About Us
Clay target shooting is among the safest of all recreational sports. We strictly adhere to the rules of shooting safety at all times including:
- All shotguns and shells are subject to inspection.
- Shotguns having a barrel length less than 23 inches are not allowed.
- Eye and ear protection is mandatory.
Our range consists of 14 stations and the course covers an area of 10 gently sloping acres on a quarter mile graveled road that is looped. Take a stroll through our course featuring: crossers, overheads, high arc, five stand, teals, rabbits, high tower, true pairs, and super sport. Automobiles are not allowed. However, off road carts, quads, and push carts are allowed.
In addition, the course also has 4 towers, with 2 machines on each tower capable of throwing numerous high incoming or crossing presentation. And there are 2 elevated shoot stands along the course. The targets presentations vary from easy to difficult, allowing for an interesting yet challenging course for all levels of shooters.
Read more about us on Our Blog!
Membership
Rogue Valley Sporting Clays has a small but very active membership.
Typically we have between 60 and 80 club members. Because our club is a total-volunteer-club, we have no paid staff members and are able to keep our membership very affordable. Many of our members are active in the club, helping to maintain and improve our facilities. Each year the club hosts a number of events including NSCA Registered Shoots, fun shoots for our club members, a turkey/ham shoot, and other events.
Become a member and come and join the FUN. It’s easy and inexpensive. Guided Orientation available by appointment. Contact us to request.
Sporting Clays – A Brief History
In America, birds were primarily shot for the table, whereas in England, birds were shot for sport. In the 1800’s, being recognized as a good shot had great social impact on one’s place in society, opening many doors and creating an equal number of invitations.
The gun makers of the time were quick to recognize that, not only did they need to make guns for their clients, they also needed to teach their clients how to shoot. A number of shooting schools sprang up, quickly recognising the potential of Ligowski’s clay pigeons. Initially designed to re-create the flight of the different game birds, this type of ‘game’ target shooting soon became a game unto itself, like Trap and Skeet.
At first, the Sporting Clays Competitions were rather simple affairs, locally organized and regionally shot. The first International Sporting Clays Tournament was held in Carlisle in 1925, between England and Scotland with the Scots emerging victorious. Over time, Sporting Clays has evolved into the present-day shooting game in which clay targets are presented to mirror the flight patterns of game birds, or, occasionally, rabbits, in their natural habitats.
The Sporting Clays course is laid out in Stations or stands, usually ten or more. At each Station, clay targets in varying sizes are thrown in pairs — five or so pairs to the station. The traps at each stand are set to represent the flight of one type of bird, a combination of two birds, or a rabbit and a bird. It is this great variety of trap positions, trap speeds, shooting positions, and flight paths of the different types of targets that makes this game so challenging. In the typical Sporting Clays Course, 100 birds will be presented, divided by the number of Stations and shots over the course.
(Source: “Breaking Clays: Target Tactics, Tips and Techniques” by Chris Batha, 2005. Reproduced with permission)
Clay Pigeon and Glass Ball Traps