Junior Trap Program

Monday, 2 March 2009

The junior trap program starts on Thursday, 4 March 2009, at 7:00 PM.  If you have a junior who wants to learn how to properly shoot trap, or wants to learn shotgun procedures and safety, or who just wants to shoot, bring them to the clubhouse this Thursday.

This program is free to juniors up to but not including 18 years of age.  The minimum age varies, and depends upon the child.  The only two minimum age requirements are that the junior:

  1. Must be mature enough and smart enough to understand and obey trap safety rules and trap procedures.
  2. Must be strong enough to safely be able to hold a shotgun and shoot 25 rounds of ammunition, with about a 1 minute break between each shot fired.
In practice that usually means that juniors around age 12, plus or minus 2 years, should be able to shoot trap.  We have had one or two kids who were safe and successful at age 9.  It all depends on the junior.

CRGC provides the instruction, and pays for the trap fees, and provides the ammunition (either 12 gauge or 20 gauge shells) for the junior trap program.  There is no cost to the junior or the parents.  We also have four shotguns that are available for use by juniors who do not have access to an appropriate firearm.

The program runs each Thursday evening in March, starting at 7:00 PM.  Each session usually starts with instruction in the clubhouse, covering firearm safety, shotgun operation, trap shooting procedures, and trap shooting technique.  After the instruction, the class is broken into groups of 5 shooters, and taken out to shoot trap.  Each junior is individually coached while practicing.  The number of shots fired varies by shooter (one "round" of trap is 25 shots, 5 shots from each of 5 shooting positions), depending upon how well they are reacting to the recoil of the shotgun.

After the end of the trap program (the last Thursday in March), those juniors who wish to do so may form teams of 6 shooters and participate in CRGC’s Spring Trap League, which starts the first Tuesday in April, and runs for 8 weeks.  The Spring League is a handicapped league, which tends to even out the scores between the very good shooters, and those who are not as good.  CRGC waives the sponsor fee and shooter fees for junior teams, and may provide shotguns if necessary, but the juniors are expected to buy their own ammunition (1 box of shells per week - about $6.50).

For more information, communicate with CRGC's trap chairman, Dan Stevens, at 503-632-6978, or e-mail to sem@bctonline.com.