Starting a Clay Shoot - advice.

[farmer7]

It's just an idea I've been thinking about on and off for a year or two now. Where would be the best place to get the correct legal advice and so on? CPSA? Or I'd certainly welcome any advice available here.

I work the family farm and have always had a keen interest in all kinds of shooting. But I keep thinking about starting a small clay shoot as a way of diversifying.

Is it reasonably feasible for one guy to set up and run? Is there a minimum distance from houses from the point of view of noise pollution? The closest houses are 470 yards away from where i'd intend on starting. (Not in the direction of shooting though.) If I had permanent fixtures presumably I'd need planning permission? What would insurance likely cost?

What would be the best thing to start with? I have never shot skeet before and have an ideal place in mind that I could set that up!

Any thoughts or advice would be welcome. Even if its to tell me its just not worth it!

 

[woody]

I do the same on the family farm in Sussex, but I'm no help really. We are an out and out straw baler at the moment but growing steadily.

We have held an open shoot this year to raise funds, and we'll be putting a team in the clubman league next season.

I know there are laws regarding the distances to houses/highways etc but I'm afraid I don't really know them because I've put the shoot about 800-1000 yards away from anything. In the summer we let people drive over the field to get to the shoot, and this time of year you have to park up inside the gate and walk. We ferry a few old timers in the polaris.

We work on the 28 shoot rule, which is something like you can have 28 clay shoots a year without permission if you more than 5 hectares of land.

I will be registering the club with the cpsa for insurance. I did think about getting everybody to have their own. Currently the only insurance is asking people not to be a tw*t with a gun.

I used a separate insurance provider for the open shoots (mellrups), and my FEO sorted out a section 11.

We run a 50 bird sporting set over a lovely natural setting. I try to change it up every fortnight.

 

[Aris]

Check these booklets from the cpsa

https://www.cpsa.co.uk/books

Booklet 2 How to Run Small Shoots may be of help

 

[Hamster]

1) you need more than one person to set up, minimum two really but save money by offering a small fee plus free entries to keen ole timer(s) for help

2) Skeet is no good, go for money earner ESP 

3) 300 yards minimum fall out, in practice more is better not least because of noise issue

4) you will need a basic structure set up for booking in; realistically will also need a huge metal lock up for clays and traps

5) 28 days a year no need for planning, if successful you can always increase later

6) you will really need to have a pretty damn good local knowledge of shooters, advertising to make sure you start off with a bang is key

7) quick way of making £1m is to start off with £2m

Joking aside though looking at your location I'm guessing your demographics aren't readily conducive to drawing in large numbers ? I don't know but what other facilities/clubs are there around you and what sort of footfall do they have ?

 

[shootinguru]

 You can operate on the 28 day rule till someone objects to the noise! then the poop hits the fan, then it will cost you?

Do not operate with less than £5 million public liability insurance preferably £10 million! because if you had someone from the city  there and he/she was shot or injured and unable to work or died! £5 million would not cover their projected earnings?

Best start of with a few mates and shoot for fun and then go from there.

 

[farmer7]

Thank you for the replies folks. Very useful and gives me a good start.

So up to 28 days no planning required.

Sporting over Skeet.

I've got plenty storage, space etc.

And I highly doubt I'd be drawing in large numbers. But even if it wipes its face its something I would enjoy doing!

My biggest worry would be people complaining about noise.

Thanks again, just doing some research now.

 

[Jim Wheeler]

some sound advice,  the only bit I can add is it`s not shooting direction as such, but wind is what can carry the sound, as far as a mile,, so bear that in mind,,if there is a natural barrier, or berm, trees etc, that will help no end.

and OY, woody and hamster, a bit less `ole timers` and a bit of  `experienced  gentlemen``  please !

                                                                   :biggrin:

 

[Hamster]

some sound advice,  the only bit I can add is it`s not shooting direction as such, but wind is what can carry the sound, as far as a mile,, so bear that in mind,,if there is a natural barrier, or berm, trees etc, that will help no end.

and OY, woody and hamster, a bit less `ole timers` and a bit of  `experienced  gentlemen``  please !

                                                                   :biggrin:

It's actually a combination of keen gents and a couple of sleepy eyed youngsters you need, I used to love getting to our bi-monthly Cinque Ports vermin club clay meets really early to help out   .

We used to load and carry traps/clays in a beat up old series 1, drop them them into position, experiment and generally get ready for the day. It was brilliant fun in the crisp winter morning air, less so in summer when duties included pouring diesel into puddles to kill off mosquitoes. 

 

[RobertBeard]

duties included pouring diesel into puddles to kill off mosquitoes. 

Blimey I should think Health & Safety or the Environment Department would have something to say about that nowadays!

 

[westley]

My only advice on top of Hammies would be, 300 metres shot fall out or 350 yards. Try, if at all possible to use auto traps, the elf and safety brigade will have a field day if you use manual traps and employ trappers. I can recommend Promatic traps, we bought, used and abused the traps without any problems. Remember to always use leisure batteries and NOT car batteries and always have a couple of spares. You will get your clays cheaper buying by the pallet, so search out a supplier. DO use safety cages at ALL stands and work out all safety angles for shooting, also accounting for the idiot who will try and turn to shoot behind (YES, it happens). Make sure YOU and your staff wear flourescent jackets, a cammo coat is NOT the thing to wear if your traps are in a wood and need filling ! Have an air horn to hand and ensure ALL shooting STOPS if it sounds. Oh, keep a set of cleaning rods and a First Aid kit to hand along with a spray can of WD40 and oil. If anyone should be injured and the WD will not cut it, it helps if someone knows a bit of First Aid too. If you plan on shooting of an evening, in summer, it helps if the stands face North Easterley. Good luck with your venture and DO NOT forget adequate third party insurance. DO NOT rely on individual shooters having their own insurance. It may pay to start in Spring as Winter is NOT the easiest of times to run a shooting ground, trust me. 

 

[Finners]

One little word, hopefully helpful. If there is another shoot locally that runs on the 28 day rule, they mostly operate every other Sunday. Might be worth popping along see how they are going or at the very least to make sure your shoot operates on the opposite Sunday. 

 

[HDAV]

My only advice on top of Hammies would be, 300 metres shot fall out or 350 yards. Try, if at all possible to use auto traps, the elf and safety brigade will have a field day if you use manual traps and employ trappers. 

I have been to a shoot with manual trappers, good fun... 

Starting off with ESP you need lots of traps, you can have quite a nice ground with 4 traps but not ESP.....ABT/DTL/Skeet layout with 4 traps thats 2/3 stands at sporting....... whats a decent auto trap cost? used? £1k?  realistically need 14 ish 7/8 stands shooting 50 birds big investment.

 

[westley]

Maybe, but 5 traps will give you an excellent Compak, Sportrap, 5 Trap, call it what you like,  and can be shot off a much smaller area, in fact off a DTL layout. It can be shot by those who prefer sporting targets over Trap,  and CAN be shot with an auto,  without upsetting the remaining 99% of shooters.

 

[HDAV]

True but Compak/5 Stand/ Sportrap  aint ESP IF you only have 5 traps you might as well set upa skeet layout with a DTL bin and put a rabbit/teal behind the high house and an incomer.......... 

That way you have a chance of attracting everyone...... (with mobile skeet towers you can mix it up.....)

 

[westley]

Do not see the point of a mobile skeet tower really, the clay MUST come out of it at some stage ! I  was looking at things from a straw baler aspect, at which I believe the original thread was aimed. 5 auto traps strategically placed,  can give a very testing layout without the possible 18 to 20 traps minimum,  for a respectable English Sporting layout. It is also easier and quicker to set up and take down with only 2 people, fewer batteries and 1 control box of the 6 or 8 trap variety. It would take a minimum of 3 hours to put out a basic 9 stand sporting layout with 2 people. Remember with all the current trap thefts, everything has to be secured before the ground can close and it sure as hell will not put itself out either. Add to this the possibility of inclement weather, batteries failing due to frost, traps constantly checked for clays and of course the obvious eye on gun safety and maybe you will begin to see why I had had enough after 17 years. Mind you it has made me more tolerant when I get a trap breakdown whilst visiting other shooting grounds.