Clay target shooting: threats and issues

Abstract

Clay target shooting is a sport with a long history, both within New Zealand and internationally. While it was originally a means of practising hunting skills, in time it became a sport in its own right. Today the "sport" of clay target shooting is far larger than its "hunting" origins. There are 85 gun clubs in New Zealand affiliated to the NZ Clay Target Association, plus a number of other clubs who are not affiliated. These clubs are part of New Zealand's rural environment. Through time, New Zealand is changing. It's population is increasing; more people are living in cities; values are changing; people are more aware of the environmental impacts of their activities. These changes affect all parts of society, including gun clubs. This paper looks at the sport of clay target shooting, and examines some of the threats it currently faces. DeVita (1995) identified three areas in which gun clubs were likely conflict to have conflicts with neighbours. These were: • Noise • Lead Pollution • Safety - projectiles exiting the range This study concentrates on the first two of these likely conflicts. This is because the third situation of having projectiles leaving the range is indefensible. No gun club can stay open if this is happening.