Not right away. If you are brand new to the sport, we recommend you wait to purchase anything until you work with a coach. Many youth programs will have loaner shotguns for you to try and to get some experience with. For young people still growing, gun fit is a consideration, as is durability, recoil, expense, etc. Talk to a certified coach or instructor for guidance in these areas.

What kind of expense am I looking at to get involved?

A: Expenses to participate (excluding the purchase of a shotgun – see “Do I need to buy a shotgun” FAQ) include shells, targets at a shooting range, team dues (if applicable), safety equipment such as ear and eye protection (if not included in team dues), attire such as a shooting vest, team T-shirt or polo, etc. (if not covered in team dues), registration cost for tournaments (if competing), and travel (if applicable). Here is a breakdown of these typical costs:

• Shells: approximately $10 per box of 25. Some teams negotiate discounts on shells with national organizations. Ask a coach or team representative if you need to buy your own shells or if the team provides them and under what circumstances (sometimes teams only provide shells for competitions, not practice). A typical practice session can require 50 – 150 shells.
• Targets: clay target sports are conducted at professional shooting ranges which charge a fee based on how many targets you use. Prices generally range from 30 – 50 cents per target. Often teams will have negotiated a discount on target prices or include them in the team dues.

• Safety equipment: ear protection and eye protection are mandatory for all clay target sports. Pricing varies by brand and quality. Feel free to ask a coach or range representative for recommendations.

• Vest: many teams have a branded vest for practice and competitions. These can range from $75 to as high as hundreds of dollars. While you don’t have to use a shooting vest to shoot clay targets, they provide many nice features including lots of storage capacity, specific pockets for various equipment, number tag clips, and clips for things like gloves or towels. Check with a coach if you will need to buy a vest to participate with the team or whether this cost is included.

• Tournaments: if you decide you want to compete, most tournaments have a registration cost. This can range from $30 to hundreds of dollars for multi-day events. Sometimes the team will cover this. Again, checking with the coach on how the team handles competitions will provide clarity in this area.

Tournaments can be fun and increase skills, but they are not mandatory.