Trap shooting, skeet shooting, sporting clays. These are all used interchangeably for shooting orange clays discs with a shotgun, but they’re all very different.

Skeet, Trap, and Sporting Clays
Clay Target History
Trap Shooting Rulebook
I personally started with the plastic hand thrower, then moved to a mechanical thrower in a field behind my house, even though there’s a gun and conservation club on my road. I knew they had public trap nights every Tuesday and I’d hear the shots going off in the distance and I was pining at the chance to shoot some clays in a real trap shooting environment, but for some reason I was so nervous about going. I eventually mustered up the courage and headed over one Tuesday, and I’m so glad I did. Everyone there was real nice and helpful, and one guy even has 2 world championships in trap shooting from the 1980’s. I’ve hardly missed a Tuesday since then.
Join the Club
In conclusion, nothing is as rewarding as seeing that orange clay turn to dust, and nothing sharpens your upland bird hunting skills better than shooting moving, flying targets.