How To Skeet Shoot

Learn how to skeet shoot and join this time honored game and Olympic sport. Skeet shooting was invented in 1920 by a grouse hunter as a way to improve shooting skills for hunting. Modern times have turned Skeet shooting into a sport and an Olympic event. Skeet shooting happens on a special semi-circular court where participants take aim at flying clay targets released from trap houses at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions on the court.

To shoot skeet, you will need:

• Skeet field
• Shotgun
• Ammunition

1. Shooting Stations and Trap Houses. There are eight shooting stations in a skeet field that are located along the perimeter of the field starting with station one at the left side of the field near the high trap house. The high trap house releases clay targets at a height of ten feet moving on an upward angle. Station seven is near the low house on the right side of the field that releases clay targets at a height of three feet on a steeper upward angle. Stations two through six are spaced around the perimeter of the semi-circle between stations one and seven. The eighth station is located at the center of the field between the trap houses. A shooter will know which house the clay target is coming from and at what height is will be released at every station.
2. Shooting Skeet. Skeet shooting happens with five skeet shooters competing on the field. Take your position on station one. The other shooters will standby and watch. Load one shell in the shotgun. When ready to shoot, call for the target by yelling “pull” and take your first shot which will come from the high house. Load a second shell in the shotgun. When ready to shoot, call for the next target which will come from the low house.
3. Shooting Skeet Doubles. If you are shooting skeet doubles, meaning two targets released at the same time, load two shells in the shotgun. Shoot the target first that is released from the house nearest you. Swing around quickly to shoot the second target as it flies. At stations three, four, and five a target will be released from each house with the first target coming from the high house on the left side of the field. At station 8, shoot the high house target first then shoot the low house target.
4. Complete Round. A round of skeet shooting is 25 shots per shooter. You will shoot four shots from stations one, two, five and six then two shots from stations three, four, five and eight for a count 24 shots. The 25th shot is a matter of choice and can be used when you miss a shot. If you shoot a perfect score with no misses, you are awarded two shots from station eight shooting targets from the low house. Shooters alternate turns and the most hit and least misses wins.

Tips: When shoot targets coming from both houses at the same time, shoot the targets as they cross each other to “kill two birds with one stone.” Learn gun safety before attempting the sport of skeet shooting.