Trapshooting
Trapshooting was developed in England late in the
18th century. The first targets were live pigeons,
which were released from cages known as traps. The
sport was first practiced in the United States early in
the 19th century and was popular by midcentury in a
number of areas, notably Cincinnati, Ohio, and the
New York City area. In subsequent decades the
scarcity of live pigeons prompted trapshooting
enthusiasts in the United States to create ingenious
artificial targets. The substitute targets first tried
included glass balls filled with feathers and solid iron
pigeons mounted on long metal rods. Platter-shaped
clay pigeons were developed about 1870. The
subsequent introduction of standard-ized traps
facilitated nationwide competition. The first U.S.
national championship match took place in New
Orleans, Louisiana, in 1885.
The Amateur Trapshooting Association, with
headquarters in Vandalia, Ohio, is the governing
body of U.S. and Canadian trapshooting. Under its
auspices numerous trapshooting competitions,
notably the Grand American Handicap, take place
each year. Trapshooting competition takes three
forms: singles, handicap, and double-target shooting.
In all three the targets are hurled from one trap, and
12-gauge shotguns are used. In singles shooting,
contestants fire from a series of five stations located
16 yd (14.63 m) behind the trap. At a signal from the
contestant, the clay target is hurled forward into the
air, away from the firing line. In order to simulate the
unpredictable flight patterns of birds taking wing, the
targets are sprung out of the trap at various angles
and in various directions. The clay pigeons rise to a
minimum height of about 10 ft (about 3 m) and,
unless hit, fall to the ground about 150 ft (about 45
m) from the trap. Champions often hit 100 out of 100
targets.
In handicap trapshooting, contestants possessing
superior records must shoot from stations located 17
to 27 yd (15.54 to 24.68 m) behind the trap. The
added distance, or handicap, enables trapshooters of
only average ability to compete on equal terms with
experts. In double-target shooting, the trap springs
two clay pigeons into the air simultaneously in
different directions.
Five Stand is very similar to Sporting Clays in that a
wide variety of targets are thrown. No two five-stands
are exactly alike. There are five "stands" or stations
to shoot from. There are usually somewhere between
6 and 8 traps that throw targets. Participants shoot in
turn at each of the 5 stands and various combinations
of targets are thrown from the traps. Usually there is a
menu card that will advise the shooter of the
sequence of targets. Five Stand is a great way to get
a Sporting Clays like experience in a small amount of
space, with very little walking.
Five Stand