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1 - Definition of Sporting Clays
Sporting clays is a shooting discipline reproducing hunting situations and practiced with a hunting weapon (shotgun) and artificial targets. The discipline uses all the features of a terrain and artificial targets of different types that are launched in order to highlight the shooters’ technical and sporting skills. The layouts reproduce hunting trajectories with varied levels of difficulty.
The course design of the sporting clay layout takes into consideration the safety of all participants, the protection of the flora and management of the environment. Shooting at live animals is not permitted.
2 – Sporting Clays Course Layout
The course is equipped with enough traps for members and guest to be able to shoot under conditions that resemble natural game shooting as much as possible; Partridges, ducks, pheasants, rabbits, etc. Target trajectories include: incoming, outgoing, crossing and quartering at low and high levels, in the open or in the trees, obscured or not by trees and shrubs.
The traps are automatic and controlled by a remote by club staff, the trapper. The targets include normal standard targets, rabbit, midi, and battue. Targets vary in color to stand out from the background.
The course layout takes into consideration hunting ethics and shooting distances, i.e.
* No shooting at close range because the game will be unfit for consumption.
* No shooting beyond the effective range of the shotgun otherwise the animal
would be wounded.
3 - Shooting Rules
3.1 Shotgun Mount and Position
The shooter may start with a low gun or a pre-mounted gun when calling for the target. All shooters must be in a ready position when calling for the target. The preferred ready position, i.e. standing with both feet within the limits of the shooting stand, with the heel of the gun stock touching the body under a horizontal line marked on the shooter's jacket. This line is just under 10 inches below the axis of the shoulder and in parallel with this axis. Shooters must remain in a ready position until the target is released and is visible.
3.2 Shooters must not shoulder their guns until the target appears (unless a pre-mounted ready position is preferred). Shooters must fire with their guns shouldered on all targets, including rabbits.
3.3 Testing guns
Under no circumstances may guns be tested on the course. All guns must be in working order prior to arriving and discharging at the sporting clays course. All shooters are responsible for ensuring that their firearms are safe to use.
3.4 Hearing protection
Hearing protection is mandatory for all shooters, staff and guest on or in the proximity of the sporting clays course.
3.5 Safety glasses
Safety glasses are mandatory, without any exceptions, for all shooters, staff and guest in the immediate vicinity of a stand.
3.6 Age requirement
Regarding a minimum age to shoot, we recommend around 10 years of age, or 100 pounds. Eight and nine year olds may have a problem shouldering a 20 gauge. Club staff reserves the right to determine the eligibility of a young shooter. Members and guest under the age of 21 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or over and supervised at all times. Children under 8 years of age are not allowed at the sporting clays course.
4 – Sporting Clays Terminology
4.1 Definition of a single target
Any single target, of any clay type, is launched by a trap. It must be possible to fire two cartridges at each single target.
4.2 Definition of doubles
Shooters are allowed only two cartridges per double. Both cartridges may be shot at the same target.
4.2.1 Double on report (Report Pair)
Two targets are launched from one or two traps, with the second target launched within a maximum period of 0 to 3 seconds after the first target has been shot at.
4.2.2 Simultaneous double (True or Simultaneous Pair)
Two targets are thrown simultaneously by one or two traps. The targets may be shot in any order.
4.2.3 Rafale double (Following Pair)
The targets are thrown from the same trap on the same trajectory, at the reloading sequence of the arm of the trap. The targets may be shot in any order.
5 -Weapons and Ammunition
5.1 All hunting 20ga and 12ga shotguns are permitted provided that the caliber does not exceed 12 gauge, with a minimum barrel length of 26” or 66cm.
Straps or slings on guns are not permitted. When shooters are not using their guns, they must be placed vertically in a gun rack or in a similar place provided for this purpose.
5.2 Other shooters’ guns must not be touched without their permission.
5.3 The course at Cordillera Ranch is STEEL ONLY. The Club will provide steel cartridges (20ga and 12ga) for sale with each round of 50 or 100 targets. If a member brings their own non-toxic ammunition, the club trapper will verify the load is safe to shoot on the course. No lead or reloaded ammunition is allowed on the course.
The following links are the primary manufacturers of steel shotgun shells that match our requirements. Shot size not to exceed 7, shot load not to exceed 1 1/8 oz.
5.4 The Club will provide rental guns, both 20ga and 12ga, for members and guest to rent.
6 - Rules of Conduct / Safety
6.1 If a shooter acts in a manner demonstrating that he/she has lost his/her self-control (throwing down the gun, abusive language or acting violently towards others, etc), the trapper will ask the member or guest to kindly leave the course for the day.
6.2 A shooter may shoot only in his/her proper turn and only when a target has been launched. Shooters are not permitted to aim or fire at other shooters’ targets or to aim or fire knowingly at live animals. If a shooter, before calling “ready” or "pull", engages in mock shooting (e.g. shouldering the gun and following the theoretical line of the target trajectory) or fires a shot involuntarily, staff will give the shooter a warning. After the first warning, any further occurrence may result in the remainder of the round being forfeited.
6.3 Shooters must not load until they are in place at their stand, with the gun aiming down the range.
6.4 Shooters must not turn around on the shooting range before breaking their guns and removing the cartridges from the chambers, whether they have been fired or not.
6.5 During the presentation of targets or when shooting is interrupted, shooters must break and unload their guns. They may close their guns only when they return to the shooting stand.
6.6 If a shooter fails to fire or in the event of a gun or cartridge malfunction, the shooter must remain at his/her place with the gun pointing down the range, without breaking it or touching the safety catch, until the trapper has checked the gun.
6.7 Absolutely no alcohol or illicit substance use on property--violators subject to legal action and will be asked to leave the facility immediately.
Policies based on the Rules and Regulations of the National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) |
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