
The word “skeet” comes from the Norwegian word for “shoot.” Americans used skeet shooting during World War II to instruct gunners how to line up their shots for a flying target. You’re still in a semi-circle, but with a 21-yard radius and 8 different stations. Normally, the shooting took place from all directions, but the appearance of the chicken forced a modification of the rules - mandating one direction of shooting. However, the game had to be modified when, during an early session, a chicken wandered onto the field. The circumference mimicked the face of a clock.Ī trap took the 12 o’clock spot, and the game began. The game was called “shooting around the clock.” That referred to a course in the shape of a circle, with a 25-yard radius. Skeet shooting began in 1920 in Andover, Massachusetts. skeet, we have the newer version of target shooting. Moving forward in our discussion of trap vs.

Skeet Shooting and How to Properly Enjoy the Game When discussing aiming your gun, trap shooting typically refers to the process as “pointing,” a term not used outside of trap shooting.

During trap shooting, hundreds of pellets are fired off at once, unlike a pistol’s attempt to hit a target with a single shell.Īll of this takes place within a second, quite different than rifle shooting where you have time to line up your shot and take aim. Trap shooting techniqueįiring at targets in the sport of trap shooting is quite different than just shooting a pistol or rifle. Safety regulations require all shooters in a handicap squad to stand at least two yards apart, depending on the classification of their handicap. Once a shooter wins, the distance increases to provide more difficulty. The trap house fires targets in a single direction, while oscillating left to right inside an arc of 54 degrees.Ĭhanges in rules during recent times have mandated a minimum handicap distance of 18 yards. With American trap, shooting categories are usually broken down into three separate areas: single, double, and handicap. The organization hosts the Grand American World Trap Shooting Championships in August. The Amateur Trapshooting Association, also known as the ATA, organize many official competitions. Clubs and facilities all across the country engage in trap shooting. Throughout the United States, trap shooting is arguably the most popular form of clay pigeon shooting. There is also the Olympic event of double trap, where two targets are released simultaneously. The name can have slight variations, including Olympic trap, international trap, ISSF trap, and trench. Trap shooting involves the use of a single machine, usually sent away from the direction of the shooter.

By the 1860s, the birds were replaced with glass balls, although some locations still utilized live targets. They released the birds from under a hat into the air.

Back then, live birds were used as targets, which is how the term “clay pigeon” evolved.
