Me too, Damascus, even though I can pretty much picture the contraption as not much more than an arm acting as a tray for the target(s) to rest on that was affixed to the starter motor's armature at an upward angle and doubles merely being two targets loaded in tandem. I'm seeing simply an electrically powered scaled up version of a Ritz cracker thrower's arm. Still, it would be fun to see a photograph of one of the actual machines in use.
There are a couple of similar games here, in places. One was most frequently found as a trailer mounted mobile game known as 'Crazy Quail' that pre-dates today's 5-stand and was a trap that was set to rotate a full 360 degrees. Some of those set-ups used elevated wobble traps, others did not.
We have a game at the club called 'Powder Pigeon' that is located on a fixed field that consists of a modern carrousel trap w/interrupter mounted on a 360 degree rotating powered base located in a concrete pit with an elevated cinder block wall out in front so that none of the pit nor machinery is visible. Perpendicular to that wall is a concrete walkway starting at 19 meters [roughly 25 meters from the actual trap]. Playing by the strict rules, the shooter is given one shot per target starting at the 19 meter mark. Targets are shot in groups of 5 w/a slide based on the score for the next 5 targets. If the shooter breaks 2 or less they must stay where they are for the next 5 targets; if the shooter breaks 3/5 then he must slide 1 meter back for the next 5; break 4 and he must slide 2 meters back for the next 5 targets and should he break all 5, then he must slide 3 meters back for the next 5 targets. It is the single most difficult game we have. That, in turn makes it the least popular, but it sure is fun if your ego can stand the drumming. Targets are screamers with the trap's spring wound tighter than a two dollar watch and the field is surrounded by mature Burr Oaks and brush with the targets being thrown so that they go above those 80 foot plus trees where the wind is frequently way different than what is going on at ground level. Playing by the rules, a score of 17/25 or above is a VERY good score. It remains almost as tough for those wishing to shoot two rounds at each target &/or stay at a fixed distance.' House birds', those coming directly overhead allow zero time up close and going away targets can easily be 85 yards out if one hesitates.
The original 'Powder Pigeon' game, two club locations back [1950's time frame], consisted of a single Western hand cocked trap mounted on a greased turnstile w/a steel tractor seat affixed for the 'trap boy' to ride as he spun around on it. There was a low cinder block wall in front of it and a flyer sized ring surrounding it. A cotton tuft was affixed to the underside of each target and that had to land inside the ring to be scored 'dead'. Shooters shot from a regulation walkway.
W/apologies for the thread drift, but its a fun subject and I expect many of us shoot a lot more clay targets than game birds these days & challenging targets are always good fun .... even more so if they may be shot where the dog isn't present or at least not paying much attention.
Last edited by tw; 11/26/14 03:57 AM. Reason: spellin'
