Skeet Range

About the Skeet Range

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Skeet is a shotgun sport – targeting launched clay targets released from either a high trap house, low trap house, or both simultaneously. All targets cross at a midfield stake that is 21 yards equidistant from each of seven shooting stations. (Station eight is the final station and is located next to the midfield stake.) A typical round of skeet has 2,3,4 or 5 shooters in a squad – each shooting 25 targets.  They begin at station one and progress (as a squad) in a counter clockwise direction through the eight stations. Single targets, one from the high house and one from the low house, are shot at each station.

Double targets that are simultaneously released from both houses are also shot at stations one, two, six and seven. At the shooter’s first miss, they are given a second shot at the missed target. If he/she breaks all of the first 24 targets including high and low eight, they repeat the low eight target for the 25th shot and are congratulated by the squad for achieving a “Straight”!

The governing body of skeet shooting is the National Skeet Shooting Association, and rules and other pertinent information can be found on their website:  www.nssa-nsca.org

DCFS offers two standard size skeet fields with concrete stations and walkways. The fields and equipment are well maintained by the volunteer range officers and are open for shooting during selected hours most days of the year.  Operational hours can vary depending on staffing, weather & seasonal daylight changes.  Check this website for the latest schedule.

Our goal at DCFS is to actively encourage any club member with moderate shotgun experience to try the skeet game in a safe and friendly environment. Witnessing a round or two as a spectator (or viewing the game on YouTube) will answer many of the FAQs…. and is often considered the best first step into the game of skeet.  

Some Basic Equipment:

• Sporting Shotgun (capable of loading 2 shells)
  • 12G and Sub Gauges (20, 28 & 410) all work well for skeet!
• Shot sizes permitted:  #8, #8 ½, or #9
• Eye & ear protection is required
• Shotshell pouch or vest w pockets is desirable
• Cylinder or Skeet CHOKES are preferred

Skeet Range Specific Rules

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• Follow all General Rules appropriate for this range.
• Actions must always be kept OPEN except when ready to fire on the station.
• No gun shall be loaded until standing on a shooting station.
• Only shot sizes 8, 8 ½ and 9 are permitted at the skeet range.  Only target loads are permitted (no high speed or magnum loads). Shells are subject to inspection by range officers.
• All shooting will be at clay targets thrown from the automatic skeet machines.
• Loading a maximum of two (2) shells is permitted at any station during a round except at station high-eight.  Only one (1) shell is permitted to be loaded on high-eight.
• Back-up shooting is NOT PERMIITTED.
• Retrieving or picking up empty cases during a shooting round is NOT PERMITTED.
• Picking up shells in front of the window at station (7) is NOT PERMITTED during the Skeet Range shooting hours.
• Shooters should not walk beyond the high house or the low house unless adjacent fields have been notified and a cease-fire is established.
• Use of a release trigger is permitted. But the gun must be marked and an announcement to all shooters in the squad is required prior to beginning the round.