Skeet shooting is a well-recognized and thrilling discipline of clay shooting. After trapshooting, it has evolved to simulate the clay’s flight as an original flying bird. Skeet shooting, played in Olympics, is a favorite sport among enthusiasts. In gunshot events, clay discs called “pigeons” are thrown in the air from a fixed station, and the shooter has to break the discs before they fall apart.
· SKEET SHOOTING STATION LAYOUT
There are 8 stations in skeet shooting, arranged in a semicircle. The diameter of the semicircle is 21 yards. Out of 8 stations, 7 are placed along the semicircle, and the 8th station is midway between the others. There are two trap houses to fire the pigeons, one is a high house, and the other is a low house. The left house (high house) fires the target at the height of 10 feet from the ground, while the right house (low house) fires the target 3 ½ feet from the ground.
· A ROUND OF SKEET SHOOTING
One round of skeet consists of 17 shots as singles and 8 shots as double. A total of 25 targets are fired in one round. If any target is missed, you have to repeat it immediately, and this is an “option.” Skeet is played in the form of a squad with 5 shouters grouped. Members of the squad move from one station to other along the semicircle.
· STATIONS IN ONE ROUND
Station 1 & 2:
- 4 shots and 4 targets
- It begins with 1st single from a high house, followed by the 2nd single from a low house.
- After singles, a double target is released from both houses, and the shooter has to break the target from the high house first.
Station 3, 4 & 5
- Two shots and 2 targets are fired.
- At each station, only singles are fired.
Station 6 & 7
- The sequence is the same as stations 1 & 2, but doubles are fired from the low house.
Station 8
- 2 or 3 targets are fired
- A single high followed by a single low
· EQUIPMENT FOR THE FIELD
Before entering the field, check the following equipment that you are accompanying:
- Shotgun_ any type/gauge (usually 12 gauge), which can fire at least 2 shells.
- Ammunition_ 25 shells (1 box)
- Sell holder
- Earplug
- Eye protection
· TECHNIQUE FOR SKEET SHOOTING
After entering the field and joining the initial position, a shooter follows the following steps to complete the round. These steps are also known as the sustained lead technique.
- Take an optimum stance with feet parallel, 80% of the weight on the left foot. The shoulder should be width apart and the body facing the low house window.
- Mount the gun with the top of the butt should be level with the top of the shoulder, and the butt should meet the color bone.
- The gun hold point is one-third of the way from the center stake to the trap house from which the target will emerge.
- Using a peripheral vision, follow the target as it exits the house and locks it.
- Turn the body and shoot the target.
· SCORING OF SKEET SHOOTING
Scoring of skeet shooting is done using a manual sheet. This sheet consists of rows and columns, and the total score is aggregated after each round. An automated scoring system is used when skeet is played at the Olympic level. This is all about skeet shooting.
