First Time Shotgun Skeet and Trap

[numaone]

Hey Yall,

I had my first skeet and trap experience earlier this wee, and had a blast! I am a rifle/handgun guy myself, but when a buddy of mine offered me a chance to go Trap and Skeet shooting, I couldn't refuse!

We went out to Gator Trap and Skeet Club in Gainesville, Florida (GO GATORS!). I don't own any shotguns so he brought an old Ithica 12 Gauge (don't remember the model) for me to shoot and he used his new Benelli Semi-auto for himself.

We started with Trap. We were shooting AA loads. I'm not familiar with shotgun loads, so I have some research to do to see what I was shooting. Well, my rifle experience kinda helped here. I knew the proper grip to hold a long gun, but I wasn't used to a target moving to fast! My kind of long gun shooting is a nice STATIONARY target at 100-600 yards, I had to quickly get used to following the bird. The first couple sailed away, I was shooting high, I think, and was advised to bend over a bit more when I was shooting and to follow the bird after I pull the trigger. Good advice! By the fourth bird, I nailed it! Great experience seeing that thing explode into pieces. Well, I finished out the round hitting 8/25, content for my first game of trap.

Next we moved into a game of skeet. This was a disaster for me! I had trouble keeping up with the birds moving across! My only two hits were from the sides when the birds were moving almost directly away, like in trap. Needless to say, I need a lot more practice.

All in all, a great Shotgun experience, and I had a blast. I expect to be back out there soon!

 

[Snarlingiron]

And so it begins. It is a great sport that never stops challenging you. I'm out there blasting away almost every weekend.

Welcome to the world of shotgunning.

 

[oneounceload]

Welcome......living a few miles down the road from there, I can tell you there is another club just outside Dunnellon you might want to check out, plus a sporting clays course in Bradford County just outside Graham.

Back to topic - you do NOT shoot a shotgun at moving targets in ANY manner similar to shooting a rifle. You face the target, (many rifle shooters stand at a 90 degree angle and twist their body), you focus on the target, NOT the sights, and you MUST follow through with your swing.

If you can, have someone who knows skeet take you to station 7 (the low house) and shoot a box of nothing but incomers and out-goers from there. Once you get that down, move to station 1 and repeat. Those are the two easiest stations on a skeet field. Then start moving outward to 2 & 6, then 3 & 5, then finish with 4, (the middle).

Skeet takes some time to get your swing down.

Once you have conquered skeet, it's time to move to the 5-stand and sporting clay courses. Once there, you'll be selling those rifles and buying MEC reloaders to go with your new O/U......

Welcome to the addiction known as clays.......

 

[Dave McCracken]

Welcome. It's a fine and personal madness, as addicting as crack but much healthier.

The archives here contain a series of threads that may help you, written to aid new shotgunners.

Hit search, then Advanced Search. Type in 101 for subject and my name as author. Hit submit.

Enjoy

 

[ArmedBear]

Get ready to sell all your stuff and move into a flophouse.

But as long as you can just... keep... shooting... clays...

 

[Milkmaster]

Congrats on your new found hobby. Save your pennies to spend on shotgun supplies and go to Church regular. That's the remedy for the successful clay shooter. Prayer for the money to afford shotgunning supplies and forgiveness for some of the things you might say while shooting Find some good shooting buddies and that will make it even more enjoyable.

Enjoy!