This course is to introduce the student to the safe handling of
shotguns, range procedures and basic rules of each sport, reloading
ammunition, and shooting both trap and skeet.
The activity fee for the course covers all materials necessary for
the class guns, ammunition, reloading components, targets, range, and
instruction.
This class meets for one two-hour session each week. The first class
meets in a classroom at Tennessee Tech as published in the semister
bulletin. All other class meetings will take place at Bend of the River
Recreation Area. This is located 10 miles north of Cookeville on Highway
136 (North Washington Avenue.
Handouts will include: a list of terms, definitions, and rules which
each student should be familiar with; sample score sheet showing how to
score both trap and skeet; list of ATA rules; diagram of trap range;
diagram of skeet range; parts of cartridge.
Grading for this course is not based on proficiency at shooting.
Although we hope each student has good scores, there is no reasonable,
fair way to use scores on the range for your course grade. Three written
examinations and participation will be used to determine the letter
grade for the course.
Skeet
As we see from the history of the sport,
skeet shooting is an American invention circa 1920. Although one can
shoot by himself, the average skeet squad is composed of five people,
each of whom shoots a round of 25 shots.
The skeet field is laid out on a semi-circle (or half "clock") with
eight stations for shooting. Seven stations are positioned at equal
distances on the perimeter of the "clock" with the eighth in the middle
on a line between position one and seven. (Station one would be the
numeral twelve on a clock; position seven would be the numeral six.)
High targets are thrown from station one at one end of the semi-circle;
low targets from station seven at the other end. The trap houses at
station one and seven are called the "high house" and "low house."
Targets are always thrown in the same pattern of flight, but the angle
of the shot varies because the shooter changes position as the skeet
squad moves from station to station. Two targets are shot from each of
the eight stations. One from each house, and doubles, where targets are
thrown simultaneously from both houses, are shot at stations 1, 2, 6,
and 7. The twenty-fifth shot is called the "option shot" and is a
carry-over from the days when the shooter had a choice of his 25th shot
if he hit the first 24. The shooter no longer has any choice of where to
take the "option shot."
Before getting into the specifics of shooting trap and skeet, let's
look at some basics which are common to shooting any clay target. If you
can see the target with either normal eyesight or corrected vision and
have average coordination, you can learn to hit a moving target with a
shotgun-and will hit the target. The important things to learn in
shooting at moving targets are: proper stance, correct gun mounting, the
right sight alignment, the need to lead the target, and the importance
of swing and follow-through.
Each of these steps will be dealt with in detail in the advanced and
competition courses. For the beginning course, we will concentrate on
simply getting used to seeing the targets in the prescribed flight,
tracking the targets, swing and follow-through. The leads recommended by
the instructors for each target in skeet are given below. One must
remember that the apparent lead for each shooter may be different from
these suggested leads. This is due to each person's unique swing and
sight picture. If the suggested lead does not work for you, be prepared
to modify according to what you and the instructor think best. The
recommended leads are:
Station One: High House-0 lead Low House-1 foot Station Two: High
House-0 lead Low House-1 to 1 1/2 feet Station Three: High House-3 to 4
1/2 feet Low House-3 to 4 1/2 feet Station Four: High House-3 to 4 1/2
feet Low House-3 to 4 1/2 feet Station Six: High House-1 foot Low
House-0 lead Station Seven: High House-4 to 8 inches Low House-0 lead
Station Eight: High House-0 lead, fast swing, catch the target and shoot
Low House-0 lead, fast swing, catch the target and shoot
Again, these leads have been developed through our years of teaching.
These will not work for every shooter, but you have to begin somewhere.
The instructor will be able to adjust each shooter as he is shooting the
targets.
Trap
In trap, the shooting is done from five
adjacent positions in a crescent-shaped formation 16 or more yards
behind the "trap." Shooting is done in rotation with the person in
number one position firing first and so on. Each person fires at an
individual target. After each has fired five shots from a particular
position on the crescent, all move one station to the right until
everyone on the squad has fired from all five positions for a total of
25 shots. The trap squad consists of five people or less.
The "trap" is concealed in a low house in front of the shooting
stations. Clay targets are thrown from the house at various angles
unknown to the shooter. The targets are thrown away from the "trap"
48-52 yards and in any direction within a radius of 44 degrees. The arc
is centered on the "trap" and station 3.
As in skeet, the objective in trap shooting is the breaking of a fast
moving clay target. The targets used in trap are the same as those used
in skeet. Beyond these factors, however, the two sports are markedly
different.
Unlike skeet, trap contains an element of the unpredictable. Because
the shooter can never guess which angle the target will follow, it is
impossible to use a cut and dried formula in determining proper leads.
The principles of lead, swing, and follow-through are applicable to all
forms of shotgun shooting. In trap, just as in skeet, no follow-through
after firing is certain to cause a miss. Good stance and proper gun
mounting are equally essential to the trapshooter.
Most trap targets are rising as well as going away from the shooter.
Therefore, they require an upward lead in addition to whatever
quartering lead may be indicated Remember to establish proper horizontal
and vertical lead and continue your swing and follow-through as you
fire.
As the new shooter gains experience through practice, he will
gradually acquire a conditioned memory image or mental picture, of how
far over, right or left to lead every target thrown. It will take time,
but eventually, each memory image, neatly tucked away and classified in
the mind, will come flashing through with computer speed to match every
target angle encountered. Trite but true, practice makes perfect.
Competition Trap and Skeet
By this time the student should have a fairly good grasp of the
basics of shooting trap and skeet. This course is directed toward
getting the student involved in actual competition. The class meets for
a one-hour session each week on campus. Shooting times are arranged by
the student. One requirement of the course is to attend and participate
in at least one registered target competition sometime during the
quarter. These are held year-round almost every weekend and
transportation is usually easy to obtain
Introduction
Shot Gun Information
Shot Gun Hints
Glossary
