I’ve never fancied myself much of a gun or hunting enthusiast, but I did learn to fire a kid’s shotgun when I was little and I tried my hand at shooting targets about five years ago. But last year, my friends (some of whom are indeed avid duck hunters) invited me out to the Kenmore shooting range just north of Seattle. They let me borrow a 12-gauge shotgun to try my hand at trap shooting, a “specific form of clay target shooting that involves movement, action and split-second timing. It requires the accuracy and skill to repeatedly aim, fire and break the 4 ¼ inch disc which are hurled through the air at a speed of 42mph, simulating the flight path of a bird fleeing a hunter,” according to the Amateur Trap Shooting Association.
I was shaking. Not because I was scared of the gun itself; I trusted myself to be responsible. But I remembered how much kick-back the gun had on my shoulder the first time I used an adult-sized shotgun. Standing in rotations of five (you get five shots at each angle), I waited my turn before yelling “PULL!” which activated the disc to fly and aimed. I pulled the trigger, and nothing happened. It was because the safety was still on. “How embarrassing,” I thought. But that was the thing, the staff at Kenmore was very helpful and supportive. If they were judging me, I couldn’t tell (for the record, there was a group of tourists dressed like some Mad Max-Kanye West-Gucci army, so no matter what I did, I certainly wasn’t going to be the memorable novice that day). As it turns out, it happens to even experienced shooters as I later learned.
After getting some visits under my belt, I decided to visit a range out in Long Island, New York. There, I learned about the most wonderful of practices: sporting clays. It is quite literally golf with a shotgun, right down to the cart you get to drive around from stand-to-stand. If you’re like me, golf is neither a game of leisure nor relaxation. On the other hand, blowing an orange disc to smithereens when you don’t know what angle it’s going to pop out from is quite therapeutic. It’s basically proof that all those hours playing Nintendo’s Duck Hunt as a child were not a waste of time.
Public ranges almost always offer rentals and lessons for both adults and children. You’ll likely want to try different gauges and styles (a pump-action versus over-under, for example) to find out what you prefer and what helps with your accuracy. It’s a good idea to bring your own eyewear and earplugs (both are always required at the ranges). I always recommend calling the ranges ahead of time (some of their websites don’t always have calendars updated and some have flexible hours). Expect to sign a release form and be prepared to follow all the safety rules of the range.
Visit a range near you:
Kenmore Shooting Range
Shotgun facilities include a clubhouse, four trap fields, one practice trap field, and a 5-stand with a 65’ duck tower. The staff here is the friendliest and happy to give you pointers if you need. The range also offers various difficulties and a lit field for night shooting. If shooting practice isn’t your thing, you can always try their incredible archery walkthrough range.
1031 228th St. SW, Bothell, WA 98021 Tel: (425) 481-8686. Open Tues 5-9PM, Wed Noon to 5PM, Thurs 5-9PM, Sat and Sun 10AM to 5PM (closed Mon and Fri). It’s recommend that you call ahead or check their tournament schedule to make sure the range is open to the public.
Seattle Skeet & Trap Club
What began as the “Green Lake Gun Club” back in 1914 near the popular Seattle landmark has since migrated outside the city limits and eventually joined forces with the Boeing Employee Shotgun Sports Club back in 1999 to settle in the remote but beautiful area known as Ravensdale. Seattle Skeet & Trap offers six trap fields in addition to a 15 Trap 5-stand and a 13 station sporting clays course (why golf when you can shoot clay discs?!).
26520 292nd Ave. S.E. #3, Ravensdale, WA 98051 Tel: (425) 413-1421. Contact the range directly for hours available to the public.
The Portland Gun Club
Around since 1913, the Portland Gun Club is a shotgun-exclusive outdoor facility that offers trap, sporting clay and 5-stand in the metro area. Whether you’ve never shot a shotgun before or are an experienced hunter, they are happy to have you and always encourage the public to just ask if they feel intimidated or need anything. As a Seattleite, I am quite jealous that Portland has such a conveniently located and beautiful facility available.
4711 S.E. 174th Ave., Portland, OR 97236 Tel: (503) 492-8752. Open every Thurs 10AM to 9PM, Sat and Sun 10AM to 5PM.
Hillsboro Trap and Skeet Club
Open to non-members, the Hillsboro Trap and Skeet Club has 13 American Trap Fields and an International Bunker which is not common at most ranges. Located just off Highway 26, non-members will only pay a small additional fee ($1.00 more) per 25 targets.
33295 N.W. Wren Road, Hillsboro, OR 97124 Tel: (503) 648-2972. Open Wed 10AM-8PM, Sat and Sun 10AM-4PM.
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