TrapShootingUSA March/April 2022

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CONTENTS JOURNAL NO. 78

MARCH/APRIL 2022

PUBLISHED 6 TIMES PER YEAR SUBSCRIPTION $35.95 PER YEAR $70 IN CANADA AND REST OF WORLD ISSN 1479-2885

COVER PHOTO: USA Shooting’s Derrick Mein shoots bunker trap as AMU members look on Photo Credit: Thaddius Bedford

PUBLISHER STACEY STEPHENS stacey@trapshootingusa.com EDITOR SEAN HAWLEY

44 BUNKER TRAP: DECODED

OLYMPIC TRAP VERSUS AMERICAN TRAP

50 NEWLYWEDS! 12 2022 PRE-SPRING GRAND A GREAT START IN TUCSON

A MUCH LOVED TRAPSHOOTING COUPLE

52 REMEMBERING GENE SEARS A TRIBUTE

16 2022 SPRING GRAND

54 TRUE CLAYS SIMULATOR

TUCSON TRAP & SKEET HOSTS

A TRAINING TOOL FOR MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES

editor@trapshootingusa.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: THADDIUS BEDFORD JOSHUA BUCHIERE JOHN CAFFEY DANA FARRELL MATTHEW GAY LARRY GRENEVICKI, M.ED. KARLA HARRISON SEAN HAWLEY SANDRA JO JACK CHERYLL PITTERA JACQUE SNELLENBERGER

16

2022 SPRING GRAND

26 BRRR! IT’S COLD OUT THERE! DRESSING FOR WINTER SHOOTING

30 REMEMBERING SANDY TIDWELL A TRIBUTE

SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES AND ALL DEPARTMENTS: TRAPSHOOTINGUSA 1212 N US HWY 281 #1941 MARBLE FALLS, TX 78654

54

TRUE CLAYS SIMULATOR

58 USA SHOOTING UPDATE

WORLD CUP IN NICOSIA, CYPRUS

60 MEC SMART SERIES AND NOT JUST FOR MEC

32 PETERS PREMIUM PAPERS THE RETURN OF AN OLD FAVORITE

TEL. 210 377 1117 WEBSITE: www.trapshootingusa.com

PRINTED IN THE USA

Technical ballistics and other information provided by our journalists, contributors and correspondents is published in good faith and should not replace established safe practices. Neither the author or publisher accept responsibility for injury or equipment damage resulting from its use.

COPYRIGHT All rights reserved. No part of this ­publication may be transmitted or ­reproduced in any form without written ­permission from the publishers.

The opinions expressed by ­correspondents are not necessarily those of the publishers.

TrapShootingUSA recommends that readers ­satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of advertisers’ claims before any purchase is made, and accepts no responsibility for any loss arising from any purchase.

PETERS PREMIUM PAPERS

60 32

36 2022 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES STACY REHOR AND GARY BONETTI

42 REMEMBERING DENNIS DEVAUX A TRIBUTE

MEC SMART SERIES

64 A TRAPSHOOTER, A WEBSITE AND A LEGACY

HOW SHOOTSCOREBOARD.COM STARTED

70 PITA NEWS

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THE 2022 PRE SPRING GRAND

BY SEAN HAWLEY

The Pre Spring Grand happens at the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club the week prior to the start of the actual Spring Grand and it is a great way for folks to get some targets under their belt after the long cold winter. It doesn’t have as many shooters in attendance as the main week and there is a more laid back atmosphere, which is kind of nice. The weather this year during the Pre Grand was very nice with cool temperatures in the mornings that warmed up as the day progressed. As it turned out, the Pre Grand weather was much nicer than the actual Grand week weather.

Only two shooters were able to break all the Singles in Wednesday’s Event 1 Flagstaff Singles. Kayla Workman (AR) and Stan Baker (CO) topped the leaderboard at the end of TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

the event to win Lady I and Senior Veteran trophies.

The next event was the Yuma Handicap and Veteran winner Eli Walker led the field with his 97.

Minnesota Senior Veterans Steve DEAN WALKER

Schimdt and Dean Walker were next high with scores of 96. After a one round shoot-off Walker’s 24x25 took home the trophy.

The first day ended with the Garden Canyon Doubles and there were four scores of 98 at the top of the board. Jason Folvag (ND) was the AAA class winner, BJ Jackman (ON) outlasted Grady Evans (AS) in the carryover for AA class and Emma Grace Mathews (TN) took home the Lady I trophy for their efforts.

THURSDAY Event 4 was the Phoenix Doubles and Sean Hawley (UT) had the lone score of 100 to win the AAA class trophy.

BJ Jackman had the next high score of 98 to earn the AA award.

Eleven shooters carded perfect centuries in the Prescott Singles, with Jason Folvag and Gerald Demulling each breaking an additional 100 straight in carryover to win AAA class and Veteran trophies. Ron McConnell SEAN HAWLEY

(AB), Henry Winn (KY) and Tyson Bourassa (AB) each broke 100s and won Senior Veteran, AA class and C class outright.

Event 6, the Casa Grande Handicap, finished up the day and saw Kayla Workman and Dan Staker (IL) lead the way with scores of 97 to earn Lady I and Veteran trophies.

Sean Hawley, Nick Digesualdo (CO) and Dean Walker each broke scores of 96 to win 27-yard, Sub Veteran and Senior Veteran trophies.

FRIDAY Nine of the 239 shooters in the Event 7 Class Singles were able to break perfect scores. Jason Folvag continued his winning ways with an additional perfect overtime round for

the AAA class prize. Ben Salas (NM) had a lone 100 straight to take home the AA class trophy, while Gerald Demulling broke the same score to earn the Veteran award. Senior Veteran winner William Van Nieuwenhuyzen (SD) needed 50 straight in overtime to outlast three others.

The Preliminary Handicap was next up and Nick Digesualdo turned in the high score of 98 to win the Sub Veteran category. William Van Nieuwenhuyzen had a 97 to pace the Senior Veterans, while Craig Blank (OH) and Ray Thomas (CA) each broke 96s to earn 27-yard and Veteran trophies.

The last event of the day was the Class Doubles and there were two perfect scores on the board at the end. Bruce Davis (KS) and Mike Grady

(NM) each had 100s and in the carryover Grady broke 44x50 to earn the AAA class trophy. Dennis Johnson (SD) had a 99 to lead the Sub Veterans and Emma Grace Mathews carded a 98 for the Lady I win.

PRE-GRAND SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP Austin Jacob (OH) was the only shooter to break all 200 in the Pre Grand Singles Championship. Patrick Lamont (MB) broke 199 and then 75 in the shoot-off to earn the runner-up trophy. Peter Walker (MN), Ben Salas, Emma Grace Mathews, Durand Wagner (MN), Mike Hettinger (SD) and William Van Nieuwenhuyzen all had scores of 199 to win AAA, AA,

Lady I, Sub Veteran, Veteran and Senior Veteran trophies.

PRE-GRAND SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

AUSTIN JACOB PATRICK LAMONT PETER WALKER BEN SALAS CODY BURGIN MARION DUKES DOC VERLIN KOPER MICHAEL SMITH EMMA GRACE MATHEWS PAM WRIGHT WYATT DEBRIE JOHN WILLIAMS AUSTIN KINDER DURAND WAGNER MIKE HETTINGER VAN NIEUWENHUYZEN

OH MB MN NM IA WA OK WA TN UT NE NC UT MN SD SD

200 199 199 199 198 195 197 195 199 195 192 196 190 199 199 199

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

SHOOTREPORT

14

AUSTIN JACOB

ROBERT AND PARICK LAMONT

before having to leave, put his great scores to work in route to winning the High Over All with 1259x1300.

Veteran winner Art Peyton (AB) was seven targets behind Folvag and had the next high score on the board with 1252.

The Pre Spring Grand is held every year just before the start of the Spring Grand and is an excellent warm up for shooters who have not been able to shoot much through the winter. Give it a try next year! n

PRE-GRAND HIGH OVER ALL

PRE-GRAND DOUBLES AND HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIPS Sunday’s first event was the Tucson Doubles Championship and Patrick Lamont had the lone 100 straight in a field of 290. Jason Folvag and Austin Jacob had the only two scores of 99 and shot off for the runner-up trophy. Folvag broke all 20 in the overtime round to take the second place finish and Jacob ended up as the AAA class winner. There were also only two scores of 98 on the board and Brett Despain (UT) used his to win the Sub Veteran trophy. Wyatt

PRE-GRAND DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

PATRICK LAMONT JASON FOLVAG AUSTIN JACOB LANNY HEITZ TODD WENDEL HARMON MCCURDY ETHAN PRESCOTT BOB EBBERS SOPHIE NOSTROM KAREN STINGL WYATT DEBRIE WYATT QUICK EVAN INGALLS BRETT DESPAIN ART PEYTON STAN BAKER

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

MB ND OH WY ND TX CA WI AZ AZ NE CA IA UT AB CO

100 99 99 97 96 93 89 91 93 92 93 98 93 98 97 95

CH RU AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

Quick (CA) had the other 98 and he was the Junior champion.

The final event of the Pre Spring

PRE-GRAND HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU 19-21 YDS 22-24 YDS 25-26 YDS 27 YDS LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

BOB HARDENBURGER PETER WALKER KENNETH ROGOWSKI DAVID MCMASTERS MARVIN RUSTAD RYAN COSTANTI MELANIE FRERICHS KAREN STINGL BRUCE BRADLEY WYATT QUICK AUSTIN KINDER NICK DIGESUALDO MICHAEL SMITH BOBBY HUBBLE

CO MN IL NY WI OR NE AZ ID CA UT CO WA IN

98 97 93 96 95 95 96 93 93 92 88 96 96 95

Grand was the Tucson Handicap Championship. 2021 Colorado State Handicap Champion Bob Hardenburger had the lone 98 to lead the field of 318. Peter Walker was the runner-up with a score of 97, while Melanie Frerichs (NE) was the Lady I champion with 96. Nick Digesualdo and Michael Smith (WA) also broke 96 to earn Sub Veteran and Veteran awards.

PRE-GRAND HAA AND HOA Patrick Lamont was the High All Around champion with the score of 393 and Jason Folvag, who was only able to shoot the Pre-Spring Grand

JASON FOLVAG NICK DIGESUALDO GRADY EVANS BJ JACKMAN THOMAS FESTER BOB EBBERS MIKE KJORMOE ALAN ARNER EMMA GRACE MATHEWS SANDY DIGESUALDO CHASE DOBRINSKI MITCHELL PIERSON AUSTIN KINDER DENNIS JOHNSON ART PEYTON VAN NIEUWENHUYZEN

ND CO AS ON IL WI IA WI TN CO NM NE UT SD AB SD

1259 1235 1226 1230 1212 1171 1135 1080 1239 1182 1130 1232 1181 1236 1252 1235

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TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

THE 2022 SPRING GRAND AMERICAN

BY SEAN HAWLEY

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

SHOOTREPORT

18

Well another Spring Grand in Tucson is in the books and despite the ongoing shell shortage, the tournament was up considerably in attendance. The High Over All saw an increase of 18% with 5838 entries from 50 States, Canadian provinces and even some shooters from New Zealand and Australia. The Pre Spring Grand was November 3-7 and was the warm up for the main week which took place November 8-14.

The weather was nice with highs in the mid 70s except for a few days during Grand Week where the wind howled and temperatures dropped considerably. This year’s shoot was the 46th annual Spring Grand American.

MONDAY Monday is kind of an odd day in Tucson, during the Spring Grand. It isn’t part of the Pre Spring Grand and it isn’t part of the actual Spring Grand. It is kind of its own stand alone thing. At any rate Event 13, the Preliminary Singles did see 356 shooters take the line and of those 13 were able to finish without a blemish on their score cards. Patrick Lamont broke 100 and then another 100 in carryover to win the AAA class trophy. Dale Fisher (MT) was the AA champion with a lone perfect score.

Kayla Workman had the only 100 straight in Lady I and Dan Vogel (MT) needed 125 in the carryover to secure the Senior Veteran trophy over Ray Stafford (CO).

The last event before the actual start of Grand Week was the Preliminary Handicap. Of the 339 entries there were only three scores of 97 at the top of the leaderboard at the end of regulation. Kayla Workman, Rod Whitehead (WI) and Ethan Prescott (CA) all had 97s to win Lady I, Veteran and Junior trophies.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

THE START OF THE HOA Tuesday morning began with a pretty solid wind and the scores reflected the additional challenge. Only 13 of the 520 entries were able to make it through the Premier Singles unscathed. Mike Grady was the AAA class winner after 100 straight in the carryover and Joe Sudbury needed two perfect rounds in overtime to secure the Veteran trophy. Dan Vogel needed just one carryover round to win the Senior Vet trophy, while Scott Abo and Ethan Prescott each broke lone 100s for the Sub Veteran and Junior awards.

As the wind continued it became apparent that it would be there all day long and the Prescott Handicap saw only two shooters able to break 96 to lead the way. Zach Nannini (MO) and Scott Abo were the 27-yard and Sub Veteran winners for their efforts. Damian Rowett (AS) took home the 25-26.5 yardage group trophy with 95.

WEDNESDAY Joe Ramos Jr. (CO) posted the lone 100 straight to win AAA class in the Yuma Doubles. The wind was still a factor and the cold also crept in to make things even more interesting.

Zach Nannini did break a 99 in the event but was in AAA class and did not win a trophy. Brett Despain, Jimmy Heller (CA) and Jerry Osborne (GA) each posted 98s to win Sub Veteran, Veteran and Junior Gold trophies.

The wind slowed a little but the cold remained for the Pleasant Valley Handicap and a total of 528 shooters participated. Richard Marshall Jr. (NE) broke a 98 to win the 27-yard prize, while Jacob Ridge (CA) carded a 97 to secure the Junior trophy. Jim Adamopoulos (TN) and Tim Robb (AZ) each had 96s for the Veteran

MIKE GRADY

ZACH NANNINI

JOE RAMOS JR.

and Senior Veteran wins.

THURSDAY Breezy, but warmer was the order of the day for Thursday’s Singles Class

Championship and the scores definitely reflected it as 29 shooters posted perfect centuries. Scott Obenchain was the AAA class champion with his 100 and another 600 in carryover and shoot-off targets (more on him later). Brian

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SHOOTREPORT

20

SCOTT ABO

Stoa (KY) took home the AA class trophy with a perfecto and 50 more in the carryover, while Scott Abo only needed 25 extras to secure his Sub Veteran win following a 100 straight.

There were no 100s in the Doubles Class Championships, Grady Evans got close with 99 though and he was the AA class winner by himself. Austin Jacob had a 98 for the AAA class win and Steve Ebsen (WI) was by himself with 96 in A class.

Davin Thomas (AZ), Michael Ramser (CA) and Billy Pierce (OK) rounded out B, C and D classes with scores of 95, 90 and 95.

JERRY OSBORNE III

DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP Friday morning started with the Spring Grand Doubles Championship and there were 599 shooters. Despite a much nicer day than the previous three, there were only two shooters that were able to break 100 straights.

Sub Junior shooter Daxton Cook from Utah and Junior Gold shooter Jerry Osborne III of Georgia managed to break the perfect scores and ended up one on one on the shoot-off field that evening. After one overtime round Osborne was declared this year’s champion with a perfect 20 straight. Cook fell back to take the Sub Junior title. Patrick Lamont and

SPRING GRAND DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

JERRY OSBORNE III PATRICK LAMONT TJ MAIN KEVIN COUNTRYMAN CHASE WALTER BRIAN ALQUIST BILLY PIERCE TUCKER MILES JENNIFER RUTGER DR LAURA WINKLE DAXTON COOK CHET ORICK EVAN INGALLS MICHAEL BLAISDELL ART PEYTON JOHN KELLY

GA MB WA OH NE CA OK KY TX WA UT AR IA NH AB WY

100 99 99 97 98 94 93 89 98 93 100 98 98 99 98 95

TJ Main (WA) broke 99s and shot off for the runner-up trophy, with Lamont prevailing and Main settling for the AAA class award. Hall of Famer Jennifer Rutger (TX) broke 98 and Dr. Laura Winkle (WA) had 93 to win the Lady I and Lady II titles. 98s were high in the Junior and Junior Gold divisions, with Chet Orick (AR) and Evan Ingalls taking home the prizes. Michael Blaisdell (NH) won the Sub Veteran category with 99, while Art Peyton (AB) and John Kelly (WY) broke 98 and 95 for the Veteran and Senior Veteran awards.

The afternoon Caesar Guerini Handicap saw good weather and scores were the highest of the week.

Patrick Lamont and Curtis Peterson (MN) each broke near perfect scores of 99 in the event and at the shootoff field Peterson’s near perfect 24 was good enough to edge out Lamont by a target. Shooting off for 3rd and 4th places were Scott Obenchain and Chris Vendel with 98s. After one round Obenchain was the 3rd place winner. David McMasters (NY) broke 97 in the event and then won his shoot-off to take home the 5th and final place.

Elaina McCarthy and Sandra Jo Jack were the Lady I and Lady II winners with 98 and 94 respectively.

CURTIS PETERSON

SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP There were 678 entries in Saturday’s Browning Singles Championship and of those, there were five shooters that broke all 200 targets. Mike Grady, Austin Jacob, Chris Kinder, Scott Obenchain and Chris Vendel took the line at the end of the day to settle the dispute. All of the shooters were non-category and all of them were AAA class, which meant that there would be one shooter that would end up without a trophy. After the first round that shooter was Utah State Association President Chris Kinder, who missed two birds. Mike Grady let one target get away on that first round and was relegated to AAA Runner-up. Chris Vendel missed in the next round and took the AAA class trophy. At this point only Austin Jacobs and Scott Obenchain remained without a miss. Round after round they continued to smash targets. They shot through the bad light and shadows of dusk and well into the night. Finally in the 16th shoot-off round Jacob let one target slip by and Obenchain closed the door to win the championship title with a perfect 400 straight in the overtime. Sophie Nostrom (AZ) was

SPRING GRAND BROWNING SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

SCOTT OBENCHAIN AUSTIN JACOB CHRIS VENDEL RYAN KRAEMER RICK CISIEWSKI MATTHEW KEIST BRETT CHAPMAN TRAVIS BILLE SOPHIE NOSTROM SANDRA JO JACK WYATT DEBRIE COLTON THOMPSON ETHAN BOYER DOUG COX BOB FELBER RAY STAFFORD

CO OH PA OH MO OH NE CA AZ WI NE WA MO KY SD CO

200 200 200 198 197 198 193 193 199 196 196 198 199 198 199 198

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SHOOTREPORT

22

SCOTT OBENCHAIN AND AUSTIN JACOB

the Lady I winner with 199 and Sandra Jo Jack took home the Lady II honors with her 196. Wyatt Debrie (NE) and Colton Thompson (WA) were the Sub Junior and Junior winners with 196 and 198, while Ethan Boyer carded a 199 to claim the Junior Gold trophy. Doug Cox (KY) needed 50 straight in the shootoff to win the Sub Veteran trophy over Scott Abo and Mike Herman (CO). Bob Felber (SD) had 199 in Veteran and Ray Stafford was the Senior Veteran winner with 198.

HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP Sunday at the Spring Grand had only one event—The Winchester MARK VANDEWEGHE

Ammunition Handicap Championship. This year there were two shooters that broke near perfect scores of 99 in the event and so, a shoot-off was required to see who the champion would be. Curtis Bietz (AZ) and Mark Vandeweghe (WA).

They shot on separate fields due to yardage differences and after the first round Vandeweghe was declared the champion with a perfect 25 straight.

Bietz took home the Sub Veteran title for his efforts. Patrick Lamont, David Shaeffer Jr. (MD) and Peter Walker all broke 98s and shot off for runner-up through 4th place. Shaeffer broke 24 in the overtime to take the runner-up spot, with Walker finishing 3rd and Lamont forfeiting and taking 4th

SPRING GRAND WINCHESTER AMMUNITION HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

MARK VANDEWEGHE DAVID SHAEFFER JR. PETER WALKER PATRICK LAMONT SCOTT OBENCHAIN CHRIS VENDEL KURT ARMSTRONG LETICIA SLINKER LORI CLODT DRAKE REYNOLDS JOSIAH WILLIAMS ETHAN BOYER CURTIS BIETZ ELI WALKER BOB HARDENBURGER

WA MD MN MB CO PA AR NV CA KY SD MO AZ NV CO

99 98 98 98 97 97 97 96 98 95 98 97 99 97 97

place. Scott Obenchain, Chris Vendel and Kurt Armstrong (AR) all had 97s and finished in that order; 5th through 7th.

Laticia Slinker (NV) and Lori Clodt (CA) were the Lady I and Lady II winners with scores of 96 and 98, while Drake Reynolds was the Sub Junior champion with his 95. Josiah Williams (SD) broke 98 to claim the Junior title and Ethan Boyer had one target less to earn the Junior Gold prize. Eli Walker and Bob Hardenburger each broke scores of 97 to claim the Veteran and Senior Veteran trophies without a shoot-off.

SPRING GRAND HIGH ALL AROUND CH AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

HAA AND HOA

PATRICK LAMONT SHARRED OAKS TRISTEN MILES MORGAN MAVIS RICHARD JENSEN JAMES MYERS TUCKER MILES ELAINA MCCARTHY LORI CLODT DRAKE REYNOLDS JACK HOLLAND ETHAN BOYER MICHAEL BLAISDELL ELI WALKER VAN NIEUWENHUYZEN

MB UT KY NE MI CA KY OH CA KY KY MO NH NV SD

395 392 392 384 379 372 358 386 380 380 387 393 391 387 381

PATRICK LAMONT

Patrick Lamont was the winner of both the High All Around and the High Over All with scores of 395x400 and 1070x1100. Shared Oaks (UT) was the AAA champion in the HAA with 392 and Eli Walker broke 387 and then 40x40 in the shoot-off for the Veteran win. William Van Nieuwenhuyzen was the Senior Veteran winner with 381. Richard Marshall Jr. had the second high score in the HOA with 1068 to win the AAA trophy, while Elaina McCarthy and Lori Clodt were the Lady I and Lady II winners with 1042 and 1011.

SPRING GRAND HIGH OVER ALL

CURTIS BIETZ CH AAA AA A B C D LD1 LD2 SUB JR JR JR GOLD SUB VET VET SR VET

PATRICK LAMONT RICHARD MARSHALL JR. DOUG COX JAMES BURMA BRIAN ALQUIST BILLY PIERCE BRETT GARA ELAINA MCCARTHY LORI CLODT GAVIN KUCK AUDRIC SCHEIDEL JERRY OSBORNE III SCOTT ABO ART PEYTON TIM ROBB

MB NE KY IA CA OK WY OH CA NE CA GA ID AB AZ

1070 1068 1042 1038 1019 1028 975 1042 1011 1029 1041 1052 1057 1045 1035

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SHOOTREPORT

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FINAL THOUGHTS This was the 46th annual Spring Grand and it is the oldest of all the Satellite Grands. Tucson Trap and Skeet is a great facility with fifty trap fields, lots of RV and great food options both on the grounds and nearby. This shoot is one to mark on the calendar. n

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WINTERSHOOTING

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BRRR!!!

IT’S COLD OUT THERE BABY!!!

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Question? Will the cold temperatures or the snow keep you from shooting today? How many of you like to trap shoot?

Well if you are reading this magazine, it is a good bet that you do. But just how dedicated are you? Dedicated enough to go shooting in the cold and snow conditions? I am talking about 20 degrees and below. Welcome to my world of winter trapshooting in Wisconsin. Call me crazy, it wouldn’t be the first time, but I love to shoot and in order to do so in the winter here, well let’s just say it can be a little uncomfortable.

A few years back I got a call from a shooting buddy. He wanted to know if I was going shooting on Saturday. I TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

said “um, it is going to be minus something with windchill, so probably not”. Then I heard the word chicken. I decided to show him who the chicken was, so I went to the shoot. After shooting the first 25 targets I went inside to get a second box of shells to complete the 50 target event. Sure I am tough but, I had had enough and my day of shooting ended with the first 25. I could not get the molded earplugs out of my ears. My fingers would not work and all I wanted to do was cry. I was frozen. So, yes there is my limit to shooting on the cold and snowy days.

Most Saturdays and Sundays in the area of Wisconsin and Minnesota you can find a club to shoot 50 rounds. And most of the time the

weather temperature is cold and/or snowing. Curled up on the couch one night after shooting in 11 degrees, I had a thought to share with you some of my experiences and the preparations I make to be able to shoot and still keep somewhat warm and safe on the trapshooting line.

First, don’t forget to bring enough clothing options for different weather conditions. I usually get my gear ready the night before so that I don’t forget anything. I would hate to have to ask a buddy for his XL jacket or stocking cap because I forgot mine.

Here are some tips that I came up with for the snow/cold days of trapshooting:

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EYE PROTECTION

CLOTHING

MENTAL PREPARATION Oh yes, it takes a good mindset to walk out of the clubhouse and pull the trigger 25 plus times in the snow, wind and cold and to have any kind of success. If you are going to brave the event, be totally prepared to not think about the weather conditions, just be prepared for your body to suffer for a little bit. When I say brave and suffer, I think about why I am here, to have fun and post the top score. Your buddies will be watching from inside the clubhouse, so I might as well try and get in the zone of, “I am not cold, I am in Hawaii”.

THE SHOTGUN Guns can be greased before you leave the house as some types of grease do not spread too easy in the cold. Remember that rust you had from the last shoot? Make sure you wipe all parts down before you close that gun case. Condensation can happen from cold to warm.

Snow and windchill can turn a good day of shooting into a miserable day, so be prepared.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

Dress appropriately—clothing that keeps you warm and dry is so important. A wind and water resistant jacket is a must have.

Consider investing in a heated vest.

Wear a jacket with gore-tex and insulated thinsulate for you to stay warm. Tip: give the shotgun a little extra tug into the shoulder because of the layers you are wearing. Wear a good brand boot with thinsulate and good treads so you can keep feet from slipping if standing on snow.

Kick the extra snow away for a solid standing base. Some types of snow/ wind pants are great for keeping your legs warm.That ever so important noggin of yours needs to stay warm in a cap and stocking cap that covers your ears. Do you feel that slight whisper of cold on your neck?

Wearing a neck gator will help keep that whisper away. Your trigger finger can get so cold that you literally cannot feel it so either put those awesome Hand Warmers in a pocket for warming fingers in between shots or invest in a lined glove that is battery powered for heat.

Glasses are a must for shooting and help to minimize the amount of wind and snow hitting your eyes. Blinders are recommended to help with wind and snow blockage also. You might also need to change your color of shooting lenses to accommodate seeing targets in the snow backgrounds. Oh, don’t you love it when you go into the clubhouse and you can’t see because your shooting lenses are fogged up?! Ha, that is just part of shooting in the cold.

VOLUNTEERS Have you thought about the volunteers that are scoring or loading the trap house? Sure you think you can take the cold for just 50 targets, but just remember that if it is cold and there is snow on the ground, those 50 targets are about 30 minutes of being cold. Now do this all day for all of the squads. Please be mindful and help speed shooting along. Go out to the line when your

squad is up, put empty hulls in a pouch, ask if you can score or load the house and help put equipment away at the end of the day. MOST importantly say, “THANK YOU for volunteering today”.

CLUBHOUSE TIME, FINALLY The rewarding part of the day is now, at the end of the day with friends. The high scores are announced and awards are handed out. We have a traveling crow trophy that either Wisconsin or Minnesota will display at the end of the season. Every week this competition happens at one of the clubs either in Wisconsin or Minnesota or there are high gun trapshooting events at other clubs, so dress the part, mentally prepare for the cold and snow and think Hawaii.

See you at the next winter shoot! n

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30

TRIBUTE

SANDY TIDWELL 1956-2022

A TRIBUTE BY KARLA HARRISON

Our trapshooting community has been diminished with the unexpected loss of Sandy Tidwell.

She was discovered in her home after Christmas 2021, with her death attributed to natural causes.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

Born February 21, 1956, she grew up in Bloomfield, Indiana and graduated from Bloomfield High School. Sandy went on to earn a degree in journalism from Indiana University-Bloomington in 1978.

Before the demands of writing filled her days, she was a fan of 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s music. She enjoyed attending concerts, especially with her brother Tom. Her love of reporting/writing

led to a position with Trap & Field Magazine in August 1979, following her graduation from the university.

That became a lifelong career path that took her around the country and introduced her to many, many shooters, who all considered her a friend.

Sandy was a stickler for accuracy, proper grammar and correct spelling in her coverage of trapshooting and its shooters. She was a true historian of the sport, having worked alongside other editors such as Betty Ann Foxworthy, Joan Davis and Terry Heeg.

While she never shot registered targets, her cheerful presence and ready smile always came to the gun club along with her notebook and camera.

Over the years, her work travels took her off in every direction, but the western shoots were her favorite.

Whenever possible she took some

extra time to explore those states.

At the time of her passing, she was working remotely from home (due to many issues, including Covid) and held the title of Senior Editor for Trap & Field Magazine.

The daughter of Gene and Gayle Tidwell, who predeceased her, Sandy is survived by a brother, Tom Tidwell and his wife, Jan, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, two nephews, a niece and five grand-nephews/nieces, several cousins and special friends.

At this time no services are planned. Cremation was under the care of the Lester-Jenkins Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Indiana with interment at a later date near her parents.

Memorial donations in her honor can be made to the donor’s choice. n

Satellite

Grands

2022

2022

F. DARRYL HAYES

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46th Annual Spring Satellite Grand

34th Annual Western Satellite Grand

42nd Annual Southern Satellite Grand

15th Annual Heartland Satellite Grand

Tucson Trap & Skeet Club February 14–20

Vernal Rod & Gun Club May 31 – June 5

Silver Dollar Shooters Club March 13–20

Stockdale Gun Club August 22–28

43rd Annual Southwestern Satellite Grand

37th Annual Northeastern Satellite Grand

National Shooting Complex April 5-10

New York State ATA September 6–11

18th Annual Empire Satellite Grand

24th Annual Dixie Satellite Grand

New York State ATA May 18–22

34th Annual Great Lakes Satellite Grand Michigan Trapshooting Assn May 24–29

North Carolina Homegrounds September 27 – October 2

19th Annual Autumn Satellite Grand Tucson Trap & Skeet Club November 5-13

123rd Grand american World TrapshooTinG championships World Shooting & Recreational Complex • August 3-13

NOSTALGICRETURN

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PETERS PREMIUM PAPERS

BY KARLA HARRISON An iconic shotshell, thought to be lost to the past, is making an exciting return to clay target shooters! Remington Ammunition recently announced the reintroduction of Peters Premium Papers. The classic blue paper hull will be available in both 7s and 8s, 1 oz and 1 1⁄8 oz, with speeds of 1145, 1200 and 1290.

Sold exclusively online for a limited time—heads up collectors!

The retro target buster offers shooters modern performance with the combination of selected powder blends for that sweetly remembered smell, high antimony for a tight uniform pattern, and primers that will ensure even ignition with consistent velocity.

This shotshell promises less felt recoil and offers the same reliability that shooters have trusted for decades. Soon to come from Remington will be other offerings of ammo with lower recoil, designed for the young, the old, and in-between shooters who want to reduce their impact. Gun Clubs and Premier STS shotshells will both begin offerings with lower recoil in 2022. Shells will become available with speeds of 1100 and 1150; either in 8 or 7 ½; and 1 or 1 1⁄8 ounces.

According to Remington’s Director of Marketing Joel Hodgdon, “Remington is proud to introduce paper loads back into our lineup, but don’t worry, we are still making millions of plastic Remington rounds, too.”

This is welcome news following a year of severe shortages of ammo across the board from manufacturers. For the past several months, lack of supply and shipping issues of shells for clay target shooters have impacted distributors, competitors, reloaders, and gun clubs alike. A long list of factors has played into the unavailability but adjustments are being made and the future looks promising for a continuing supply of ammo.

According to Jason Vanderbrink, President of Federal Ammunition, “Support of youth shooting programs has been part of Federal’s DNA for decades. We’re proud to continue to help them grow and ensure a healthy future for our sports.”

The evolution of today’s shotshell goes back to before the Civil War when brass cases were invented in 1860. Joseph Warren (J.W.) King established the King Powder Company where he cased bullets and cannonballs for the Union Army. After

the war, he purchased 832,000 pounds of government surplus powder at a steep discount, added saltpeter and began to market gun powder for rifles.

Along with a nephew, King formed the Great Western Powder Company on the site of a grist mill on the Little Miami River, near Kings Mill, Ohio in 1877. This site was chosen for its abundant supply of willow trees, used as charcoal in the

manufacturing process.

Gershom Moore Peters, King’s son-in-law, joined the family business in 1881. By 1889, the company could only produce 400 brass cases per hour, calling for the invention of the first power driven machine (steam engine). The new process increased their output up to 60 shells per minute, using only three employees.

July 15, 1890, was the day a train loaded with 800 kegs of gunpowder

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

NOSTALGICRETURN

34

collided with another railcar, also loaded with barrels of powder, causing an explosion that killed 11 instantly, sent more fatal victims to the hospital and destroyed most of the company’s buildings. Much of the facility was rebuilt with wood framed structures and renamed Peters Cartridge. To protect against fire, most of the buildings were rebuilt in 1916 with reinforced concrete and it was at this time a tall smokestack and shot tower were erected.

Peters joined the war effort during World War I. Remington Arms acquired the company in 1934 and continued to produce smokeless powder (a new invention by Peters) at Kings Mill until 1944.

Prior to 1960, most paper shotgun shell’s hulls were red in color until Remington introduced plastic hulls in their distinctive green color.

Peters’ blue hulls and Federal’s purple joined the market, along with a yellow hull for 20-gauge which eventually became a universal standard.

The industry saw many mergers and acquisitions around the turn of the century. Winchester and Union Metric Cartridge (UMC) were purchased by Remington in 1888 before UMC became the sole owner

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

of Remington in 1896.

Eventually ownership was narrowed to three companies; Remington-Peters (eventually wholly owned by Dupont); WinchesterWestern (owned by Olin); and Federal Cartridge (now owned by Vista Outdoors). Only one ammunition company (Western Cartridge Co) operating in the USA in 1900 continued under its original ownership in 2000 in East Alton, Illinois.

The most recent acquisition was made by Vista Outdoors in 2020 when it bought the Remington Ammo division out of bankruptcy.

Today all US ammunition is produced by either a division of Vista Outdoors or Olin.

The Kings Mill facility ceased operating in 1944 and today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other sites used by Remington included Bridgeport, Connecticut and Lonoke, Arkansas.

The Lonoke plant opened in 1970, following the closure of the Bridgeport facility and is now back in operation under the corporate leadership of Vista and looking forward to increasing its productivity.

It will continue to proudly carry the Remington label. n

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2022 TRAPSHOOTING

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

STACY REHOR

STACY (BRINGELSON) REHOR The Trapshooting Hall of Fame Board of Trustees are making plans for the August 9, 2022 annual banquet and induction ceremonies, to be held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex near Sparta, Illinois.

Following the cancellations of the event in both 2020 and 2021 due to covid restrictions, previous inductees, Robert Malmstedt and Jennifer Rutger have decided to join Gary Bonetti and Stacy Rehor as the newest members to be included in the National Trapshooting Hall Of Fame.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

Much has been recorded since 1995, when a 14-year-old Stacy Bringelson first began shooting registered clay targets. She was the fourth lady to ever break 100 straight from the 27-yard line and the first lady to register a second 100 straight from 27 also. In her career, she has completed a “grand slam” seven times.

She is the only woman to win all five of the Lady’s trophies for championship events at the Grand American. Most recently, she became the first woman to win the Super 500 Singles of Preliminary Week, sweeping all 500 targets. In 2019,

BY KARLA HARRISON

GARY BONETTI she took home the Lady I Clay Target championship; as well as in 2011, when women of all ages competed together. The Lady I Doubles championship trophy was won in 2018, along with 17 other trophies during the Grand tournament. The High Over All Lady I honor came to her in 2017, topping the list above 20 other Grand trophies. Her High All Around Lady’s championship was awarded in 2010 for a score of 390/400. The Lady’s Grand American Handicap championship was claimed in 1996, prior to the division in the women’s category.

The daughter of Dennis and Nancy Bringelson, she joined the family in shooting trap. Her brother Denis and cousin Kevin Davis, along with her dad, traveled from their

New Raymer, Colorado ranch to various shoots. Her mom, the eternal cheerleader for the group, made sure everyone got where they needed to be and arrived with all the needed equipment in tow. Together, Stacy, Denis, and Kevin were all inducted into the Colorado Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 2013.

Stacy attended Prairie School (with a total of 150 students in the entire classes K-12) for both her elementary and high school education. She graduated in 2000 from a class of 13 seniors. Following graduation, she received an Associates of Arts degree from Lamar Community College (where she also played volleyball, basketball and softball) before enrolling at the University of Northern Colorado. She

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earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in Elementary Education and a minor in History.

Briggsdale School (Briggsdale, CO) welcomed her teaching skills for eight years in addition to teaching one year in Ft. Lupton, CO. By 2004, the hardworking student/teacher/shooter was named to the ATA Women’s All American first team. Also on the Colorado women’s state team, she has ranked as captain seven times.

Adam Rehor came into her busy life and they were married in 2013.

No stranger to shooters, Adam is currently a gunsmith and works for Mile High Shooting, owned by Randy and Diann Pennington. He also trains S.W.A.T. officers in firearms.

2015 was a year of highs and lows. She lost her dad, after having

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

lost her mom in 2013. But Adam and Stacy were expecting their first child.

Pregnancy didn’t slow down the shooting schedule. She managed to post averages of over 99% on 4700 targets in Singles, over 93% over 4100 targets in Handicap, and nearly 96% over 3300 Doubles.

Her pace increased in 2016, with newborn daughter, Hadlee, coming along. Stacy ended the year with averages of over 98% on 4800 Singles, nearly 94% on 4300 Handicap targets, and nearly 96% over 3300 Doubles.

Before Hadlee’s little brother Everett made his appearance in early 2018, Stacy kept on shooting and maintaining her high averages. By year’s end she carded just under 99% on 7100 Singles, nearly 94% on 5700 Handicap targets, and almost 95% on 5000 Doubles.

Today, you’re likely to see both children sitting behind the trap (with supervision, of course) as mom shoots or find the little ones being entertained by Grandpa Richard (Adam’s dad) back at the camper.

In addition to the numerous Grand American trophies, Stacy brought home Satellite Grand honors from the Spring Grand (18 trophies) and Southwest Grand (8 trophies) in 2017. She was the first woman to ever win the Spring Grand Singles Championship, breaking all 200 over the field. The Autumn Grand in 2016

added 14 more awards to her trophy case. State shoots in Kansas (KTA is her favorite club outside her home club of Pawnee Sportsman’s in Briggsdale, CO), New Mexico, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, Texas, Utah, South Dakota and North Dakota have all sent home trophies to the Rehor collection.

The 2020 Colorado State Shoot Singles Championship (over everyone) went to Stacy. That leaves only the Championship HOA honor to complete her set of five titles over the field. In 2017, she nearly swept the Lady’s championship events. Her Handicap score tied for high in the event, and when the dust settled, she claimed the Lady I trophy. She also won the Lady I Doubles championship, Lady I High All Around and the Lady I High Over All. For the past six years, the Rehor family has called Keensburg, Colorado home. Whenever there is any spare time, prairie dog hunting and sporting clays shooting are fun off-season activities that keep her eyes sharp.

She is most proud of being a good mom but winning all the women’s Grand Championships comes in second. Stacy has never attended a HOF banquet at the Grand but is looking forward to accepting this humbling honor, to be presented by her brother, Denis. Who knows…the year of her inclusion into the HOF might be the year she uses her Perazzi MX8 and Federal shells to win a Grand ring?

GARY BONETTI Fifty years after California shooter Gary Bonetti first began registering clay targets, he will celebrate this golden anniversary by becoming one of the newest members of the Trapshooting Hall of Fame (HOF).

A combination of many yearly rankings on the ATA All American Team, inclusion in the Pacific International Trapshooters Association (2008), prestigious wins on the national and international levels and record setting scores has secured Bonetti a place on the pages of trapshooting history.

By age 10, Gary started shooting in the back field at his family’s ranch outside of Sacramento, California, over a hand trap. According to Bonetti, “Dad (Bill Bonetti) would not let me register until I broke 25 straight from 16 yards in practice.” A 12-year-old Bonetti got off to a fast start when finally allowed to register targets and hasn’t slowed down since he broke his first 100 straight at age 14 and then shot his way to the 27-yard line by age 15. “My grandfather (Ralph Bonetti) told me that if I won a registered Handicap at the Sacramento Gun Club, he would buy me my first Perazzi. I won the Handicap with a 99 and beat Dan Bonillas that day (he had a 97). I got my Perazzi.” After his Model 12 was replaced with a Winchester 101, then a Perazzi single barrel with an MX8 O/U for doubles, Bonetti has continued to depend on his Perazzi

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MX3 Special combo.

He has participated in 31 Grand American tournaments, accumulating a total of 16 trophies. Beginning in Vandalia, Ohio, his first Grand trophies were claimed in 1980, when he topped Class A in both Thursday’s and Saturday’s Singles, shooting his way to Class A High Over All recognition. His score of 966/1000 set a new record by the young 18-year-old for Class HOA. Bonetti was the first U.S. citizen to win Canada’s Perpetual Trophy for High All Around in 1987.

Trips east to the Grand in 1988 and 1989 earned him the Class Singles (AA) awards. Both times, winning came without a miss in the program plus extras under the lights.

At the ’88 shoot-off, Bonetti remembers, “We (Bonetti and Leo Harrison) went 200 rounds on the first night and 200 rounds on the second night. Leo bowed out as he wanted to focus on the Clay Target event and gave me the title.” Fast forward to 2012 at the Spring Grand Championship Singles, when the shoot-off once again came down to Bonetti and Harrison. “We went another 400 rounds. Leo joked that it was the continuation of our 1988 shoot-off. Just the fact that he remembered it was special.”

Bonetti’s score of 98 in the T&F Handicap (plus three rounds of shootoffs) at the 1990 Grand was good TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

enough for the third-place trophy.

Returning to Vandalia in 1991, Bonetti had rounded out his game enough to secure the runner-up trophy in the Grand American Handicap with a perfect score plus shoot-off. This completed his Grand Slam. He was also declared the High All Around champion with 398/400.

It was in 1991 that Bonetti’s long yardage squad tied the 490/500 record. The very next month their score of 494 at Little Mondeaux Trap Club, in Nevada, set a new record.

After the Grand tournament relocated to Sparta, Illinois, his winning ways continued in 2011 with a runner-up placement in the Doubles. In 2014, he placed 8th in the Grand American Handicap and was third in the High All Around.

A western shooter at heart, Bonetti has had much success at many satellite grands. He has brought home trophies from the Spring Grand in 1992, 2011,2012, 2014, 2017 , and 2020.

At the Golden West Grand, held near Reno, Nevada, his first success was as a Junior Handicap champion in 1976. In 1999, he added Handicap and High All Around championships.

2005 placed a Singles championship award on his list of wins. He reclaimed his Handicap and High All Around titles again in 2006. 2017 trophies included a High All Around and Doubles Championship. He

retained his Doubles title in 2018. The High Over All (Class AAA) trophy was won in 2019 with a score of 1052/1100.

It’s no wonder that the Tucson Trap & Skeet Gun Club is a favorite.

The Autumn Grand has added nearly two dozen awards to Bonetti’s trophy case. 2014’s top wins included the Doubles and High All Around. Five additional trophies were picked up by Bonetti in 2015 with three more being won 2016-2017. More recently, in 2020, he entered into the Sub Veteran category and won the Doubles. One of his shooting goals, looking forward, is “to continue to be a strong competitor as a Sub Veteran.”

Bonetti registered a Doubles runner-up AAA win 2005 at the Western Grand. He brought home Southwest Grand trophies in 2001, 2003, and 2006. The Western Zone tournament has produced Singles, Handicap, Doubles and All Around awards between 1996 through 2016.

Bonetti has been the one to beat at his own California State Shoot, beginning with a Doubles Championship in 1984 and 1989.

Over the years, he has laid claim to many state titles. Bonetti has earned a slot on the California State Team a total of 33 years. He topped the rankings as captain for 6 years.

In addition to California, he has been a non-resident champion at the Oregon and Washington state shoots.

It was while shooting in Washington that his gun broke. He borrowed another gun and used it to win the High Over All. The Pacific International Trap Association (PITA) does not designate a “state team” but does recognize “All Stars”. Bonetti has been a PITA All Star 18 times; 19821984, 1986-1988, 2006-2017.

Joining him at the HOF banquet this year will be his wife, Melissa, daughter, Erica and sister, Gail. Kerrie Largent, a friend and squad-mate will present him at the induction ceremony, where he will be following his own personal words of advice…

“Take good advice, take it seriously but most of all, have fun.” n

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TRIBUTE

DENNIS DEVAUX 1956-2022 “Storke to the nest, Storke to the nest please.” If you are a trapshooter from the New England region, you probably know exactly what that announcement over the loudspeaker means. Shortly after these words echo through the shooting grounds a lanky 6’4” gentleman with long strides, that very much resemble the aquatic bird he was affably nicknamed after, would be on his way to the clubhouse. Sadly, that call has been made for the last time with the tragic passing of one of trapshooting’s finest ambassadors, Dennis DeVaux.

His untimely passing on January 6, 2022, was the result of a pedestrian/ motor vehicle accident while out for his morning walk.

Born in 1956, Dennis grew up in the small town of Norwich, Vermont, where his parents, Lillian and William, owned DeVaux Gun Shop.

The gun shop featured a trap field on the property and this was where, with a 20-gauge Remington 1100, young Dennis got his start in our sport. His father was also an accomplished shooter in his own right and this no doubt played a role in Dennis’s competitive success in the sport. Dennis joined the ATA in 1969 and registered his first targets that year. Like many other young shooters, Dennis traveled with his parents to major tournaments throughout the region including multiple state shoots, the ATA Eastern Zone, and the Grand American. It did not take long before he achieved some major wins.

In 1972 at age 15, he captured both the Championship Doubles and High All Around titles at the Vermont State Shoot, which would be the first of 51 TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

Vermont Championship titles he would go on to win in the Green Mountain State. Over the course of 40 years, Dennis’s Vermont State titles consisted of 3 Singles, 5 Handicap, 22 Doubles, and 21 High All Arounds. His Doubles Championship title in 1999 with 100x100 is to this date the only perfect score in the history of Vermont State Shoot by a resident shooter. Dennis also holds the state record for his High All Around win in 2000 with a 391x400.

DeVaux was a biology major at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1978, and shot trap on their collegiate team, in addition to playing basketball and baseball for the school. His father William was the trap coach for the college’s team. In 1977, Dennis won the American Trap Competition at that year’s Collegiate Nationals. The following year, Dennis placed second in the event and led his team to a Collegiate National Team Championship. After graduating, Dennis began his lifelong career with Upper Valley Press, a printing company where he served as a vice-president until his recent retirement.

The highlight of Dennis DeVaux’s shooting career came in 2002 at the Grand American in Vandalia, Ohio, when he broke 100 straight from 27 yards in the Grand American Handicap. In all, three 100 straights were posted that day, and Dennis would have to shoot off for the Grand American Handicap crown with 22 yard shooters Robb Harper from Ohio and Keith Ditto from Kentucky. Following two perfect shoot-off rounds, Dennis was the 2002 Grand American Handicap

PHOTO CREDIT: KAYLYNN HAMILTON

42

A TRIBUTE BY JOSH BUCHIERE Champion. His victory in the Grand American Handicap came the year his longtime friend and squadmate Phil Wright served as ATA President.

To make Dennis’s win even more special, his mother Lillian, who had not been to a Grand American in a number of years, was in attendance watching him compete.

Dennis had many other shooting accomplishments in addition to his numerous Vermont state titles and his Grand American Handicap title. Dennis made the 27 yard line at age 17 in 1973. He achieved AA-27-AA status in 1993 and completed his ATA Grand Slam in 2002 with his 100 straight from 27 yards. In 1997, he topped the field at the ATA Eastern Zone Shoot in the Championship Handicap, making him one of the few shooters in the history of our sport to have State Handicap, Zone Handicap, and Grand American Handicap wins. Dennis used the same Ithaca import Perazzi TM1

that he purchased new in 1974 for the duration of his shooting career.

Dennis gave back to our sport in many ways, serving as Vermont’s ATA Delegate for a number of years, as well as Secretary of the Vermont Trapshooting Association. He also served as the ATA Eastern Zone Secretary, as a Trapshooting Hall of Fame Trustee, and as secretary to the trustees for the Trapshooting Hall of Fame. Dennis was also the vice president of the Montpelier Gun Club, which was his home club, and is a member of the Vermont Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

Dennis DeVaux left a lasting legacy of not only his shooting accomplishments, but also of all his contributions to our sport over the course of many decades. Dennis will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him for many years to come. n

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44

BUNKER TRAP: DECODED Nearly all shooters have heard of “bunker”, “Olympic Trap” or “International Trap”, but how many shooters have a grasp on the finer points and details of the game? In this article we are going to explore the discipline in an attempt to give American trap shooters a better understanding of the game.

American trap and bunker trap are both shot at from, roughly, the same distance (sixteen yards in American trap and fifteen meters or 16.4 yards in International trap). The targets are thrown in varying trajectories “away” from the shooting position and a “round” consists of 25 targets attempted. That is about where the similarities end when comparing these two disciplines.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

THE FIELD, SQUAD AND ROTATION We all know the intricacies of American trap. One oscillating machine which throws targets at a standardized height in an area with a maximum outside radius of 27 degrees from center, left and right. A five-man squad shoots one target at a time, five at each of the five shooting positions, rotating after completing five targets.

The international trap field is vastly different. The reason it is referred to as “bunker” is the building, which holds the trap machines, resembles a militaristic bunker insomuch as it is dug into the ground and facilitates objects being launched from an opening at ground

BY MATTHEW GAY

level. Housed within the 57-foot-wide bunker are 15 specialized fixed trajectory machines. Each of the five shooting positions is served by three of the 15 machines, presenting

targets at the foot level of the shooter.

The bunker squad consists of a maximum of six shooters as opposed to five in American trap. Although

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also only having five shooting positions and consisting of twentyfive targets per round, the sequence and rotation is different. Each shooter attempts one target before rotating to the next shooting position. After shooting their fifth target the sixth position is a “park” position, essentially a break before rotating to station one. The international rules prescribe time parameters on how long a shooter has to call for the target once it is their turn. The ranges typically have a light on the microphone stand which indicates to the shooter when it is their turn, and when their time limit begins.

There are a couple of nuances in terms of etiquette that differ from American trap. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to move from station to station (except for when moving from station five to the “stand-by station” next to station one) with rounds in the chamber, provided the action is open. This may seem strange for American trap shooters but remember, you only shoot once then move and you have limited time to call for your target.

There is also a permissible test firing of the shotgun permitted prior the commencement of the match where each shooter may load two rounds and test fire their shotgun downrange (there is no target thrown for test fires).

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

THE TARGETS The international targets are similar to the common 108 mm targets used in most clay target sports but are designed to handle the additional stress of higher speeds than American trap. The target’s diameter is 110 mm and is thicker than the standard 108 mm counterparts. The heavier and slightly larger targets make the target more difficult to break. In contrast from the 42 mph speed of an American target, the bunker target exits the trap at 62 mph.

Where American trap targets are somewhat predictable, in that the height is consistent and the radius from center of the field in which a target will emerge is limited to 27 degrees, an international target has been liberated to push the limits a bit more. The maximum outside radius from the center of the shooting position for a target to be set is 45 degrees. Height is variable which opens the potential “field of play” significantly. ISSF regulations permit a target to be presented between 1.5 and 3 meters high at a point measured ten meters from the front of the bunker. Essentially the target can run flat out of the bunker, almost shaving the grass or can look more like a springing teal in afterburner. In order to get just a taste of the challenge, one can crank up the speed on a standard wobble machine and widen the potential angles. But be warned, such an exercise could lead to a new hobby.

THE GAME Bunker is a very dynamic yet regimented discipline. Moving after each target and generally not knowing what target angle will be presented presents an additional complication to the game. The machines are controlled by computer, facilitating various “schemes” (target release sequence). Each scheme will present each shooter with ten right targets, ten left targets and 5 straight-away targets. It is possible for some shooters to mentally countdown in an effort to predict targets toward the end of the round, but it seems as though this would add an additional mental component to the game that could prove detrimental to performance.

In international competition the over-under shotgun is almost exclusively used as the tool of choice.

Ammunition is limited to 24.5-gram loads (7⁄8 ounce). Chokes tend to be tight with modified or improved modified as the first shot, and improved modified or full as the second. Yes, I said two shots. A

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shooter can take two shots at each attempted target. But be advised, as quick as these targets move, that second shot does not always counteract an initial bad move to the target.

A bunker tournament is typically conducted over two days. The first day is the qualification match (125 targets over two days for men and 75 targets in one day for women). After the qualification match the top six shooters return for a 25 target final match to determine placement. A match referee is positioned behind the shooting positions to observe and regulate the shooters and is assisted by flankers on each side who provide two additional sets of eyes when determining whether a target is hit or lost. Score is kept on a board located in a position which is visible to the shooters on the line. This board utilizes movable tiles which are reversible with red on one side and white on the other. White indicates a hit target while red indicates a lost target.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

CONSIDERATIONS It is clear that bunker trap was designed to be more challenging than American trap. The look points and hold points are different and the target difficulty level will challenge the best of the best in every discipline. Combine all the above with the continual movement and necessity to reset and this is a complicated game that requires the very best of mental preparedness and concentration. As I mentioned above, this game can be frustrating and rewarding all at the same time. I encourage everyone to find a bunker close-by and give it a whirl. You will laugh, possibly cry, you might utter a few choice words, but I can assure you, regret it you will not. USA Shooting in the national governing body for the Olympic disciplines in the United States. They offer a lot of information on bunker trap which can be found at usashooting.org n

Editor’s note: Matthew Gay is a shooting instructor from Michigan, the Head Coach of the Olivet College Clay Target Team, Vice-President of the Michigan Scholastic Clay Target Program Board of Directors, a bunker trap junkie and Master Class Sporting Clays competitor.

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HAPPYENDINGS

50

NEWLYWEDS

BY KARLA HARRISON

Magical fairytales don’t always play out in a castle, sometimes they happen at a gun club. When a petite, redheaded lady shooter from Mississippi accepted an offer to share a room with a fellow lady shooter from Texas, at the Grand American in 2020 at Linn Creek, Walt Disney himself couldn’t have written a happier ending.

Tex Hollis and Joy Hitt were married in the first ever wedding ceremony at the Fort Worth T&S club on October 11, 2021 following the Bair Hatch Memorial shoot.

Their initial meeting came about at the Grand, when Joy needed a leather holder for her spare shells.

A trip down vendor row to the Tex Hollis Custom Leather shop, not only got her the needed shooting equipment, it set off fireworks just like those over the castle at Disney World. The attraction was immediate and as they say, “the rest was history.”

It wasn’t long before the couple were shooting the same tournaments, with the Fort Worth

club becoming one of their favorites.

The memorial weekend shoot ended on a Sunday and that’s when Tex asked Joy if she had any plans for the next day. She really had no plans other than to return home so he asked, “If you want to get married, I know a guy.”

Arrangements kicked into high gear when she said, “YES!” Since Monday was Columbus Day, all but one of the courthouses were closed but they were able to obtain a license. A local judge, who is a friend and also a shooter, offered to perform the ceremony.

A quick trip to buy a dress and flowers for the bride was interrupted by a phone call with the news that the judge had just tested positive for Covid. In a matter of minutes, a second judge was sent, witnesses (fellow shooters and club members) volunteered to stand up with the couple and the wedding was performed.

The judge was offered a cash payment but refused, instead accepting shotshells as payment in full. n

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TRIBUTE

GENE SEARS 1931-2022 The clay target world has lost one of its finest with the passing of Gene Sears. Trap and skeet shooters, sporting clays shooters and live bird competitors, along with family and friends mourned the loss of Carlos Eugene (Gene) Sears on 02/2/2022, at the age of 90.

The El Reno, Oklahoma native was known for far more than the shooting records he helped set and the honors he garnered which led to his induction into the Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1981.

His induction into the National Sporting Clays Association’s Hall of Fame came in 2009, after his retirement from ATA trapshooting. He competed as a Veteran and a Super Veteran winning numerous category and open trophies. As a member of the NSCA TeamUSA, he represented his country both nationally, and in Spain and England.

Gene Sears, always an avid hunter and fisherman, began shooting trap in 1952. His lifetime career attainment certificate, issued by the ATA, acknowledges 135,650 handicap targets, 131,200 singles, and 81,700 doubles targets.

It was on a chance visit to the El Reno Gun Club that got Sears interested in clay target shooting. He returned the next week with a gun and the rest is in the history books.

He has been quoted as saying, “I never did even practice much. At first I couldn’t afford to and then I didn’t think I needed to.”

Over his career, he earned a placement on 19 consecutive ATA All American teams (captain in 1966 and TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

co-captain in 1977) and nine times he earned top honors as the Trap & Field High Average shooter. After the 1500 target requirement was implemented, Sears set a record as the only shooter to ever hold the high singles average (.9950) and the high handicap average (.9441) in the same year (1965). He was also the first 27 yarder to lead the nation with his top handicap average.

He filled his trophy case with 24 Grand American wins, including the Clay Target Championship in 1965, High All Around championship in 1970 and 1971, and High Over All championship in 1976. These were prior to the awarding of Grand rings, but nevertheless three of the top five most prestigious events in ATA shooting.

Satellite Grand awards also came to him from the Golden West Grand, Spring Grand, and Midwestern Grand.

Closer to home, Sears was a perennial champion who was awarded Oklahoma state trophies during his 29 years of competition.

He claimed 8 Singles titles between 1959-1979. His Doubles championships numbered 13 between 1959-1980 and he captured the High All Around crown 14 times.

His 1976 HAA score of 393 set a new record. He posted the first Grand Slam by an Oklahoma resident on August 6, 1976.

On opening day of the 68th (1968) Oklahoma State Shoot, Sears went into a shoot-off with a youngster named Britt Robinson, to eventually claim the Class Singles Championship. In the state doubles event the very next day, Sears

A TRIBUTE BY KARLA HARRISON defended his previous year’s title by going head-to-head, once again with Robinson (each with 100 in the program). Sears’ perfect round of extras snared him the win.

Five ATA Southwest Zone awards are included on a list without end of the many, many trophies that traveled back home with Sears by way of car, motorhome or private plane (he was a licensed pilot). Also on that list of important wins are the Grand American Husband & Wife trophy that he and Betty Lou won in 1979 and the Parent/Child trophies claimed along with his sons, Garland and Jim. Betty Lou Sears began shooting in 1969 and was a champion in her own right. She was inducted into the Oklahoma State Hall of Fame in 1986.

Setting the bar higher than ever before was his passionate pursuit, a feat he accomplished several times.

In 1965, Sears became the fifth ATA shooter to break all 600 program singles at the Grand. After posting his 200 straight, it only took 50 more in shoot offs to give him the Clay Target Championship’s top prize.

Sears was a member of several record setting squads. His squad

tallied a 996/1000 in 1971 only to travel on to Phoenix where his squad reset the record at 997/1000. At the time this was the highest score at any gun club, including the Grand’s home-grounds at Vandalia, OH. In the Zone Team Race in 1968, his squad tied the new record of 998/1000 and repeated that feat again in 1979. In 1975, Sears smashed all 100 doubles at Evansville, IN to set a squad record at 492/500.

On a plaque inside the El Reno clubhouse, Gene is listed first among Oklahoma shooters to record a Grand Slam in 1976. He also tops the list of Oklahoma shooters who are listed in the state’s quarter million targets club.

Away from his home club, Sears

TRIBUTE

traveled extensively not only to shoot but to fish and hunt. Hall of Fame shooter Steve Carmichael commented that he probably spent more time with Gene off the firing line, than on. “We fished together in Alaska, Canada, Lake Powell in Utah and of course Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Having Gene around always made the trip better.” As the legend goes, (and Gene was a master storyteller), he once combined his fishing and shooting gear. When his front sight was lost, he whittled a piece out of his cork fishing bobber to replace it and went on to break all the Doubles in that day’s event.

Gene grew up hunting with his dad and that continued into his adult life. Before he established the Sears Supply store, he had worked as a trustee at the local reformatory for 9 years and the family’s finances were tight. On a trip to the Arkansas State shoot, a coyote ran across the road.

In those days, a coyote pelt was worth some money! Gene pulled out his small, short-barreled Smith revolver and was steadily trying to get off a shot through the open passenger window. “Bang!” and he realized he had blown off the tip of his thumbnail. Despite his effort, the coyote ran off unscathed while the kids in the backseat were screaming,

“Dad, shoot again, he’s getting away!”

He was always working hard to provide for his family and that came from a variety of sources. At one time, in addition to the gun business, he built and sold fiberglass boats, drove trucks (owned/operated a fleet of 10 trucks) to deliver targets to K-Mart, and was a distributor for both Winchester and Remington.

A trip to the Grand, with his dad, proved to be the entry into the business he eventually established to sell guns, reloaders and supplies.

They were tent camping on the grounds, next to a man who was sleeping in his car. That man turned out to be a founder of the MEC reloader company. Sears came home with several MEC machines and began reloading at his home in order to sell shells. His reputation as a top competitor aided his sales, helping to ensure the family business, Gene Sears Supply, which continues to operate today.

As the owner/operator of a sporting goods store, Sears shot several guns over the years. In 1970 he switched from his Model 12 to a Browning and later shot a Ljutic, Comp 1 Single, MX8 O/U; and MX3 combo (while he was sponsored by Perazzi). When he transitioned over

to shooting sporting clays, he shot a K80 and a Browning Gold auto.

Born in Bristow, Oklahoma, the Sears family settled in El Reno in 1939, where he grew up and graduated from the local high school.

He married Betty Lou Cunningham on December 17, 1949.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou; son, Garland Sears and wife, Karen; son, Jim Sears and wife Angela; and daughter, Susan Elmenhorst and husband Mark; 11 grandchildren and 24 greatgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and son, David Eugene (Geno) Sears in January 2020.

Besides being a part of many shooting teams, Gene was also a member of the Faith Team at the First Baptist Church of El Reno, where he was a beloved part of the congregation. He once commented on his efforts, “Been selling Jesus, it’s easier than selling shotguns.”

Before taking his last shot, at the Sporting Clays Nationals in San Antonio, he had been quoted as saying, “One thing I’ve decided is…I’d rather be remembered as a good fellow than a good shot.”

Gene Sears will most certainly be remembered as both… and much more. n

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

53

SIMULATEDCLAYS

54

TRUE CLAYS SHOOTING SIMULATOR

BY JOHN CAFFEY The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on every shooter I know in some form. Many clubs were shut down or only offered reduced hours and shells have been in short supply. Lately I seem to spend more of my time looking for shells than I do shooting them. When I do find them there is a limit on how many I can purchase and they cost twice as much as they did a year ago.

In order to fulfill my need for clay satisfaction I have begun looking at some of the simulators that have been advertised on various media platforms as well as those I have found through an online search.

Virtual Reality (VR) games are also a fun option but they are just a game.

Shooting trap, sporting clays or any of the other clay sports relies on TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

hand-eye coordination that, at this point, is not exact enough for virtual reality to simulate the real thing.

During my search I found a company based in Sweden called True Clays that manufactures a clay shooting simulator. I watched their instructional videos and was impressed with the realistic presentations, backgrounds, and versatility to switch between several different shooting disciplines including ATA trap, bunker trap, and sporting clays.

To address some questions I reached out to Fredrik Melin, the inventor of the True Clays system.

Fredrik explained what the True Clays system offered and zeroed in on the major difference between virtual reality and any other shooting

simulator. In a virtual reality game your focus is on the clay target and you only see the target, not the barrel or the background. With the True Clays system, you are using your own gun with a laser that is inserted into the barrel and a trigger button mounted behind the trigger.

When you fire, the system will see the small laser and determine where your shot went. When the simulator registers a shot, it has to be quick and accurate. True Clays does this by showing the clay break in real time as if you were on the field, so much so that the clay fragments fly in the direction of the hit. If you were to hit the target high the fragments would realistically fly downward thereby helping you learn what adjustment is needed for better

accuracy with future shots.

The True Clays system also allows you to change the shooting environment and to personalize it for individual eye height and stance. It can also be programmed to reflect the chokes used on both the top and bottom barrels as well as barrel length, shell type and ATA yardage.

Even such variables as the brand of machine throwing the target, the direction of the wind and outside temperature are adjustable to preference which are options not available with other systems on the market.

Trying out the True Clays system became a must so Fredrik put me in touch with John Perkins, one of the first owners of the system in the United States, who happened to live

SIMULATEDCLAYS

56

n There is an optional add-on that will allow you to track barrel movement. n There is a True Hunt module where you hunt crows, ducks, pigeons, deer, running moose and running boar.

The True Clays shooting simulator is in my opinion one of the top state of the art clay shooting simulators although not the only one. The price for the True Clays system starts at $6700 for the basic set up which includes computer, projector and all the hardware. To find out more and see their videos visit their website www.trueclays.com n

just a few hours away. John uses his True Clays training system five to six days a week and sometimes multiple times per day. John and I spoke on the phone about the system and the benefits and the ease in set up and operation, and he invited me down to test drive it for myself.

WHERE IT IS TODAY The first True Clays prototype was produced and sold in 2019 with the first international order in 2020, just one week before the announcement of the pandemic. During this slow down Fredrik took the time to improve the system to what it is today.

The system has several possible setups: n A system with a ceiling mounted set up or a large tripod behind the shooter. There is a compact version with the projector in front but you TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

can only shoot Trap and Helice ZZ. n A complete version with two projectors, a ceiling version and a wall projector that allows you to shoot higher birds. This can be custom built to fit your room size.

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SHOOTREPORT

58

TEAM USA’S LADIES TRAP SHOOTERS

GET IT DONE IN NICOSIA

BY MATTHEW GAY

WOMEN INDIVIDUAL TRAP Team USA’s Rachel Tozier posted a total day one qualification score of 46/50 which put her in the sixteenth slot. On day two of qualifications, Tozier powered through, posting a pair of 24s to elevate her to the top spot going into the qualification round. After five rounds Tozier’s 117/125 held her in the first-place spot and sent her to the semi-finals.

Her 18/25 in the semis qualified her for the medal match facing Slovakia’s Rehák-Štefečeková, and a pair of Italian shotgun pointers, Rossi and Stanco. Rachel’s 19/25 in the medal match earned her the bronze in the women’s trap individual event and TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

added to her two previous silver medals earned at the Pan American Games.

WOMEN TEAM TRAP The team trap event was held on March 14th in Nicosia. The threeperson Team USA squad of Ida Brown, Aeriel Skinner and Rachel Tozier set the pace for the entire match by posting a 198/225 to take the number two spot in the

qualification round by seven targets, guaranteeing their opportunity to face Australia in the gold medal round. In the gold medal round the Team USA squad posted a 49/75, just five targets shy of Australia to secure the Silver in the Women’s team trap event.

finding much success in the team events. Team USA next head to Lima, Peru for another World Cup event and hope to build on their success in Cyprus. TrapShootingUSA Magazine would like to congratulate all the excellent Team USA athletes who travel the world representing our nation. We wish them continued success in Peru and look forward to highlighting the hard work and dedication required to compete and excel at such a high level on the international stage.

For information on the Team USA members and events visit: usashooting.org n

A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE Across all shotgun disciplines the U.S. team took home seven total medals,

RACHEL TOZIER, AERIEL SKINNER AND IDA BROWN

PHOTO COURTESY USASHOOTING’S FACEBOOK

The 2022 World Cup season kicked off for Team USA at the ISSF World Cup in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Although a gold medal eluded the American contingent, team work and perseverance led the team to taking more medals as a nation then any other participating country.

Editor’s note: Matthew Gay is a shooting instructor from Michigan, the Head Coach of the Olivet College Clay Target Team, Vice-President of the Michigan Scholastic Clay Target Program Board of Directors, a bunker trap junkie and Master Class Sporting Clays competitor.

SHOOTTECH

60

MEC OUTDOORS SMART SERIES MACHINE CONTROL Generally speaking, from manufacturer to manufacturer, clay target machines have mechanically remained pretty consistent in their design. That has just changed with the introduction of the MEC Smart Series control. This innovation changes the status quo in terms of machine data acquisition and is not limited to just MEC machines.

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

THE IDEA MEC wanted to update the capability and interactive nature of their equipment in order to help their customers more efficiently and timely diagnose, fix and record data from their clay target machines. This morphed into the conception and commission of the Smart Series. The Smart Series allows a user to view a

lifetime target count, separate from a resettable target counter and combined with a battery level and machine status display, all available at the push of a button. The integrated control also provides notification of machine failures with the goal of allowing for quicker diagnosis and repair.

ROBUST DESIGN The physical construction of the control itself is stout. All electronics are encased within Noryl Resin. This extensively tested pod construction

BY MATTHEW GAY

feature completely encapsulates the entirety of the components so that moisture, dust and extreme heat and cold are non-issues. The modular nature of this unit eliminates the days of separate relays, breakers and fuses. In the unlikely event of a circuit board failure the control is covered under the factory warranty and can be fully swapped out in minutes.

NOT JUST FOR MEC The unique thing about this new product is that it is not only able to be retrofitted onto existing MEC

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SHOOTTECH

machines, it is also compatible with many competitors’ equipment. When a customer purchases this control module, they are provided with an easy to follow step by step instruction guide on upgrading existing equipment.

For decades shooters have relied on MEC reloading equipment to produce quality ammunition. Since MEC Outdoors entered the clay target machine manufacturing industry in 2013 they have continued to innovate, quickly becoming a leader in the industry. MEC equipment is widely used in the United States and throughout the world with American made clay target throwers serving courses and fields in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and Eastern Europe.

For information on the Smart Series electronics and MEC equipment visit: mecoutdoors.com n

Editor’s Note: Matthew Gay is a shooting instructor from Michigan, Head Coach of the Olivet College Clay Target Team, Vice-President of the Michigan Scholastic Clay Target Program Board of Directors, bunker trap junkie and Master Class Sporting Clays competitor.

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SHOOTTECH

64

A TRAP SHOOTER, A WEBSITE AND A LEGACY

BY MATTHEW GAY One would be hard pressed to find a reader of this magazine that has not ventured onto the trapshooters.com website at one point or another. Trapshooters.com was created as an online source of information and a hub by which trapshooting enthusiasts could communicate with other shooters from around the world. While no longer affiliated with trapshooters.com, the creator of this website was a longtime trap shooter out of California by the name of David Van Elgort.

David grew up learning about computers from his father who built computers as a profession. That skill set was the impetus for learning the TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

other aspects of computing, coding and programming, fostering his interest in the subject. The other passion for which David is known is his penchant for trap shooting, having accumulated 210,000 registered targets in his shooting career. His home club is North Hollywood Sportsman’s Club in Santa Clarita, California. The combination of these two interests culminated in the development of trapshooters.com in 1998, a website that David created from scratch (as these were well before the days of GoDaddy and other web page template and hosting services).

As it turned out, trapshooters.com would not be the only innovation

David was to create. As is often said, “necessity is the mother of invention”—David wrote a program to maintain records of his own scores, essentially producing an electronic shoot averages card. This program morphed into a website after some encouragement from fellow shooters looking to utilize the technology themselves, and shootaverages.com was born. This website allows trap shooters to create an account and record their scores, results, placements and capture notes on each event. This information is quite useful for the serious shooter looking to improve and create an electronic journal of their successes and challenges…and

it’s free! There is no fee for this service, but donations are accepted as David maintains this site at his own cost and labor.

At the suggestion of Vickie Larkin, the next need David saw was in the realm of the reporting process for ATA zone events. These events are held by zone in a somewhat virtual style, where simultaneously occurring shoots comprise one large competition. In the years before this next project came to fruition, scores were communicated via telephone and paper. This archaic methodology was time consuming and arduous, leading to delays of shoot-offs and awards. David employed his

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SHOOTTECH

66

knowledge of technology and ShootATAZone.com was born. This site offers the capability for clubs hosting zone events in this style to post scores in real-time. The obvious advantage to utilizing this approach is the efficiency, which is gained by nearly instant communication between clubs, and for competitors.

For clubs who utilize the service a small user fee is charged but the platform offers the opportunity to

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

get information to potential customers in a concise manner. On the main page, the host club can post their event with links to a shoot program as well as their presquadding site. There is a Lewis function which takes the mystery out of payout calculations, a feature welcomed by treasurers everywhere.

After creating ShootATAZone.com David felt the same type of website could be used for club’s normal ATA shoots. Shootscoreboard.com is

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SHOOTTECH

68

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO SHOOTSCOREBOARD.COM, SCAN THE QR CODE TO BE TAKEN TO THE DONATION SITE.

designed for all registered events and zone competition. To date, there have been 1,076 events managed using Shootscoreboard.com, with more than 1,388,000 scores uploaded.

Shootscoreboard.com is a free tool for those clubs and shooters wanting to keep tabs on their shooting pals in different areas of the country. Like with shootaverages.com, donations are welcome as this site requires regular maintenance in order to keep things running. Future, ongoing and historical data is available for shoots on this site.

Many of us feel a responsibility to give back to the sport for which we have gained so much. Some of us coach youth teams, some volunteer in various capacities and others serve as benefactors. David used his unique talents to enhance the business side of the sport by way of efficient data collection, record keeping and shoot promotion. He did so to help the sport grow and provide a better way for clubs to facilitate events. I would encourage clubs and shooters who are not currently using shootscoreboard.com or TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

Shootaverages.com to create an account and check out what these websites can do to help you promote and organize your event or monitor your performance. n

Editor’s note: Matthew Gay is a shooting instructor from Michigan, the Head Coach of the Olivet College Clay Target Team, Vice-President of the Michigan Scholastic Clay Target

Program Board of Directors, a bunker trap junkie and Master Class Sporting Clays competitor.

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PITA NEWS

TEAM CAPTAINS

TOP 5 TEAM

2021 ALL STARS JOHN MULLINS (WA) CAPTAIN

RICHARD BULLARD, JR. (NV)

KYLE SEEVER (CA)

JASON NELSON (CA)

MAC ROBERTSON (CA)

BOB ROBERTSON (OR) MENS TEAM

JULIE SPINDLER (OR) LADIES TEAM

TIM HODGES (WA) VETERAN TEAM

CHESTER CARTER (ID) SENIOR TEAM

BOB ELLIOTT (OR) ELDER TEAM

RYAN WIDGER JUNIOR TEAM TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

CORY WALKER (CA) SUB-JUNIOR TEAM

n Nineteen All Stars shot over 10,000 targets each in 2021 n Seventeen were standing at the 27-yard line at the end of 202111 on the Men’s teams, one on the Ladies’ teams, one on the Elder team, two on the Senior team, two on the Veteran team and two on the Junior’s teams n 15 made the team for the 1st time! n Youngest All Star and a first-timer—nine years old Mitchell Dagher Oldest All Star - Art Fenton, 80 years young, 17years as an All Star

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72

2021 PITA ALL STARS

*FIRST TIME ALL STAR

2021 PITA ALL STARS

*FIRST TIME ALL STAR

TOP 5 TEAM JOHN MULLINS RICHARD BULLARD JR KYLE SEEVER JASON NELSON MAC ROBERTSON

ST WA NV CA NV CA

TARGETS 6800 10850 9250 11400 14500

YEARS ON TEAM 9 12 5 5 3

YARDAGE 27 27 27 27 27

AVERAGE 0.9530 0.9521 0.9474 0.9374 0.9282

JUNIOR 1ST TEAM RYAN WIDGER JAXON WESTLAKE TYLER BORDERS MATTHEW ERNST JACK DUFFIN

ST CA CA OR NV CA

TARGETS 4950 9100 5400 7825 4800

YEARS ON TEAM 4 2 2 3 2

YARDAGE 27 27 24 25 23

AVERAGE 0.9194 0.9145 0.9126 0.9096 0.9093

MENS 1ST TEAM BOB ROBERTSON MICHAEL HOUSER* SCOTT MOORE RYAN COSTANTI MARK DAGHER

ST OR ID WA AK NV

TARGETS 16400 10100 9300 10500 6950

YEARS ON TEAM 4 1 2 3 4

YARDAGE 27 26 27 27 27

AVERAGE .9219 .9208 .9185 .9173 .9169

JUNIOR 2ND TEAM CODY WILKES MASON WARD* GWENDOLYN HOUSER* AJ BOVEE* COLTON THOMPSON*

ST CA ID ID OR WA

TARGETS 5400 6100 6000 6500 5550

YEARS ON TEAM 2 1 1 1 1

YARDAGE 21 25.5 23.5 23.5 22

AVERAGE 0.9064 0.9062 0.8973 0.8948 0.8919

MENS 2ND TEAM BRIAN CORNEHL* KYLE PERRY* BILL MULLINS WAYLON KLUNDT FRED SPROUL*

ST WA ID OR ID OR

TARGETS 15800 13350 6450 15600 8400

YEARS ON TEAM 1 1 2 3 1

YARDAGE 25.5 26 26 27 27

AVE RAGE 0.9125 0.9122 0.9119 0.9105 0.91027

SUB-JUNIOR TEAM CORY WALKER KELSEY WICKHAM* BRODEN PIRKLE* ETHAN AUGUST* MITCHELL DAGHER*

ST CA ID NV OR NV

TARGETS 5000 9300 8400 6200 5400

YEARS ON TEAM 3 1 1 1 1

YARDAGE 26 26 19 21 19

AVERAGE 0.9239 0.8819 0.8735 0.8405 0.7369

LADIES 1ST TEAM JULIE SPINDLER MARGARET LONG ESTHER PUCKETT AIVEN SHIELDS DEB MAIN*

ST OR OR CA CA NV

TARGETS 6900 10350 6650 9800 7900

YEARS ON TEAM 13 2 4 2 1

YARDAGE 26.5 22.5 27 22 20.5

AVERAGE 0.9006 0.8922 0.8718 0.8652 0.8386

LADIES 2ND TEAM TAMARA WAKEFIELD JANELLE BULLIS DEBORAH KELLY BARBARA HENDERSON CLAIRE CORPMAN*

ST CA CA WA CA CA

TARGETS 10150 7700 6400 7775 10100

YEARS ON TEAM 2 2 2 2 1

YARDAGE 22 19 22 21 19

AVERAGE 0.8324 0.8097 0.8010 0.7729 0.7458

VETERAN TEAM TIM HODGES JIMMIE PUCKETT TOM OLESEN LELAND MYERS JR BRAD EATMON*

ST WA CA WA CA CA

TARGETS 13000 8250 12750 11700 8850

YEARS ON TEAM 3 2 2 3 1

YARDAGE 27 25 26 27 25

AVERAGE 0.9135 0.9009 0.8880 0.8814 0.8733

SENIOR TEAM CHESTER CARTER LONNY BROWN GREGORY MINER RICHARD EVANS JOSEPH BRUNEY

ST ID OR WA WA OR

TARGETS 6100 7100 12300 5500 12950

YEARS ON TEAM 6 6 3 6 2

YARDAGE 25 27 23.5 27 22.5

AVERAGE 0.9142 0.9110 0.9105 0.9023 0.8883

ELDER TEAM ST TARGETS YEARS ON TEAM YARDAGE ROBERT ELLIOTT OR 5700 4 24 ARTHUR FENTON WA 8500 17 27 KENT HARRIS ID 12600 10 25 WELDON BIRCH CA 17050 5 26 VACANT – NO ONE QUALIFIED

AVERAGE 0.9074 0.9009 0.8778 0.8723

TRAPSHOOTINGUSA

ARIZONA PITA STATE SHOOT

HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

November 15-16, 2021 Hosted by Tucson Trap & Skeet Club SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU AA A B C D LADY VET SR ELDER

JOHN MULLINS RICHARD BULLARD JR ELIAS TOLLEFSON BILL MULLINS HENRY BAHR JIM DOUGLAS JANICE JULIAN PATRICIA CARTER RAY THOMAS LONNY BROWN ARTHUR FENTON

200 200 199 197 187 191 173 186 197 194 196

DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP CH RU AA A B C D LADY VET SR ELDER

JOHN MULLINS MIKE GRADY (FF) BOB ROBERTSON BOB MCLENDON MIKE RIGGS GEORGE BARNETT JANICE JULIAN KAREN BARNETT DAVID WOMACK STEVEN KAUFMAN ARTHUR FENTON

100 100 99 97 92 93 80 85 98 91 95

CH RU

19 – 22 ½ YDS 23 – 25 ½ YDS 26 – 27 YDS PREESHL LADY VET SR ELDER

SCOTT MOORE JOHN MULLINS ALAN JULIAN ELIAS TOLLEFSON DONALD DAVIES HENRY BAHR BOB ROBERTSON/BRET 93 JANICE JULIAN RAY THOMAS LONNY BROWN TOM SCHMIDT

97 94 94 87 91

85 93 85 76

HIGH ALL AROUND CHAMPION AA A B C D

JOHN MULLINS ELIAS TOLLEFSON BILL MULLINS HENRY BAHR DONALD DAVIES JANICE JULIAN

394 389 382 368 362 338

HIGH OVER ALL CHAMPION AA A B C D

JOHN MULLINS RICHARD BULLARD JR BOB MCLENDON BILL MULLINS HENRY BAHR DONALD DAVIES JANICE JULIAN

487 482 472 456 448 419

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INDEX of ADVERTISERS Allem’s Guncraft

Value u Quality u Service

L&M Lenses

51

Amateur Trapshooting Assocation 31,43

LaPorte America

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Blaser USA Inc

Learn Trap Shooting

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Lincoln Traps

65

MEC Outdoors

15

Briley Caesar Guerini

The Best Value For Your Krieghoff Purchase

6

Cover 3 19 Cover 4

Champion Target

29

Passionate Outlaws

59

Clay Target Sports, Inc

74

Pat-Trap, Inc.

41

Dawson Enterprises

69

Ponsness Warren

51

Decot Hy-Wyd Sports Glasses Inc

62

Promatic Inc

Fabarm USA

9

Falconstrike

Cover 2

Recob’s Target Shop

41,63

25

Remington Ammunition

10-11

Federal Premium Ammunition

39

Shamrock Leathers

63

Graco Corporation

51

SKB Shotguns

23

Gray’s Shotgun Cache

71

SoftTouch Custom Stocks

41

Gun & Trophy

37

Spolar Power Load

63

Guns Unlimited

3-5

Sportsman’s Insurance Agency

7

WE SERVICE WHAT WE SELL

International Case Company

7

Syren USA

27

Jaqua’s Fine Guns, Inc.

67

Target Shotguns

45

Check out our website for new and preowned guns

Joel Etchen Guns

61

USA Shooting

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Tel. 609-921-9358 Fax. 609-921-3282 Email: info@claytargetsports.com

Kick’s Chokes

Wenig Custom Gunstocks

35

Xcel Shooting Sports

55

www.claytargetsports.com

Krieghoff

6 47

© 2020

”For me the F3 trigger is the best shotgun trigger in the world, proven by my 900 straight!“ Joey Charnigo, 2019 Grand American ATAWorld Clay Target Champion and „Straight 900“ Marksman (2019)