Shooting Stars

So about this trapshooting business. Finally getting around to looking at my pictures, which are barely blog worthy but it was such a different experience, I have to share.

My twin sister's step-grandson Ian is 14 years old and on the Blue Hills Shooting Stars team from the Chippewa Falls area. Since this is his first year shooting, he is on the JV team (just like other sports) but still could compete in this state competition.

Apparently there are a lot of big competitions at this facility in our backyard. The Wisconsin Trapshooting Association (WTA) Homegrounds opened just 5 years but are very well-known for the trapshooting crowd. Which obviously isn't me.

Tucked on a side road in Adams County, I did not know this existed. This is looking to the west. You can't see much because this "range" (I think it's called) is a mile long. This facility sits on 280 acres. There are 30 trap fields that offer a wide variety of trapshooting experiences. There is American style trapshooting as well as an Olympic bunker for international-style trapshooting.

For reals. See the aerial (not taken by me, by the way)? Each of those paved white areas have shooting stations for 5 people.

Like so. Ian's team happened to have just 4 shooters.

There is call box next to each shooter. They say "Pull!" when they are ready and the guys in the cement blind in front of them release the orange clay pigeons in a random direction. Obviously, the goal then is to hit it and get points.

Scorekeepers sit in chairs behind the shooters and keep tabs. Just an FYI, Ian and those other three are the same age. Ian is built like his dad and grandpa (my brother-in-law Steve).

Need proof?

Let's talk guns.

Uhm, I know nothing about them. But they are some sort of shotgun. Isn't it? I know Ian's is a 1940s gun belonging to his grandpa or great-grandpa on his mom's side.

And they shoot these shells. Not bullets, but shells. See how smart I am?

Ian wears a pouch that holds the spent shells. Otherwise you just pick them all up from the ground after the shoot.

The Shooting Stars were competing/shooting from fields 2, 3 and 4. I'm guessing part of the reason this facility could be developed was through generous donations. That's great.

Here the coach gives some pointers (literally, haha) before a round.

The competitors shoot 5 rounds from each station at the field.

They get a break, check their scores and shoot another round of 25 total shots.

The competition is done after 100 rounds are shot.

Some of these young kids are pretty good.

The guns are taller than they are!

 Well, some of them!

Ian had his best round with the last grouping when he hit 21 out of 25 clay targets. Nice.

I think it would be fun to try. Sort of like baseball. There's no time for hesitation. Just point and shoot.

Sounds easy but no, it takes skills. Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law for exposing me to a new world.