Shotgun Disciplines & Games Table of Contents Introduction History Lesson Plan Objectives Methods Time Resources and Materials Vocabulary Background for Student Presentation Trap Disciplines American Trap Handicap Trap Doubles Trap Skeet Disciplines American Skeet Skeet Doubles Sporting Disciplines English or American Sporting Games Crazy Quail 5-Stand Sporting Quail Walk Student Lesson Procedures Enrichment Activities Glossary Student Activities Student Activities Answers Overheads Trap Field Skeet Field Layout Sporting Course Layout Crazy Quail Layout NSCA 5-Stand Sporting Page 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 International Hunter Education Association P.O. Box 490 Wellington, CO 80549-0490 970-568-7954 www.ihea.com
This curriculum is based upon information provided by Black s Wing & Clay. Black s Wing & Clay is a complete shotgunner s guide, with three directories in one. Instruction is a guide to shotgun shooting across the U.S.; Equipment provides information about companies that provide shotgun-related products and services worldwide; and Destinations has state-by-state listings of hunting destinations and sporting clays, trapand skeet clubs. Contact information: Black s Wing & Clay PO Box 2029 Red Bank, NJ 07701 Tel: (732) 224-8700 Fax: (732) 741-2827 E-mail: ms-blacks@attglobal.net Curriculum design and layout by Silvertip Productions, Ltd. Graphic credits: Black s Wing & Clay
Shotgun Disciplines & Games Background Materials (for instructors) Descriptions of the various shooting disciplines and games are used with permission from Black s 2001 Wing & Clay. Introduction Millions of North Americans enjoy shotgun shooting sports known as trap, skeet, and sporting clays. Thousands of shotgun ranges are available to shooters throughout the continent. The clay target disciplines and games are excellent activities for hunters. Young hunters can learn skills and practice safety, and increase their ability to hit gamebirds on the wing during hunting season. The purpose for using the Clay Target Shooting Sports Supplemental Resources is to make students aware of all the opportunities they have to participate in clay target disciplines and games. History The first trapshooting competition in the United States was held at the Sportsmen s Club of Cincinnati in 1831. At this time pigeons and sparrows were used for targets. Glass ball targets from England were introduced in 1866, and were used for much of the 19 th century. In 1868, the choke bore was introduced. The choke bore was an important feature for the further development of shotgun shooting sports. The clay target was invented and became an instant hit in 1880. The first composition clay target, one that actually broke when hit, was introduced along with a target thrower in 1884. The American Shooting Association was formed in 1890 and the first rule book was produced. Since that time many additional clay target disciplines, games and associations have developed. 1
Lesson Plan Objectives Students will be able to: 1. Understand the differences in trap, skeet, and sporting clays disciplines and know which ones most closely simulate hunting conditions 2. Identify where the closest ranges or shooting clubs are located and who to contact for more information. 3. Know about the Scholastic Clay Target Program and who to contact for more information Methods Lecture and discussion Video Demonstration Group activities Time 5 to 10 minutes of classroom time Additional time as needed for videos, demonstration, or group activities Resources and Materials Eye Protection Ear plugs Overheads Maps showing local range locations Clay targets Hand throwers or portable traps Videos Vocabulary ATA Amateur Trapshooting Association Clay target High house Low house NSCA National Sporting Clays Association NSSA National Skeet Shooting Association Squad Trap 2
Background for Student Presentation Classifying and defining the various shotgun disciplines and clay target games is no easy task. There are almost as many out there as there are shotgunners to shoot them. And new ones spring up all the time. What follows then is not meant to be the final word on the topic just a helpful guide to the most prominent games played and disciplines followed today. Trap Disciplines American Trap (ATA) The most basic of all the trap disciplines. Standard targets are thrown as singles. The horizontal direction is randomized with a maximum angle of 22 degrees measured from a line from the trap to the middle station. The height at which the targets are thrown is constant. The distance is constant at 50 yards. A squad of five shoot in rotation from five stations arrayed in an arc located 16 yards behind the traphouse; 5 targets are thrown at each station, after which the shooters move to the next station on their right. A round is 25 targets with one shot allowed at each target. An English variation is called Down-The-Line, a two-barrel discipline that allows two shots at a single target with a scoring penalty for a second-barrel hit. Trap Field Handicap Trap The same as ATA singles, except the shooter stands further back than 16 yards but no longer than 27 yards. The ATA review handicap yardage for shooters every 1,000 targets as part of their handicap system. Doubles Trap As the name implies, two targets are launched simultaneously from one machine. Squads of five shooters rotate the five positions on the 16 yard line. Shooting events consist of 25 or 50 pairs. Like 16 yard and handicap, scoring is one point per target hit. 3
Skeet Disciplines American Skeet A round of skeet consists of 25 targets Skeet Field in a set sequence of singles and simultaneous doubles. Squads of five shooters take their turns from eight shooting stations. Each squad member takes two singles and one double from stations 1, 2, 6 & 7. Two singles are taken from stations 3, 4, 5 & 8. The 25 th target is taken after the first target is missed, or as a final target (low house #8) after 24 kills. Targets are thrown a distance of 60 yards. Variations in the angles of the targets presented from the high and low house result from the shooter moving from station to station. American Skeet is the only discipline that has regular, specific tournament events for sub-bore shotguns: 20, 28, and.410. Skeet Doubles Shooters, in squads of five, start on station 1, shooting one pair of doubles each to station 7. Then they reverse, shooting one pair each from stations 7 through 1. On station 4, shooters must shoot the high house target first. On reversing, (shooting 7 through 1), they must shoot the low house target first. In tournaments, the events are on a total of 50 (or 100) targets with the last pair shot on station 1. Scoring is one point per hit target. Sporting Disciplines English or American Sporting Sporting Clays, like Trap and Skeet, uses traps and clay targets to duplicate, Sporting Course Layout as far as possible, conditions and presentations you would normally find while hunting. A typical sporting course is laid out over a 10, 20 or 30 acre site, ideally in rough, hilly terrain. Usually, the path the shooters follow will take a circular or horse-shoe shape enabling shooters to start and finish in roughly the same place. Along the path targets are thrown from 10 to 14 shooting stations. Courses can be laid out with either automatic or manual traps, usually set out of sight. Six different types of targets can be used: standard, midi, mini, battue, rocket or rabbit. Target sequence may incorporate singles, report pairs, following pairs and true (simultaneous) pairs. A round usually consists of 50 or 100 targets. The shooter s gun must be visible below the armpit and may not be mounted until the target is visible. 4
Games Crazy Quail This game simulates quail rising from cover. The trap used is hidden in a pit to prevent shooters from anticipating the flight direction of the target. Targets fly straight away, to the side, or directly toward the shooter, because the trap and the trapper s seat rotate 360 degrees. Automatic machines on special rotating bases can also be used. Crazy Quail 5-Stand Sporting - Sometimes over-laid on a trap or skeet field this game uses 6-8 automatic traps. There are 3 levels of difficulty: Level I, 5 single targets with full use of the gun for scoring; Level II, 3 single and a simultaneous pair; Level III, 1 single and 2 simultaneous pairs. Shooters (squad of five) can move from station to station with a predetermined menu of shots and combinations, or in a sequence unknown to the shooters. 5-STAND SPORTING is a registered trademark of Clay-Sport International, Inc., Alberta, Canada. In the U.S., 5-STAND is licensed by the NSCA. NSCA 5-Stand Sporting Quail Walk Another version of sporting shooting. A quail walk or walk-up involves the shooter walking down a path in a more-or-less straight line. Just as in rough shooting in the field, the shooter carries a loaded gun in anticipation of targets being presented while walking. Manual traps or automatic traps can be utilized. 5
Student Lesson Procedures 1. Begin by asking your students how many of them have ever shot at clay targets for fun or competition. If you have a significant response ask for a show of hands specific to trap, skeet, sporting clays, and informal shooting using hand throwers or portable traps. Hold up a standard clay target used in trapshooting so students will know exactly what you are talking about. Pass the target around the room. Explain that there are different sizes, styles, and colors of clay targets for different types of shooting, such as sporting clays. 2. Explain that many hunters shoot clay targets to help them improve their skills in the field. Sporting clays is the best clay target discipline when trying to simulate actual hunting conditions. Also explain that millions of non-hunters also shoot clay targets for fun and competition. 3 Review the importance of firearm safety rules and safe methods of transporting guns. Hold up shooting glasses and ear protection, and stress the importance of using this protective gear at all times. 4. Project overheads of trap, skeet, and sporting clays fields. Briefly explain where the shooters stand, where the clay targets are thrown, and the basic paths shooters follow as the games progress. 5. Tell the students where to find local clay target ranges, and give them contact information for clubs and/or the Scholastic Clay Target Program. 6
Enrichment Activities 1. Visit a trap, skeet or sporting clays range. Issue eye protection and ear protection for all participants, including parents or visitors. Observe shooters as they participate. Explain the procedures, and answer questions. 2. If possible, have the students participate in a round of shooting. Follow your State or Provincial policies and procedures for live-firing 3. If it is not possible to visit a range, consider having students experienced in the various disciplines tell Glossary ATA Clay target High House Low House NSCA NSSA Squad Trap Amatuer Trapshooting Association Targets made of compositions including clay soil. Recently, bio-degradeable targets have been developed that safely degrade in a little over two years. Clay targets are also called clay birds, or pigeons, a holdover from the days when live birds were used for targets. In skeet, targets are thrown from two different houses, one higher than the other. See High house. National Sporting Clays Association National Skeet Shooting Association A group of shooters participating in a clay target competition Name of a specific clay target competition, but also used to describe the machine used to throw clay targets. When live birds were used in competitions, they were released from traps. 7
Student Activity Sheet Word Find TRAP SKEET CLAY TRAPHOUSE SQUAD DOUBLES HANDICAP SPORTING TARGET SHOOT Crossword ACROSS 4. In trapshooting, two targets are launched at the same time. 5. Amatuer Trapshooting Association 6. clays use trap and clay targets to simulate hunting DOWN 1. Like trap singles, but the shooter stands further back than 16 yards but no more than 27 yards behind the traphouse. 2. A group of shooters participating in a clay target competition 3. A round of consists of 25 targets in a set sequence of singles and simultaneous doubles. 8
Student Activity Sheet Answers Word Find TRAP SKEET CLAY TRAPHOUSE SQUAD DOUBLES HANDICAP SPORTING TARGET SHOOT Crossword ACROSS 4. In trapshooting, two targets are launched at the same time. 5. Amatuer Trapshooting Association 6. clays use trap and clay targets to simulate hunting DOWN 1. Like trap singles, but the shooter stands further back than 16 yards but no more than 27 yards behind the traphouse. 2. A group of shooters participating in a clay target competition 3. A round of consists of 25 targets in a set sequence of singles and simultaneous doubles. 9