How to Design Clay Target Shooting Courses

Clay shooting is a sport or recreational activity involving competitors shooting at flying targets from fixed positions. It is sometimes called clay pigeon shooting in reference to competitions of the past, where live pigeons were used as targets. Nowadays, the three main forms of competitive clay shooting are skeet, which is also an Olympic event, trap shooting and sporting clays. The latter takes place between scattered shooting stations on a natural terrain, but for skeet and trap, you will need special shooting courses. You don't have to be an architect or builder, as a simple course can be created using simple materials.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 foot ladder
  • 3 foot stool
  • 2 clay shooting traps
  • Stones
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set the course in an open field, away from urban or rural settlements. Make sure there are few or no trees within 60 yards of where the shooter looks. The surface must be flat, or the shooter's position and the area where targets land must be on more or less the same level.

    • 2

      Allow 42 yards between the 10-foot ladder, which will be the high house, and the 3-foot stool, the low house. Place them firmly on the ground. Set shooting station 8 in the middle, 21 feet away from both houses. Form the number 8 with stones to mark the spot.

    • 3

      Create the shooting semi-circle. Count 21 yards from station 8 and mark the semi-circle using stones. Form the shooting corridor by creating a wider arc, approximately 24 yards from station 8.

    • 4

      Set the shooting stations, using stones to form the numbers. Station 1 must be under the high house, and station 7 must be under the low house. Station 4 should be in the middle, behind station 8. Keep a distance of approximately 7.5 feet between each station (station 8 excluded).

    • 5

      Place the clay shooting traps on the ladder and the stool. Determine whether the force of target launch destabilizes them. If so, use sandbags to prevent the two "houses" from moving out of position. Opt for remote-controlled traps or voice command devices.