GREAT FALLS — The state trap shooting tournament begins Wednesday morning in Great Falls, but Tuesday at the shooting range just south of Ulm, a few amateurs took their best shots.
Members of the KRTV and KXLH news team were given guns and turned loose on some clay pigeons at media day to varying degrees of success. Come Wednesday morning, though, nearly 400 of the state’s best shooters will begin the annual competition, which returns to Great Falls on a four-year rotation with Billings, Missoula and Helena. Spectators are welcome to come watch, and Great Falls Trap and Skeet club president Mike Houseman says the draw of a trap shooting competition goes a lot further than just hitting target.
“You meet good friends, there’s a lot of people you only see them once a year,” he said. “People come from California, all over. So it’s mostly about the camaraderie. There’s different classes, we will have some AAA shooters, which is the highest class. And they shoot 100 targets in an event, and you will see quite a few hit 100 straight out here. And then they have to go to a shootout to determine who the winner is.”
Preliminary competition in doubles, singles and handicap begins Wednesday morning. The doubles championship will be held Friday with the singles and handicap titles determined Saturday and Sunday.
For more information and a full schedule for the 124th Annual Montana Trapshooting Tournament, click the link below.
