Once the orientation is completed, Apprentices should rejoin with their Mentors and proceed as individual groups to the trap shooting station. Once the first group is finished, then the second group shoots, and so on.  There should be no more than one group at the trap shooting station at any one time.

With the aid of a portable trap shooting station run by the local gun club, Apprentices should shoot at 5 clay pigeons each to help improve their accuracy and as a warm up to the hunting station. This event should be structured so there are more opportunities to learn about firearm safety from the members while they are waiting for their turn to shoot. It is recommended that Mentors and Apprentices wear ear protection. The soft foamy ear plugs are inexpensive and appropriate for this part of the event.

While the other groups are waiting their turn or have just finished shooting, organizers could have an adjoining station that tests the Apprentices’ ability to judge distances. Displaying live body or paper mounts of wildlife such as a white-tailed deer, black bear, coyote, and wild turkey at different distances works well at a station like this.  The Apprentices will find this to be a valuable exercise in learning to look beyond their target and understanding whether or not they have the right firearm and ammunition for the shot. This kind of open dialog should be encouraged between the Mentor, Apprentice and Field Marshal.

Prizes should be considered for these events. With a few extra volunteers as recorders and the data sheets prepared for the Apprentices ahead of time, it is easy to keep track of the number of hits and the distances estimated.

It should be noted, that judging distances is just one option for a learning event. Use your knowledge of what it takes to be a safe, responsible hunter and generate other ideas of your own such as silhouette identification, patterning a shot gun, game calling etc.

You should plan 30-45 minutes for this station depending on the number of Apprentices.