THE PRESIDENT`S CORNER ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING A

Welcome to the 2012 SPT&S Newsletter that reviews the
Club’s yearly events, describes current issues, and reminds
members of the necessity of “volunteering” for Club functions.
To obtain the newsletter, go to: www.sauktrapandskt.com.
Happy Holidays! – The Editor
THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER
by Gary Wipperfurth
Welcome Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet members,
Once again Mother Nature is providing us with great
weather, up until last week. I hope everyone is taking
advantage of the weather and getting outside. A great place
to get outside is at Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet. Come to the
Club and burn some powder and throw some lead. A great
time to come to Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet is January 5,
2013 for the Annual Membership Meeting at 1:00 PM. This
important meeting will tell you how your Club’s business
is proceeding and where it wants to go financially. Please
set this date and come to Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet for the
meeting and some shooting. Annual Membership dues run
from January 1 to December 31. Please make a point to pay
your dues early and take advantage of the great weather.
VOLUNTEERING is once again going to be a big subject
at SPT&S. Last year the Board of Directors did away with
hired trap help. I am delighted to say that this move has
been accepted by the membership very well. I have to
commend all of the people who have stepped up and
volunteered their time to load the traps and the houses. As
this year progresses, we will need volunteers to please do
the same. Your club has many volunteer opportunities for
you (Trap shoot help-Skeet shoot help-target loading-lawn
mowing-putting cardboard target boxes in the dumpsterspicking up shells-snow shoveling-general clean-up, just to
mention a few) - all you need to do is ask and you will not be
turned away. Remember many hands make the work light.
THANK YOU to everyone who has volunteered in the past
and I hope you will volunteer in the future.
League shooting once again will start on the first
Wednesday of May. The trap league can always use more
shooters and the skeet league has dwindled to just a few
dedicated shooters. Although there is quite a lot of practice
shooting that is taking place, it would be nice to see our
leagues grow back to the point where we would need to put
the skeet league back to Tuesday night where it originally
was. Please consider shooting a league once again.
The SPT&S Annual Gun Show is once again the first
weekend of February at the Sauk Prairie Community Center.
Please mark your calendar for February 2 and 3, 2013 and
plan to attend. Your dollars at the door will help your club
financially and who knows you might find exactly what you
need.
Safety, although last on my list, should always be first at
your club. Although there have been no major safety issues,
there are always small issues to deal with. The inexperienced
shooters need our help in defining what they can and cannot
do. Please be kind in explaining the safety and etiquette
rules of SPT&S. Remember safety is a must, not just an
inconvenience. Keep it safe.
--
Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet Club’s
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
will be held
Saturday - January 5, 2013
The meeting starts promptly at 1 PM
Sauk Prairie
Trap & Skeet
wishes its
members
A HAPPY &
PROSPEROUS
NEW YEAR
Editor’s Note: A special thanks to our
Vice President Al Lathrop, who selflessly
gives an enormous amount of his time
and talents to benefit the Club. Al’s
contributions include organizing and
running the Club’s very important Annual
Gun Show, running the Quad County winter trap shoots
at SPT&S, managing the Club’s bar and food service,
maintaining the Club’s 24 trap and skeet machines, and
importantly serving as master chef at most of the large
competitions and functions at the Club. Thank you, Allan!
SPT&S Volunteer Opportunities
SPT&S President Gary Wipperfurth at the
2012 Wisconsin State Skeet Tournament.
The Club requires the efforts of many individual volunteers
to perform a variety of jobs. Please volunteer to work in one
or more of these areas. Don’t wait to be asked!
Have a very safe and prosperous New Year.
- Gary A. Wipperfurth, President
The Vice-PRESIDENT’S STUMP
by Al Lathrop
This is the time of year to give. We at Sauk Prairie Trap
& Skeet have had a lot of people giving all year. I salute all
the Club members who have given their time to keep the
Club going. Thanks to the members who work the trap and
skeet shoots and manage the leagues: Michail Kukawica,
Paul Johnson, Tom Bader, Kathy Whalen, Jan Vertein, Tim
Thompson, Todd and Kathy Meyer, Tyffany Atwell, Paul
Friesen, Gary Wipperfurth, Beth and Tom Maginnis, Rick
Berry, Bob Hutter, Jack and Henry Duwe, Bill Lensch, Doug
Stebbins, and the Club’s
scholastic youth group and
families. Thanks to the people
who keep all the Club’s
equipment up and running and
our members Butch Frosch
and Steve Raisbeck who use
the equipment to mow and
plow snow. The grounds look
great! Thanks to Bob Hutter who loads targets and helps
with club finances. Thanks also to those who take care of
Club communications and website, the membership list, and
shoot announcements: Sandy Connery, Gerry Zingg, and
Paul Friesen. Thanks to all who help at the Club’s Annual Gun
Show: Vic and Kathy Whalen, Mike Bradley, Bob Hutter, and
all the families of the Club’s scholastic youth group. Thanks
also to the members who come before the shoots and stay
long afterwards to work: Jeff and Tyler Vertein, Steve and
Elle Raisbeck, Tim Thompson, Dwight Fitzsimmons, Paul
Johnson, Gary Wipperfurth, Henry Duwe, and Paul Friesen.
Thank you to the members of the Board of Directors who
serve and advise the Club throughout the year. Importantly, a
special thanks to Heidi Salazar, who welcomes all members
and visitors to the clubhouse with a smile and takes care of
all of their shooting needs, lunch included! Thank you to all
who have given so much. Happy Holidays!
Weekday Managers
Skeet Competition
Supply/Kitchen
Communications
Youth Shooting
Building & Grounds
Trap Competition
Finances
Shooting Instruction
Equipment maintenance
2012 SPT&S Officers and Board of Directors
Gary Wipperfurth
Al Lathrop
Gary Wipperfurth
President, Director
Vice-President, Director
Treasurer, Director
Tyffany Atwell*
Secretary
Directors
Mike Bradley
Gerry Zingg
Tyler Vertein
Paul Johnson
Steve Raisbeck Vic Whalen
Dwight Fitzsimmons / Tim Thiede
*Tyffany has volunteered for the past several years to serve
as Club Secretary. Thanks, Tyffany!
Club Membership for 2012
by Gerry Zingg
At the beginning of November (2012), the Club listed 273
annual members. Life Members are 105 strong, bringing
the combined membership total to 378. The Club’s annual
membership is five less compared to last year at this time.
- Al Lathrop, Vice-President
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RENEW YOUR
2013 ANNUAL SPT&S MEMBERSHIP
(membership forms in the Clubhouse)
Membership
$40.00
(includes spouse and dependent kids)
SPT&S fosters competition, training, and sportsmanship in trap
and skeet for adults and youth. We are an environmentally conscious, community- and educational-oriented club for the shotgun
sports. We are open to the public - families are invited.
Our Club’s membership dues ($40) are among the least
expensive for trap and skeet clubs in southern Wisconsin.
The $40 includes membership for your immediate family
too. Club membership is only valid for the calendar year,
which ends December 31. The Club requests that you
complete a membership application each year to update
your personal contact information. It is important that we also
have your current email address for timely announcements
of Club functions and competitions. Pick up a membership
application and fill it out at the Annual Meeting on January
5. A membership card is issued at the time of payment.
Please carry your card when visiting the club – you may be
asked to present it to obtain member-shooting rates. Please
update your contact information then. If you are aware of
changes in the status or contact information of any other
members, please inform the Club so that we can update our
records. It is important that the club’s membership roll be
accurate for tax purposes. The current membership roster
is posted in the glass case next to the main entrance of the
clubhouse. Thank you Gerry Zingg for maintaining the Club’s
membership roster.
committee, Chuck Doring and Jim
Schommer, as they have decided to
retire. I would like to thank them for
all of their work and insight. There
is now room for at least two more
members and I would welcome more
- so if you have an interest in helping
with the financials of your club, please
feel free to contact me.
The financial status of the Club looks decent at this time.
We have reduced expenses due to wages by cutting the
hired trap help and the workmen’s compensation has gone
down some, but not as much as hoped. The Annual Gun
Show as usual does give the Club quite a boost in February
and is most welcome. Please plan to attend and help your
club. The BOD has voted to keep the membership fee the
same as last year at $40. The BOD raised the shooting price
to $4.50 per round as of May 1, 2012 due to the cost of
targets going up. Targets have come down a little bit, but not
enough to warrant a change in the shooting price. As much
as we all would like to shoot for less, we have too many
fixed costs to warrant a reduction at this time. The savings
account got quite a boost this past year as the Club mined
lead shot again. Many members participated in the buying of
the reclaimed lead. The savings account, although in good
shape, needs to stay that way and I am striving to keep it
that way. I borrowed from the savings account last year to
pay many large bills in January and after the gun show I had
enough money to put back what was borrowed. This year I
am not anticipating dipping into the savings account but only
time will tell. The Club’s belt has tightened and the BOD will
still keep tugging and try to get more things in line as the
year progresses.
I would like to thank Bob Hutter for his endless hours of
work with running the Club and its finances. His dedication
WANT TO HELP THE CLUB? Take time out between shooting
rounds to pick up empty hulls, cardboard boxes, fill the trap &
skeet machines, shovel some snow, sweep the walkways, or
clean up in the Clubhouse. Every little bit helps out and keeps
the price of shooting down!
- Gerry Zingg, SPT&S Director
The Treasurer’s Report
by Gary Wipperfurth
The past year of being the Treasurer has been intriguing
to say the least. I had to learn many things as I went along. I
am in the process of setting up a new Quick Book Program,
but it seems to be taking a lot of time and I am hoping to have
this done by the first of the year. The Financial Committee is
still working hard for you. We have lost two members of the
--
to your club is endless and when you see him please thank
him for his work behind the scenes.
- Gary Wipperfurth, Treasurer
American Cancer Society Relay for Life
2012 FIGHT CANCER CLAYS SHOOT.
by Paul Friesen
On Saturday, April 7, 2012,
SPT&S held a Fight Cancer
Clays Shoot as part of the
southern Wisconsin Relay for
Life effort sponsored by the
American Cancer Society. This
charity shoot, which involved both trap and skeet events,
raised a total of $2,034.81 for the Sauk-Prairie Branch of
the American Cancer Society. These funds were donated
for cancer patient care in the Sauk-Prairie community and
contributed towards finding a cure for this dreaded disease
that has affected so many members of our Club and our
families. The all-day charity event gave the Club an important
opportunity to give back to the community.
Over the course of the whole day, 79 participants shot
in a total of 156 50-target events. This turnout was slightly
lower than last year – but was still the second best for the
last ten years at SPT&S. Thanks to the Club’s Board of
Directors, the Club offered the day’s targets at cost for the
event. One of the day’s highlights was the bake sale that
brought in several hundred dollars in additional contributions.
Thanks to Anna Friesen (organizer), Sarah McCormick, Barb
Lathrop, Mary Ann Wipperfurth and daughters Becky and
Wendy, Carol Felland, and many others who donated baked
goods and time for this worthy cause. Another highlight was
that nearly 50 shooters donated ALL of their winnings to the
same cause.
There were many excellent scores posted throughout
the day. In the regular 16-yard trap event, Jeff Benesh
and Anthony Snyder shot perfect 50’s and took home the
titles of Champ. Jack Duwe and Dave Mittlesteadt won the
handicap trap event with 48s. Austin Zech and Wyatt Mundt
took Champ and Runner-up in the youth trap event. In the
regular skeet event, Mark Reichow and Gary Wipperfurth
tied for CH with perfect 50’s. Gary Wehlage won the skeet
Doubles event with a near perfect 49. Paul Friesen won the
.410 event and took Runner-up in the Skeet-Trap event (trap
house targets shot from the skeet pads). Jeff Benesh won
the Trap-Skeet event with a score of 45 of 50 targets. Lastly,
Mark Reichow won the charity shoot-off event.
Please join us for another FIGHT CANCER Shoot at the
Club in 2013. We will raise money to cure this disease that
has affected nearly all of us. Cancer is the designation for
a group of more than 100 diseases. Untreated cancers can
cause serious illness and death. Half of all men and onethird of all women in the U.S. will develop cancer during their
lifetimes. Today, millions of people are living with cancer.
The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced
by changes in a person’s lifestyle, for example, by quitting
smoking, limiting time in the sun, being physically active,
and eating a better diet. For more information about cancer,
The SPT&S Clubhouse was busy with registered trap and skeet competitions this past summer. Member target keys are purchased here.
Thank you to Heidi who has run the clubhouse for several years now.
its detection, and treatments, contact the American Cancer
Society anytime, day or night at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit
www.cancer.org. Join together to Fight Back.
- Paul Friesen, Organizer
SCHOLASTIC YOUTH SHOOTERS
Each year, our Club helps sponsor a team of youth
shooters, consisting of kids from around our area. These
youngsters participate in the ATA’s AIM Program (Academics,
Integrity, and Marksmanship). Our Youth Team had a great
year, as described here by Coach Mike Bradley. Thanks to
the coaches and parents, who support and encourage these
young shooters. To obtain more information about the AIM
Program, go to: www.aim4ata.com. – The Editor
Sauk County Youth Shooting Team:
2012 Year-in-Review
by Mike Bradley
This past year the youth shooting
program had some pretty big changes
from previous years.
We added
several new shooters to replace our
graduating shooters. We were 26
strong for most of the year. Practice started early in March,
which is the same as in past years. We approached the
start of season the same way and devoted the first two
practices to just the new kids. This allowed the coaches to
work with the kids on a more individual basis and get them
started properly; after that, all the kids attended the Saturday
morning practices to get in shape. The program saw a big
change this past year by adding skeet and sporting clays.
The program became much more involved in the Scholastic
Clay Target Program (SCTP). This year along with trap,
several of our shooters participated in skeet and sporting
clays. The SCTP promotes all three shotgun disciplines the skeet and sporting clays programs have really become
popular with the kids. We think this is a great program and
helps promote all of the shotgun sports we enjoy.
If you recall from last year’s newsletter, I mentioned that
we were working on our practice room located in the shed
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The Sauk-Prairie Youth Team and Coaches at the 2012 Grand American at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL.
this past winter. The room is now complete and we will be
starting a practice league this winter for the kids to help keep
them in shape going into 2013. If you haven’t had a chance
to take a look, grab a coach and they can show you how it
turned out. I would like to give a big thank you to the guys
who gave their time to this project. We have some pretty
talented carpenters and HVAC guys that helped make this
a great success! I would like to extend a special thank you
to Doug Gebhardt, Scott Hinz, Tim Theide, and Tim Weinke
for their talents.
With new added shooting disciplines the program needed
new coaches to help with the new sports. Anthony Snyder
coached our sporting clays team this past year. We also need
additional coaches for the skeet program. Mike Kukawica
and Doug Stebbins helped out and coached the kids. The
next time you see the guys tell them thank you, they did a
great job!
We had a very busy shoot schedule this year. We started
with the Platteville Invitational trap shoot in April held at the
Potosi Gun Club. This was a great shoot to get us started
with several individual winners from Sauk. We then attended
the Burlington Invitational SCTP trap shoot. Over 400 kids
participated from all over southern and southwest Wisconsin.
One of our teams tied for fifth place in the intermediate
category. We then participated in the Memorial 400; all
of the kids shot either 100 or the full 200 singles. This is
one of Sauk’s larger shoots and we used all 8 trap fields to
get the shooters through. Our youth team provides the line
help for this shoot. The SCTP State Trap Shoot was held in
Waukesha, WI. There were 550 shooters that participated in
the shoot. Our kids did very well collecting a team trophy
and several individual trophies. Here are the results: Senior
Varsity: 3rd place - Aaren Weinke, Cohlmann Hinz, Ryder
Klemm, Logan Diehl, and Tyler Thiede. Individual Senior
Varsity: 3rd - Aaren Weinke, 5th - Cohlmann Hinz, and Class
A: 2nd - Aaren Weinke, and 4th place - Cohlmann Hinz.
We were also represented at the SCTP State Skeet
Shooting Championships. There were 63 shooters from
around the state who participated at the shoot held at the
Waukesha Gun Club. This shoot will be held here at Sauk
in 2013. Here are the results: Senior JV: 2nd place Hans
Tollakson, Zach Niemi and Tyler Thiede, Class A: 4th Hans Tollackson, 7th – Zach Niemi, Class B: 1st - Tanner
Thiede, Class D: 1st - Andrew Perry. We also had shooters
participate in the SCTP State Sporting Clays Shoot held at
Wern Valley. The shoot was well attended with 80 shooters
from Wisconsin schools and clubs participating. Here are
the results: Senior JV 5th place - Andrew Perry, Zach Niemi,
and Clinton Checky, Individual Intermediate Advanced: 2nd
place - Andrew Perry, Class E: 1st Place - Clinton Checky.
We also participated in the AIM State Shoot that was held
in concurrence with our State Single Championships in
Waukesha. All the kids and coaches were color coordinated
in their in Sauk Shooting Shirts so we were easy to spot
along with our entourage of brothers, sisters and parents.
Again, our kids shot very well and several kids placed for
the first time in their shooting careers. Here are the results:
Sub Jr: 1st Place - Andrew Perry, Christina Atwell, Matt
Bradley, Hans Tollakson, and Tyler Thiede, Individual Sub
Jr. Women’s 1st place - Christina Atwell, and Individual Pre
Sub 1st place - Martin Perry. Congratulations to all!
--
Sauk Youth Shooters and Coaches: Winners & Trophies at the 2012
Grand American Trap Shooting Championships in Sparta, IL.
Sauk Youth Team: 2012 AIM State Shoot in Waukesha, WI
We capped off our season with our annual trip to the
Grand American Trapshooting Championships in Sparta,
Ill. We had a great time again this year. We held our third
annual wing-ding party to officially kick off the AIM event.
The weather was great this year - you could sit outside your
camper and talk. The Grand is also a great place to go
shopping to fill your shooting bag with all those little items
we all need, or for some to buy a new shotgun. Sauk was
able to put together four full teams this year: one Pre-Sub
team, two Sub-Junior teams, and one Junior team. The AIM
Championships were held two days prior the official start of
the Grand. Event coordinators felt that the kids should have
their own events and not mix in with the Grand American
Events. They set up a Carnival atmosphere with numerous
side events in which the kids could participate, including rifle
and pistol shooting events, doubles trap, handicap trap, 28
gauge events, and the most popular, Snooker. Several Kids
placed in these events and all had a great time participating
in them - even some coaches did all right. The AIM National
Championship had nearly 900 kids participating; this was
down from the previous year mostly due to holding the event
on Monday and Tuesday and not a weekend. Tyler and
Tanner Thiede shot the Snooker well enough to get into the
shoot offs! All of the Sauk kids and parents were on hand
to cheer them on. Tyler took second in his category and
Tanner took first in his category. Great shooting guys! You
can log onto the AIM website to see all the results yourself
at www.shootata.com/aim/content/grand_championships_
2012.html. I am sure I missed many other youth shooters
and their awards this past year and I apologize.
In October, we all gathered at the Delton Sportsman’s
Club. All the kids, parents, and coaches were invited to
shoot 5-stand, trap, and enjoy a great meal. This is the
time that the coaches get to hand out year-end awards to
the kids. The coaches base the awards on the mandatory
shoots and choose a high gun, runner-up and most improved
in each category. The competition is tough - many places
are decided by only one bird. You can check out our “Brag
Board” located on the west side of the main doors of the
clubhouse for pictures of the winners.
A big thanks to the coaches: Fritz Thistle, Anthony Snyder,
June Snyder, Mike Bradley, Vic Whalen, Jessica Whalen,
Ryan Schwartz, Mike Kukawica, and Doug Stebbins. These
people put in a lot of time to make this youth program a
success. Also a big thank you to the parents - without your
support we could not get the kids to the shoots nor keep
track of them. Again thanks to the club members for all your
continued support and you can be very proud of the kids on
the Sauk County Youth Shooting Team. We will be out there
next year competing hard - so practice, practice, practice!
- Mike Bradley, Youth Coach
Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet’s
ANNUAL GUN SHOW
February 2 and 3, 2013
Saturday & Sunday
8 AM-5 PM
8 AM-3 PM
Sauk City
Community Center
730 Monroe Street
Sauk City, WI 53583
Table reservations are
now being taken!
CONTACT:
AL LATHROP
Call
608-220-5423 (cell)
Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet Club’s
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
will be held
Saturday - January 5, 2013
The meeting starts promptly at 1 PM
Sauk Youth Team: 2012 Youth Awards Banquet winners
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2012 SKEET COMPETITIONS
By Paul Friesen
It was another busy year for skeet competitions at SPT&S.
The Club hosted eight different skeet shoots, including the
2012 Wisconsin State Tournament, and threw nearly 51,000
skeet targets in these competitions (compared to 34,000
targets the previous year). Thank you to Gary Wipperfurth,
Henry Duwe, Elise Meyers, Beth Maginnis, Tom Maginnis,
Bob Hutter, Bill Lensch, Bob St. Clair, Jack Duwe, Rick Berry,
Lee Thomas, Doug Stebbins, Al Lathrop, and club manager
Heidi Salazar, among others for helping me organize and
run these shoots throughout the year.
Winter Skeet Fun Shoots: The 2012 skeet season started
in the winter with the Club’s Saturday skeet fun shoots.
Despite the weather, each SPT&S fun shoot averaged about
20 competitors. The winter program consisted of 50-target
events of ANY GAUGE, including regular skeet and doubles
skeet, and a .410 only skeet event. Novice shooters were
also invited and plenty of skeet instruction was available.
Usually several perfect 50’s were shot at each competition
despite the winds and slippery footing. Several of the 2012
event winners and runner-ups included: Chip Felland, Mark
Reichow, Doug Stebbins, Jack Duwe, Gary Wehlage, Bob St.
Clair, Dan Bubolz, Jeff Varney, Jeff Renk, Gary Wipperfurth,
and Paul Friesen. The final scores and results of each
competition are emailed to each of the shooters and posted
on the Club’s website.
Winter skeet shoots have already begun for this year
– see the accompanying schedule and be sure to check the
web site (www.sauktrapandskt.com) for updates and details.
Henry Duwe is the chief organizer this year. Lunch and
snow shovels will be available. Lewis Class prizes will be
awarded. Fresh donuts, hot coffee, and good friends will
welcome you on the skeet fields.
Registered Skeet Shoots: In 2012, the Club hosted
four registered skeet shoots: the 5x50 Milt McPike Spring
Memorial, the 5x50 Bald Eaglet, the 5x100 Bald Eagle,
and the 5x100 Wisconsin State Championships. Our first
competition was the 4th Annual Milt McPike Spring Opener
on Saturday, April 28 to honor Milt, a longtime skeet enthusiast
and SPT&S member who passed away from cancer several
years back. Fourteen shooters participated in 64 total 50target events. Importantly, 13 of the 14 shooters donated
their purse winnings to the American Cancer Society in honor
of Milt, which raised almost $600 for the cause and was
record high for this competition. SPT&S members Henry
Duwe (20G, 28G, .410 events) and Gary Wehlage (Doubles)
were Champs in several of the 50-target events. With his
perfect 50/50, out-of-town shooter Woody Niles won the 12G
event, which was his first CH victory as a registered shooter!
When all the scores were tallied, Club member Henry Duwe
Glen Hall, Jerry Van Pelt, Jim Jensen, and Woody Niles shoot Station 7
during the 2012 WI State Tournament. Elise Meyers scored.
(now at the University of Illinois) was top gun, his second
victory in consecutive years. Henry won the High Over All
Award with a 197/200 and the High All Around award with a
score of 241/250. The shoot was a fitting way to remember
Milt and to contribute financially to others who face cancer.
Next, SPT&S hosted the 5x50 Bald Eaglet Skeet Shoot
on Saturday, June 2. On this early spring day, 26 registered
skeet competitors entered 98 total events. This participation
was the best for the Bald Eaglet since it was introduced
six years ago at SPT&S. The popularity of the 5x50 style
program is growing due to its lower costs and one-day
commitment for shooters. The Club’s veteran shooter Gary
Wehlage won the 12G event, Henry Duwe won the Doubles
and .410 events and the HAA Award, and Gary Wipperfurth
won the 28G event along with the HOA Award. Good
shooting, gentlemen!
The annual 5x100 Bald Eagle Skeet Shoot (SaturdaySunday, July 28-29) hosted 29 competitors. A total of 10,000
targets were thrown, which is average for this shoot. We had
several newbies participate, including several new youth
shooters who were preparing for the WI State Tournament
to be held at our Club in August. Several perfect 100’s
were recorded that weekend. SPT&S member Jack Tans
won the 12G event with a 100. Gary Wipperfurth won the
28G events with a 99, and Paul Friesen won the Doubles
event with a 98. Jeff Varney of North Bristol Sportsmen’s
Club and Mike Peterson of Wausua Skeet & Trap won
HOA and HAA, respectively. The Club hosted dinner that
night for the Bald Eagle shooters and their families. As any
shoot organizer recognizes, hosting such a large two-day
competition requires a dedicated team of skilled pullers,
scorers, computer operators, and cooks. Thus, thank you to
all the skeet volunteers who helped at the Bald Eagle and all
of the other 2012 skeet shoots. You made this year’s skeet
season successful and safe.
--
- Paul Friesen
Competitors gather for the Saturday evening shoot-offs at the 2012
Wisconsin State Skeet Tournament.
2012 WISCONSIN STATE
SKEET CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Paul Friesen
The Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet Club of Prairie du Sac
hosted the 2012 Wisconsin State Skeet Championships on
Friday-Sunday, August 24-26. A total of sixty-one competitors
from the Badger State participated in this the last registered
skeet shoot for the season in Wisconsin. There were many
highlights for the tournament. As if special-ordered, near
perfect weather for the end of summer greeted shooters and
their families. Several first time champions were crowned,
including those in the 12G, Doubles, and .410 events, and a
record number of junior shooters competed in their first-ever
State Tournament. The much-improved junior attendance is
due in part to a strong and growing Scholastic Clay Target
Program in Wisconsin. Both are signs of good things to
come for the future of clay target shooting.
The 100-target Doubles event launched the tournament
on Friday afternoon. Sunny skies but stiff south winds
provided challenging target pairs. Nonetheless, Bruce Ramos
handled the bucking birds and fired a high score of 97 to win
his first WI State championship outright. After the shoot-offs
that evening, the Club donated a hat to Mr. Ramos, who
normally shoots without one, so that the skeet crowds could
recognize his title as Champ by filling it with holes. Collegiate
shooter Joey Schweppe took RU and WSSA President, Jack
Tans, took 3rd. Matt Riffe, Gary Wehlage, Paul Friesen, Pete
Lorge, Bob St. Clair, and Tony Maldonado won AA1, A1, B1,
C1, and D1 classes, respectively. SPT&S hosted an evening
mixer with food and refreshments that brought the first day’s
events to a close.
The 12G event started
early the next morning in
near perfect conditions.
Nervousness was abundant
as only two 100’s were
posted. In a two-way shootoff, Jeff Varney won the title
of CH while Mike Peterson
took RU.
Henry Duwe
outlasted several shooters
with 99’s and took 3rd place.
Joe Schweppe, Jeff Jensen,
Fred Marko, Scott Zabel,
Debra Marko, and junior
shooter Andy Korando won
AA1, A1, B1, C1, D1, and E1, Jack Tans, WSSA President, with
respectively. The 12G event his 2012 Wisconsin All-State First
Team Member plaque.
was the main competition
for the twelve junior shooters, who had been practicing all
summer for these 100 targets. When the smoke had cleared,
Andy Korando had won the Sub-Junior CH title and Tom
Dietz took the Junior Champ title. Shiny new trophies were
awarded to these two youngsters later that evening at the
Tournament Banquet along with a hardy round of applause.
Tyler Theide and Eddie Korando won RU for the Sub-Junior
and Junior shooters, respectively. Nice shooting lads and
welcome to skeet shooting in the Badger State!
Later that sunny afternoon, shooters once again got
down to work with their 7/8 oz-loads for the 20G event.
With another perfect 100, Mike Peterson took the title of
20G CH and was followed by RU Pete Lorge, and 3rd place
Gary Wipperfurth, President of SPT&S. Matt Riffe, Gary
Wehlage, Fred Marko, Jim Jensen, and Terry Loch won
AA1, A1, B1, C1, and D1 awards, respectively. The young
Deitz brothers, Tom and John, once again showed off their
shotgun prowess by winning the Junior and Sub-junior
20G CH titles, respectively. After the 12G and 20G shootoffs, competitors and families gathered for the Annual WI
Tournament banquet, featuring good-ol’ home barbeque by
Al Lathrop (SPT&S Vice President), Heidi Salazar, Tiffany
Atwell, and many other SPT&S volunteers. Thank you!
The WSSA annual meeting chaired by President Jack
Tans followed the banquet. Jack will begin his term as NSSA
Vice-president this fall – congratulations! At the meeting,
the WSSA board members were acknowledged and thanked
for their efforts this past year. The financial status of the
state’s skeet association was discussed – the association
was declared healthy. Nonetheless, the membership heartily
agreed that state fees should be lowered to $2.00 per 100-
2012 Wisconsin State Tournament Champions (left-right): Jeff Varney (12G CH), Mike Peterson (20G CH), Jim Decker (28G CH), Matt Riffe (.410
CH), Bruce Ramos (Doubles CH), Tom Dietz (Junior CH), and Andy Korando (Sub-Junior CH).
--
target event to counteract the
2013 increase in the same fees
required at the national level.
Next, trophies were handed
out for the Doubles, 12G, and
20G events, and State Team
honors were doled to wild
cheering and photos. Finally,
in recognition of service to
skeet shooting in Wisconsin,
the Bill Spear Awardee was
announced. Chosen by the
WSSA Board, the award
acknowledges the person who
best “personifies the goodwill,
SPT&S member Paul Friesen sportsmanship, and spirit” that
was selected as the recepient of the late Billy Spear showed in
the 2012 Bill Spear Skeet Award. his long skeet career. This
year, the honor went to Paul
Friesen, a long-time skeet organizer at SPT&S. During his
seven years as a skeet shooter, Friesen has run over 60
skeet competitions - half of these were registered NSSA
shoots. In addition, Paul and his SPT&S skeet helpers have
hosted multiple charity fun shoots to benefit the American
Cancer Society and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. After the
recognitions, the Annual Meeting concluded with a WSSAsponsored drawing for gifts to shooters and families.
On Sunday morning of the last day, 28G-event shooters
were greeted early on with donuts, leftover banquet cake, hot
coffee, partly sunny skies, and light winds. Three shooters
took advantage and ran 100 straight right away. Later in
the shootoffs, Green Bay sharpshooter Jim Decker emerged
as CH, Scott Zabel as RU, and Mike Peterson with 3rd. Mr.
Zabel had an outstanding shoot throughout the weekend.
Joe Schweppe, Henry Duwe, Craig Storm, Ken Schmirler,
and Larry Pentler won AA1, A1, B1, C1, and D1 awards,
respectively. After lunch the light winds held, and the 410
event commenced. Two 99s by Jeff Varney and Matt Riffe
topped the leader board. The end-of-the-day shoot-off would
decide a couple of firsts – the first State Title and the first .410
Event Title for one of these pros with their little-gun. The
battle raged and concluded with Matt winning his first ever
title as a Wisconsin State Champ and Jeff with his first .410
RU Award. Congratulations, gentlemen! Jeff Jensen took
3rd with his 98. Pete Lorge, Joe Schweppe, Mark Reichow,
Jim Jensen, and Charles Scroggins won AA1, A1, B1, C1,
and D1 awards, respectively.
The final shoot-offs decided several of the 2012 WI awards
for HOA and HAA. During the miss-and-out festivities, Mike
Peterson sat back and enjoyed the fun as a result of his outright
victories as HOA and HAA Champion. A regular member of
the Wausau Skeet & Trap Club, Mike had a great year of
high scores capped off by these two shooting achievements
and his 20G State Champ
trophy.
North Bristol
Sportsman Club shooters
Joe Schweppe and Jeff
Varney won HOA RU and
3rd Place. Phil Plesetz,
Mark Reichow, Craig
Storm, Jim Jensen, and
Terry Loch won AA1, A1,
B1, C1, and D1 awards
for HOA, respectively.
For HAA, Joe Schweppe
was RU and Matt Riffe
won 3rd Place.
Phil
Champions Terry Loch
Plesetz, Mark Reichow, Lady
and Deb Marko at the 2012 WisconScott Zabel, Jim Jensen, sin State Tournament at SPT&S.
and Tony Maldonado won
AA1, A1, B1, C1, and D1 awards for HAA, respectively.
Importantly, Terry Loch won the Lady’s Champ HOA Award
and Deb Marko won the Lady’s Champ HAA Award. After
the shoot-offs, the last of the State medals were handedout to the winners and the shooters drifted back home to
conclude registered skeet in Wisconsin for the year 2012.
The success of the Wisconsin State Tournament was
due in a large part to many SPT&S Club volunteers who
contributed their time and efforts to make this competition
safe and enjoyable. The organizers, Paul Friesen and Gary
Wipperfurth, wish to thank all who helped. These individuals
include Al Lathrop, Henry Duwe, Beth & Tom Maginnis, Bob
Hutter, Bill Lensch, Elise Myers, Rick Berry, who helped with
meals, shooter registration, and scoring. A special thanks to
Bob St. Clair for handling the 23,000 targets thrown, Seth &
Simon Patterson for skeet help. Thanks to Lee Thomas for
all the photography shown here and on the WSSA web site.
SPT&S member and tournament shooter Bob St. Clair and his helper
Seth Patterson (right to left) ran the fields and loaded targets throughout the tournament. THANKS to all the shoot volunteers.
--
2012 SAUK PRAIRIE TRAP LEAGUE
SPT&S Skeet Shooter Recognition
By Michail Kukawica
SPT&S shooters distinguished themselves on the skeet
field this year. In particular, long time member Bruce Ramos
won the 2012 State Championship in the Doubles Event.
This was his first State Skeet Title. Congratulations, Bruce!
Several club members also did well at the State Shoot. In
addition, five members of SPT&S earned positions on 2012
Wisconsin State Skeet Team, an honor that is based on
scores at registered shoots in 2011.
2012 WISCONSIN STATE SKEET
TEAM
Henry Duwe
Gary Wehlage
Jack Tans
Jack Duwe
Paul Friesen
– First Team
– First Team
– First Team
– Concurrent Team
– Concurrent Team
2012 WISCONSIN STATE TOURNAMENT
SPT&S Member Awards
Tyler Thiede – SubJunior RU
Tanner Thiede – SubJunior 4th
Bruce Ramos – Doubles Champion
Gary Wipperfurth – 20G, 3rd
Gary Wehlage – 20G, A1
Henry Duwe – 12G, 3rd; 28G, A1
Mark Reichow – HOA, A1
Bob St. Clair – Doubles, C1
Jack Tans – Doubles, 3rd
WINTER SKEET FUN SHOOTS:
It’s that time of year again – time for the winter skeet fun
shoots to begin! The next fun shoot will be held on Saturday,
January 19 at Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet, beginning at 10 AM.
Shooters of all shapes, sizes, and skill levels are welcome!
To obtain shoot details and the schedule, check out flyers in
the clubhouse, go to our club website: www.sauktrapandskt.
com, or contact Henry Duwe:
608-445-3210, hjduwe@gmail.com.
Saturday Schedule:
December 8
January 19
Hello fellow SPT&S shooters. On behalf
of Paul Johnson and myself, I would like to
thank all that participated in the summer trap
league. A special thanks goes to Tom Bader,
who for many years ran the summer league
so smoothly. Also, a special thank you to
Tim Thompson who did the Lewis Class payouts. This year
saw a strong participation in the first half with 14 teams. Jack
Duwe (a fine skeet shooter as well) garnered top gun honors
in the first half with a 380/400 with Dwight Fitzsimmons a
close second with a 373. Tyler Vertein finished a close third
with a 372. Several other shooters were close behind. Team
Pierce Sales & Service came away with a top team score of
1,785/2,000. Following Pierce sales were Luther Builders,
Butch’s Blasters, Spellman Monument, Madison Spring,
Mueller Sports Medicine, Who Cares, Pier Lake, Flight
Cancelled, Styles & Stitches, Young Guns, Modern Heating,
ROF, and Bear Clan Chips in descending order.
The second half of the season saw a drop off in teams
to a total of 10. There wasn’t much of a drop off in scores
though. Dwight Fitzsimmons took top gun honors this time
with a 382. The next highest score was also shot by Dwight
with a 375. Marilyn Sydow shot the third highest score with
a 371. Top team honors this time went to Team Madison
Spring with a fine team score of 1,766. Close behind was
Luther Builders with a 1,762, then Pierce Sales & Service
with a 1,761, and Butch’s Blasters with a 1,760. Now that’s
some close competition. Next in descending order came
Mueller Sports Medicine, Spellman Monument, Styles &
Stitches, Pier Lake, Modern Heating, and ROF.
Hopefully, next summer will have more league interest as
we need to support our gun club. I also ask that the many
skeet shooters at the club give trap league a try. Form a
team, and who knows, you might find a new passion. I, for
one, came from the skeet-shooting world. I shot skeet for
well over 20 years before I gave trap a try. Now I enjoy trap
just as much as skeet (some might say even more). So,
give it try. And you trap shooters should give skeet a try too.
We hope to see you all next spring and let’s see if we can’t
bring a few more teams in. Again, I want to thank all who
participated and helped.
- Michail Kukawica, Trap League Director
February 16
March 16
2013 Registered Skeet Shoots at
SPT&S*
5x50 Milt McPike Opener
5x50 Bald Eaglet
Wisconsin SCTP
Skeet Championships
5x100 Bald Eagle
RENEW YOUR
April 27, Saturday
June 1, Saturday
2013 ANNUAL SPT&S MEMBERSHIP
(membership forms in the Clubhouse)
June 29, Saturday
July 27-28, Sat.-Sun.
Membership
*Shoot dates are pending approval by the WSSA and
NSSA
- 10 -
$40.00
(includes spouse and dependent kids)
but have added a couple of extra shoots, including a Sunday
Marathon shoot, which has been quite requested the past
couple of years. There will only be one day May 26,2013 that
will be closed to open shooting because of a registered trap
shoot. Thanks again and I’ll see you on the line!
- Tim Thompson, ATA Shoot Director
Breaking News: Wisconsin Trapshooting Association
opens new home grounds
YEAR 2012 IN REVIEW - REGISTERED TRAP
By Tim Thompson
The year 2012 was kind of a mixed bag for registered
shooting at Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet. Our first two shoots,
the Mother’s Day shoot and the Memorial 400, were up in
attendance from the prior years. We threw 12,100 targets
on the Mother’s Day shoot and 23,500 on the Memorial
400 shoot, which compares with 11,900 and 20,000 of the
previous year. The Southwest Zone shoot, however, was
down quite a bit, which kind of surprised me as that is a
shoot that pretty much sells itself. The weather was good
(a bit windy) but the shoot was well run and I heard nothing
but compliments about our Club and the targets. We threw
only 46,500 targets over the two days and we usually throw
about 57,000 or so. We had our usual two Friday marathon
days and those were about as expected with 5,200 and
7,400 targets thrown. The second marathon was actually up
a bit from last year. This past year, we also dropped one of
our September shoots, so with only having one this year we
threw 7,800 targets that day.
Once again, I must thank each and every one of you who
helped out at our shoots this past year. The girls at the bar,
the Youth Group (who once again did a tremendous job at
the shoots they worked), Jan Vertein, Kathy Whalen, and
Deana Weinke in the office, Dwight Fitzsimmons and Tyler
Vertein for setting targets, Al Lathrop, Charlie Hilgendorf,
Dwight Fitzsimmons, Butch Frosch, and Steve & Ellie
Raisbeck for their work on making the grounds look so good
and equipment upkeep, Tina Atwell, who rounded up a group
of the Youth Shooters to run the scoring benches at our July
marathon, Mike Kukawica, Al Schmidt, Dennis Gervasi, Paul
Johnson, Dave Sandstrom, John Terre, Paul Mieden, Jeff
Vertein, and anyone else whose name I may have missed.
We also had a good deal of help during our Zone Shoot and
September shoot from shooters who are not even members
of the Club but came to shoot and are also handy on the
computer. I am certain I missed some names and for that I
am sorry. I try to start a list each year but just never seem to
keep it up to date. You know who you are! It is volunteers like
you who help to make this Club work to make it fun for all.
This upcoming year we do not have the SW Zone shoot
In July of 2013, the Wisconsin Trapshooting Association
(WTA) will be opening its new home grounds in the Town of
Rome, located south of Wisconsin Rapids. The new complex
will feature 30 trap fields with several being overlay trap/skeet
fields, an Olympic Bunker Style trap field, and over 200 full
hook-up camping sites (open to the public during the summer
months), a learning center, and many other features that will
be added over the years. This is a major undertaking by the
WTA and could not be done without membership help and
donations. At the time of this writing, half of the campsites
have been laid out and all 30 trap fields have the walkways
poured. Many needed items from gun racks, to benches, to
concrete walkways, to entire trap fields, have already been
donated by members of the WTA. More information on how
to donate (if you already have not) can be found on www.
wisconsintrapshooters.com. Our Club will be helping out the
first year by loaning the WTA up to four of our trap machines
for the State shoot. This will help to ensure that all 30 fields
will be in use for the entire shoot allowing for shorter days of
shooting for all. Many other clubs are also loaning machines
and/or making monetary donations for this project. The new
facility will be first-class and have a tremendous shooting
background across all the fields – plus, it will be centrally
located to help bring more in-state shooters and more from
other states. The facility is located about 10 miles south of
Wisconsin Rapids right off Highway 13.
- 11 -
New WI Trap location: Trap fields at the WTA homegrounds take
shape near Rome. WI. Courtesy of the WTA website (2012).
Jack Duwe, a long-time SPT&S member, was named to the 2012 ATA
All American Veteran’s Team. Great shooting, Jack!
Breaking News: SPT&S Trap Shooter Recognition
Jack Duwe was just named to the Amateur Trapshooting
Association’s All American Veteran’s (Second) Team.
Congratulations on an outstanding year of shooting, Jack!
2012 WISCONSIN STATE TRAP TEAM
Jack Duwe – Captain, Veteran Team
Cody Sandstrom – Captain, Junior Team
Dwight Fitzsimmons – Men’s Team, Doubles High Average
Jonathon Denman – Men’s Team
Kraig Knudson – Men’s Team
Ellen Raisbeck – Women’s Team
Austin Zech – Junior Team
Tyler Thiede – Junior Team
Cody Sandstrom: Wy Moser Intro 100 Singles, Jr. Champ,
Waukesha Gun Club Doubles, Jr. Champ, WTA Hall of Fame
Handicap, Jr. Champ., President’s Handicap, Jr. Champ,
Wisconsin Doubles Championship, Jr. Runner-up, High All
Around, Jr. Champ, High Over All, Jr. Champ.
Ryan Schwartz: WTA Hall of Fame Handicap, Jr. Gold
Champ, President’s Handicap, Jr. Gold Champ., Kolar Arms
Preliminary Handicap, Jr. Gold Champ.,
Marilen Sydow: Kolar Arms Preliminary Handicap, Senior
Vet Champ.
Tyler Vertein: Adams Engineering Doubles Class
Championship, Open Jr. Gold Champ, Direct Drive
Express WTA Youth Program Singles, Jr. Gold Champ.,
President’s Handicap, Open Jr. Gold Champ., Singles Class
Championship, Jr. Gold Champ. High Over All, Jr. Gold
Champ.
Aaren Weinke: Wisconsin Doubles Championship, Class B
Champ.
Austin Zech: Singles Class Championship, Jr. Champ.
Nice shooting! Congratulations to all shooters on your
accomplishments and best of luck in the upcoming 2013
season!
- Tim Thompson, ATA Shoot Director
2012 Wisconsin State Trap Shoot
SPT&S Member Awards
The 113th Annual Wisconsin State Trap shoot was held on
the grounds of Waukesha Gun Club July 17th to the 22nd.
This was the 62nd and last time the State Shoot will be held
at Waukesha as it will be moving in 2013 (see above article).
Many members of Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet collected
trophies at the shoot as listed below:
Tim Curtin: Singles Class Championship, Zone Champion
of Champions Runner-Up Champ, Kolar Arms Preliminary
Handicap, 26-27 yd. Champ.
Logan Diehl: D.G. Taylor Handicap, Junior Champ,
President’s Handicap, 22-23 yd. Champ, Wisconsin Doubles
Championship, Class D Champ, High Over All, Class D
Champ.
Jack Duwe: Singles Class Championship, Open Vet
Champ.
Dwight Fitzsimmons: Wisconsin Doubles Championship,
Class AA Runner-up, High All Around, Runner-up
Kraig Knudson: Wisconsin Doubles Championship, Class C
Champ.
Dave Middlestadt: Wisconsin Doubles Championship, SubVet Champ.
Ellie Raisbeck: Wisconsin Singles Championship, Lady I
Champ. (Ellie also had her 1st 100 straight in this Event!)
The 2012 WTA State Trap Tournament was hosted by the Waukesha
Gun Club for the last time. See SPT&S member awards list above.
Photo by Paul Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (by permission).
WINTER TRAP SHOOTS:
Looking to shoot competitive trap this winter? Try out the
Quad County Chain Shoots. These jackpot shoots travel
between local gun clubs, including our own, all winter. To
obtain shoot details and the schedule, CLICK HERE
- 12 -
the consequences of their actions. All shooters at SPT&S
must know and practice the rules of firearm safety. It
is important to read and review these safety rules with your
kids, spouse, and every friend who accompanies you to
the trap or skeet field. Remember - most accidents occur
among the shooting party itself. Let’s work hard to have a
safe year.
SPT&S RANGE RULES
Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe
direction and down range. Never point
your gun at anyone, even when unloaded.
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to
shoot.
You must prove that your gun is empty
by carrying it open and visible to others
at all times.
SPT&S Web Site
SPT&S member Sandy Connery runs our Club’s web
site, which provides up-to-date Club hours, shoot schedules,
shoot results, and other important information. Go to: www.
sauktrapandskt.com. Thank you to Sandy for your efforts on
behalf of SPT&S!
No gun shall be loaded until the shooter
is standing on the shooting pad. Guns
MUST BE unloaded when moving from
station to station.
Youth Education
ONLY load one shell at a time, unless shooting a pair of
targets (doubles).
For the past several years, the Outdoors Pursuit Class
taught at Madison’s East High has traveled to our Club to
learn firearm safety and shooting skills. Lee Thomas and
Milt McPike, who were principals at East High, started this
longstanding tradition. This year, the class excursion took
place in October. A group of dedicated adults from our Club
volunteered to help once again. Thanks, guys! One of the
most important goals of SPT&S is to “provide opportunities
for education, training, and mentoring of youth and adults
in the safe, ethical, and responsible use of firearms for
competition, recreation, and hunting.”
SAFETY ON THE SHOTGUN RANGE
There is nothing more important
on the shooting range than firearm
safety. Unfortunately, it is too easy
to take gun safety for granted even
by the most experienced shooters.
Violations occur because the gun
handler just was not thinking about
Open your gun and remove fired (or unfired) shells
before moving to the next station.
ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger
until ready to fire.
Know your target and what is beyond.
Know how to operate the gun and use
it safely.
Eye protection and ear protection are
required for all shooters and observers
- NO EXCEPTIONS
If you have a misfire or gun malfunction,
keep your gun pointed down range for
10 seconds before opening.
Check your gun for barrel obstruction prior to each use
and after each low report.
- 13 -
Use only the correct ammunition for your gun. Keep
ammunition of different gauges separate.
Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
Regular cleaning is required.
All juniors must be supervised by an
adult who knows how to safely handle
the gun.
NEVER walk out to the trap house without checking for
shooters who may be firing in your direction from an
adjacent skeet field.
Help out a new shooter by politely reminding them or
instructing them about range safety.
Report any and all safety violations to the club
manager.
A special thanks to Lee Thomas, a long-time SPT&S member, for many
of the outstanding photographs included in this Annual Newsletter.
Adventures of SPT&S Members
Chukar hunting in Idaho
Why I started shooting skeet
By Paul Friesen
Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet’s
ANNUAL GUN SHOW
February 2 and 3, 2013
Saturday & Sunday
8 AM-5 PM
8 AM-3 PM
Sauk City
Community Center
730 Monroe Street
Sauk City, WI 53583
Table reservations are
now being taken!
CONTACT:
AL LATHROP
Call
608-220-5423 (cell)
During my years as a member
of SPT&S, I have shot just a “few”
(meaning many if my wife is out of
ear shot) rounds of skeet in all kinds
of weather. When practicing with
newcomers on weekends, I am often
asked why I prefer skeet to trap or
even golf. The answer is simple,
“Salmon River chukar - they have embarrassed me in front
of my dog.” Without a doubt the wily cliff-loving, wilderness
bird known as the chukar partridge presents one of the most
challenging and often frustrating shots to master in all of
upland game hunting. Yet, the magnificently wild and scenic
habitats that these trophy birds call home make the chase
all worth while and continue to call me back with my dogs. I
have found that skeet is one of the best ways to improve my
wing shooting skills and thus promote the mental well being
of my bird dogs.
I fell victim to the obsession called chukar hunting because
of Art Rourke, Professor and Chair of the Biology Department
at the University of Idaho, who took me under his wing when
I was a new faculty there in the late 80’s. I have never met a
scholar, teacher, and friend more passionate about chasing
birds with his prize dogs than Art. His enthusiasm for chukar
and wild places was infectious – and I still cherish my days
in the field with him. It seems like only yesterday that Art and
his black lab Mack would pull into our driveway in their pickup
truck well before light for the day’s expedition. Indeed, we
tried to wear out our boots almost every weekend during
upland season in Idaho. Usually, we climbed the canyons
of the Clearwater or Snake River, the later appropriately
named Hell’s Canyon. Art knew these areas well and the
habits of the birds, which were abundant in those years. The
Chukar partridge, with its elegant sidebars and eye mask,
was introduced from Asia in the 1930s into Idaho where it
- 14 -
Zach & Mack pose high on a Salmon River chukar hill in 1988.
has thrived in the arid canyon country on the western side of
the Gem State. It was not unusual for us to find 5 to 7 coveys
per hunt. Nonetheless, we had to work hard for our quarry,
which elevated the bird to trophy status. We often climbed
more than 5,000 feet on a hunt, up and down the canyons,
and put on more than 10 miles per day. Moreover, a chukar
enthusiast should not be faint-of-heart. To find birds, you’ll
need to edge along steep drop-offs where a single misstep
would spell disaster for the stock of one’s favorite gun or
worse yet one’s own bones. Simple survival required being
in excellent physical condition – Art rode his bike every
weekday for 30 some miles and I ran 5 miles a night and
biked on alternate days. And yet, it was all worth the pain!
My enthusiasm for Idaho’s uplands skyrocketed when
our first Brittany pup, Zachariah, came to live with my wife
Anna and I at 6 weeks of age. Zach was born to Ripp and
Rhapsody, two Brittany spaniel field champions raised by
Nancy and John Hultquist near our home in Moscow. Zach
was a natural – he was pointing at 8 weeks, retrieving on
command by 12 weeks, and found his first covey of wild
chukar by 6 months. We trained hard and often by using
live pigeons and sometimes wild birds that inhabited the
Palouse wheat fields only 200 yards from our home on the
edge of town. On his first hunt in Hell’s Canyon at one yearof-age, Zach pointed a large covey of Hungarian partridge
and retrieved both birds that I had dropped with a single
shot – my first ever. That afternoon, I crippled a lone chukar
that flew around a bend of the Snake River and out-of-sight.
Young Zach chased – after 15 minutes, he came back with
that prize bird in his mouth. I knew then that we were ready
for the “big time.”
Hunting in Idaho’s pristine wilderness is what I considered
to be the big time. I wanted to hunt country where I wouldn’t
see another soul and where there would be no empty hulls,
discarded water bottles, or tire tracks. I also desired scenery
that would take one’s breath away in more than one way.
Importantly, I wanted to hunt where the birds had never seen
a shotgun and thus would be easy pickings – or so I thought.
All of that meant traveling down to the Salmon River adjacent
to the roadless Frank Church Wilderness of No Return in
central Idaho. And so Art and I and our dogs did so many
times. Here is the story of one of those unforgettable trips
– one that taught me to practice the difficult shots on the
skeet range, not just the easy ones, as often as possible.
Well before dawn on a clear, 40-degree day in early
November, Zach and I loaded up and drove south from
Moscow. Because of other commitments, Art wasn’t able
to join us – so I was charged with scouting out a new wild
area to hunt together later. A 2½ hour trip on infamous Hwy
95, past Lewiston, Fenn, and Grangeville, brought us to the
Idaho Salmon River breaks with its plunging canyons, steep
rock cliffs, amazing vistas, and wild white-water river winding
through it all. We parked next to the river at the very end
of a 3-mile dirt trail that was owned by the federal Bureau
of Land Management and thus open to the public. I was
grateful for the 4-wheel drive of my Subaru. The battle plans
were to hike the narrow riverside footpath downstream for
several miles to get away from any signs of civilization and
then comb the steep hillsides for “easy pickings” chukar the
whole day. Using my knapsack, I packed in my canteens,
lunch, camera, and energy bars for Zach. I grabbed my
trusty Remington 870 and a box of 12G 1-1/4 oz. 7½s, and
then we headed down the path. I chuckled to myself that 25
shells would be overkill. Because the Idaho limit on chukar
was eight, we’d be back with plenty of ammo to spare ....
About two miles downstream, we started climbing up
towards the river canyon rim. It was a steep 30-degree grade
on a deer trail – probably one used by mule deer, which lived
there. After gaining only ~1,000 feet, I was surprised when a
pair of chukar flushed wild right in front of us. I dropped the
one going straight way and we had our first bird of the day
at 10 AM – a good start. We next crossed a deep ravine,
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Zach & the author pose on a typical Salmon River hillside with a
hard-earned trophy. Photo courtesy of Arthur Rourke, 1988.
climbed out onto a relatively flat bench of waving cheat grass.
It looked promising and within minutes Zach locked in on a
patch of heavier cover right next to the edge of the main cliff.
I admit that Zach had many memorable points in his storied
career – but this one in particular is permanently etched in
my mind. He stood there in bright yellow grass silhouetted
against the blue Idaho sky with the dark ribbon of the Salmon
River a thousand feet below - a setting appropriate for true
wilderness. The icing on the cake was the large covey of
25 chukar that flushed just as I stepped forward. They rose
simultaneously and dove over the cliff to disappear - but
I had time for a quick instinctive shot. Zach followed the
puff of feathers down over the modest cliff, found the large,
wild trophy below us, and retrieved it to hand – the perfect
sequence for brittany and upland hunter. We continued to
scout for new birds. Just 200 yards further on, while I was
in a large patch of head-high sumac, another covey flushed
– I picked out a hole in the brilliantly colored brush, swung
hard on a bird, and dropped him. It was a simple retrieve for
Zach. Three for three – this was going to be too easy ….
I suspected that some of those birds had flown around
the nearby cliff face and spread out on the hillside about
500 yards away. When we reached the 45-degree slope
covered with typical canyon grass, Zach got birdie – the
breeze was rising up from the river valley to meet us. He
stopped on point facing downhill. When I approached from
above, a single bird flushed well below me in what looked
like a straight away downhill shot. I pulled the trigger – but
the bird kept going – another shot, and then another with
the same result. “Hmmm … I must had a poor gun mount
on that one. OK, shake it off.” Zach soon located another
bird on the downhill side again - the flush, two shots, but no
need for a retrieve. After the third point on that hillside, Zach
just rolled his eyes as more missed shots echoed down the
canyon.
I had no idea of where I was on those shots. In retrospect,
having watched the same phenomenon for other hunters, I
now know that despite their appearance, a chukar rarely flies
straight – when diving off a hill, it curls sharply downward to
gain speed. It presents a shot much like a “high one” skeet
target in which a strong tail wind causes the clay to dive to
the ground near center stake – thus, it is likely that the shot
will be missed well over the target. The bead must be below
the target and the barrel must follow it downward after the
shot – a difficult lesson to master while tipping over on a
precarious incline chasing these canyon birds.
Finally, I caught a break. The fourth bird flushed 40 yards
above me. I got the barrel ahead of the diving rocket and
folded him. Its momentum carried it 100 yards down the
hillside. Nonetheless, Zach tracked it and made the retrieve
amidst a field of boulders that caught the bird before rolling
clear to the river. It was time to rest. We were near a small
spring-fed stream that plunged down to the Salmon, so we
stopped for lunch. The cold, clear water was good for Zach
and the cool shade was good for me – climbing for chukar
generates plenty of body heat.
After lunch, we began climbing again and another
opportunity for frustration presented itself. I had lost sight of
Zach as we neared the ridge-top above our lunch site. As
I came around some rocks, there he stood on point with a
lone chukar perched on a large boulder no more than 20 feet
away and at the very pinnacle of the ridge. What a sight! I
slowed down to catch my breath, then eased forward. Not
just the one bird, but the whole ridge-top erupted with wings.
As each chukar took flight, they plunged over the edge, and
accelerated down the steep hillside. As I was already on top,
every shot was straight downhill, either left or right. When
the flurry was over, I counted five smoking 12G empties and
only one bird to show for them. Clearly, I was still clueless
on how to handle these descending fowl. To make matters
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worse, several of the escaping birds chuckled at me (the
famous chukar laugh) as they flew on to the next canyon and
beyond. All was not lost, however. After Zach retrieved the
only bird harvested from that covey, he posed for me near
the very boulder used as the perch - with the spectacular
Salmon River canyon in the background, that photo is one of
my all-time favorites from Idaho.
High on adrenaline, we searched the nearby hillsides in
vain for those laughing birds – at 3 PM, I admitted defeat.
Indeed, I would be out-of-shells and leg power if this
continued. So we found a helpful deer trail back down to the
river. The plan was to hunt at a lower elevation back towards
the trailhead where we had started in the morning. After
½ hour of comparatively easy walking just above the white
water, we reached a large outcropping with good cover on
either side. The evening breeze had switched and was now
blowing down to us from up on high.
Immediately, Zach got birdie and started climbing up the
cliff face. Despite my protesting legs, I knew I had to follow
him. About 20 yards up the 45-degree grade, Zach hit the
brakes on point. I took one more step and the rocks once
again erupted with ~15 birds, three to four at a time. Each
chukar launched right over my head and peeled off behind
me, going left or right. I did my best to maintain balance
while standing on that incline, and fired four desperation
shots – none connected. The perfect analogy is standing
one foot above the other on a ladder at skeet station eight
facing the High House and then shooting “high one” only
after it goes over your head. Totally frustrated, I called Zach
to heal and we both sat down to calm our nerves. Once
again despite my bird dog giving me plenty of advance
notice, these “easy pickings” birds had foiled me. I should
have been grateful for not tumbling down the mountainside
(falling off the ladder) during the flurry – but all I could think
about was that after walking all day I was shooting holes in
the cool evening air!
The setting sun told me that we needed to hasten our pace
back towards the vehicle. While planning how to bribe Zach
so he wouldn’t tell the neighbors what a poor shot I was, I
noticed his slow climb up another grassy slope Zach was in
great shape, so I thought he was just continuing his search
for birds. Several soft whistles failed to call him back. I then
realized that he had found my last chance for redemption.
About 50 yards above me, he
stopped – so I slowly climbed
to meet him. Still behind him,
I looked up and there 200
yards above on the ridge-top
was a magnificent 4-point (8point Wisconsin count) mule
deer buck fully silhouetted in
the fading light of the setting
sun - a very fitting scene in
such a wild place. I’ll never
forget my best dog on point
while that antlered beast
watched us from above.
Initially, I thought that Zach
was pointing the buck, but he
remained steady even after it
quietly disappeared from the
ridge. I released Zach and
he crept up another 30 yards
with his head held high to catch the downhill breeze. This
hop-skip was repeated twice more – then, when we were 200
yards above where we had started, Zach froze. I stepped in
front of him, and there in the thin grass a few paces ahead of
us, rose a large covey of Hungarian partridge – they broke
in all directions. My last two shells were in the gun – I fired
once at a rising bird and folded him. As I searched for a
second target, I had an epiphany. There was no need for
another bird - it wasn’t about the number of birds brought
back but rather the ability to participate in an age-old quest
for game in such a wild and beautiful setting. I lowered the
gun and watched with satisfaction as the covey disappeared
into the distance. Zach retrieved the beautiful auburnfeathered trophy and I accepted it gratefully. Indeed, I was
grateful for the day’s bounty. I felt honored to take home a
harvest from this part of heaven. I knew then that we had
just experienced a hunt that comes only once in a lifetime.
I realized that one’s attitude is everything. So I savored the
dark hike back to the Subaru and the long drive home.
Why to I shoot clay targets? Why do I practice odd
target sequences and difficult shots on the skeet field? The
answer is simple – I want to make my dogs proud and I want
to honor the birds I chase.
– Paul Friesen
Editor’s Note: A special thanks to all members who
contributed articles and to Jack Duwe who proofread this
issue of the SPT&S Newsletter. It is important to know that
the Club safeguards your right to enjoy the shooting sports –
but the Club NEEDS your participation and support. Happy
Holidays and practice safe shooting!
The Editor -
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Paul Friesen
Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet Club
E11102 Sauk Prairie Rd.
Prairie du Sac, WI 53578
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