Is Trap or Skeet Shooting Better for Beginners?

A common question amongst sport shooting beginners is what type of shooting is best to begin learning the sport? While a new shooter can start on almost any type of shooting, whether it be trap, skeet or sporting clays, most start with trap or skeet. If you ask different veteran shooters which is best for beginners, you may get varying answers. However, for many beginners, trap shooting can offer some advantages.

Trap Shooting for Beginners

With trap shooting, you are focusing solely on hitting one target. When first learning to shoot, this can eliminate distractions and help improve accuracy and timing. The angles do not vary greatly, giving you a chance to become comfortable with your gun and help you learn to find your groove. Unlike skeet or sporting clays that have more than one target flying in various directions, trap shooting keeps it simple.

The nice part about trap shooting is that most people can quickly begin to improve their accuracy. Within a few rounds, you can start to feel more confident as you hit more and more of your targets. Advanced trap shooters can go through several rounds without a miss, but even high competitors will miss eventually. Watching your hits increase will help you find the right methods to staying focused and improve your overall skills as a shooter.

There is not a hard rule on what discipline of sport shooting beginners should choose. If you are shooting with a friend or family member, you may start out on a challenging course like sporting clays. However, it is worth taking the time to try out trap shooting to improve precision which can help you excel on other courses like skeet and sporting clays.

At Etowah Valley Sporting Clays, we are excited to help beginners to our sport improve their skills. We offer private and group shooting lessons, and our veteran staff is always here to offer pointers to those just learning the sport. Contact us to learn more about scheduling a lesson with one of our instructors.

Posted on behalf of Etowah Valley Sporting Clays