NEPEAN CLAY TARGET CLUB
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(Last update 5/06)

 

What is the sport all about?

                      (Photo courtesy of the WV Division of Natural Resources)

The sport of clay target shooting has been around since the late 1800's, but probably as a result of Australia's successes in recent International competition it has become very widely known as an active past time for all members of the population.   The sport is organized on a Country, State, State Zone and finally Club basis.        

There are three principle forms of clay target shooting, known as "Disciplines",     *  DTL   (or Down The Line),    *   Skeet,       *   and Sporting.  

Of the three, Sporting probably has the largest following.   Each of the three Disciplines throw various permutations of target types and patterns from machines known as traps which are activated in the main by electronic voice systems when the shooter calls "pull".   Both DTL and Skeet have targets thrown by the traps from fixed positions whilst Sporting uses traps set up  in natural bush surroundings.

Targets for DTL are thrown by the trap at random within a proscribed arc.  Competitors shoot in turn from one of five positions arranged in another arc behind the trap house.

 There are several variations to DTL including Handicap, Points Score, Ball Trap, Continental and Double Rise to name a few.

The Skeet range differs in that two traps are used.  The first is mounted in a tower some 3m in height at the left side of the range (the high tower).  The other trap is located in  the "low tower" to the right of the shooter.  Both traps throw their targets across the shooter's view either in singles or two targets at once. Again the firing stands are arranged in an arc to further confuse the already confused competitor.   

This picture shows the nature of the "Sporting" discipline, with a group of competitors awaiting their turn to shoot at the clay target thrown from a hidden trap.    A walk in a bush setting on a lovely day appeals to many, but remember competition also takes place in cold and wet weather.

The weapons used are primarily under and over 12 gauge shot guns with strict limitations on shot size.   Size 7 is the largest permitted (the scale of sizes goes the wrong way,  7 is quite small).   Using very small shot effectively limits the maximum range of the charge to perhaps 200 metres and at that distance  falling shot would feel like rain drops. The clay targets are bio degradable  and break down into the soil under the influence of the weather.

                                                                (photo from www.wgtgunclub.org.nz)