Every year, millions of Americans use guns recreationally, not only for hunting, but also for target sports like skeet and trapshooting. A growing number of young people are participating in shooting sports, a trend that is raising concerns for some. Special correspondent Megan Thompson reports.

It’s 08:00 on a June morning in western Minnesota. After paying respects to the American flag, hundreds of high school athletes head out for one of their last competitions of the season. They’re facing off in Minnesota’s Trapshooting Championship. Over the course of nine days, more than 8,000 teenagers will compete. Across the country, youth shooting sports have exploded in popularity over the last decade.

Organizers claim it’s now one of the fastest growing high school sports and that this is the world’s largest shooting sport event.

Randal Baker and Michelle Jacklitch coach the 28 member team from Wayzata High School, one of the best in the state.

The conditions are good today. Almost no wind. And Baker says the team’s off to a good start.

Wayzata High School serves a well to do suburban area west of Minneapolis. Many of the team’s families hunt or already have guns at home. We attended the team’s last practice before the big competition.

There are three main shooting sports that involve a shotgun and a clay target. Today, the team is practicing trap. A squad of five shooters stands at stations on the trap field. A voice activated thrower placed 16 yards away flings the bright orange clay discs into the air.

Today, and during competition, they’ll get 100 shots.

Rising senior Xena Heimbercher has been on the team since 7th grade. Unlike most school sports, girls and boys shoot together, although they’re scored separately. And on this team, some of the strongest shooters are the girls.

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