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Clay pigeon shooting, which is also called clay target shooting, is a type of shooting in which the shooters try to shoot flying targets like clay pigeons or clay targets, using a shotgun.

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There is a lot of clay shooting disciplines. There are at least 20 different forms of regulated trap shooting competitions (called disciplines), although most can be grouped under the three main headings:

1. Trap shooting: Targets are thrown either as singles or doubles from one or more traps situated 15 m in front of the shooter, and are generally going away from the firing point at varying speeds, angles and elevations.
2. Skeet shooting: Targets are thrown in singles and doubles from two trap houses situated 40 meters apart, at opposite ends of a semicircular arc on which there are seven shooting positions. The targets are thrown at set trajectories and speeds.
3. Sporting clays: In this sporting discipline, they can use any targets unlike other disciplines where they can only use standard targets. The targets are thrown in different angles, speed, elevation, and distances - this discipline was originally devised to simulate live quarry shooting.

The targets used for the clay pigeon shooting are usually an inverted saucer shape, and fluorescent orange or black. The traps are designed to fling the targets at varying angles and speeds, can vary from hand loaded and released devices, to full mechanized traps.

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Similar Sports

• Skeet Shooting — targets are thrown in singles and doubles from two traps situated 40m apart.
• Trap Shooting — 1 or 2 targets are thrown away from traps situated 15m in front of the shooter.
• Sporting Clays — shooters move about a course, attempting to hit varying targets projected at different angles, speed, elevation, and distances.
• Metallic Silhouette Shooting — players compete to test their skills by shooting at silhouette metal targets.
• Hunting — an activity that involves tracking and killing animals with various weapons (not a sport?).

Related Pages

• About Shooting Sports — about the many sports which involve shooting at targets using guns like pistols and rifles.
• Live pigeon shooting at the Olympics
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports