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New Zealand National Trap Shoot - Trip Report. Last week my wife and I were fortunate to be able to visit the New Zealand National Trap Shoot in Hamilton NZ. The six day event drew about 400 shooters. Think about that from a country of just over 4 million people. On a percentage basis that would be over 30,000 shooters at one event in the USA. Trap shooting is alive and well "down under". The weather was great. Sunny, low winds and well set traps. We got to shoot 100 targets on the practice trap.
They shoot a number of different events here,
1) Down the Line (DTL) is shot from 15 meters, about 16 yards, you get two shots, the birds appeared to be a bit faster and wider than ATA trap. You move after EVERY shot so that is 25 moves in each round. Lots of activity and great fun
2) Point Score - this is shot with a double barrel, two shots and you get 3 points for a first barrel hit, 2 points for a second barrel hit and nothing for a miss. The max score is 75 points.
3) Triples - this is a combination shoot, shot from 18 meters, about 20 yards. You do ten shots DTL (see #1 above), ten shots Point Score (see #2 above) and ten shots single barrel (one shot) like ATA trap.
4) Double Rise - just like our doubles with a move after every shot.
The variety of games is a welcome change from the normal ATA and adds lots of spice to the events. There are lots of awards, trophy awards, badges, pins, piles of flats of shells and other cool stuff not worth much other than for bragging rights. There are no large cash prizes.
The very best part is the after shoot discussions and sitting around under a tent with a couple cases of beer open and cooling and having a chance to talk to the friendly wonderful people from all walks of life. Lots of farmers, dairy men , beef producers, lumbermen, every type of person you can imagine.
The big guns here are Beretta, Perazzi and Cesar's plus quite a number of K-guns and Mirkos ( do not know how to spell that one). I also saw a few Blaser and a few Brownings.
We went out to a very wet steak dinner with a bunch of shootings at of all places called Lone Star which is the NZ interpretation of a Texas steak house. Lots of laughs and good steaks too.
Next day to Hobbiton where the Lord of the Rings was filmed and the new Hobbit movies. Great day out in the country. We did not see one darn Hobbit but we are still looking.
All the best,
Doug and Pat Sutherland from New Zealand
They shoot a number of different events here,
1) Down the Line (DTL) is shot from 15 meters, about 16 yards, you get two shots, the birds appeared to be a bit faster and wider than ATA trap. You move after EVERY shot so that is 25 moves in each round. Lots of activity and great fun
2) Point Score - this is shot with a double barrel, two shots and you get 3 points for a first barrel hit, 2 points for a second barrel hit and nothing for a miss. The max score is 75 points.
3) Triples - this is a combination shoot, shot from 18 meters, about 20 yards. You do ten shots DTL (see #1 above), ten shots Point Score (see #2 above) and ten shots single barrel (one shot) like ATA trap.
4) Double Rise - just like our doubles with a move after every shot.
The variety of games is a welcome change from the normal ATA and adds lots of spice to the events. There are lots of awards, trophy awards, badges, pins, piles of flats of shells and other cool stuff not worth much other than for bragging rights. There are no large cash prizes.
The very best part is the after shoot discussions and sitting around under a tent with a couple cases of beer open and cooling and having a chance to talk to the friendly wonderful people from all walks of life. Lots of farmers, dairy men , beef producers, lumbermen, every type of person you can imagine.
The big guns here are Beretta, Perazzi and Cesar's plus quite a number of K-guns and Mirkos ( do not know how to spell that one). I also saw a few Blaser and a few Brownings.
We went out to a very wet steak dinner with a bunch of shootings at of all places called Lone Star which is the NZ interpretation of a Texas steak house. Lots of laughs and good steaks too.
Next day to Hobbiton where the Lord of the Rings was filmed and the new Hobbit movies. Great day out in the country. We did not see one darn Hobbit but we are still looking.
All the best,
Doug and Pat Sutherland from New Zealand
