By JPT Captain Clay Ellis-Escobar
What is a Sporting Clays Course?
A sporting clays course is a course for shotguns. It involves multiple stations that shoot out sporting clays from a machine. There are a different number of stations for each club that you go to. The easiest way to describe it is, it’s similar to a golf course, but with a shotgun. You keep score as you go.
What is a Clay Target?
A clay is an orange target used for shotguns. It’s made from a mixture of pitch and pulverized limestone rock. Despite their name, they are not made from clay. They are sometimes referred to as a “Bird.”
How to Shoot at a Sporting Clays Course
There are many different ways to shoot at a sporting clays course for beginner, intermediate, and advanced shooters. At each station along the course, there are 2 machines that fire off the clays. You can shoot:
- Singles - Singles are where you would just load one shell into the shotgun, and you would call “Pull” for every shot that you want to take.
- A Report (Pair) - A report pair is different. You only have to say “Pull” once. When you say “Pull,” a single clay will fly through the air as it normally does, but once you fire a shot at it, the next clay launches immediately after.
- A True Pair - A true pair is just like a report, except when you say “Pull,” two clays will launch at the same time.
Sporting clays courses are a very fun place to go to during these tough times. It’s also great practice in the off season. So if you have a fall hunt coming up, make sure you get out to the sporting clay course.
Till next time, see you outdoors!
