562 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Trap Shooting in England 
Sport Rather Than High Averages the Object Sought—A Pleasant Day’s Outing 
T RAP shooting in the United States is a game 
followed by its thousands of enthusiasts, 
with the one object of producing high 
scores per ioo birds shot at. It consists almost 
entirely of one form of shooting; that is, standing 
sixteen yards behind a trap with a gun to the 
shoulder and attempting to break the “birds” as 
they are thrown, the participant being allowed 
one shot per bird. This is the American game of 
trap shooting, and in truth, even with almost every 
advantage on the shooter’s side, a most difficult 
and fascinating sport. In this particular game 
we have produced world’s champions galore and 
men whose averages for the season reach the re¬ 
markable score of 97 per cent. Shooters who 
make 90 per cent, are considered Ai, while 80 per 
cent, shooters are quite good. 
In England, trap shooting is carried on, not for 
high scores, but to reproduce, as nearly as possi¬ 
ble, game conditions as found in actual hunting. 
It is a pastime and amusement to teach the shoot¬ 
ers proficiency in field conditions. 
In visiting the London shooting grounds, one 
first shoots over traps in a similar manner to the 
way it is done in the United States. But, instead 
of one trap, there are five, arranged in a semi¬ 
circle. The shooter is not allowed to hold the 
gun to the shoulder when the call of “pull” is 
By Carroll Stevenson. 
given. These traps are about five yards apart, 
and the birds are thrown from unknown traps at 
unknown angles. 
Diffeientiating again from the strictly Ameri¬ 
can game, English shooters walk to the firing line 
one at a time and, as a rule, are given a certain 
number of birds to shoot. If the shooter fails to 
break the bird with the first barrel, or with the 
first shot in case a repeating gun is used, he may 
fire a second time. Generally two points are 
credited if the bird is “killed” with the first barrel, 
and one point if secured with the second barrel. 
The Englishman seldom shoots on a basis of one 
shot only per bird, as we do in this country. 
While this style of shooting over five traps with 
the gun below the elbow the high averages of the 
American game are not possible, it is nevertheless 
equally or more difficult and likewise a splendid 
sport. 
This, however, is but one phase of the English 
game. The shooting party is next taken to a field 
overgrown with brush and bushes through which 
run parallel lanes. The shooter walks down these 
lanes gun in hand and the attendants spring con¬ 
cealed traps which sometimes throw a bird away 
from the shooter, sometimes across the field and 
sometimes over the shooter’s head—just as birds 
might fly in actual hunting. Again an attendant 
will walk behind the shooter and roll a clay bird 
up the lane. This target is known as a “rabbit.” 
Upon shooting at this he recovers just in time to 
see a bird thrown from one of the concealed 
traps. This, of course, is fine practice and a great 
deal of fun. It teaches keenness and of necessity 
quick aiming, just as required in hunting. 
Then there is “partridge shooting.” At the 
word of command, six clay pigeons are thrown 
from concealed traps over a hedge behind which 
the shooter is stationed. Two shots are allowed 
at the “partridges” of five coveys each. Some 
good averages are obtained and it is very inter¬ 
esting shooting. 
Another game consists of dividing the party 
into two squads and standing in front of two 
large towers. One bird is thrown for each man 
in the squad, being thrown toward and over the 
head of the shooter. In order to secure a “kill,” 
it is necessary to break these birds before they 
cross a certain line. 
Then, the shooter standing in front of one 
tower and alongside of another, a bird is thrown 
as just described. After firing at that, a second 
bird is thrown from the tower alongside which 
the shooter is standing, it being necessary to turn 
and shoot at a second bird. This is also very 
'«4Ut* .* 11 ; 
iiU 
“Grouse Shooting” at Ealing Shooting Grounds, London. 
Left to right—SERGT. HAROLD OMMUNDSEN, Kings Prize Winner at Bislev. One of World’s Best Rifle Shots. W. P. GROSVENOR, Prominent Electrical 
Engineer. One of the Best Amateur Trap Shooters of London. G. T. BROWNE, Constructing Engineer. An Amateur Trap Shooter of Note. STAFFORD BEL- 
F 1 ELD, Well Known Sportsman and Son of the Honorable Governor of British East Africa. T. L. WALLACE, Owner of Ealing Shooting Grounds. E. G. 
BR 1 MSON, Merchant and Capitalist of Johannesburg, South Africa. CARROLL STEVENSON. Assistant Export Manager of Remington Arms-Union Metallic 
Cartridge Co. MRS. W. P. GROSVENOR, One of the Best Lady Trap Shooters of England, who on this occasion won day’s event. 
