I am writing this in May and trap shoots are popping up like mushrooms in Illinois. Covid-19 restrictions are finally being lifted and we are getting out to shoot. The only flies in the ointment are the shell shortage and unusually cold and windy weather. Let's hope both these situations work themselves out quickly.
I have 3 Illinois shooters that have reached milestones in their careers. Thomas Bates has shot 50,000 handicap targets, Frank Bentley III has shot 100,000 singles and William Reardon has shot 100,000 combined targets. I know I sound like a broken record but dedication to our sport is always impressive.
I want to take a moment to mention a story about Frank. Several years ago Frank won the Illinois State Doubles Championship. This happened right at Father's Day. Frank dedicated this win to his father, who is also a trap shooter. I don't think Frank II could have been any more happy and proud after Frank III did this for his dad. Stories like this make our sport so great!
I could not make it to the Missouri State Trap shoot but I have been following the scores and Illinois shooters have showed up. We have won many categories, classes and yardage groups. See the shoot report for who has won what.
Finally, I am happy to report that we are collecting money for the new Hall of Fame as more and more people are buying bricks to line the entrance of the new building. Please check out the link on the ISTA web page to buy your own brick and be a part of Illinois trap shooting history.
It's time for me to go shooting so I will see you next month. Shoot well and stay safe.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
By the time you are reading this the Illinois State Trapshoot will be upon us. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to say this. It has been a long year to reach this point and we are ready to host a great shoot. Please plan on coming to Brittany Shooting Park and join us for a week of fun in June. I want to take a moment to mention two people who were instrumental in getting us to this point. The first is ISTA board member Ned Meyer. Ned is a Swiss army knife that will do anything to help the cause. He took on making our program this year and did a wonderful job. The other is our President, Mike Dennis. Mike, under difficult circumstances, showed true leadership as he held the board together and kept us focused on the prize of having a shoot this year. If you see either one of these gentlemen be sure to thank them for their good hard work. I want to congratulate Lawrence Gillum for breaking a 97 to win the Handicap Championship at the Southern Grand. Nice shooting Lawrence! You made Illinois proud.
I also have two target milestones to mention. Mike Dennis has reached 75,000 Singles targets and Tom Fester has shot 25,000 Singles targets. Way to go guys! Dedication is always rewarded in the end and you guys are showing us the way.
Finally, I want to wish Patricia Miller, wife of Hall of Famer Randy Miller, a hardy get well soon. Pat suffered a stroke at the end of March but quick, effective treatment by the doctors means she is recovering fast. We miss you Pat and are looking forward to seeing you soon!
Shoot well and safely!
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
As I write this the grass is starting to turn green and the trees are starting to bud out. You can feel that spring is about here and I can't wait to get out to shoot. We have a full slate of shoots scheduled here in Illinois and I want to encourage everyone to get out and shoot and support our clubs that really need your help.
Illinois has a couple of shooters that are reaching milestones. The neat thing about this is they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The first one is Ron Piro, a long time shooter out of the Peoria Skeet & Trap Club. Ron won the state Handicap Championship several years ago and has now shot 100,000 Doubles targets. Way to go Ron! Keep showing us what dedication is all about. The other shooter is Garrett Helms, a great Junior Gold shooter here in Illinois. Garrett shoots all over, and where he shoots he wins. He was recently tearing up his category at the Southern Grand in Florida. He has already shot 25,000 Handicap targets. Great shooting Garrett!
Sadly, I have to report that longtime, southern Illinois shooter, Tom Winn, has passed away. Tom was a fixture here in Illinois for many years. He and his brother Richard ran the Rend Lake Shooting Complex for many years and had shooters from all over coming to shoot there. We'll miss Tom here in Illinois and my condolences go out to his family and friends.
Shoots are just now starting up so next month I should be able to tell you about great shooting results from our shooters. Shoot well and stay safe.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
With this column, I have been an ATA Delegate for one year. If you would have told me I would have done this in the middle of a world-wide pandemic, vote to cancel the Illinois State Shoot and see the Grand move to Missouri, I would have laughed at you. That's the bad news. The good news is, I have met and been helped by a bunch of wonderful people that make this job so wonderful and unique. I want to send out a big thank you to the shooters of Illinois, and shooters across the country, that have put their trust in me. Representing you has been an honor that has meant the world to me.
The link I talked about last month to donate money to the Illinois Hall of Fame is up and running on the ISTA website. Please check it out and see the bricks and how they can be arranged, leading into the planned Hall of Fame building. I realize money is tight, but for one day's shooting costs, you can make a lasting legacy to honor all the great shooters Illinois has produced through the years.
I have noticed that the number of Illinois shooters is down at the Southern Grand. Given all the problems in our country at this time, this is sadly understandable. I am happy to report the ones that are there are shooting well. I want to give a shout out to Charlie Bickle who is shooting his normal great scores. Charlie is an ISTA Director and a member of the Illinois Hall of Fame. Let me tell you that all of his shooting accomplishments pale beside Charlie the man. You will never meet a nicer, better person. Charlie is one of those people that make shooting fun and I feel privileged to be able to call him a friend.
Stay healthy.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
Last month I told you about ISTA creating a link to a company that makes decorative bricks with your name or memorialization on it if you donate money to build a new Hall of Fame (HOF). These bricks will create a walkway leading into the HOF. Bill Huhn, the Director in charge of this fundraiser, and Dan Schocke, our IT guy, have made great progress and by the time you read this, the link should be up and running on our webpage. There will also be a place where you can just donate money if you do not want your name on a brick. I realize money is tight, but I hope you all will consider making a donation. It will be something, as shooters, we all can be proud of in the future.
Illinois has two Mega target members. These are shooters that shot more than 20,000 registered targets last year. They are Daniel Meinecke also Leland Hassler. With all the restrictions and cancellations of shoots in Illinois, and across the Midwest, it is amazing to me that these two gentlemen could accomplish this feat. Awesome job guys and keep up the good work.
I want to give a shout out to a good friend of mine. Jim Lyons recently retired from the ISTA Board of Directors and we already miss him. Jim and I have been friends for more years than either one of us want to admit to. When I first joined the Board, many years ago, Jim was the first person to reach out to congratulate me and offer to help me any way he could. Little kindnesses go a long way. They are like ripples that move out across a body of water touching everything in their path. Jim has many ripples that will affect trapshooting for many years to come in Illinois and across the Midwest. Enjoy your retirement, Jim! Just think, now you have more time to kick Mike W's butt.
Little gun clubs really took it on the chin this past shooting season. It was difficult to stage and get attendance at shoots all across the Midwest. Please attend as many of their shoots as possible because they are the backbone of our sport and we can't afford to lose them.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate