American trap is the most common clay target game in the USA. It is found in all 50 states but is probably most common in the Midwest and upper Northeast. Trap is a relatively simple game to play, and generally inexpensive compared to sporting clays. There is just one machine per field, and a round of trap is 25 targets, shot on one field. The ’trap house’ holding this trap is 16 yards in front of the 5 evenly space firing positions called ‘pads’. Shooters each shoot 5 targets from each pad for a total of 25 birds. How it works: The starting shooting shoots one time and then the next shooter goes until each has shot those 5 times then you rotate to the next station. There are several variations of the game of Trap but this is the most common.
The interesting thing about trap is that the machine throwing the birds is randomly oscillating over an approximate 44-degree arc, and throwing the birds at about 45 mph!
This game is best enjoyed socially when a group gets together and shoot a round, then takes a break before shooting the next round. That way you spread your enjoyment over a longer period without the tension and fatigue of banging too many shells in a short period of time, as a group of 5 shooters might finish their 25 targets each in just a few minutes.
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As women, we try to make everything perfect. Thus, once we finally have learned to focus on the target, we shoot trying not to miss it vs. shooting to hit it. In other words, we have a tendency to want to look at the gun to be sure it is lined up with the target. Or we go to the target, gently pull away and then check to see if we are far enough ahead. Oopsie. Though you have not consciously looked at the gun, you have taken your eyes from the target to see the gap/lead between the gun and the target. In that nanosecond you are checking the gap/lead, the gun slows/stops and the target is gone. In trying not to miss, you do.