What does SKSC offer for shotgun shooters?
SKSC has two ATA Trap fields and two Skeet fields. These fully-lighted facilities are managed all year (yes, Winter too) by SKSC staff and are open to members as well as the pubic:
- Sundays: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Thursdays: 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Members may use the Trap & Skeet fields during off-hours from 9:00 a.m. until dusk, but you must use your own targets and equipment (the club’s equipment is locked up).
Both of our Trap fields utilize a voice-actuated release system (great for self-paced practice sessions as daily shooting volume allows). Our #1 Trap field is also equipped with an optional vertical wobble feature that makes the game even more fun to shoot. Our Trap machines may also be setup to throw doubles (two birds with each throw).
Our #2 Skeet field is equipped with an optional vertical wobble feature that any bird hunter will appreciate for keeping those reflexes sharp.
SKSC welcomes hosting special Trap and Skeet events too. In 2010 and 2011, we will be hosting the annual MUCC District-5 Trap and Skeet Matches. We have also hosted events for companies, churches and other civic organizations. Contact the SKSC Board of Directors with your plan and if approved, we will do our best to help you pick a day and arrange for an SKSC staff member to manage your event. You will need provide your own “helpers” to assist the manager during your shoot. Normal prices will apply to cover our costs for targets, etc.
How Trap and Skeet are run at SKSC
Both Trap and Skeet are managed from our club-house across the road from our shotgun fields. Come in, sign-up and pay for your line. When the next field is available, your squad can grab the clip-board and score-sheet and head out. Here are a few more details for the individual games. Firearm actions MUST be left OPEN and unloaded until you are on station and ready to shoot. You may bring your shotgun into the club-house, but it must remain open and unloaded at ALL times. We only use “target loads” and the largest shot size we allow on our Trap and Skeet fields is 7½. Please wait until your squad is finished with the line before you pick up your empty shells off the ground, there is less chance of stumbling with a loaded gun. This keeps the squad moving along faster as well as being safer for all on the field.
- Trap:
- A squad of up to five shooters may shoot conventional 16-yard Trap, or handicap Trap up to 27-yards.
- 25 total birds (50 for “doubles”), one shoot per target.
- Once you are on station and ready to shoot, load your shotgun with only one shell at a time – unless you are shooting doubles.
- Our voice actuated release system enables us to operate the field without an extra person to “pull” and score. However, you can always ask someone to score the line if desired – it does not have to be the club manager. During our Winter League, if any shooter on the squad is shooting for score, the there must be a person on the field to score the entire line.
- Both of our Trap machines have enough capacity to handle at least 3 squads before reloading. For your own safety, unless otherwise directed, we ask that you leave the task of reloading our Trap machines to the club manager.
- Skeet:
- A squad consists of 5 shooters, although one or two more is not unreasonable.
- Because only one person on the squad can shoot at a time, other members on the squad will share the duties of pulling and scoring.
- Keep the line moving along out of respect for those who are waiting for the field after you.
- 25 total birds, one shoot per target.
- Once you are on station and ready to shoot, load your shotgun with only one shell at a time – unless you are shooting doubles on stations 1, 2, 6 or 7.
- Station 8 is always shot one at a time. The entire squad shoots the high-house first and then the low-house.
- Our Skeet machines hold enough targets for a squad of 5 to shoot a line. If there are more than 5 on a squad, you will have to reload the machines during your line. Please fully reload both machines before your squad leave the Skeet field.
- Equipment:
- Safety
- Eye protection must be worn at all times. Shooters on our Trap and Skeet fields face the Eastern sky, so sunglasses are usually needed in the mornings.
- Ear protection must be worn at all times. Many shooters now use electronic hearing protection. These devices enhance safety by enabling one to hear commands and conversations, but limit intense sounds to a safe level. Ear-plugs are available for purchase at the club-house.
- Clothing
- Commercial type trap and skeet vests and shotgun shooting shirts are permitted as well as clothing normally suitable for existing climatic temperatures.
- Otherwise, you will need a pouch to hold your shells and empties.
- Ammunition
- SKSC has a limited amount of shotgun ammunition for sale at the club-house.
- We try to keep 12 and 20-gauge target shells in stock, and usually a few boxes of .410 gauge.
- Pricing varies due to market fluctuations.
- Safety
Don’t be bashful about getting started in Trap and Skeet – everybody is “new” at least once! If you would like some help or just want to practice, just let the manager know and we will do our best to help you out. Sunday afternoons are often a good time for new shooters to come to the club and get introduced to these games. The shooting crowd has thinned-out a bit and we have more time to work with you. It is often helpful to new shooters for us to turn off the horizontal wobble so that the machine throws the same bird on every cycle. Just ask the manager.
Trap and Skeet Fees
Our philosophy is to run our Trap and Skeet ranges at the break-even point after accounting for the cost of targets, lighting and wear-n-tear on the equipment. Our costs for clay targets has risen significantly over the past few years, so our prices have had to increase too. Membership has its rewards, and so members shoot for a lower price than non-members, as shown below:
- Trap & Skeet Prices – Per Line
- Non-Member $7.00
- Member $6.00
- Junior (16 & under) $5.00
- Senior (62 & over) $5.00
- Shooting Card (10 lines) Prices
- Member $55.00
- Non-Member – No Cards Issued
- Junior $45.00
- Senior $45.00
- Shotgun Shell Prices
- 12 gauge $12.00
- 20 gauge $12.00
- 28 gauge $12.00
- 410 gauge $15.00