Hosting a hunting- based outdoor skills event in your ...high overhead to simulate the flight of ducks. Have other targets set to be thrown fast going away to resemble the flight of

Learning

Hosting a hunting-based outdoor skillsevent in yourcommunity

Mary Kay Salwey, Ph.D.WisconsinDepartment of Natural Resources2004

to Hunt

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Credits

Project DirectorMary Kay Salwey, Ph.D.Wisconsin DNRBureau of Wildlife ManagementBox 7921Madison, WI 53707-7921

Editorial AssistanceNancy WilliamsCarrie L. Armus

ArtworkEric DeBoerMary Kay SalweyDynamic GraphicsCindie Brunner

PhotosRobert QueenMary Kay SalweyMike Roach

Design ConceptBlue Raven Graphics

Electronic LayoutMary Kay Salwey, Wisconsin DNR

Published by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Copyright 2004 by Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesMadison, Wisconsin.

All original illustrations copyrighted.

This book is educational in nature and not-for-profit. It is intended toinspire organizations to pass the tradition of hunting down to youngergenerations. However, all rights are reserved, including the right toreproduce this book or any part thereof in any form except briefquotations for reviews, without the written permission of the publisher.

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On the WingTrap, skeet andsporting clays

Participants gethands-on

experienceshooting ashotgun at

moving claytargets.

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Equipment

5 20-gauge shotgunsExamples of different actions

of shotguns25 rounds of target load

ammunition per participant25 clay targets per participant5 wooden shooting stages

made of 2x4s and plywoodPermanent or portable trap

machines for throwing claytargets

5 sets of ear protection5 sets of eye protection

10 Commandments ofShooting Safety poster found on page 164.

Objectives

Participants shall:

demonstrate proper use of ashotgun.

demonstrate proper stance andfollow-through.

demonstrate an ability to hitmoving targets.

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Station Setup

For this activity, you will need tohave a team of instructors. Youwill need a “Range Master” tocoordinate the shooting schedule.For ultimate safety, arrange tohave one volunteer HunterEducation Instructor positioned ateach shooting station to coachparticipants with loading, firingand unloading of the firearms. Youwill also need some assistants towork the clay target machines.

Decide which sport—trap, skeet,or sporting clays—you want to setup. If you choose to shoot trapor skeet, then you will need toarrange for the use of your localgun club’s target range. If youwant to develop a sporting clayscourse, then you will need to finda cooperative landowner. Set upsome sporting clays stations sothat the targets are thrown veryhigh overhead to simulate theflight of ducks. Have other targetsset to be thrown fast going awayto resemble the flight of uplandgamebirds. Set one of thethrowers to throw a low, bouncingtarget, to simulate a rabbit. Setup some stations to simulate theflight of a covey of quail burstingfrom the brush. When setting upa sporting clay range, you mustmake certain there is a safebackstop such as a dirtembankment or that there is

plenty of unoccupied open spacebeyond the shooter. Also becertain that no human dwellings oractivities occur in the path of strayshot. Check with your localconservation warden to make sureyour firing range is safe. Block offall entries into the shooting zone.

Place eye and ear protection neareach of the stations. For eyewear,include a variety of shock-resistantglasses in different shades andcolors.

Prepare a large poster with the 10Commandments of ShootingSafety found on page 164.

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BackgroundInformation

Trap is the oldest and largest claytarget sport in the world. It is along-range target game in whichclay disks called “birds” are thrownfrom a traphouse set 16 yards infront of the shooter. It is intendedto simulate field shooting atupland game birds such aspheasants. The clay targets arethrown at random angles awayfrom the shooter. Most “birds”are broken at a range of about 35yards. The trapshooting range isset up with five different stationsset in a semi-circle facing thetraphouse. Each shooter gets achance to shoot 5 targets fromeach station for a total of 25shots.

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Skeet, on the other hand, is afast-paced, short-range targetgame designed to simulate fieldshooting at fast-moving birds suchas quail, doves or teal. Thecourse, similar to trap, is also setin a semi-circle, but it has 8shooting stations along the route.Two traphouses, a low house and ahigh house, are used for releasing25 clay birds per round. Thesetargets fly left to right or right toleft in front of the shooter. Unliketrap, where the next angle of theclay bird cannot be anticipated,each station in skeet has a fixedpattern for each clay targetreleased. Thus, this game allowsthe shooter to learn consistencyand control in shooting. Somestations feature two clay birdsflying through the air, oneimmediately after the other.

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Sporting clays, or hunter’s clays,is a new shooting sport. All thetargets are clay, but they can be ofdifferent size, thrown at differentspeeds and with different flightcharacteristics because of the waythey are shaped. These targetsmore realistically simulate theflight or flee patterns of gamebirdsand mammals. Unlike trap andskeet, which simulate bird huntingonly, sporting clays often includestations with clay targets that roll,bounce and hop along the groundlike rabbits. Stations tend to havemultiple targets in the air muchmore often than skeet or trap.

For instance, a station may havefive or six targets exploding out ofa brushy area similar to a covey ofquail. Some stations put a trapmachine underneath the platformupon which the shooter is standingand the clay target comes out fromunderneath the shooter flying orrolling in an un-anticipateddirection out into the woods.Every course uses the naturalterrain available, so a course maybe set up in the woods, in a fieldor in a wetland. Some targets arepresented at close range, butothers may be 40 or 50 yardsdistant.

Sporting clays offers a widervariety of shooting situationsthan does skeet or trap.

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barrel

stock

butt plate

action

muzzle

ventilatedrib

grip

triggerguard

sightingbead

Procedure

When your group arrives, tell theparticipants that sometimeshunters need to shoot “on thewing.” That means that they haveto shoot at moving targets.Ducks, geese, grouse, pheasantsand rabbits are all hunted in thismanner. Because of the inability toaccurately aim with sights,shotguns are used rather thanrifles. Tell your participants thatthey are going to have anopportunity to shoot at movingclay targets using 20-gaugeshotguns. The targets will bethrown into the air or along theground to simulate the flight ortravel paths of wild gamebirds andmammals. Before getting to theactual shooting experience, reviewsome basic firearm informationand safety.

Show them the shotguns they willbe using. Hold up one of theshotguns and ask participants tohelp you name the different partsof the gun. Ask them to point out:

Stock BarrelAction Butt plateGrip CombTrigger Trigger guardSafety BreechMagazine Tube plugMuzzle Sighting beadVentilated rib

Ask your participants what thedifference is between a shotgunand a rifle. Explain that ashotgun’s barrel is not grooved, orrifled, inside like a rifle barrel is.Also, a shotgun shoots numerouslead or steel pellets from ashotshell, rather than one solidbullet from a cartridge. The shotpellets spray out in a cone shapefrom the muzzle.

Activity

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the muzzle end, the moreconcentrated and farther reachingthe cone of shot pellets flies.

Discuss the concept of “action” onthe shotgun. Demonstrate someor all of the action variations:pump, break (hinge), bolt andsemi-automatic.

Ask your participants if they knowwhat the term “20-gauge” meansin reference to their gun? Explainthat the term “gauge” refers to thesize of the bore of the shotgun. Itis measured by the number of leadballs the size of the bore thatweigh one pound. For example, a12-gauge shotgun will take 12lead balls the diameter of the boreto equal one pound. A 20-gaugewill take 20 lead balls. A 20-gauge shotgun, thus, has a smallerbore than a 12-gauge.Alternatively, have yourparticipants think of two pies.One divided into 12 pieces, theother into 20 pieces. Which pieceswill be smaller? (The pieces fromthe pie with 20 pieces.)

The gauge of a shotgun is stampedon the barrel of the gun. Thegauge is also stamped on the brasshead of a shotshell. The gauges ofthe shotgun and of theammunition must match exactly.While you cannot fit a 12-gaugeshotshell into the chamber of a20-gauge shotgun, a deadlymistake can be made by puttingthe slimmer 20-gauge shotshellinto the chamber of the wider-

The muzzle end of a shotgun canbe fitted with different “chokes.”A choke is a device that narrowsthe exit hole at the muzzle end. Acylinder choke or no choke meansthat the opening is the samediameter throughout the barrel.An improved choke narrows theopening a bit. A modified chokenarrows it more and a full chokecloses down the opening to thesmallest diameter. The effect of achoke is similar to the effect of aspray nozzle on a water hose.When the nozzle (choke) is wideopen, the nozzle sprays widely, butthe water droplets don’t reach veryfar. When the nozzle is nearlyclosed, as with a full choke, thestream of water is much tighter inpattern and travels much fartheraway. So think of chokes assqueezing the shot together in atighter, more far-reaching cone ofpellets. The smaller the opening at

Chokes

full choke

modifiedchoke

improvedchoke

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equipment operators andconstruction workers.

Now explain that hunters shouldalways wear shooting glasses whilehunting. They protect your eyesfrom debris as well as from brush.Make sure the shooting glassesyou choose have high-impactlenses. Yellow glasses may beunsafe to wear while hunting,since the yellow makes someshades of color look white, like thetail of a deer. Choose smoke,green, or brown tints for hunting.Keep your eyes moving acrossyour field of vision. This reduceseye fatigue and helps you to seeobjects at the sides, as well asdirectly in your line of sight.

mouthed chamber of a 12-gaugeshotgun. Always double check tosee that your ammunition matchesthe gun you are using.

Before beginning the shootingexperience, explain that a skilledhunter must have good vision andhearing in order to spot game anddetect sounds of approachinghunters or vehicles. Hunters needto use adequate protection toavoid injuring their eyesight andhearing.

Demonstrate theproper use of earprotection. Explainthat the noise on atarget range maybe deafening,particularly when shotgunsare being fired. Beware of the firstsign of hearing stress—ringing inthe ears. Protect against this bywearing hearing protection at alltimes on a firing range even ifshooting alone or not shooting atall. Ear protection not onlyprevents hearing damage, but alsomakes it easier for you toconcentrate while shooting. Whileyou can choose from a variety ofdifferent styles of ear protection,some types are better than others.Foam earplugs are inexpensive andmay reduce the noise by as muchas 30 decibels, if inserted tightlyenough to seal out sound. Formaximum hearing protection, useinsulated earmuffs with hard outershells. These are the kinds of earprotection worn by heavy

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As in the previous Station #13Bull’s-Eye, review the 10Commandments of ShootingSafety. Display, review andenforce these commandments atall shooting activities, whether inthe field or on the range.

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Incorrect Stanceand Shoulder Positions.

Correct Stanceand Shoulder Positions.

Before using the shotguns, explainthat hunters need to properlystand and mount the shotgun tothe shoulder. Have participantstake turns using unloadedshotguns. Ask them to stand withtheir feet spread apart with onefoot leading toward the target.They should feel well-balanced.Tell them that when it is time toshoot, they will shift their weightforward onto their front, orleading leg. This will be their leftleg if they shoot right-handed.

The leading hand will hold theshotgun forward, pointing towardthe target. The arm of theirtrigger finger should be held upwith the elbow sticking out fromthe body at a 90-degree angle.Have them place the stock of thegun against their cheek first, andthen against their shoulder. Tellthem to avoid bringing the gun totheir shoulder first and thenmoving their head down to thestock.

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❏ Yell “pull” and the trapthrower will release thetarget.

❏ Follow and lead throughpast the leading edge of thetarget and then snap thetrigger quickly.

❏ Keep both eyes open andpoint the gun rather thanaim it.

❏ Follow through with yourshot by continuing to swingin the direction your gunwas moving when you shot.

❏ Put the safety back on.

❏ Eject the spent cartridge.

❏ Reload when Range Officerindicates it is safe to do so.

Further discuss the differencesbetween shotgun and rifleshooting. Explain that with a rifle,the hunter aims it carefully at thetarget using one eye sighting downa scope or open sights. When thetarget is exactly positioned, thehunter slowly, steadily and gentlysqueezes the trigger. With ashotgun, the hunter points theshotgun in the general direction ofthe target, keeping both eyesopen, follows the moving target,provides some lead distance infront of the bird or the rabbit andthen quickly pulls or slaps thetrigger.

Incorrect position of gun.The butt of gun is notproperly shouldered.

Now demonstrate the use of oneof the 20-gauge shotgunsyourself. First show proper safetyprocedures such as wearingappropriate ear and eyeprotection. Then demonstrate thefollowing steps:

❏ Make sure the gun’s safetyis in the “on” position.

❏ Load a 20-gauge shotshellinto the chamber end of thebarrel.

❏ Take the safety “off” whenyou are ready to shoot.

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Now explain the differencebetween swing through lead andsustained lead.

The swing through lead helpshunters avoid shooting behind thebird. It is the easiest method forbeginning hunters to learn. In theswing through method of leadingthe shotgun, keep both eyes open,site down the barrel and start thebead behind the bird. Thensmoothly and swiftly swing thegun until the bead just passes thebird’s bill. At this point, fire yourgun but continue to swing the

barrel fluidly in a smooth arc.Use the swing-through method forhunting birds that are flying infront of you, crossing from oneside to the next. You can also usethe swing-through method whenshooting at birds, such as ducks,that fly overhead. These over-theshoulder shots are some of themost difficult of all. As you swingthrough the bird, fire in front ofthe bird, just before it is directlyoverhead. If you wait longer thanthis, you won’t be able to maintaina smooth swing.

Swing-through Lead

Start the beadbehind the bird

Smoothlyswing throughuntil the beadjust passes thebill, thenshoot.

Continueswingingthrough in asmooth arc.

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The sustained lead is a techniquethat improves with experience.Essentially, the hunter mustestimate the flight speed of thebird, its range and angle, and eventhe wind velocity. From this, theexperienced hunter can estimatethe amount of lead necessary.Then the hunter swings themuzzle that distance ahead of thebird, maintains this leadingdistance in front of the bird up toand after the shot is fired.

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3

Keep muzzle pointed asustained distance ahead ofthe bird.

As you swing muzzle, keepthat sustained lead and pullthe trigger when ready.

Follow through in asmooth arc.

This is a good method whenshooting at swift-flying birds froma long distance, such as over anopen field or over open water.Sometimes ducks land head-oninto your decoys, or they jump upout of the water. Other times, arooster mayl flush straight up outof the field cover in front of you.For these scenarios, a hunter put’sthe bead on the bird’s bill and pullsthe trigger.

Sustained Lead

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After explaining these techniquesof shooting birds on the wing, it’stime to allow your participants achance of actually firing a shotgun.

You may want the participants tofirst practice using the dry firingtechnique. This means walkingthem through all the steps above,but without any ammunition in thegun. They practice closing theshotgun’s action on an emptychamber and then proceed throughthe remaining steps.

Allow your group to observe theclay target thrower in actionbefore they shoot. Assistparticipants in correct shootingpositions at each station.

Allow participants to fire fiverounds with a shotgun at eachstation.

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ReferencesAll About the Shooting Sports, National Shooting Sports Foundation

(brochure).Hunter’s Clays…where targets fly like game birds, National Shooting

Sports Foundation (brochure).