About the OSSA

Skeet shooting is sport where shotguns are used to break clay birds in flight. The event is in part meant to simulate the action of bird hunting. The shotguns used vary from the largest, 12 gauge, to progressively smaller ones being 20 gauge, 28 gauge, and .410 bore, which makes the game more challenging. 

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The shooter shoots from seven positions on a semicircle with a radius of 21 yards (19 m), and an eighth position halfway between stations 1 and 7. There are two houses that hold devices known as "traps" that launch the targets, one at each corner of the semicircle. The traps launch the targets to a point 15 feet (4.6 m) above the ground and 18 feet (5.5 m) outside of station 8. One trap launches targets from 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground ("high" house) and the other launches it from 3 feet (0.91 m) above the ground ("low" house).

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At stations 1 and 2 the shooter shoots at single targets launched from the high house and then the low house, then shoots a double where the two targets are launched simultaneously but shooting the high house target first. At stations 3, 4, and 5 the shooter shoots at single targets launched from the high house and then the low house. At stations 6 and 7 the shooter shoots at single targets launched from the high house and then the low house, then shoots a double, shooting the low house target first then the high house target. At station 8 the shooter shoots one high target and one low target.

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The shooter must then re-shoot his first missed target or, if no targets are missed, must shoot his 25th shell at the low house station 8.