Target carrier protection system

In a target shooting range having a designated shooter position and a target position, a target carrier system comprising:

• a carrier medium extending between the designated shooter position and the target position,
• a movable target carrier mounted for movement along a path defined by the carrier medium between the shooter position and the target position,
• said movable target carrier having an upper carriage portion, a lower target holder portion and a suspending system depending from said upper carriage portion for holding the target holder portion and a target in view of a shooter,
• a normally stationary protective shield mounted in the shooting range between the shooter position and the target position,
• said protective shield having an obliquely oriented continuous smooth surface extending perpendicular to the direction of and below said carrier medium,
• said continuous smooth surface extending to both sides of a vertical line intersecting the mid-point of said carrier medium by a distance which is greater than the amount which any portion of said movable target carrier extends to either side of a vertical line intersecting the mid-point of said upper carriage portion,
• whereby said upper carriage portion and at least a portion of said suspending means are shielded from the view of a shooter at the shooter position,
• said target carrier lower target holder portion being movable with respect to said upper carriage portion, and wherein means are provided to move said lower target holder portion into a retracted position above and clear of said normally stationary protective shield while said target carrier is moved between the target and shooter positions.