Shotgun Sports: Skeet, Trap, and Sporting Clays

Sep 15, 2022

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Shotgun sports like skeet, trap, and sporting clays all vary to some degree, yet can sometimes get mixed up in their definitions. If you’re interested in getting into any of these shotgun sports, it’s important to grasp those similarities and differences, while also understanding the types of shotguns that do best in all three.

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Skeet Shooting
1. Similarities to other shotgun sports:
  1. Clays are thrown from trap houses
  2. Simulates bird hunting
2. Differences to other shotgun sports:
  1. 8 shooting stations
  2. 2 trap houses known as the high house and low house (10 feet high and 3.5 feet high)
  3. Clays are thrown in crossing angles
3. Up to 5 shooters go around to each station which forms a semicircle around the field with the two houses on either end
4. Ammo Types:
  1. 12 and 20 gauge
5. Shotgun Type:
  1. Over/Under double barrel
6. Designer note: Show a top-view of what this looks like. Reference image found here: http://gaclaytarget.com/about-skeet-shooting/
Trap Shooting
1. Similarities to other shotgun sports:
  1. Clays are thrown from trap houses
  2. Simulates bird hunting
2. Differences to other shotgun sports:
  1. 5 shooting stations
  2. 1 trap house
  3. Clays are thrown away from the shooter in a variety of directions
3. Shooters rotate stations until 25 rounds have been shot in total
4. Ammo Types:
  1. 12 gauge
5. Shotgun Type:
  1. Single or double barrel
6. Designer note: Show a top-view of what this looks like. Reference image found here: https://www.britannica.com/sports/trapshooting and https://www.pinterest.com/pin/436567757614423920/
Sporting Clays – AKA “Shotgun Golf”
1. Similarities to other shotgun sports:
  1. Clays are thrown from trap houses
  2. Simulates bird hunting
2. Differences to other shotgun sports:
  1. 10 – 15 shooting stations laid out differently at every course
  2. Clays are thrown in a variety of directions, speeds, and sizes to more accurately simulate bird hunting
3. Shooters get into squads of 2 – 6 people rotating to each station in order
4. Ammo Types:
  1. Most popular – 12 and 20 gauge
5. Shotgun Type:
  1. Single or double barrel, capable of firing two shots. Over/Under preferred
6. Designer note: Show a top-view of what this looks like. Reference image found here: http://sdclaytarget.com/2020/07/29/league-adds-sporting-clays-and-5-stand-clay-target-disciplines/