What is Skeet Shooting?
What can hunters do out of the season to enjoy their hobby?
Skeet shooting is one of the sports that you are surely going to enjoy, if you don’t practice is already.
Skeet shooting is one specific discipline of clay target shooting.
The clay targets are launched from a “house”, via a clay target thrower, at various distances and angles away from or towards the shooter, depending on the shooters station position. There’s a high house, and a low house. Shooters move from one station to the next, shooting the targets from different angles, and projected clay target combinations.
The excitement of shooting at a fast flying 4-5″ target is what sets this sport apart from the rest.
This makes skeet shooting different from other forms of clay shooting practices. The gun of choice in skeet shooting is usually a 12-gauge over under shotgun. But, shooters have expanded their skills to use a variety of hunting shotguns guns in the practice.
There are two versions of this sport: American and International skeet shooting.
In the American version of the game, there’s no delay between the calling for targets and their releasing. Also, in the American skeet shooting targets are released in a different order than in the International version of the game.
In the International variant, there’s a 0-3 seconds delay between the calling for targets and the actual releasing. Since International skeet is the variant used in the Olympic Games, it is also known as Olympic skeet. This is also the preferred variant of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
At our Kingston Shotgun Sport club, members generally shoot in the American version method.
Skeet shooting becomes easier as you get acquainted with the rules. Each round involves the taking of 25 shots from 8 different stations positioned in an arc. At the two ends on this arc are two trap houses that throw the clay pigeons you’ll have to shoot.
As with many other sports, skeet shooting is more desirable with a group of friends. Squads moving together from one station to the next during one round are limited to five individuals.
If you want to improve your skills, you may want to shoot together with more experienced players, as they always enjoy sharing tips with beginners.
Planning to shoot Skeet?
Just come on out during open hours and you’ll always find a few other members to team up with.
Skeet Tips To Help You Have More Fun
- The clay pigeons are fired from different heights, but they all make an arc of about 15 feet in the air. Even though you aim at targets from the same two trap houses for the entire round, you’ll get them at different angles as you change stations. Watch the other players taking their shots, in order to observe the flight pattern of each clay pigeon. This should help you improve your shooting accuracy.
- Your initial stance on a shooting station position marks the beginning of a good shot. Stay focused for the entire duration of the game, as the preparation of the shot is as important as the actual shooting. Your stance also matters, as it has a direct influence on your performance. You have to be at the same time stable and mobile, and a good stance will help you achieve just that. Try to keep your weight forward and place about 60% of your weight on your front foot. Take the correct position before you actually shoulder your weapon.
- The mount is a move you’ll need to repeat the same way each and every time. In order to strengthen your muscle memory, take time to practice this move even outside the skeet shooting range. Once you mount your gun, take a little time to settle before you call for the clay. Beginners rush into calling for the bird as soon as they shoulder their gun. This may be detrimental as it makes it very difficult to track the bird.
- Track the pigeon with your eyes and also with the muzzle of your gun. Focus on the bird with your dominant eye but keep both eyes open. A tight cheek held on the gun stock will improve your accuracy, as it will help your gun follow the eyes. Before you call for the bird, focus on the centre pin and then bring your barrel back along the proposed flight path a set distance. By maintaining a subtle lead on the bird, you’ll be able to enjoy a better shooting accuracy. However, finding the proper lead requires a lot of practice and it may vary with the weather conditions and with the course.
- The other movement you need to practice to develop muscle memory is the arc motion of the gun. It’s usually good to practice this in your living room or garage with an unloaded gun.
- Instead of pulling the trigger, try to gently squeeze it, in order to prevent disrupting your swing. Continue your swinging motion even after the shot, this is called, follow through.
A skeet shooting gun is usually a double-barrelled shotgun.
Shooting with a group of friends will allow you to develop your sportsmanship, which is a big part of all the fun. Consider each shot as a chance to improve your skills. Remember that you’ll probably have some bad shots, but don’t let them spoil your experience.
Always observe gun handling etiquette. Never point a loaded gun at anyone, but rather keep it pointed straight up or down.
Planning to shoot Skeet?
Just come on out during open hours and you’ll usually find a few other members to team up with.