Skeet Shooting

Skeet shooting was created around 1915 by grouse hunter Charles Davis who wanted to improve his shooting skills to make for a better hunt. He called it Shooting Around the Clock and has targets thrown from each of twelve pseudo clock face positions. After some consternation of neighbors, Davis shortened his skeet shooting game to half a clock face range. After this switch, a new name was given to Davis’s shooting game – skeet shooting after a Scandinavian word “skeet” meaning shoot.

Skeet shooting today is definitely interesting. Because skeet shooting games don’t really have an age limit, you will see 18 year olds along side 50 and 60 year old competing in tournaments and other competitions. Your accuracy and precision is at question not whether you can run fast or be the best at some other physical activity. That is why skeet shooting is such a colorful shooting sport.

Skeet Shooting Rules

Clay targets emerge from various skeet shooting stations starting on the left about 10 feet above the ground in what is called the high house. On the right hand side from the skeet shoot stations the target shoots from a mere 3.5 feet above the ground in what is called a low house. The high house and low house are about 40 yards apart. According to skeet shooting rules, the targets should fly about 60-70 yards and pass 15 feet above a crossing stake positioned at 21 yards from each skeet shooting station.

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According to the rules, there are 25 skeet shots starting with a high house target and then a low house target. Next, there is a double target shot out at the first high house and follows with the next station number two and then six and seven. The last shot of a skeet shooting round is a replication of the first target you missed or a low target from station eight if you did not miss any shots.

Other Skeet Shooting Information

Most skeet shooting shotguns are typically a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun. The single and double barrel semi-automatics are recommended the most. However, some people use inexpensive pump action shot guns with varying success. You can read up with the National Skeet Shooting Association as well as local skeet clubs on the skeet shooting guns and ratings for each.

Skeet shooting is partly a mental game and the rest your skills and accuracy with a shot gun. Skeet shooting tips are plentiful and you should look to various books, websites and videos for guidance in addition to what you will get in person through a skeet shooting club. Skeet shooting techniques are developed slowly as you learn how to shoot skeet. Of course, you can learn how to skeet shoot by yourself or with a pro. Some people seem to have an affinity for the sport while others might find a different shooting sport to their liking. However, if the talent is there, you may one day end up at the Olympics like famous Canadian Jason Caswell skeet shooting participant at the 2000 Olympics.