One general misconception with American Trap shooting is where to hold your shotgun on the trap house prior to calling for the target. With five positions it requires five different hold points. We’ll take a look at all five positions. There different hold points with elevation from the 16 yard line all the way back to the 27 yard line.

From the 16 yard line on post one, set your hold point on the left corner of the house.

At position two move half way in between the left side and the middle of the trap house.

Station three, which is the middle position, here right hander’s hold slightly right of center, and the opposite for left handed shooters. This way your barrel will not block your view of a straight away target.

Station 4’s hold point is between the right corner and the middle of the trap house.

Station Five is strictly the right corner.

Now that we have established out hold points on the trap house we have to determine the elevation. I hold two to three feet above the trap house, minimizing my move to the target. Now that we have established our hold point and elevation for the 16-yard line lets take a step back to the 22-yard line where handicap shooting begins.

Here at the 22-yard line my hold point literally stays the same. The only thing that will change is my elevation will come down to about one foot above the trap house. The farther back from the trap house the less angle you have this is why you lower your elevation as you move back. Pull! 

Now let’s talk about the 27-yard line, or most commonly referred to as the fence. Here, even though our distance from trap house is the greatest, our angle to the target is the least. My hold point stays the same, but my elevation is on the trap house.

The hold points and elevations we discussed today are simply guidelines. Tailor these to your own game and your scores will improve. Until next time stay army strong! 

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