Daryl,
May I suggest that for WAY under $500 one can do 'stick birds'. It will require that you take on an assistant to get the job done, but you could reciprocate by letting him or her also shoot some targets with you being the 'stick man'. It is nothing more than an old Remington hand thrower mounted on a billiard stick or better yet, a heavy fiberglas salt water fishing rod blank. One can even use an old golf club shaft, if that's more convenient. The speed and difficulty of 'stick bird' targets has to be experienced first hand to be appreciated at it's fullest, talking of them does them little justice. They can be launched as two foot elevation screamers or high angle bunker type targets on steroids. 'Stick birds' can out perform anything thrown by a spring type trap on their high end, but they can also be launched at more reasonable speeds. Its good excersize & fun for the 'stick man' too; particularly when the shooter doesn't break it, hahaha. I'd hope you give them a try. You can take the dif in costs & buy more clay targets, not to mention having great fun for little cost. Thrower positons and target presentations are largly open to the imagination.
Best, tw
