Atlantic Provinces

Hello from the Atlantic Provinces.

The Petitcodiac Sportsman’s Club in Petitcodiac, NB, is continuing with their winter league again this year. Good luck and good for you for continuing to shoot during the cold winter months. League updates will be posted on www.shootatlantic.com.

The Canadian Trapshooting Association (CTA) is inviting clubs to participate in their inaugural CTA Coast to Coast Trapshoot, a Canada-wide, 300-target satellite shoot scheduled for Sept. 13.

Host clubs are responsible for determining target costs and for confirming a registered shoot date with their respective target associations. The CTA asks clubs to collect $5 per event from each shooter for cash prizes. The money collected from each class and yardage group will be awarded to that class/yardage group. Ties will divide the payout evenly. The CTA will also be awarding the high-over-all, high-over-all lady and high-over-all junior (under 18) awards.

In the CTA Coast to Coast Provincial Challenge, the province earning the most points will have their provincial 2026 CTA dues paid for. The rules are simple: two points will be awarded to the province with the top score in each event class/yardage group and one point for the second highest score.

If you or your club would like to participate, visit www.shootcanada.ca for complete details, a listing of participating clubs and information for clubs on how to sign up.

For more information on the Atlantic Provinces Trapshooting Association, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or visit shootatlantic.com.

Andrea Bassan

ATA Delegate

Connecticut

Winter greetings, trapshooters! May I wish you a very happy New Year! Leagues are underway at the time of writing this letter. It is a frigid 5º outside right now and certainly a challenge to stay warm on the line here in Connecticut. The holidays are behind us, and hopefully some of you will travel to warmer climates and enjoy some shooting in lighter clothing.

I want to congratulate Michael Wahl as the first junior delegate at large for the Connecticut Trapshooting Association. Michael will be a great addition to the sport as an ambassador for new youth shooters. There is a great online article about Michael featured in Young Awesome Hunter by Irwin Greenstein, www.yahunter.com, that is well worth the read.

I would love to hear from you about any happenings at your club or trips to shoots outside of Connecticut you would like to see here in this letter. My email address is [email protected].

Shoot well and shoot often.

Cheryll Pittera

ATA Delegate

Ontario

Greetings from Ontario, Canada.

When this article appears in Trap & Field Magazine (February), many ATA shooters on both sides of the border will be planning their shooting schedules. Consider attending one or more of our Ontario competitions, especially our shoots that have All-American Team points. There are three of these in Ontario this year:

The Canadian Trapshooting Championships, which will be held at the Hamilton Gun Club July 26-29. It has guaranteed All-American points of a minimum of 2 factor. This competition usually rotates east and west, and every other year it is in Ontario. Non-residents of Canada are welcome.

St. Thomas Gun Club is hosting our first-ever satellite Eastern Zone Shoot July 17-20. This competition will run concurrently with the main shoot venue at Elysburg, PA. All-American points, as I understand it from other Zones, are a function of adding all participants at all Zone locations together for the championship events, and that will determine the point factor. This will be a new experience for all of us in the Eastern Zone, and we hope it will generate additional participation.

Finally, St. Thomas Gun Club will be hosting our 106th provincial championships July 2-6. This will be a five-day event. Details will be posted online in due course (Google our Ontario Provincial Trapshooting Association at ontariotrap.com). Ontario’s provincials are usually the largest trapshooting tournament in Canada (usually a three point factor shoot). The OPTA board informs me that it expects to make available to shooters more than 150 trophies and $30,000 in added prize money, which is among the biggest prize tables and added money structure in all of the ATA. St. Thomas is doing some impressive upgrades; details will be available online in due course.

For our out-of-country friends, I have included a map with approximate distances from common border crossings in Michigan and New York to each of the two venues in Ontario (Hamilton and St. Thomas).

I have converted all distances to miles because in Canada we use metric kilometers: Sarnia/Port Huron to Hamilton, 140 miles; Sarnia/Port Huron to St. Thomas, 70.7 miles; Windsor/Detroit to Hamilton, 173 miles; and Windsor/Detroit to St. Thomas, 99 miles.

There are several border crossings from New York State (Queenston, Rainbow Bridge, Fort Erie). I have selected only one, as all are fairly close to each other. The one I selected was Fort Erie/Buffalo: Fort Erie/Buffalo to Hamilton, 60.7 miles; and Fort Erie/Buffalo to St. Thomas, 146.1 miles.

Also our U.S. shooting friends may want to look at the bang they get for their strong U.S. dollar compared to our loonie (well named). As of early December 2024, here is the conversion rate: $1 U.S is worth $1.41 Canadian. If your total entries, ammunition, etc. is as a rough example $1,000 Canadian, it should cost you in U.S. dollars around $707. Please have a little empathy for us Canadians who have to pay a significant premium when paying U.S. dollars when we travel south of the border.

Spring shooting is just around the corner. Enjoy!

Paul Shaw

ATA Delegate

Alabama

Now is the time to make plans to attend the 45th annual Southern Satellite Grand at the Silver Dollar March 9-16. This is always a good shoot and a great time to see old friends and make new friends.

Some of the local clubs are having one-day shoots, so get out there and support them.

Joke of the month: Signs across the country:

Septic tanks pumped, swimming pools filled . . . not the same truck.

In a department store: This escalator is refusing to escalate. This has been escalated to the engineer who is on their way up (or down) to check it out. Please use the elevator.

25 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Steve Jobs. Please God, don’t let Kevin Bacon die!

No swimming . . . Arms and legs may pose a choking hazard to alligators.

Sign on a backhoe: Halloween Special: Bodies buried $5; Really deep  $10.

Cougar in area, please stay on trails, travel in small groups and do not allow men under 30 to travel alone.

Day 12 without chocolate . . . lost hearing in my left eye.

Word of the month: Switch: A slender branch of a tree employed in the behavior modification of children. “Ah’m gonna cut me a switch and wear that boy out.”

Please keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers. Without the men and women of our armed forces protecting this country, we would not be able to enjoy this great sport. When you see a soldier, thank him or her for their service.

If you need my help or have any news to report, contact me at [email protected].

Wayne Sartwell

ATA Delegate

Florida

Hello all from the most Southern, Northern State!

Recently I have been asked, “How can I make it into the Trap & Field Magazine?” Good question. A few ways come to mind, with the first being you or your gun club representative contact me about your outstanding achievement. Another is by ATA recognition. For example, shooting your first straight or making AA or AAA and the 27-yard line status. If you achieve any of these feats, please let me know. I can’t give you proper props if I don’t know.

The shooting season is upon us. Our northern friends and fellow shooters are back and ready to go. That’s good and bad. Good because they are our friends and we want to see them. Bad because we have more competition. Good because the Silver Dollar is open now seven days a week. Bad because I’m spending that much more money. Good because the golf side snack bar is serving planned dinners again. Bad because it will be packed and hard to find seating. Good because all of the Florida trap ranges will have more shooters, which equates to more FTA daily fees, which means more money for the FTA to spend on our championships. Good because Florida ranges will have more help for scoring and filling the trap houses. Good because our Florida shooters will get a break from hearing my jokes and stories. Anyway . . . always glad to see the northerners back.

Great news. We (Florida) are getting some of our old clubs back throwing ATA registered targets. This is a big deal. This makes it easier for shooters to find a more local place to shoot and not have to travel so far, so they will want to shoot more. When I say we are getting some of our old clubs back, it is no small task. That means that club is making a commitment of time so others can benefit. On that note, I’d like to thank all of the clubs, club reps and the help for hosting ATA registered shoots. Remember these clubs are all run by volunteers. Any time you are at these clubs, give them a heartfelt thank you. I have added a link below (you can also find it at shootata.com), so you can check out clubs and shooting dates: https://shootata.com/Shoots-Clubs-States-Zones/stateID/FL.

Most of y’all know Terry Heeg, the Editor-and Chief of Trap & Field. Well, that time we were hoping would never come, she is retiring. She will still be helping out as a writer and a consultant but at her own pace. Elissa Harding will be the new Editor-and Chief, and she is more than capable to fill Terry’s shoes.

I would like to acknowledge Joe Bartow. If you don’t already know Joe by name, I’m sure you have at least seen him if you have shot at Silver Dollar. Joe became a member of the ATA in 2022 and has pretty much dedicated all of his waking hours to being the best he can be. If the Silver Dollar is open, Joe is there. But . . . not only is he learning to shoot the best he can, he will not hesitate to help a new shooter. His enthusiasm for the sport is contagious. Thanks, Joe, for the dedication.

ATA attainment awards and honorable mentions: 20K targets, Carl Chadwell and Cody Meredith.

FTA Rule of the Month:

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE OF THE FTA: To promote and govern the sport of amateur trapshooting within the state of Florida in accordance with the rules and suggestions of the Amateur Trapshooting Association of America (ATA).

Mike Reynolds

ATA Delegate

Kentucky

Unfortunately, at this time of year, registered shooting is rather slow. At the time of this writing in late December, shooters have been making their way around the surrounding areas shooting bird races and other small shoots. As many clubs get started back up in the spring, be sure to check the “Clubs & Shoots” tab on shootata.com to stay up to date on the registered shoots in the state of Kentucky and others nearby.

Kentucky was fortunate enough to have 13 shooters make this past year’s All-American Teams. Among Kentucky’s All-Americans, Ian Woods, Preston Philpot, Michael Castle, Clayborn Hunter Jr. and Roger Ross made the All-American Teams for the first time, although I am sure it will be the first of many. Congratulations to all who made the All-American Teams, and I look forward to seeing more Kentucky shooters on top of the list in the coming year.

Jack Holland

For ATA Southern Zone Vice President Dan Ryan

Mississippi

Man, it is hard to believe it is February already. Winter weather will be breaking soon in Mississippi. Typically our February is cool/cold and wet followed by March being cool and wet. Hopefully now that all the football games and deer/duck/small game hunting seasons are behind us, our shooters will return to our clubs to register targets.

Upcoming Mississippi shoots: Follow this link https://shootata.com/Shoots-Clubs-States-Zones/stateID/MS to look at upcoming Mississippi shoots. Capitol Gun Club, Coast Rifle and Pistol Club, Whitetail Ridge Outdoors and Starkville Gun Club have monthly shoots set, as usual. Let’s all try to get out and support these clubs.

Catfish Trapshoot: At present, Capitol Gun Club has April 5 set for a shoot date. The club shoot management is currently considering a program for the event. Targets will be thrown over the same fields and background where the 2025 Mississippi State Shoot will be contested. An excellent opportunity to get a feel for the location of the state shoot.

The 2025 Mississippi State Trapshoot will be May 22-25 at the Capitol Gun Club, located northwest of Jackson.

Target requirements for the state shoot: Shooters who do not have a total of 1,000 16-yard targets registered with the ATA in the current and previous year shall be placed in Class B or higher at the discretion of the Handicap Committee. Shooters who do not have a total of 500 doubles targets registered with the ATA in the current and previous year shall be placed in Class B or higher at the discretion of the Handicap Committee. Shooters who do not have a total of 1,000 handicap targets registered with the ATA in the current and previous year will be assigned three-yard penalty up to 25 yards max or their regular handicap yardage, whichever is greater. Handicap target requirements will be waived for shooters age 70 and over, making them eligible for trophies and monies. Any participant who fails to meet the minimum handicap target requirements as described will be allowed the choice of shooting “targets only” from their assigned yardage, provided they waive and forfeit all rights to options, purses, added money and trophies, including HOA and HAA trophies. So get on out there and support your local clubs and build your target counts in the process.

Coast Rifle and Pistol Club will again host one of the locations of the 2025 ATA Southern Zone Shoot. The Zone is set for July 18-20. Make plans to attend.

Remember, “It’s just a trapshoot.” Don’t overanalyze it; just enjoy our sport.

Everyone, be safe, and I look forward to seeing you on the trapline.

Will McCarty

ATA Delegate

Louisiana

Toby Bancroft Memorial Gun Club held its December shoot on the 14th after having to cancel the November shoot due to heavy rain. Seven shooters turned out for a little pre-Christmas fun on one of those warm winter days where it alternated between rain, clouds and sunshine. No hero scores were shot, however. Those participating were Dan Booth, Avery Dumas, Hayden Frost, Jim Jenkins, Donny Sanders, Amie Skipper and Bo Shaw. We all did get to enjoy some venison chili provided by our AIM group.

RCSSC hosted its December shoot on the 21st on a cold blue sky day. No hero scores were shot. But Remington and Jon White from Nebraska came to shoot as well as Joseph Landreneaux from Texas. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Valentine’s to everyone. Be sure and wish your significant other a happy Valentine’s Day. We all need to recognize those who support us in our shooting endeavors.

Check out our website www.latrap.org. There’s information on registered shoots of interest to our shooters, the scores/winners of our Louisiana shoots and information on all the gun clubs in Louisiana that host registered shoots. Feel free to drop me a note to [email protected] if you have any news or comments you would like highlighted.

Jim Jenkins

ATA Delegate

Missouri

Where did 2024 go? I remember when I was much younger, it seems like a long time ago, I heard older folks commenting on how time goes by much quicker the older you get. I always thought how can that be, now I am beginning to find out. I have been laying out events on a calendar for 2025, and the blank spaces are filling up fast. I have most likely mentioned this before as I visit gun clubs around the country, I like to quiz them about the type of shooting events they have. Some cater mostly to the casual shooter, and some are geared more toward competitive shooting with leagues and either fun shoots and/or registered shoots. The trend seems to be more clubs are getting away from hosting registered events due to the amount of administrative work required. Due to some unforeseen circumstances in my area, we are temporarily, I hope, left without one of the most active gun clubs in the area. This influences many types of shooting, such as youth practice, casual/practice shooting and competition events. I know time is valuable, but most clubs rely on volunteers to help keep the doors open these days. If you have time to volunteer at your local club, please don’t hesitate to offer. You may have experience of something that might be beneficial at lowering expenses or may even help to keep the doors open.

There is a trend in a lot of areas that youth shooting is still on the rise. In Missouri, at least, youth shooters make up a large percentage of the active ATA members. I believe there are quite a few gun clubs that benefit from the youth shooting with practice and organized events. On behalf of the MTA Board of Directors, I would like to recognize the following AIM Annual Teams.

AIM All-Star Teams: Junior gold—Colton Cozza. Junior—captain Thomas Burton, Hunter Alver. Sub-junior—captain Tyler Burton, Colton McKinney. Pre-Sub—Harrison McKinney, Parker Robinson.

AIM All-Zone Teams: Junior gold—captain Austin Stoner, Broc Barnes. Junior—Marin McKinney, Derick Gerding. Sub-junior—captain Grayson Bradshaw, Levi Carden, Adrec Keeteman, Keaton Johnson, Eleanor Schweizer. Pre-Sub—Amon Depew.

AIM All-State Teams: Junior gold—captain Bradley Phillips, Colton Minck, Barrett Paulson, Andrew Buckner, Eli Depew. Junior—captain Alexander Hill, Caleb Pierce, Logan Hart, Millicent LaBoube, William Chauncey. Sub-junior—captain Max Billings, Shelby Wehde, Christian Koch, Cole Stark, Molly Midkiff. Pre-sub—captain Wade Otten, Colton Nunn, Andrew Kalmer, Bodie Vermillion, Kayden Smith.

Congratulations to all those who made the 2024 teams. I would like to thank MTA youth director David Hart as well as all the coaches and parents who spent many hours at practice and getting shooters to the shoots. It takes all of us in some way or another to make the ATA what it is today.

I hope that 2025 is your best year yet! If anyone has anything to report or has any concerns, please contact me at [email protected] or 816-863-9003. NKJV Psalm 1:1—Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

Shoot often, shoot well and be safe!

Stephen Ricketts

ATA Delegate

Texas

Howdy from Texas!

It is that slow time of the year for trapshooting in Texas. The weather hasn’t turned cold as I am writing this, but who knows what will happen in Texas the first few months of the new year.

The 2025 Multi-State Shoot will be held April 25-27. The Texas locations for the Multi-State Shoot will be the Old San Antonio Gun Club, Amarillo and Waco. As you know, other states will also be competing, and it should be a fun shoot with All-American points possible, so plan on attending at a location near you.

Also the Texas State Shoot will be held in Amarillo this year July 1-6. Plans are being made for the awards banquet on Friday night, and it should be another fun shoot. The TTA officers are working hard to make it bigger and better than ever. Stay tuned for more details.

That should do it for now. If you have anything you would like me to mention in this article, please email me with the details, and I will do my best to share it in the next one. Be sure to visit the TTA website (shoottta.org) to see other news and upcoming events. As always, I would like to encourage you to volunteer at your local club and support youth shooters. Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me or one of the current TTA officers. We’re always glad to help.

Again, thanks for your support, and I will see you at the next one.

Billy Hopson

ATA Delegate

Arizona

Happy holidays from sunny Arizona.

As we finish up the Christmas holiday and start looking forward to the New Year, January kicks off the Arizona Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame Shoot. This year’s inductee is Joe Henderson.

The ASTA Board of Directors are pleased to announce the 2025 inductee into the Arizona State Trapshooting Hall of Fame is Joe Henderson. Joe started trapshooting in 1996 at the Prescott Trap & Skeet Club. With some help and encouragement from Walt Fletcher, he shot his first ATA registered target there during the Western Zone. Call it beginner’s luck, he won an event. That is where all this nonsense started.

Sam and Sonia Steadman, owners of the Casa Grande Trap Club, had been running the summer shoots at Prescott Trap & Skeet. In 1998 Sonia informed Joe that Sam was in the Tucson Hospital and not expected to live. She asked Joe if he could please inform the board members that they were no longer able to run the shoots, which he did at a specially called meeting of the board. Joe, Pat and Alix LaFontant, Raylene and Roger Junkins and Walt Fletcher all attended this meeting. The president of the board commented he was sorry to hear about Sam but seemed to be pleased there would be no more trapshoots. Joe asked if it was possible for him to run the trapshoots, and the president responded, “If you are dumb enough to try it . . . go right ahead.” Joe took up the challenge, along with Pat, Alix, Roger and Raylene. With the help of Joe’s wife Nikki, daughter Jill, son Justin and his wife Lisa, Pat and Alix, Roger and Raylene and several new trapshooting friends, they were able to run three years of successful and fun summer trapshoots.

During this same period, Joe served as secretary and treasurer on the ASTA Board of Directors until 2002.

In 2003 Joe made the mistake of going to a summer car show in Prescott and found a new challenge: building hot rods. At the same time he and his wife Nikki embarked on another of Joe’s adventures, purchasing a unique business that produced all kinds of items from wood with engraving by a laser. Along with this, another idea sprung up, and Awesome Awards was born. It provided trophies to car shows and trapshoots, including several ASTA state shoots.

In 2006 these businesses were sold, and finishing the third street rod became his focus. In 2007 he started thinking again and sold their house that he had built 12 years earlier. He made the foolish comment that “he was good for one more house.” When it was completed in the fall of 2008, he decided that trapshooting might be a more sane and economical hobby than hot rods, golf and building houses. He is still trying to convince himself of this yet today (ha ha) as he continues to enjoy trapshooting.

Joe has several trophies for events he has won over the years, but the one he is most proud of is the one for the 2018 Arizona state Singles Championship. He won this honor by shooting 200.

Joe becomes the 59th inductee into the Arizona Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

Congratulations, Joe, and welcome to the Arizona Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

Next up is the Spring Satellite Grand at the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club. Classification will start on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and the Preliminary Week begins shooting on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Championship Week begins Monday, Feb. 24 and concludes March 2.

The Arizona State Shoot runs March 25-30 and is being hosted by the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club.

We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Don Williamson

ATA Delegate

Idaho

Well, as I write this, everyone is getting ready for Christmas, and very little is happening in the competitive trapshooting world in Idaho. There are some leagues and game shoots, but no registered shoots. So there’s not a whole lot to write about. However, as you read this, the Camas Prairie league should be going strong, having about 800 weekly contestants. I have some ideas about who should be on top of the leader board here in February, so here’s my predictions on who’s leading the race. The top guns are (or should be), Boliver Shagnastik, Philbert Skeebo, Delbert Deweenie, and Suzie Schablanski. The Cold Trigger Gun Club is in the lead as far as clubs go. What? You don’t recognize any of the names? It’s because I just made it all up. I’d never guess in advance because we all know great shooters have bad days, and average shooters have great days. (I’m still waiting for my turn on the great day!). The Camas league has some really great shooters, but you never know who will come out on top. Plus one club may have great weather, and another may have a blizzard going on the same day, and there are more than 20 clubs involved, in three states! We’ll know at the end of the league, which will culminate in the Camas Handicap Tournament in Washington. This is where a lot of us officially begin the trap season. Yea!

This shoot may also be the first registered shoot for a new shooter just starting out. A great way to start for a new shooter at any event is with a free ATA membership. In the winter, the ATA sends all participating gun clubs and myself vouchers for free ATA memberships for first-time shooters. (They used to get mailed hard copy, but nowadays they are emailed and sometimes overlooked.) If you have a friend or young person about to join the family of shooting, check with your local club or contact me, and I can help.

Another bit of information to pass on is that I just received my raffle tickets for a brand new Kolar shotgun. The ATA raffles off a new gun every year, and the proceeds go to grants for gun clubs needing help. So, by buying a raffle ticket, you might win a great gun, and you are indeed helping a few gun clubs out there. If you are interested in purchasing some tickets, please contact me or see me at the Camas tournament.

On a final note, if you follow any of my articles, you know that sometimes I discuss some rule differences between ATA and PITA. This one is about age-based categories. In a nutshell, in ATA, if your birthday falls in the middle of the target year, you can stay in the category you started the season with. In PITA you change on your birthday no matter what. Just something for the very young people and us older folks to be aware of.

Stay warm for now.

Leonard Wehking

ATA Delegate

Nevada

The Race for the Buckle is at the finish line. The Nevada Trapshooting Association, under the direction of President Greg Pink, provides custom buckles for the year-end high point earners in each ATA category for Big 50 tournaments. It is called The Race for the Buckle. Points in the very popular Race for the Buckle series were earned this year by winning one of the monthly events in an ATA category and were accumulated over the 11 Big 50 tournaments held during 2024. Eight of the Big 50s were held at the Clark County Shooting Complex in Las Vegas, and three were held at the Lincoln County Trap Club in Pioche during the summer months.

Coming into November, there were just two Big 50s left in the Race for Buckle. Big winds accompanied shooters competing in the Nov. 23 penultimate Big 50 buckle race. Forty-three shooters braved the November breezes, but temperatures stayed in the high 60s.

At the November Big 50, Danny Talbot and Merle Acampora prevailed in the singles with 48, while up-and-coming young shooter, Brandon Buchholz, broke 46 in the handicap. He received a well-earned one-yard punch to the 21-yard line, while Ken James won the doubles with 45. Danny Talbot garnered the November HOA with 138. Along with the November points, the final Big 50 on Dec. 14 determined the year-end category winners. I’ll cover the winners next month.

A new Race for the Buckle began with the January 2025 Big 50 in Las Vegas.

I reported in last month’s column that several Nevada shooters were doing well during the Autumn Grand Preliminary Week. I predicted that Nevada shooters would carry their successes into Championship Week. They did not disappoint.

During Championship Week, Jon Slinker won Event 17 C class doubles with 96 and tied for A class singles in Event 19, missing just one target for a 99. Leticia Slinker was right there for Lady I in Event 19 with 98. Jack Wang arrived on the grounds and promptly won Class A doubles in Event 21. Rich Bullard won the sub-veteran championship singles trophy in Event 23 with a stellar 200 straight. Great shooting to everyone who attended the Autumn Grand.

The Hero Behind the Scenes this month is longtime Nevada resident and trapshooter Joe Hanley. Joe has been a stalwart driver and tireless worker on behalf of Nevada shooters and Nevada gun clubs for almost his entire life. Growing up in a trapshooting family, he was raised a stone’s throw from the historic Bob Taylor’s Gun Club and the Mint Gun Club in Las Vegas. He states he often rode his bicycle to those clubs before he could even drive.

First registering ATA targets in 1979, he was soon Nevada state junior champion. Since those early days, Joe has amassed many, many trophies while shooting across the country. In years past, Joe could often be seen squadding with legends Dan Bonillas, Britt Robinson and others. In addition to being an accomplished shooter over many years, Joe has selflessly given substantial financial and personal support to clubs throughout the state. For example, Joe recently donated a stately flagpole to the newest club in Nevada, the Lincoln County Trap Club in Pioche.

In addition to financial support, Joe has spent countless hours as Nevada ATA Delegate, having served in that role in the 1990s and again from 2013 through 2019. Along with his ATA duties, Joe can be found doing everything from grilling steaks at state shoots to jumping into the scorer’s chair at a night league. Never seeking the spotlight, Joe continues to offer support to Nevada shooters, clubs and programs. A collective high-five and thank you to Joe Hanley, a great shooter, a great friend and a great advocate of Nevada trapshooting.

The new year brings many more shooting opportunities for Nevada shooters. Shoots include Big 50s; First Sundays; handicap, doubles and singles marathons; leagues; and more. Many shoots in the new calendar year will have added features and opportunities. See them all at nvtrap.com.

Until next time, let’s remember that it’s a game. Have fun!

 Danny Talbot

 ATA Delegate

Utah

It’s already 2025; it is hard to believe Y2K was a quarter century ago. I remember that period well when everyone assumed computers would crash since there had been zero programming on the computer calendar to transition from the 1900s to the 2000s.

Oh well.

Since my last article, I have attended several meat shoots before Thanksgiving, and Purgatory Gun Club’s two-day December shoot. Purgatory Gun Club is in Hurricane, in the southern part of the state. Thus, temperatures are usually a little warmer than elsewhere in the area. I had never been to the December shoot because I always opted for the March shoot instead. The state association promoted the shoot very well. In attendance were shooters from Colorado (1), Idaho (2), Michigan (1), Montana (6), Nevada (16) and Utah (32). There was such a good turnout for this shoot that the first day’s doubles had to be completed under the lights.

Following is some of my useless trivia. The term doldrums usually refers to a maritime or atmospheric location description. It refers to the area just five degrees north and south of the equator. The prevailing winds above and below the equator tend to offset each other. Thus, the old-time sailboats had very little, if any, breeze to move the ships. The ship’s movement could stall for long periods of time. I digress. With Utah entering the regular deep freeze of winter, similar to the doldrums, there isn’t much shooting on the horizon. About all we have to look forward to now is spring.

Ed Wehking

 ATA Delegate

Washington

Spring is almost here. I suppose that is wishful thinking, as I am writing this on Christmas day. When you read this in February, it will be closer to the truth. A few of us will be setting our sites on some registered birds at the Colton Gun Club Feb. 15. Then we will be packing our bags and shells for our first trek to Walla Walla this year for the Camas Prairie Handicap March 21-23. The club will host a handicap on the 20th as we roll in for a warm-up before the main shoot starts.

In April we will be at Spangle on the 26th. The Coulee City and Marlin gun clubs will host shoots back to back on May 3 and May 4. Colton will host again June 7-8. As of press time, we haven’t set dates in stone for a shoot in Othello, but we are hoping they will keep their weekend in June after Colton.

After a few shoots, we should be tuned up and ready to go for the WSTA Championships June 26-29. After two years in May, it was decided to go back to our traditional June offering. With the school year ended, it should be easier for our hosts to get trap help and for our junior and sub-junior shooters to attend. The Walla Walla Gun Club has invested in some updates. All traps will be updated models with many newly refurbished. We have had some hot days in June for the state shoot; however, we have also had torrential rain. The weather isn’t up to us. We will take what we get. I’m betting on some sunny days with the great Walla Walla County rolling wheat fields in the background. We hope to see you there. It should be a great shoot.

Colton will gear up again for three days in July as a site for the Western Zone as well as another day in September. The Spangle Gun Club will show us their hospitality again in September as well. Please reach out to us if your club would like to throw some ATA registered targets or if you wish to add more dates to your schedule. Don’t forget, you can still throw some Big 50 programs to add targets to your totals and get some more folks out to your club.

We would like to thank Larry Garrett of Endicott for accepting an appointment to a spot on the WSTA Board of Directors to fulfill a term vacated for medical reasons by Shane Brown. Thanks to Shane for his help, and we hope you are on the mend soon.

While reading a recent edition of Trap & Field, I noticed a good number of first-time ATA memberships. I challenge current members in Washington to help add to the roster of shooters. If we can each get just one new shooter to come along, just think of how many that would be. The Pomeroy Gun Club, with their youth program, is a wonderful example of seasoned shooters bringing beginners into the fold. Let’s grow this and remember that more is merrier.

Shoot straight and keep your powder dry.

Sean Lewis

WSTA Director

Wyoming

First off, congratulations, Paul Piaia, on making 50,000 doubles.

If anyone has asked for a code to not receive reductions in the past and wants to remove it, let me know, and I’ll help you fix it.

I traveled to Cheyenne to attend their Big 50. It was one of those 60-40 days, you know 60 mph wind and 40º. Anyway when I walked into the clubhouse, everyone was sitting around the table, and the office windows were closed. First question was, “Do you really want to shoot?” No, I came over to go shopping, just wanted to say hi. Shoot was canceled. Will see how next month goes.

Ron Miller

           ATA Delegate