Helice shooting is one of the most challenging shotgun sports in the world. The discipline was originally called ZZ- birds or Electrocibles. This discipline simulates the flight of a live bird. Helice launchers are small oscillating electric motors that spin targets at high revolutions. The targets consist of two winged plastic propellers in which a white witness cap is clipped. When released the target flight is erratic and totally unpredictable. The shooter has two shots to disengage the white witness cap off of the orange propeller. The witness cap must land within the fenced ring. Discipline in shooting is required to master this game. Helice is an exciting and challenging sport for the novice or experienced shooter, which offers an alternative experience to those wishing to try something distinctly different. The friendly and exciting atmosphere of the Major Helice competitions is partly aided by the presence of bookies taking bets combined with the unpredictability of the Targets. It can get quite noisy behind the shooters stand, so prima donnas beware!
The Helice Range
At many major shooting grounds the Helice range is incorporated around the Olympic Trap ranges. First, imagine a field where you are standing on one designated spot. Five or seven green boxes are in front of you, arranged in a semi-circle, at twenty-seven meters. Twenty-one meters beyond that, in another semi-circle, is a twenty-four inch high fence. Then, imagine it's your turn, you're standing on the designated spot, you don't know which box will produce a whirling zig-zagging target, and you call "pull". Shoot quickly! You've got to hit it hard enough to have the wings fall off and land on the inside of the fence-line to score.
Competition Format
When shooting helice, the shooter walks to the line and makes preparations to shoot as the puller starts the machines. When the shooter is ready to call for the target, the shooter calls "Ready." At that point, the puller responds with "ready" and activates the voice-release. The shooter calls "pull" and the target is released. The puller does not select which machine the target will come from; it is a random release. The shooter does not know which machine will throw the target until the white door of the machine falls open, indicating the release of the target. In most world events, the course of fire is 25 targets, shooters attempting 2 targets per ring on a 5 machine layout.
Nicola Heron - Team GB Helice shooter competing in Spain.