SHOOTING SPORTS: If you have feet of clay when it comes 
to hunting, then take aim at birds of clay ... details ahead 
on Passport to Texas.
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and 
the Wildlife Restoration Program

I met Ty Harris, hunter education specialist for South 
Texas, last month at a five stand sporting clays field.

And it's a type of shooting game. There are numerous games. 
But in this type of shooting game you basically have five 
stations. And from the station, you'll be presented a series of 
targets. Some right to left, some incoming ... :12

Clays are launched remotely from each location, including 
from atop a huge wooden platform behind the shooters. 

This structure is called a tower shot. So it throws the clay from 
over your head and behind you; so it's a very challenging target. 
:07

Harris says sporting clays offer real hunting situations.

For a bird hunter, you never know where the birds are going to 
be coming from. So sporting clays provide that uncertainty, yet, 
you still have the anticipation that you know a bird is coming. 
:10

Clay shooting, says Harris, should come before you ever 
go into the field with a gun to hunt.

Before we become hunters, we are shooters. We can't hunt if we 
don't know how to shoot. So, a situation like this, where we can 
provide that shooting experience in a safe environment, just 
really lends itself to hunting. :15

More on shooting tomorrow. That's our show for 
today ... supported by the Wildlife Restoration program.. 
working to increase shooting and hunting opportunities 
in Texas ... 

For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.