Trap Shooting Basics
Trap shooting has been a source of entertainment for centuries, and is relatively simple to pick up. Whether you are wanting to shoot with a professional organization or just looking for a way to practice during the off season, you can learn more about the fine art of trapshooting in the following section.
What is Trap Shooting
Trap shooting is one of three popular forms of shooting at clay targets. Some shoot trap for sport, while others simply enjoy the practice during off-season. In some ways, trap shooting is a replacement for when the game was played with live pigeons. The main difference between trap and skeet shooting is that targets are released from only one house.
Trap Shooting 101
Trap shooting is one of the three forms of clay target shooting, the others being skeet shooting and sporting clays. Typically trap shooting teams are made up of about five people, and turns shooting rotate. Each shooter is required to shoot at a 4 1/2 inch disc after he yells "pull."
How to Trap Shoot
American trap shooting is broken into three different categories: 16 yard singles, 16 yard doubles and a handicap which is shot between the 19th and 27th yard. In singles, players get one shot at each of the five targets while standing 16 yards away. The handicap works the same way, only you are 19 to 27 feet away.
Begninning Trap Shooting
There are many organizations and groups you can join that will help you get started out with trap shooting. Unlike it's counterpart, skeet shooting, trap shooting contains an element of the unpredictable. It is important to get as much practice as possible.
Trap Shooting
There are many versions of trap shooting, including Olympic Trap, Double Trap, Nordic Trap and several versions of American Trap. The sport was developed in 1793, when it used real pigeons. When passenger pigeons were nearing extinction, clay targets were introduced in the 1880's.
Shotgun Trap Shooting
Nearly all trap shooting is done with shotguns, and you will need a 12 guage or larger. Using anything smaller than a 12 guage will take away from your hitting power. You should also note that a larger guage number actually means that it is smaller in shot size.
Trap Shooting Doubles
The primary difference between doubles in trap shooting is that two targets are fired at once from the trap, and you get one shot for each of the targets. There is no other time in trap shooting that you are aloud to take more than one shot.
Rules of Trap Shooting
In trap shooting, typically only one shot is aloud per person on a team of five. A registered Amatuer Trap Shooting Association (ATA) shoot requires teams to shoot at least 50 targets per shoot. Most shots are fired from 16 yards away, with the acception of handicap shots fired from 19-27 yards away.
Trapshooting Rules
The rules of trap shooting are relatively simple and vary slightly between whatever version of the game you are playing. Usually you are only allowed one shot per target round unless you are playing doubles, and must stand 16 yards away from the trap house, unless you are playing with a handicap.
Trap Shooting Set Up
Trap shooting is done from five adjacent positions in a crescent-shaped formation 16 or more yards behind the "trap." The shooting rotates with the person in the number one position firing first, and each person fires at one of the five individual targets.
Trap Shooting Safety
Some safety considerations to take when trap shooting are to make sure there are no people on the range when you are shooting, as well as that you are wearing proper ear and eye protection. All children should also have a guardian accompany them.
Doubles Trap Shoot
The only difference between doubles trap shooting is that instead of only one target being thrown from the trap, there are two. The shooter who stands 16 yards away gets one shot per target, and this is the only time that two shots are aloud to be fired.