What Are Clay Pigeons?

Clay pigeons are small discs, resembling saucers, used as targets for shooting sports and intended to simulate live game. Historically, these discs were made with clay, hence the name. Modern clay pigeons, however, are typically made of a material that is a combination of limestone and pitch. The use of clay pigeons became popular in the early 20th century in regions like the United Kingdom and United States where hunting live game fell out of favor.

  1. Clay Pigeons

    • Clay pigeons are intended to be stand-ins for the real thing. As such, they are roughly the same size as the quarry they are meant to simulate. They are typically 3 to 4 oz. in weight and measure 4 to 5 in. across with a height of 1 in., resembling saucers or small Frisbees. They are typically thrown by clay pigeon throwing devices in competition, but "trick shooters" and individual enthusiasts will frequently throw them by hand or use a plastic device to give them the proper spin.

    Trap Shooting

    • In the sport of Trap Shooting, clay pigeons are thrown away from the participant at varying arcs and speeds. Typically, the clay pigeon is thrown immediately following a call of "pull" by the participant. Points are awarded based on if it took a single shot ("first barrel") or a second shot ("second barrel") to hit the clay pigeon.

    Sporting Clays

    • The sport of Sporting Clays is the most popular of the clay pigeon-related sports for spectators because of its anything-goes style. Clay pigeons are thrown at varying angles, trajectories and speeds -- indeed, even the sizes of the clay pigeons can vary. This sport was originally intended to accurately reproduce the experience of hunting live quarry, thus the clay pigeons were meant to be thrown as randomly as possible. There are sub-disciplines of Sporting Clays where the clay pigeons themselves are modified so as to not travel a straight path. Points are typically awarded out of 25, with each "hit" being worth a single point.

    Skeet Shooting

    • In the American sport of Skeet Shooting, clay pigeons are thrown from varying locations away from the participant and at set speeds and arcs. A total of 25 clay pigeons are thrown per round, with each "hit" or "kill" being worth a single point for the participant. Typically, the participant begins the round with the shotgun placed against the shoulder and ready to be fired; however, there are sub-disciplines of the sport that require the participant be set with the shotgun aimed towards the ground at the start of each round.