Sporting Clays (Shotgun) Competition Guidelines

Objectives

• Enhance youth development of self-concept, character and personal growth through safe, educational and socially acceptable involvement in shooting activities.
• To involve youth in a life skills program that teaches safe and responsible use of shooting sports equipment including sound decision-making, self-discipline and concentration.
• To promote the highest standards of safety, sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
• To expose participants to the broad array of vocational and life-long avocation activities related to shooting sports.
• To strengthen families through participation in life-long recreational activities.
• To complement and enhance the impact of existing safety, shooting and hunter education programs using educational methods and progressive development of skills and abilities.

Event Guidelines

• There are two annual State sponsored 4-H sporting clays events. The State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational is open to Junior (Grades 6-8) and Senior (Grades 9-12) 4-H’ers and adult individuals. This event offers participants some experience and knowledge about shooting sporting clays and provides partial funding for 4-H shooting sports scholarships. The State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge is a combination of the three shooting disciplines and is open to Junior and Senior 4-H individuals and teams.
• A county may enter any number of eligible Junior or Senior Division 4-H’ers in the State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational or the State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge. Participation may be limited to facility accommodations and is available on a first registered, first served basis.
• The State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational Match will consist of a 100-target event and will be individual competition only and not for Master 4-Her status. The State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge will be a 100-target per discipline event for Seniors and 75-target per discipline event for Juniors.
• Squads may consist of multiple county shooters. A Certified Coach or qualified adult designated by shoot management will accompany each squad on the course.
• All personnel (4-H’ers, coaches, adult volunteers, and spectators) will wear hearing and eye protection at all times while on the course.
• Closed toe shoes that are secured to the feet by use of a heel strap or formed heel must be worn at all times while on the course. Flip flops, crocs, and sandals are not allowed. Shoes must be worn at all times while on the course.
• Counties participating in the State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge or State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational event must provide at least one adult Georgia 4-H certified sporting clays referee to serve as a field judge (referee) and score. This will be at the same time that the same county will have participants shooting on a different station.
• To avoid delays or interference, coaching is not permitted while any squad member is in a shooting station.

4-H’er (Participant) Responsibility

• All 4-H’ers must have successfully completed a State Department of Natural Resources Hunter Education Program.
• Guns must be cased or placed in a gun rack when not in use.
• Practice gun safety! Muzzle control must be maintained at all times.
• Gun actions may be closed and guns loaded ONLY when in on the shooting station when it is the shooters turn to fire. Break action guns may be closed while in a gun rack but must opened immediately after removing the gun from the rack. All firearm actions must be open when being carried. Firearms must be unloaded (live or spent ammunition) prior to leaving the shooting station.
• All participants are responsible for knowing and following 4-H and the National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) rules.
• In the event of a malfunction, the firearm must remain pointed down range in a safe direction, keeping both hands on the firearm until the firearm has been inspected by the field judge (referee).
• At no time may a gun muzzle be rested on a body part or a toe pad. In addition, no body part may be rested on the muzzle of the firearm.
• It is the shooters responsibility to protest how a target is scored prior to shooting additional targets or leaving the station.

Coach/Field Judge (Referee) Responsibilities

• Observe for proper firearm safety (Muzzle, Action, Trigger) and use of eye and hearing protection by shooters and others on the course.
• Observe for sportsmanship, ethical behavior and proper shooting procedures.
• Know the rules! These include the Georgia 4-H rules as well the National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) rules.
• Know how to properly score targets [a forward slash (“/”) or back slash (“\”) for hits and a zero (“0”) for misses] and load targets into the traps if assistance is requested by shoot management.
• Know and follow the proper procedures for handling and recording a malfunction. This includes having the shooter not move their hands from the trigger or touch the safety and examining the firearm and ammunition to determine cause of the malfunction. All malfunctions shall be recorded on the scorecard. Malfunctions in excess of 3 including any shooter error will be recorded as a missed target.
• Serve as a Field Judge to launch and observe targets and indicate score as hit or miss and declare “no target” if the target appears broken prior to firing. The call of HIT (DEAD) or MISSED (LOST) shall be announced by the Field Judge prior to recording the score on every target. (All targets declared “no target” shall not be scored and must be re-shot for scoring. All targets must be launched immediately upon the call for a target or targets.
• Inspect all squad members’ ammunition to ensure it complies with Georgia 4-H rules.

Course of Fire

• The course of fire will be a 100 target course for the invitational established under the Guidelines of the National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA). The course will be set by the management of the facility hosting the event.
• Each squad member will take turns (rotate) firing first as they proceed from station to station. For example, the first shooter who shoots first at a station will shoot last at the next station and the second shooter at a station will shoot first at the next station.
• Any shotgun 12 gauge or smaller firing a shot load meeting the requirements of Georgia 4-H may be used. Firearms with release triggers are NOT permitted.
• Participants will supply a shotgun and shotshells. Shotshells must meet the following specifications:
• 1 1/8 oz. or 32 gram shot loads cannot exceed 1290 feet per second (FPS).
• 1 oz. or 28 grams shot loads cannot exceed 1325 feet per second (FPS).
• 7/8 oz. or 24 grams shot loads cannot exceed 1350 FPS.
• Shot size must be 7 ½ or smaller and not exceed 1 oz. or 28 grams. Shells will be factory loads. NO RELOADS WILL BE ALLOWED. Participants are responsible for bringing enough shotshells to complete the course. Additional shotshells may be required in the event of an ammunition malfunction or when a target must be established as hit or missed.
• No more than 2 shotshells may be loaded at any time.
• It is the coach’s or shooter’s responsibility to provide written proof from the manufacturer that the ammunition meets Georgia 4-H requirements. Written proof shall consist of a box labeled with FPS information or a manufacturer’s literature with that information. If a 4-H’er is found to have used illegal ammunition, they are subject to disqualification from the event.
• Ties will be broken by using the best score at predetermined stations.
• For additional rules, refer to the NSCA rule book. A copy may be downloaded at https://nsca.nssa-nsca.org/rule-book/ Note: 4-H rules take precedence over other rules.

Certified Coaches/Adults

• All counties must have a minimum of one 4-H certified shotgun coach and referee for five or fewer participants.
• Counties are required to have a minimum of one 4-H certified shotgun coach and referee for each additional 4-5 members attending.
• A 4-H certified shotgun coach or referee should be present at each shooting station during competition.
• A 4-H certified shotgun coach must be present for a county practice or event to be recognized as a Georgia 4-H Shooting Awareness, Fun, and Education (SAFE) program.
• Additional adequate adult supervision should be present to serve as range safety officers and help facilitate all aspects of Project SAFE events and activities. Certified coaches, referees, and volunteers must meet the UGA policies for volunteers.

Awards and Recognition

• Awards are as outlined by the Project SAFE Development Committee. Recognition in the State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational Match will be given to the top 5 individual scores in each of the three age divisions.
• 4-H’ers may participate in the State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational Match and the State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge. Winners of the
4-H Sporting Clays Invitational Match are recognized for participation only and are not recognized with Master 4-H Status or recognized at State 4-H Congress.
• State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational Match winning High Individuals are permitted to compete in future years. There are no team awards for the State 4-H Sporting Clays Invitational Match.
• Recognition in the State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge will be given to high individuals and teams in both Junior and Senior divisions.
• The first place overall Senior team (3-4 members) and high Senior individual from the State 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge will be eligible for Master 4-H’er status and to participate in the recognition of Special Events Winners at State 4-H Congress. The banquet meal and lodging expenses will be paid for the team and coach; however, travel costs are not covered.
• The state winning Senior team (overall trap, skeet, and sporting clays) at the state 4-H Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge may be eligible to represent Georgia in the 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational Match.
• Members of the State Winning (First Place) Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays Challenge Team are ineligible to compete as team members in future years. This applies whether or not they compete in a 4-H National Shooting Sports event. Team members may compete as individuals in contests and may be recognized as State Winners as High Individuals. State Winning High Individuals who are not members of the State Winning (First place) Team are permitted to compete in future years as either individuals or as team members