SHOOTING ETIQUETTE 

1. No alcoholic beverages allowed before shooting or on club premises during regular shooting hours. Individuals under the influence of alcohol will not be allowed to shoot.

2. Eye and ear protection is mandatory for the shooters and all other individuals on shooting fields.

3. When not on a shooting station, you must have all actions open and double barrel guns broken at all times.

4. Do not load shells until positioned on a proper shooting station and it is your turn to shoot. Shoot at authorized targets only.

5. Never come off of a shooting station with a loaded gun. If a live shell becomes jammed in a guns action, do not take the gun into clubhouse to clear without staff permission.

6. Use only 71/2 shot or smaller with a MAXIMUM 3 DRAM equivalent powder charge. Use only target load shells, high base hunting type loads ARE NOT allowed.

7. Never allow the muzzle to point at anyone or in an unsafe direction. Open all actions and unload all firearms when anyone is downrange.

8. Do not enter an active field until shooting has concluded. Always be aware of flying targets and target fragments.

9. When using an automatic shotgun for trap, use shell catcher or rubber band to restrict flying hulls from hitting others.

10. 5-stand participants may fire two shells at the single target. If the target is hit with the first shell, the shooter must unload their firearm before shooting proceeds. Gun barrels are to remain between the upright poles of each shooting cage when loaded. Shooters must remain in the shooting cage until all shooters have completed their round. 
Safety is of paramount concern to all in handling firearms, so never let your barrel point at anyone, even if the action is open and apparently empty! It will offend! Load your gun only when on the shooting station. Follow all the safety rules in the rule book carefully and don’t be offended if you are corrected about one of them. Remember also that both eye and ear protection are required for everyone on a field. 

Almost all will welcome you to shoot with them on a squad. Introduce yourself if you are new to the club or squad and conversely to a newcomer. If you are new to the sport, tell your squad mates that this is the case. If you are an experienced shooter, help welcome newcomers and explain rules and perhaps suggestions regarding conduct without being rude or obnoxious. Don’t coach new shooters unless requested, and almost always do separately and not at all in registered matches. 

If shooting is occurring on the field, remember that your behavior in the background, clubhouse porch or parking lot can be very distracting to those trying to concentrate on their shooting. In the clubhouse never handle other people’s guns without asking permission. Be sure your gun’s action is open or if an over-under, closed only when in the rack. Open it immediately upon picking it up! 

On the field, be ready to step up and shoot when it is your turn, not chatting in the background. While shooting, be very careful what you do with your gun and shells. Don’t eject your shells into the puller, referee or squad mates. If on the field, stay back where you are not in the shooter’s peripheral vision. While shooting, turn off your cell phone and be quiet when a shooter is on the pad. Refrain from smoking during the round. During shooting, remember that other shooters on the squad are working hard so no matter how badly you may be shooting, don’t let your pique become a distraction to them. 

For more detailed information on our Standard Operating Procedures, please read the full document linked below.