Shotgun sports are a great way to sharpen your wingshooting, spend a day outdoors with friends and get young people involved in shooting. The three main games, trap, skeet and sporting clays, all use shotguns and clay targets, but each has its own feel.
Trap
In trap, the targets fly away from you. You stand at one of five stations behind a single house that throws targets at varying angles. You shoot 25 targets per round, five from each station.
- Feels like: a flushing bird going away.
- Best for: beginners and anyone who wants to focus on smooth, consistent mounting and following through.
- Choke: modified to full.
Trap is the core event of the USA High School Clay Target League, which crowned its 2026 champions in July after nearly 3,000 students competed at nationals.
Skeet
In skeet, targets cross in front of you from two houses, a high house and a low house, across a semicircle of eight stations. The angles change with each station.
- Feels like: doves crossing or birds passing in front of you.
- Best for: learning lead, the distance you shoot ahead of a crossing target.
- Choke: skeet or improved cylinder.
Sporting clays
Sporting clays is often called “golf with a shotgun.” You walk or ride a course through the woods with stations that simulate real hunting: rabbits bouncing on the ground, high incoming doves, quartering ducks, springing teal.
- Feels like: a day of hunting with every kind of shot.
- Best for: hunters and anyone who wants variety.
- Choke: varies; many shooters change chokes by station.
5-Stand
A compact version of sporting clays. Several throwers present targets in different combinations to five shooting stands. It’s a good warm-up and a fun group activity.
What you need
- A shotgun you can shoot comfortably for 50 to 100 rounds. A gas semi-auto or a 20 gauge reduces recoil for newcomers.
- Target loads, typically No. 7.5, 8 or 9 shot. Federal is introducing a new value line, All-American, for 2026.
- Eye and ear protection, and a vest or pouch to carry shells.
Etiquette
Keep your action open between turns, load only when it’s your turn at the station, and wait for the shooter ahead of you to finish. On sporting courses, carry your gun open or cased between stations.
Which first?
Start with trap if you want to build a solid foundation. Try sporting clays if you’re a hunter. Whatever you pick, a lesson from a certified instructor at your local club will help you break more targets, faster.
