Rules

FRANKLIN COUNTY TRAP LEAGUE

RULES

Updated March 21, 2024

1. Shoot Program:  The program shall consist of (25) 16-yard targets and (25) handicap targets.   No shooter may officially shoot the program more than once.  Starting time will be when at least two (2) teams are represented.

Adult Target Fees $15.00

Sub Junior/ Junior Fees $8.00

Available Options:

Lewis Purse: $10.00  is available to all shooters. 35% of the pool will be paid to the top two scores (divided 60/40). The remaining 65% of the pool will be paid to four (4) Lewis classes starting with the third highest score. Option entries are made at the same time as program entries. 

Hi Gun Purse Paid: $7.00 is available to all shooters. The payout is 50% to the highest score, 30% to the second highest score, and 20% to the third highest score. Ties divide. Option entries are made at the same time as program entries.

50 Straight:  $2.00 is available to all shooters. The payout is 90% of the rolling sum of the pool at the time the eligible shooter breaks a 50 straight score. Ties will divide. Option entries are made at the same time as program entries. 

Random Draw: $1.00 is available to all shooters. The payout is the rolling sum of the pool for any shooter whose score is equal to the random draw conducted at the conclusion of the shoot. The random draw includes all scores between 15 and 50. Ties will divide. Option entries are made at the same time as program entries. 

If a sub-junior or junior shooter elects to play any options the sub-junior or junior shooter must pay the adult price for targets.

Shooters not present may be presquadded starting at squad #11.  If a shooter is not on the club premises at the time the squad shoots, the shooter must resquad.  Presquadded shooters must also be on the club premises by the cutoff time of 8:00 p.m. 

2. Team:  Each shooter must remain shooting for the team they start for that season. Shooters must shoot in 1 of the first 4 shoots to be eligible to shoot for a specific team.  New shooters that begin after the 4th shoot will automatically shoot for the last place team unless they have just moved into the area or if they just joined the club, etc.  The team captains will govern new shooters for eligibility and placement. 

3. Scores:  At each shoot, the five highest scores will be used from each team.  Teams will be rated on a point system, 4-3-2-1. Team scores cannot end in a tie. If two or more teams tie, the next highest score(s) for each team tied will be counted until a winning team is determined.  The shooter with the highest score will receive a trophy.  Ties (of the highest score) will be decided at the following shoot.  Ties at the last regular scheduled shoot will be decided at that shoot.  If there are 2 different team winners at the end of the league season the winning team will be determined by the total team points for the year. If there is still a tie, the team champion will be determined by the sixth best score and so forth until a team champion is determined.

4.  Entry Fee & Trophies:  An entry fee of $250.00 (made payable to the treasurer) will be assessed each team for trophies and awards.  The entry fee will be paid at the end of each club’s first shoot.  If there are insufficient funds at the end of the year, each team will be assessed equally to cover trophy expenses.  Year-end trophies will include:  

Winning Team Plaque or Picture

High Over All (H.O.A.) average $100.00

High 16 Yard average $75.00

High Handicap average $75.00

High Lady         $50.00

High Sub Junior $50.00

High Junior $50.00

High Veteran     $50.00

High Sr.  Veteran     $50.00

High score at each shoot (16 each)     $25.00

50 Straight     $20.00

A “Sub-Junior” will be shooters starting the first shoot 14 years of age and younger.  “Junior” will be all shooters starting the first shoot from 15 to 18 years of age.  Those shooters starting the first shoot at 65 through 69 years of age will be classified as “Veteran” and a “Senior Veteran” will be those which start the first shoot at age 70 or older. It is the shooter’s responsibility to declare these special categories (Lady, Sub-Junior, Junior, Veteran and Sr. Veteran), to the league statistician. To be eligible for trophies, except 50 straight and individual shoot trophies, a shooter must record at least 600 targets.  The lowest scores over the required  600 targets will be omitted when determining the averages for trophies. If a tie for category exists after the required 600 targets, the winner will be determined by the counting the next higher score(s).

5. Statistician/Secretary Fee:  At each shoot, the host club will pay $25.00 to the Statistician/Secretary of the league.

6. Handicap Yardage:  The Handicap Yardage Chart determined by the shooters previous year overall average will be prepared by the statistician.  This will be each shooter's starting handicap yardage.  There will be no reductions during the year.  There will also be three (3) yards maximum yardage reduction each target year.  No shooter will be reduced below the yardage position that corresponds to their previous year overall average.  The maximum reduction will not be lower than the 20-yard line, 19 yards for ladies.  For shooters to be eligible for a reduction for the following shooting year, a shooter must shoot a minimum of 400 targets.  NOTE:  A shooter may refuse the “formulated starting yardage reduction” at their first shoot that year, but must maintain that yardage from that point forward.  The shooter should also initial their chosen yardage entered on the League Bulletin Sheet.

a. New shooters to the league will be placed on the 20 yard line, (women 19 yards), unless they have an ATA yardage that is greater.  A new shooter which has had an established ATA yardage must start his\her league shooting from that known ability and shoot at least 500 targets to be eligible for a Franklin County yardage review for the upcoming year.  Team captains will review special hardship cases for yardage reduction requests.  Requests must be made to the respective team captain.

b. No yardage will be added to any shooter unless earned at a league shoot.  

c. At each shoot, the shooter(s) with the highest score will receive 2 yards additional handicap.  The second highest score(s) will receive 1 1/2 yards and the third highest score(s) will receive 1 yard additional handicap.  IT IS THE SHOOTERS RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE THAT THE PROPER HANDICAP IS USED.  FAILURE TO DO SO WILL MAKE THEM SUBJECT TO DISQUALIFICATION.

d. In handicap, there shall be no more than two (2) yards difference between adjacent shooters in the squad and NO MORE THAN A TOTAL DIFFERENCE OF THREE (3) YARDS IN A SQUAD.

7.  Disqualification:  Scores shot in an event for which a contestant is disqualified will not be counted for that team and any trophies and/or moneys which the contestant has received for an event for which he or she is disqualified MUST be returned.  Returned trophies and/or moneys will be redistributed at the decision of the team captains.  Any contestant who is disqualified for any event and FAILS TO RETURN any trophies and/or moneys which they received in that event will remain disqualified and will be barred from shooting Franklin County League targets until all trophies and/or moneys have been returned and written notification from the league is received by same contestant.

8. Lewis Purse, Hi-Gun Purse, Random Draw and 50 Straight Options:  The work sheet for the Lewis Purse as prepared by the current shoot management must be posted at the following shoot.  Winning scores and payoff information will also be posted on the website with the  winnings available at the next shoot.  The High-Gun winners will be posted on the website with the winnings available at the next shoot. The Random Draw winner(s) will be posted on the website with winnings available at the next shoot.  The numbers to be included in the draw will be 15-50.

The 50 straight option winner(s) will be posted on the website with winnings available at the next shoot.

10% of the purse will be withheld as seed money.

9.  Traps:  All clubs must have at least two (2) traps with one trap handicapped to 27 yards.  A club may shoot practice as long as it does not interfere with the scheduled shoot.  Each club will throw whatever color or style of target they choose as long as it is for the duration of the shoot

10. Inclement Weather or Unforeseen Circumstances:  If a shoot is cut short or canceled due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, the club will keep all monies collected from the shooters that had already shot including any options they may have played.  Their score will carryover to the make up shoot which will be made up at the end of the regular season at the club where the shoot was canceled.  

11. Grievances shall be brought up to the team captain in which the participants shoots for within 24 hours. The team captain shall then notify all team captains and officers before the next shoot. 

12. Shooters are expected to always conduct themselves with courtesy and sportsmanship while on club grounds. Unsportsmenlike conduct will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action; 1st offense: verbal/written warning. 2nd offense: ban from the league, unless the board decides the offense is especially heinous, which results in an immediate ban. Verbal/written warnings should be handled by the shooters team captain and reported to all team captains and officers. A record of the incident should be kept by the Secretary. 

13. Additional Rules:  A.T.A. Rules will apply in absence of other rules.  The Team Captains will rule on any controversy.