(Kentucky Afield Outdoors is a new weekly column being offered by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Each Thursday, Kentucky Afield magazine writers Lee McClellan and Hayley Lynch will offer valuable tips, news and perspectives on the outdoors.)

Frankfort, Ky. – As the days heat up, nothing beats a trip to the shooting range. Whether you prefer sporting clays, trap or skeet, clay target shooting will improve your shotgun skills and get you outside to enjoy the warm weather in the meantime. But just like a trip to the woods, if you’re not prepared for the shooting range, you’ll waste time trying to find what you need.

A shooting bag keeps all of your gear in one place. Instead of spending an hour searching every room in the house for your stuff, you’ll be out the door and breaking targets as soon as you find a free evening or weekend to shoot.

Start with a bag big enough to hold at least four boxes of shells. Look for a model with a comfortable shoulder strap and non-metallic zippers that won’t scratch your gun. Fill it with enough shells for a day of shooting and add the following items as necessary for your shooting style.

Eye and ear protection are must-haves for the range. If you use disposable ear buds, buy several extra pairs in case you or another shooter need them. Throw in a soft, lint-free cloth or disposable wipes to clean the lenses of your shooting glasses. Sun block and bug spray are good additions to protect your skin on long, hot days. A hat with a visor will help keep the sun out of your eyes so you can see targets.

Remember your choke tubes and wrench, and add a tube of choke lube as well. Many bags have separate compartments that work great for choke tubes and accessories.

Add a can of gun oil and a rag for field-cleaning both your gun and your choke tubes. A bore snake is a good addition to quickly clean inside your barrel. It’s also a good idea to carry a rod, also known as a wad knocker, to remove barrel obstructions, such as a stuck wad or cleaning patch. Some sporting clays stations have wad knockers, but bringing your own is convenient in case the range doesn’t have them.

In addition to your choke tube wrench, a multi-tool and a set of Allen wrenches come in handy for light gun maintenance. A shell pouch will easily fit into most bags; larger bags may give you room to throw in a shooting vest, too. Some shooters include extras like shooting gloves, a hand towel and a variety of other accessories.

Every shooting bag is different. Some shotgunners carry only the bare essentials while others pack so much gear they’ll never use it all. Whatever your preference, the important thing is that the bag works for you and helps you head out the door as soon as you get the urge to shoot.

Hayley Lynch is an award-winning writer for Kentucky Afield magazine, the official publication of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. She is an avid hunter and shotgun shooter.