Montana Woods N Water August 2016 Print Edition | Page 17

SHOOTING SPORTS

Gunner Swanson Takes the
2016 Big Sky I-Net Award
By Raf Viniard
Gunner Swanson wins the Top Sub – JR Shooter Award. He competed against
other shooters in his age bracket from Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and
Washington.
I asked Gunner what makes shooting trap so much fun and he stated, “ As a
trap shooter I get to shoot stuff and a lot of it!” During the Thompson Falls
shoot on 17 July at the Thompson Falls Range, Digger Powell had Gunner step
forward in front of his peers to accept the award. Gunner went on to say, I
learned from the best (as he points to Digger) and wherever Digger goes I
go.” Gunner also plays football, basketball and baseball. I asked him did he
like trap shooting or the one of the other sports better. Coaches you might
want to stop reading here. Gunner is hooked on Trap Shooting. I believe we
will see this young man’s name in marquee again soon and his future is
looking bright not only as a shooter but as a team player in whatever he does
in life. His Dad Lars Swanson was one proud Dad as the award was
presented.
The day’s shoot started off with a bang, so to speak and after the awards
presentation, a break for lunch and the hulls started hitting the ground
again. I noticed more women are getting into this
sport as I travel from one shoot to another. Guys
don’t think for a second these ladies can’t
handle a 12 gauge. If they tell you to stop
or they will shoot I highly advise you to
freeze, after all they can hit a little orange
disk as it flies through the air.
Top Left Going Counter Clockwise:
Judy Taylor gets ready to yell
“Pull”. Yep and another one bits
the dust! Helen Durgin bears down
on the target and turns it into little
pieces. Becky Oxford lines it all
up, takes aim and gets another
mark for a dead bird. Georgia
Owneby from Idaho putting the
smack down on a clay bird.
Georgia is a regular at most of
these shoots I attend.

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