

Full Answer

How do I start shooting sporting clays?

Shooters must wait until the last person has finished shooting before moving onto the next station. These are just the basics to get you started shooting sporting clays. If you still have questions, visit a local sporting clays course and ask some of the shooters you see out there.

What is sporting clays?

Why Sporting Clays? Sporting Clays is the closest thing to actual field shooting of all shotgun sports. It dates back to the early 1900s in England when trap shooting used live pigeons. With the invention of clay targets, the sport saw varying distances, target sizes, trajectories and angles being introduced.

What is your typical setup for skeet shooting?

My typical setup starts skeet or improved cylinder choke in the lower (first firing) barrel and modified in the upper. If the pairs are report pairs, I make sure to hit the closer or larger presented (full face vs. edge on) target first with the more open choke and use the tighter choke on the smaller and further targets.

How do you shoot in a shooting competition?

Once in the stand/station, a competitor points the shotgun toward the firing area to load it. Then, when in position and ready, calls “pull.” After each set of targets, a referee usually calls out what he saw and writes the score as hits or misses. When finished shooting, a shooter opens the gun, removes spent hulls and exits the stand.

How does a sporting clay tournament work?

Sporting clays is typically shot in squads of two to six people and played over a course of 10 to 15 shooting stations laid around fields or around the natural features of the land. The course designer is not limited in target speed, angle, or distance, so every course is different.

How much space is needed for skeet shooting?

The minimum size needed is 600 yards long and 333.34 yards wide (41.32 acres). Since a 300 yard safety zone is required from any shooting zone, you need 300 yards on each side of station 8 on a skeet field.

How long is a round of sporting clays?

Brand new shooters will take 1.5-2 hours whereas very experienced shooters can shoot a round in 30-45 minutes.

What is a good score on sporting clays?

Breaking 78 of 100 targets is a good score in sporting clays.

Can you shoot clay pigeons on your own land?

Do you really have enough land? You need to make sure that no shot and no broken clays will fall on anyone else's land around you and remember that you are not allowed to shoot over a right of way. Remember: it is illegal for pellets to cross over onto a neighbour's land.

What are the dimensions of a skeet field?

Shooting station 8 is rectangular, 0.9 m +/-0.05 m wide by 1.85 m +/-0.05 m long, with its long sides parallel to the base chord. The location of each shooting station must be accurately indicated. The markers for shooting stations 1 through 7 are on the center of the side nearest the target crossing point.

How many shells do you need for a round of sporting clays?

Ammunition – At least two boxes of 25 shells, plus a few (5) extra in case of target or trap issues, same gauge as your gun. Remember – no shot larger (lower number) than #7-1/2. A shell holder you wear to carry your ammo as you move around the course. Ear Plugs – MANDATORY.

What is a mulligan in sporting clays?

A Mulligan is a “do over” which consists of two birds. A mulligan can only help the shooter, not hurt them. “The shooter” must notify the scorekeeper before leaving the shooter's post that he/she wants to use a mulligan. The shooter must present his/her mulligan ticket to be allowed to shoot a mulligan.

What type of shell is used for skeet?

Winchester AA Shotshells Many shooters love a light-kicking 20 gauge for busting clays. This Winchester load of #9 shot will pulverize any clay pigeon within range. Winchester AA shotshells have been the hallmark of quality for many decades now, and they are still a great pick for any shotgun shooter to this day.

What is a good shooting range score?

“Marksmen” is the lowest score obtained, with a scoring range of 250-279. “Sharpshooter” is obtained with a combined score falling between 280-304. “Expert” is obtained with a combined score falling between 305-350.

What is a report pair?

Course layout and play Targets are thrown in pairs. A pair of targets may be thrown as a true pair (or sim pair, i.e., thrown at the same time), as a following pair (thrown sequentially), or on report (the second clay launched on the firing of the shooter's gun).

What is a sporting clay?

Sporting clays is the closest thing to actual field shooting of all shotgun sports. Rather than having clay birds thrown from standardized distances and angles as with skeet or trap, sporting clays courses are designed to simulate the hunting of ducks, ...

How to shoot a round of sporting clays?

To shoot a round of sporting clays, you’ll start on the assigned first station and shoot each station in order. Before the first person in every squad shoots, the referee will show your squad the targets so you’ll be familiar with what and how the targets are being thrown and strategize how you’ll shoot them.

How many people are in a clay shooting team?

Sporting clays is typically shot in squads of two to six people and played over a course of 10 to 15 shooting stations laid around fields or around the natural features of the land. The course designer is not limited in target speed, angle, or distance, so every course is different.

How to check if a gun is loaded?

Make sure your gun is not loaded by opening the breech, and look down the barrel to check for obstructions. Keep the breech open to let everyone see that it is safe; if you have a over/under or side-by-side, carry it broken open with the muzzle down or up in the air. At all times, treat the gun as if it is loaded.

Should you treat a gun as if it is loaded?

At all times , treat the gun as if it is loaded.

Is a sporting clay like a shotgun?

You may have heard of sporting clays referred to as “golf with a shotgun,” and that’s a fair comparison. Like golf courses, no two sporting clays courses are alike, and terrain and background have a lot to do with how targets are presented. Since no two courses are alike, shooters travel to different courses to experience variety.

How many shooting stations are there in a sporting clays course?

Sporting clays course design is largely dictated by the range facility’s available terrain. They are set up as roving courses consisting of 10 to 15 shooting stations or stands. Competitors walk to each station, though many large courses allow the use of golf carts.

What is a sporting clay?

Sporting clays is arguably one of modern shotgun history’s most popular sports. It is one that can be extremely challenging, yet it’s also a discipline a complete beginner can participate in and enjoy. It’s often said that sporting clays is akin to “golfing with a shotgun.”. Similar to golf, sporting clays rounds are shot on courses, ...

What is a true pair of clays?

True pair. Two clays are thrown at the exact same time. This is also called a “dedicated” or “sim” pair. Sporting clays shooters generally shoot in groups of two to six shooters known as “squads.”. Prior to the first shooter up at each new station, the puller or referee will throw a “show pair” of targets to the entire squad.

Why do clay shooters use over and under?

Aside from the choice of gauge, most experienced sporting clays shooters prefer to use an over/under so that each barrel can be outfitted with a different choke. This allows the shooter to use the most advantageous shot pattern for each bird they’ll be shooting at.

How many shots can you shoot in a clay tournament?

Always stay on the prescribed walking paths from station to station. A round of sporting clays can be 50 or 100 shots, and some big competitions will shoot up to 300 targets or more over two or three days of tournament play.

How to demonstrate a shotgun is unloaded?

When on the course and traveling to and from the course from your vehicle or shooting range clubhouse, always visually demonstrate your shotgun is unloaded by carrying it with the action open. You, of course, should also be conscious of where your muzzle is pointed — in the air or at the ground are generally considered acceptable.

How many clay birds are thrown?

One clay bird is thrown each time the competitor calls for the target. On the shooter’s call, one bird is launched. After a predetermined amount of time, usually a few seconds, the person operating the traps on that station will throw a second target. On the shooter’s call, one bird is launched.

1. Guns for Sporting Clays

You are free to use any shotgun that’s safe and capable of shooting two shots, so semi-autos, pumps, over/unders and side-by-sides are all acceptable. The 12-gauge shotgun is the most commonly used, though many competitions have “sub-gauge” categories available for those who wish to shoot 20- and 28-gauge and .410-bore.

2. Ammunition

Not all shotgun ammunition is the same. Shot in the No. 7½ to No. 9 range is most commonly used. In fact, most clay target ranges prohibit shot sizes larger than No. 7½, to ensure that airborne shot doesn’t travel further than the range limits.

3. Safety

Safety is the primary concern in any shooting sport and failing to follow a few basic rules is the quickest way to draw unwanted attention—or worse. When on course and traveling to and from the course from your vehicle or shooting range clubhouse, always visually demonstrate your shotgun is unloaded by carrying it with the action open.

4. Shooting a Round of Clays

To start, you will proceed to the first station and progress through the various stations in order. Always stay on the prescribed walking paths from station to station.

What is the target type of clay?

Target Type. There are three main target types in sporting clays: pigeon, teal, rabbit. The pigeon target is your standard skeet or trap clay pigeon shot that is thrown at various angle to the shooter and tends to maintain it’s thrown presentation throught its flight. The rabbit is a flat disc that is rolled across the ground at a fair rate ...

What is the break point of clay?

Break-Point Choice. The distance at which you will break the clay is a critical decision factor. As the clay is “thrown” you will typically have several different points at which you can break the target. You don’t have to break the clay as soon as you think you can.

Can you have more than one shell type in clay?

In sporting clays, it is thinkable to have more than one shell type and certainly an extra choke or two. That works great when all of your shots are in such a tight range where one choke will always produce the perfect pattern at the right distance.

Is all clay courses the same?

Let me start with the fact that not all courses are the same. That’s one of the most attractive features of sporting clays. I use my typical setup going into an unknown course or one that might have changed since I last shot it. Other courses may have a bias to closer or further targets and require some thought as to how to setup for them.

Can you use modified chokes on sporting clay?

For sporting clays, many shooters will just stick Improved Cylinder and Modified chokes into their guns (or improved cylinder for the auto’s/pumps) for sporting clays. I certainly did for my first few rounds. If you are just using the game to knock the rust off before a hunting trip, that makes perfect sense as long as that’s the setup you’ll use in the field. Instead, if you are playing the game, you might want to set your gun up for the targets.

What are the rules for sporting clays?

Etiquette of Sporting Clays 1 Do not touch another person’s firearm unless given permission by the owner. 2 Guns are carried broken at all times. 3 Guns are not pointed at anything, except targets or down range. 4 When not shooting, talk in a low voice so as not to disturb other shooters. 5 Do not argue with the referee/scorekeeper. 6 Shooters must wait until the last person has finished shooting before moving onto the next station.

What is the size of a clay target?

Clay targets are round, dish–shaped and vary in size from 60mm to 108mm. Although they usually come in orange and black, there also are other colors, including pink, white and lime green. Six different types of clay targets may be found on a sporting clays course. Standard/Pheasant – 108 mm diameter. Rabbit – A thicker, but standard 108mm diameter ...

How many clay birds are thrown each time the shooter calls for the target?

Single – One clay bird is thrown each time the shooter calls for the target.

What is a squad in shooting?

Squad – A group of shooters who shoot a round of clays. Stand – The position from where the shooter fires her shots. Trap – The machine that launches the clay into the air. No bird – A clay that comes out of the trap broken or defective. Single – One clay bird is thrown each time the shooter calls for the target.