A Beginners Introduction To Skeet Skeet differs from all other shooting sports because it was originally developed to improve hunting in the field, and only later, because of its growing popularity, developed into a competitive sport. Its development was actually brought about because of the industrial revolution sweeping the country during the 1900's. Rural areas began growing at incredible speed, into large sprawling industrial cities. Hunters were finding it necessary to travel longer distances in order to locate areas in which to hunt. When they finally arrived, they discovered that game was no longer as plentiful as it once was. Not only were hunters having a harder time finding game, but certain species had already been hunted into extinction. One example was the carrier pigeon. The American Sportsman soon began to realize some form of game conservation would have to be enacted. Eventually it was, with game seasons and bag limits imposed on all hunters. Because of the shortened hunting seasons, hunters were now finding it harder to get enough practice to become better skilled at harvesting game. Some hunters turned to trap shooting to fine tune their hunting abilities. However, this help was limited due to the lack of incoming and crossing shots. In 1920, this problem was finally addressed by Charles Davis of Andover Mass. He was owner of a dog kennel, and an avid hunter. He spent many hours trying to devise a way to improve his hunting experience. After trying and discarding many different types of plans, he finally settled on an idea based on a field laid out in a 50 yard circle. He called it Shooting Around The Clock. Around the circle he placed 12 shooting stations, with a single trap located at station 12. Shooters would fire 2 shots from each station, and one from the center, equaling a box of shells, or 25 shots. This
layout provided almost every type of shot a hunter would encounter in the field. All went well until the owner of the adjoining property complained of shot falling on his land. To avoid any future problems, Davis cut his shooting circle in half, and put a second trap machine at the opposite end of the shooting field. This precipitated the birth of the modern day skeet field. The hunting practice field became so popular, it very quickly developed into a challenging shooting game. Eventually it was renamed Skeet, which is the Scandinavian word for Shoot. In 1926, the first National Skeet Championships were held, and shortly after, the National Skeet Shooting Assoc. was formed. Today's skeet field varies little from its 1920 beginnings. It has eight shooting stations and 2 trap houses. Seven stations are arranged in a half moon between the the two houses, and one is directly in the center. The high house on the left side of the field, throws its targets from a trap 10 feet above the ground. The target rises to a height of 15 feet by the time it travels to the center of the field. The low house on the right side of the field, leaves the trap house just 3 1/2 feet from the ground, but it also rises to a height of 15 feet by the time it reaches the center of the field. Skeet is shot in squads of up to five shooters. They move from station to station around the half moon, ending up in the center, at station 8. A round of skeet consists of 25 targets. 17 are shot as singles, and 8 as doubles. The first miss is repeated immediately, and is called an option. If no targets are missed during the round, the 25 th target is shot at the last station, low house 8. Any gauge shotgun can be used, of any type, as long as it can fire two successive shots. The preferred shot size is # 9, but 8 or 8 ½ is also permissible. Since strength is not a factor, women are able to compete equally with men. Left handers can do as well as right, and are not at a disadvantage. Before going any further, let's discuss the procedures for signing up
to shoot a round of skeet at our club. First, go directly to the main clubhouse and purchase tickets for the number of rounds you intend to shoot. ( Currently $3.00 @ round on May, 2014 ) Proceed to the skeet fields, where you should locate the person in charge, or a range officer. They will assign you to a field. You'll need to take the following equipment with you. Your gun and ammunition, shell holder or shooting vest, ear and eye protection, a hat ( optional ) and your ticket. Range safety procedures are posted in the skeet house, and you should familiarize yourself with the club rules. If you have any questions, seek out the person in charge or the range officer on duty. Etiquette on the skeet field is really a matter of common sense. You'll probably find yourself squadded with shooters you've never met before, so don't be afraid to introduce yourself, and let them know your new to the sport. Always make sure the action of your gun is open, and make sure the muzzle of your gun is always pointing in a safe direction. NEVER put a shell in your gun until it's your turn to shoot and your fully standing on the shooting pad. At the END of the round, be sure to pick up all your empty shells if your shooting a semi automatic. NEVER pick up shells at station SEVEN. As mentioned earlier, any gun capable of firing two successive shots can be used for skeet. However, the most popular are semiautomatics and over & under. Let's examine the pros and cons of each. SEMI AUTOMATICS The main reason for the auto's popularity is its cost. At about $1000 to $1500, it's within reach of just about everyone. If you purchase a good quality gun, which comes with several different chokes, you could use it for skeet, trap, sporting clays, 5 stand, and hunting. It's lower recoil makes it much easier to handle by those bothered by excessive recoil. The only disadvantage shooting skeet with this gun is when the round is over, you have to bend down to pick up your shells. If you never intend to shoot any other gauge other then 12 or
20ga, this could be the gun for you. OVER & UNDER If you feel you would also enjoy shooting the smaller gauges, then the auto may not be your best choice. You would have to buy a gun for every gauge you've decided to shoot. In this case, the over & under may be the better choice. Mechanically, they're much stronger, and generally more reliable. They're usually heavier, aiding in developing a much smother swing. They have the same versatility as automatics, since several interchangeable chokes come with most guns. But by far, the biggest advantage of the over & under is its ability to be tubed for the smaller shotgun gauges. Skeet tubes are long cylinders, inserted into the barrel of your 12 gauge gun, which convert the barrel to any gauge you wish to shoot. They are available in 20, 28, and 410ga. So now instead of having one gun, you have four. You've now eliminated the expense of having to purchase several more guns. There are many other advantages, to numerous to mention here. Of course there are some disadvantages also. Recoil is heavier, especially when shooting the 12 ga, and if your gun breaks down, you've lost four, instead of one. However, in my opinion, the overwhelming advantage for owning an over & under is when shooting skeet, at the end of the round, your empty shells are already in your pocket. So, there you have it. Hopefully this article has given you the necessary information to make better choices, and prepare you for your first shooting experience. Feel free to contact me if you need further advice. Your comments and suggestions are welcomed at: skeetdoctor@comcast.net Barry Greenberg