Hunting course - a realistic discipline of clay target shooting

The hunting course is a discipline of clay target shooting that realistically simulates the behavior of flying game. Unlike the Olympic disciplines of trap, skeet, and double trap, the hunting course is not Olympic, but is still competed in annually at European and World Championships. Originally developed to train hunting small game, hunting course shooting has become a popular sporting discipline practiced not only by hunters but also by sport shooters.

The hunting course

Realistic shooting on clay targets In hunting course shooting, as in other disciplines of clay target shooting, clay targets are shot. The big difference from trap and skeet is that there are no fixed positions of throwing machines, trajectories and shooting stands. Each hunting course is unique and individually designed. By adjusting the throwing direction, a variety of trajectories of the clay targets can be simulated. In addition, different variants of clay targets such as mini or gliding pigeons are used. The Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse (FITASC) is responsible for international competitions, while national competitions in Germany are organized by TIRO e.V. and the DSB.

Procedure and rules of the hunting course

In the hunting course, the clay targets are called off by a verbal signal. After the call, one to three seconds elapse before the clay target is thrown. A hit is scored when a visible piece of the clay target is severed by the shot. Single pigeons may be shot at twice during the hunting course, and it is not relevant with which shot the hit is scored. In the case of doublets, the shooter is free to decide in which order he shoots the clay targets. If the first shot does not hit the target, the second shot may be fired at the same target again. If the shooter hits both clay targets with one shot, two hits are scored.

The shooting range and the clay targets

The shooters shoot from predetermined stands, and signs with letter identification mark the order of the throwers used. At each stand, the shooter of a pack is presented with all throwing directions once. Target practice is not permitted. The starting shooters of a pack alternate with each stand to ensure fair distribution. The clay targets in the hunting course may have various forms of doublets, including doublet on shot, simultaneous doublet, and rafale doublet. In addition, there are different types of clay targets such as standard pigeons, midi pigeons, mini pigeons, roller hares, soaring pigeons, flash clay targets and electric pigeons. The color of the throwing discs can vary as long as they can be easily seen against the background.

Proper equipment and safety precautions

Shotguns with a maximum caliber of 12 and a minimum barrel length of 66 cm are permitted at the hunting course. The ammunition may have a cartridge load of 28 grams with a deviation of +2%, and the shot diameter must be between 2.0 and 2.5 mm. It is important to observe the safety precautions when handling the gun and during shooting.

Hunting course at a glance

The hunting course is an exciting and realistic discipline of clay target shooting that simulates the behavior of flying game. With individual trajectories and different clay targets, the hunting course offers a varied challenge for hunters and sport shooters. Compliance with the rules and safety precautions is of great importance. By practicing hunting course shooting, shooters can improve their marksmanship and hunting skills. The fascination of realistic shooting at moving targets makes hunting course a popular discipline in clay target shooting.