How to Shoot Sporting Clays?

Sporting clays originally was designed to replicate the flight of live game birds to help hunters become better shots. It’s now a game unto itself, but the basic premise remains the same: You shoot at clay targets thrown at varying angles, and anywhere from five to 70 yards away.

The game is popular with men and women of all ages from around the world. If you want to shoot sporting clays and you haven’t done it before, I suggest you find your local range, get a lesson from a qualified instructor, and then go out and learn for yourself.

One way to do that is to visit the websites of the governing bodies for registered competition. In the US, that’s the National Sporting Clays Association, and in the UK, it’s the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association. Both sites have directories to help you find instruction as well as places to shoot. They also list upcoming competitions, ranging from local tournaments that might draw 50 shooters or less to regional, national, or world championships that draw hundreds of shooters – in the case of the US nationals, more than 2,000.

You don’t have to shoot tournaments right away. Some people never do but still think of sporting clays as their favorite pastime. Enjoy it, take the family, go with your friends. It’s a great sport.