Trap Shooting

Clay target shooting — a machine slings clays going away from you across five firing points, break as many as possible.

👥1 per team🌤outdoor

What is Trap Shooting?

Trap shooting is a clay-target shotgun sport in which a trap machine slings clay pigeons going away from the shooter, from a bunker in front of the firing line. Competitors move through five stations, taking two shots per clay. Olympic trap features 125 clays for men (75 for women, single 25-bird finals for both).

Quick facts

Category

Precision Sports

Type

Individual

Players

1 per team

Where played

outdoor

Country of origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Estimated origin

Early 19th-century England (originally live pigeons; "trap" mechanisms from 1880s)

Olympic

Yes

Popularity

global

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified