Kauai Eco Sporting Clays
“I have a love interest in every one of my films – a gun.”
~ Arnold Schwarzenegger
The phrase “comfort zone” is defined as a behavioral state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk. With that said, get ready to step out of your comfort zone for 1.5 hours, pray that you have a steady level of performance at best, test your anxiety levels, and experience something new!!! This page is dedicated to a great friend who decided to celebrate her birthday, by dragging her friends down to Kauai Eco Sporting Clays.
The morning started off with a rush of emotions which included anxiety, nervousness, upset stomach from nerves, anticipation, curiosity and absolute excitement. I can best relate the feelings to those when you are standing in line for a ride such as the Tower of Terror. You are so excited to experience what everyone is talking about but so nervous at the same time. I wasn’t scared though, just nervous. Probably didn’t help that I had never shot a gun of any kind in my life and when I left the house my husband was laughing saying, “The kick from the gun may knock you on your a–!” My ride came to pick me up and off we went! At this point I was wishing it were a long car ride so that I could talk to my friend and get my mind off of the upcoming – learn how to shoot a gun! Unfortunately, I live less than five minutes away from the facility. Off to face my fears!! New ventures.
When we arrived, everyone was SO NICE! The sound of the guns firing was instantly intimidating, guess I have never really stood that close to someone firing a gun. It is LOUD! I was raised around guns sitting in a gun cabinet in our living room (remember those), but it was more of a boys/hunting thing. The staff are extremely welcoming and kind that it calmed my nerves. If they would have started in with gun/shooting lingo immediately, I probably would have gotten back in the car. We signed the waivers, put in our ear plugs (that was another first for me and I think I was yelling the whole time), safety glasses, shooter belt, and we were off to our safety briefing provided by Ben. I must add that I am grateful that my son used to run around with “Legends of the Wild West” toys because I was actually familiar with some of the gear. Fortunately, there were no handcuffs involved.
Let the fun begin~
“Well behaved women rarely make history.” ~ Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Guns & Tiaras
I have heard of people shooting clay pigeons, but really had no idea what this meant. So what exactly is a sporting clay? Sporting clays are similar to clay pigeon shooting, and sometimes referred to as “golf with a shotgun” due to having 10 to 15 different shooting stations. Trap and skeet shooting differ as they are games of repeatable target presentations. Sporting clays are described as “unpredictability of live-quarry shooting”.
Kauai Eco Sporting Clays is Kauai’s newest sport where 12 and 20 gauge shot guns are used to shoot flying clay targets. They offer a beautiful 5 stand sporting clays facility (see picture below). Enjoy the beautiful, lush setting of Kauai while you concentrate on perfecting your shot.
I wasn’t expecting to break any clays to be honest. I was hoping I could just figure out how to shoot the gun! Ben is a great instructor. He is very patient and didn’t make me feel like a beginner. I really have to give Ben huge props because he dealt with four women, who were all beginners, laughing most of the time and one wearing an eye patch and tiara. We did really well! I broke a few clays and mainly got a feel for shooting the gun. The gun was much heavier than I had anticipated. During the shooting lesson, we learned how to hold the gun, how to stand, where to position our face, where to look, when to shoot, how to load, etc. Surprisingly, there is a lot to memorize! I was nervous to put my face on the gun, since my husband warned me of the kick, but it actually wasn’t scary at all and, more importantly, it didn’t hurt. I was surprised at how sore my arms were the next day from holding the gun. For some reason, turning the steering wheel in my car was painful!
Kauai Eco Sporting Clays are environmentally friendly. Steel shot ammo and biodegradable clays are used exclusively at the range.
Sporting Clays are not just for adults~
Our son could not wait for his 12th birthday to come around so he could invite some friends
and head out to Kauai Eco Sporting Clays to try it out for himself!!! Sure enough, on the day of his 12th b-day, he was off first thing in the morning. It was really simple, as the staff at Kauai Eco Clays emailed me the waiver in advance. Each of the parents could review the guidelines prior to the b-day clay shooting. My son was not afraid at all! Of course he has shot an air soft and BB gun in the past. The best part is that he came back bragging about the fact that he beat out my husband, who was an expert shot in the military. Apparently, it runs in the family. That’s the fun thing about Kauai Eco Sporting Clays- you can be competitive in a fun, safe environment. You’re left wanting to go back and try again, to better your shot. According to our 12 year old son, “It is a great experience. There is a lot of practice time with Ben and tons of fun! I loved it.”
“I have a very strict gun control policy: if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it.” ~ Clint Eastwood
I highly recommend going in a group. It was really, really fun! I wouldn’t ever have gone, if not invited by a friend who was going in a group. I felt so safe in the controlled environment, that I suggested our 12 year old do this for his b-day. For those of you who already know how to shoot a gun, skip the 1.5 hour lesson and shoot a round in 30-45 minutes. You are welcome to bring your own gun (12 or 20 gauge only) and be sure to leave your ammo at home. Ammo will be provided by Kauai Eco Sporting Clay. Don’t forget to inquire about the membership!
We survived!!! Thanks Ben!!
We survived!! If this gang can do it, so can you. Check out Kauai Eco Sporting Clays. It is tons of fun and you have to try it at least once.
What to bring:
Prescription glasses/sunglasses if necessary
Hat, sunscreen, bug spray (optional)
Adventurous attitude!
Available Times:
Monday through Saturday
9:00am
11:00am
1:00pm
3:00pm
$89+ tax per person. Ages 12 and over welcome to participate.
Check them out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KauaiEcoSportingClays
5wheelsto5star was featured in the March & April 2014 issue of Destinations Travel Magazine
5 Wheels to 5 Star 