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FAQ

We have posted the most common questions and answers below.  If you have reviewed these and your question still isn’t answered, please use the contact page to reach out.

General Questions

Before our first season practice (usually the end of March), you MUST...

  1. be 12 years old AND
  2. possess a Minnesota DNR Firearms Safety Certificate AND
  3. have completed your range day.

We will NOT accept the SAFE certificate on the MN Clay Target League website.

There are three separate fees that need to be paid by each participant.

1. Shakopee Trap Club fee: $250 (usually in January)

This includes Horse and Hunt Club fees, clays, jersey (new shooters), STC expenses, banquet, awards, website, etc.

*Ammo is not included in the fee and is required, see the Ammo FAQ

2. Minnesota Clay Target League fee: $35 (usually in February)

You need to be a member of the MN Clay Target League to be on our team. This fee is paid directly to the league for administration costs associated with operations, awards, and insurance. Also included is an annual four–issue subscription to the League’s PullUSA Magazine.

3. (Optional) Minnesota Clay Target League fee for the Championship: $45 (usually in March)

The Championship is in Alexandria, MN and is the the "playoff" like other sports. The League invites ALL student athletes to participate in the Championship.

Absolutely! If you are an expert shooter or just trying the sport for the first time, we invite you to join. Our coaching staff starts from the very beginning and they will teach you the rules of the sport and how to have fun!

Check out MN DNR: Firearms Safety Certification for Youth for more information.

We will not accept the SAFE certificate from the MN Clay Target League.

Shakopee Trap Club Lettering Criteria as recognized by the Shakopee High School.

All of the following must be met:

  1. No incident with drugs, alcohol or tobacco
  2. Full-time student with no failing grades
  3. Maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher
  4. Make progress towards graduation

Additionally, one of the following needs to be met:

  1. Any athlete who shoots 25 straight in the same round and/or 50 straight in two rounds of the same day in conference weeks 1 - 5 (not including Practice Weeks, Reserve Week, or Fun Week).
  2. Any athlete who has a season average of 20 or higher as determined by True Team Scoring System. You also qualify for Varsity at the Trap Shooting Championship in Alexandria, MN.
  3. Any athlete who places first, second or third at the Trap Shooting Championship in Alexandria, MN.
  4. Any Senior who has participated in all grades 9-12 (4 consecutive years) despite classification status.

All returning students from the previous season will register first. Watch for an email at the end of January to register in early February.

New member registration will open in early February. Watch our website for registration to open. We will close register when all 50 spots are filled or the deadline, whichever happens first. New student registration is on a first-come basis.

Once all students (50 max limit) are registered with the Shakopee Trap Club, the next step is to register with the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League. We will send an email to inform you when it is time to register with the league.

**Please make sure to check your trash, junk and spam folders often once registration starts. A-lot of times emails have been found in those folders.

If you can not find your answer under the FAQ, please send an email to shakopeetrapclub@gmail.com with further questions.

Firearm, Safety & Ammo Questions

Protection equipment is also the responsibility of the participant. All shooters will provide eye and ear protection that meet minimum safety requirements (safety glasses and in-ear or disposable foam hearing protection). Many shooters prefer to invest in improved safety equipment and that is OK! Over the ear muffs are allowed but not ideal as they interfere with the proper mounting of the shotgun or the gun pushes the muff off the ear which can reduce the hearing protection.

Yes. Shooters must know and understand all of the operating and safety features of their firearm they are using prior to shooting on the range.

You MUST have your own firearm...no one else's. You may not borrow a friend's firearm to shoot a round.

It is not recommended. When you register with the STC, you must choose at that time what gauge you will be shooting. If for some very RARE reason, a student needs to switch gauges, the student and parent must talk to our RSO and Head Coach to make us aware of the intended change.

Due to the challenges of sourcing bulk ammo, the club will no longer provide ammo and the registration fee has been adjusted to reflect that.

Ammo requirements are as follows:

Must be factory loaded in the original factory packaging - reloads are not allowed.
Athlete will need 20 boxes of 25 rounds for the regular season plus 4 boxes for the state tournament if they are going and any practice rounds needed.
Shot Length: 2 3/4"
Shot Weight: 12 gauge: 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz  /  20 gauge: 7/8 oz or 1 oz
Shot Size: #7.5 or #8

This is not a complete list of stores and the Shakopee Trap Club does not endorse nor have any affiliation with the below, these are simply options we were aware of for you to think about in regards to acquiring ammunition.

  • Arnzen Arms (Eden Prairie)
  • Ahlman's (Morristown)
  • Cabela's (Owatonna or Rogers)
  • Fleet Farm (Carver, Lakeville, Brooklyn Park)
  • Scheels (Eden Prairie or Mankato)
  • Shakopee Fishing and Firearms (Shakopee)
  • Sportsman's Warehouse (Coon Rapids)
  • Sportsman's Guide (South St. Paul)
  • Twin City Ammunition (Plymouth)
  • rogerssportinggoods.com (online)

There are many other quality online sources but also just as many poor vendors - a word of caution...shipping is often very expensive and does not make online purchases cost effective so pay attention to these factors. Local stores sometimes have purchase limits so our hope is that by you knowing where to look this early will afford you the opportunity to find enough ammo at a reasonable price.

Only pump, semi-automatic or break-action shotguns in proper working order are allowed. The gun must fit the athlete properly and they must know and understand all of the operating and safety features of the firearm they are using prior to shooting on the range.

Bottom loading/ejecting guns are not allowed as they pose a safety issue for the coaches and range safety officers who are unable to visually see that the firearm is unloaded. (Examples include the Browning BPS and Ithaca 37)

Magazine fed, bolt-action or AR-style shotguns are also prohibited as these are more for home defense and are not sporting shotguns.

Guns without a physical safety switch are also not allowed as athletes with these types of guns cannot comply with our range rules.

Should an issue arise with the proper functioning and safety of a participant’s gun, the coaches or range safety officers will determine if the athlete may continue to participate on the range that day. The team may require that a different gun be used until the issue has been addressed by a competent gunsmith and documentation provided on the issue(s) found and corrective measures taken.

Season Questions

Only closed-toe footwear. NO SANDALS ARE ALLOWED!!

Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club
2920 220th St E.
Prior Lake, MN 55372

Every Tuesday starting at 4pm.

Proper hearing and eye protection; ammo pouch / bag; proper warm or cool clothing attire, and firearm in its case; marked in a way that you can recognize it.

9 weeks

Each Tuesday at the Horse and Hunt Club in Prior Lake.

Veteran shooters will start at 4 pm, with new shooters starting at 5 pm. Times are all rough estimates. Please arrive early as your squad could start shooting earlier if all of the students are at the range.

2023 Season

March 14: Mandatory safety meeting

March 21: Practice Week 1 begins

March 28: Practice Week 2 begins

April 4: NO SHOOTING ENJOY SPRING BREAK

April 11: Reserve Week

April 18: Competition Week 1 begins

April 25: Competition Week 2 begins

May 2: Competition Week 3 begins

May 9: Competition Week 4 begins

May 16: Competition Week 5 begins

May 23: Fun Week (Last day of the season)

**There will be a mandatory safety meeting before our first practice (student and at least 1 parent). Our range rules will be reviewed, along with any questions. It MUST be signed by BOTH student and parent (s) and brought back on the first night the student shoots or the student does not get to shoot.

The Trap Shooting Championship is the "playoff" for the MSHSL State Tournament.

All STC students are encouraged to register for this event - no matter your skill level. Registration is $45 (includes a t-shirt and targets). You will receive an email mid-season from our Head Coach when the time comes to register.

Alexandria Shooting Park
655 County Rd 87 Alexandria, MN 56308

June 12th – June 20th, 2023. It is a one all-day event and we will know our specific day mid-season.

7:30am - Check in with Head Coach

8:00am - Opening Ceremony

Hotel: If you plan on staying overnight the night before, we recommend that you reserve a room now, as we do not hold any room blocks.

Ammo: Students MUST provide their own ammo - 4 boxes plus more if you want to practice for a small fee per round. All shooters will shoot 100 targets (50 / 50). Ammunition specifications must meet the requirements of the League. Gauge Shot Shot Size 12 1 oz. or 1-1/8 oz. #7.5 or #8 20 7/8 oz. #8

Scores and rankings will be published on the league's website shortly after the completion of the events. Check out the trapshooting championship here.

 

MSHSL State Tournament

The State Tournament invites a select number of top performing teams and individuals to compete from the Trap Shooting Championship.

Minnesota State High School League’s State Tournament

Minneapolis Gun Club

2006 Judicial Rd Prior Lake, MN

June 23rd, 2023

 

National Championship

The National Championship invites a select number of top performing teams and individuals to compete from the MSHSL State Tournament.

The National Championship

MTA Homegrounds

1534 W. Service Rd Mason, MI 48854.

July 5th – July 9th 2023

Registration fee is $85/student.