Why more Trap than Skeet at clubs?

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So I will admit to being a Skeet shooter over a Trap shooter. I shoot skeet way more.My club, Massapoag, has 3 skeet fields to 1 Trap. I dont understand why skeet is not more popular than Trap at many clubs. You get to move to different stations and shoot different angles. You get to interact with other human beings and it lasts longer. Other than the fact that it is easier to set up a trap field at a club than the amount of land needed for skeet I dont understand. This is Northeast Shooters. Skeet was invented in Andover MA. I think. IM interested in this and open to ideas on it. Here we go!
 
I like trap more because it simulates pheasant/grouse hunting more. More random angles and less muscle memory involved. In skeet the pattern is exactly the same every time so not at all like hunting. My 2 cents anyway.
 
I'm not sure but it is a good question. My guess is that it is because it is simpler to set up a trap house/field than it is for skeet.
 
Easily less than 1/2, probably 1/3 the cost. 2 machines, plus a high and low tower to build. Trap requires 1 bunker type installation, and 1 machine. Now the machine is probably more expensive, because it can be upgraded for wobble.

I like skeet, but it is too predictable after a few dozen rounds. Trap is easier to learn, but more difficult to Master IMHO. Thats why the BIG money events tend to be Trap.

Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

Now if you want a challenge try Sporting Clays or 5 stand. Much Much more expensive to set up, but boy thats a challenge to anyone.
 
Skeet requires more range. When you think about the angles off a trap field, its like a wide rifle range. With a skeet field, you need about 180 degrees. You're start shooting in one direction, by station 7, you're shooting back over where you started. A lot of places don't have that type of space. Just a thought.
 
I've notice there is also a general disdain felt for trap from the skeet side of things. Not quite sure why. I hear a lot of "why shoot low 7's all day".

That said, I like both. Skeet has a slightly higher draw for me. I like the movement and additional challenge of tracking something moving parallel to you.
 
I find that skeet is more of a slower pace and social type of game. Moving from station to station gives ample time for conversation
and ball busting for missed birds.
 
whats the difference between trap and skeet?

Trap (as we shoot it here) is 5 stations with a single house that throws birds away from you within an arc...the machine oscillates back and forth and when you yell pull the bird comes out where ever the machine was pointing. 5 shots from each of the 5 stations

Skeet is 8 stations with a high house on the left and a low house on the right and you shoot a mix of singles and doubles from the various stations. again 25 shots (technically 24 + 1 I guess)

having just started with the clay sports a couple of months ago I enjoy the three I've tried (trap, skeet, and sporting clays) equally. I'm a bit better at skeet than trap I think because of the consistency of the targets; I know exactly where they'll be so I just have to focus on getting the right lead and such. with trap the unknown angle the bird will come out at sometimes throws me and I eff it all to holy hell. I think my best round of trap was a 17 and my best round of skeet is an 18 or 19.

skeet takes longer, if I just want to get over to the club and shoot a few rounds then get home I try to keep it to trap.
 
I find that skeet is more of a slower pace and social type of game. Moving from station to station gives ample time for conversation
and ball busting for missed birds.

Seriously though, the ball busting is fun as hell! If you can bust someones balls and they're cool with it you may not be friends but you're definitely pals.
 
Easily less than 1/2, probably 1/3 the cost. 2 machines, plus a high and low tower to build. Trap requires 1 bunker type installation, and 1 machine. Now the machine is probably more expensive, because it can be upgraded for wobble.

I like skeet, but it is too predictable after a few dozen rounds. Trap is easier to learn, but more difficult to Master IMHO. Thats why the BIG money events tend to be Trap.

Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

Now if you want a challenge try Sporting Clays or 5 stand. Much Much more expensive to set up, but boy thats a challenge to anyone.
My clubs skeet throwers are set for wobble for modern skeet. Just shot my first round of it last weekend. Adds a nice challenge. Did some five stand and that's great, can't wait to try out sporting clays this year.

shot 5 stand for the first time with squatch413

all i can say is that rabbit...............awesome
Seconded.
 
I started out trap shooting when I was getting to learn, then got bored and moved on to skeet, which was even more boring. I then went on to sporting clays and haven't looked back. You could make the argument about skeet/trap vs sporting clays/5 stand, but trap vs skeet is difficult, heck, most skeet fields I've been to has a bunker and stations for trap, but every trap field I've been to doesn't have a high/low house.
 
Trap comes across as a more "serious" game, as opposed to Skeet - and not because one has better shooters than the other.

The setup and etiquette of Trap means that you go to the line, shoot, then bust balls. Skeet, the ballbusting is throughout the round. I was at a club, and a Skeeter said, "You're a Trap guy....why don't you talk?" I said, "Why don't you keep score?" [laugh]

Part of the difference that the OP (and others) have experienced is that different clubs have different foci. We have both Trap and Skeet (normal and wobble), as well as sporting clays, but the Trap field is more active (about a 2:1 ratio in birds thrown in a year). We shoot SCs infrequently.

Why? Well, one guy can run a Trap field (though two is better) quite efficiently, and three rounds (125 birds) per hour is quite reasonable if everyone is ready to go. Skeet, by virtue of having each person step to the station, take their shots, and move, then move to another station, goes more slowly. To me, it seems that "business breeds business".

If you're looking for a more accurate representation of hunting, it's 5-stand or Sporting Clays.

Trap and Skeet are both far more artificial, but not to be discounted.

My kid is a very good Trap shot; he is fair at Skeet (better than me at both). When we had our Sporting Clays Turkey Shoot, we both used a vintage double, and he kicked ass, though the gun-down, take the safety-off, different course was thrown in.

My point? It's ALL good. Try them all, see what you like. And Bring a Friend!
 
As others have said, it's probably a cost/space thing. As to why I prefer trap over skeet, I like it better because I find it more relaxing. I can get more in the zone and when I'm doing well I'm really not thinking about anything other than the shot at hand. It's almost a meditative state for me.
 
I just started shooting clays. Watched a little trap, seemed kinda boring. Shot some skeet, which was fun, but a little too repetitive. Shot sporting clays and had a great time. Unfortunately the closest sporting clay is an hour and a half away from me and isn't exactly cheap to shoot. So I purchased an auto clay thrower. Lots of fun.
I can set it up in a field and move around it for all different kinds of shots
 
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From what I have seen, skeet tends to be the more laid-back, have fun crowd. Trap tends to be the more serious, competitive crowd.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of overlap between shooters/sports. I enjoy both, and sporting clays. Most newer shooters will fall into one or the other, but both are helpful as hunting practice.

Trap is great for pheasant hunting in my area, as you are walking up stocked birds. Skeet is better for grouse, for me, because the birds flush randomly when you don't have a dog. Also, the little puddles and creeks I like for ducks are tight little areas, like station 8 skeet.


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Not all men enjoy wearing a skirt, thats why they shoot skeet. [wink]

If you're bored skeet shooting then you're obviously not shooting 28GA or .410
 
I just started shooting clays. Watched a little trap, seemed kinda boring. Shot some skeet, which was fun, but a little too repetitive. Shot sporting clays and had a great time. Unfortunately the closest sporting clay is an hour and a half away from me and isn't exactly cheap to shoot. So I purchased an auto clay thrower. Lots of fun.
I can set it up in a field and move around it for all different kinds of shots

You too eh Mike? Seems a lot of us decided to see what clay sports are about this winter. I asked one of the USPSA regulars at my club who is also on the clays committee if those guys are freaking out that a bunch of us action pistol types have invaded their hallowed fields at HSA; turns out they love it and some want to try their hand at USPSA now. So much for the FUDD stereotype, I'm sure there are a few but I've been pleasantly surprised with the general attitudes at my club.

A few of us did an informal "USPSA shooter day at addieville farms" just before Xmas, it's a hike for you but I'll have to let you know when we do it again....and we will be doing it again because that place is balls
 
I am the trap chairman at my club, I've been on a trap team since I joined there. I've never tried skeet or sporting clays so I can't give you my thoughts on either of them. But there's plenty of ball busting at my club for missed birds, that's part of what makes it fun!
 
Skeet requires more range. When you think about the angles off a trap field, its like a wide rifle range. With a skeet field, you need about 180 degrees. You're start shooting in one direction, by station 7, you're shooting back over where you started. A lot of places don't have that type of space. Just a thought.

^^ this. When Foster first developed skeet, it was in a full circle. See pages eight and nine on safety fans and shot fall zones.
http://www.sksc.org/bod/Facility Planning/Current Trap and Skeet Fields 110220.pdf
White Feather
 
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Trap is serious, especially if it's registered targets, or if you have people getting ready for an event. A missed bird is a PITA...ask me how I know [laugh]

Or, it can be fun - we have special shoots (about 1 per month) with prizes, random lucky targets, and heckling. If you think that trap is stodgy, we will allow "poaching" of the prize birds. Mix it up!

Oh, we have one Skeeter that stuffs the mag of his Tacticool shottie full, and keeps calling until it goes "click".
[shocked][laugh]
 
Thanks, we try. We are fortunate to have skeet, trap, 5-stand and a sporting clays course. All are open to the public as well.
I shot there every week for 2 months before I moved out here to idaho. Great group of guys. If it weren't for them I wouldn't know how to shoot skeet very well.
 
I enjoy doing both..I'm a member of two clubs one is a trap club that has great ranges for other disciplines. the other is a lot closer to home and is a skeet club with 5 stand... I'm shooting 5 stand tomorrow.
Great people in both trap and skeet, I just love shooting flying targets, it's all good just go out and have fun.
Just a warning shooting at them orange flying disks can be very additive.
 
Its funny how skeet people shoot skeet and trap people shoot trap but at my club, Massapoag, there is a bunch of us skeet shooters who will go shoot trap if its open. I find the old us against them thing is going away as younger newer shooters come to the sports.
 
I think the younger shooters tend to want to shoot whatever they can, actually becoming better all-around shooters.

Plus everyone knows that skeeters can shoot trap fine, but trappers can't shoot skeet very well:)


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