Great or influential trapshooting figure?

Anyone out there have a person that was a big influence on your shooting? Great time to give them a plug.

 

No one would remember mine-they're all dead!

 

Dawg's got nothing to say. Hah never thought that would happen. Tell us dawg.

 

I enjoyed reading Frank Little's articles in the late 80's early 90's about his sustained lead technique. Helped me shoot the hard angles. Dont have hard angles any more. Suppose it came from Frank's skeet background. I started out as a skeeter and found Frank's articles easy to read.

Without the hard angles I have become a spot shooter,not a better shooter.

 

Junior Atwood from the Harrison Gun Club in Cincinnati is who got me into this game in a big way. He taught me a lot. Also went to Leo's training and learned a lot more. Both of these people have kept me in the sport for over 25 years.

 

When I shot with Frank Little he told me I was a natural shooter and didn't need to attend most of his clinic. If he was still alive today he might have a different opinion. I guess you could say he was one I couldn't help but admire. Too bad he died much too soon!

 

I grew up with the great shooters in my time, I was a self taught shooter, I watched the ones I liked intently, like Britt Robinson, Larry Gravestock and Dan Orhlic I did shoot with them at Ohio State Shoot, When in Las Vegas I watched Dan Bonillas. I read all the articles I could on Trapshooting that gave great details.

I learned the options to play that were in my favor. you judge by what I mean by that. While in the Army I was on Shooting teams at various bases, mostly Rifle and Pistol, I held Expert Marksman on Rifle, and Pistol.

Trapshooting came natural to me, started with 10 bird events for Shot, Wads and Primers at Frank Banish Gun Club on US Route 62 just south of New Albany in 1967.

There were no clinics then that I knew of and I would not pay to enter one if there was. I started out as a 2 eye shooter and was fortunate that my Right eye was my master eye, and I never had a cross shooting problem.

I learned to FIT MY OWN GUNS, and I still use it today. Britt Robinson was the fastest Trapshooter in my Era, I shot fast, but not that fast.

Today most and I say most shooters shoot a gun that shoots to low for them, I would suggest they learn on an 80/20 POI. One of the most missed targets is the Straight-a-way, because they raise their head.

Camp Troy gun club had the best shooters for those Friday night shoots during the Ohio State Shoot and the Grand American, They did not win as much money as the Calcutta shooters from Ohio and Kentucky, I took a lot of money from Camp Troy, a lot of money. One year comes to mind that I I will never forget, that night, there were 2 50 straights, I was on first squad Leadoff, and my buddy Jerry Shockcor was on post 5, we broke the only 50s. That worked on all the other shooters minds, they knew they could not afford a miss, and I believe they tried to be more precise and it cost them.

Yours in Sport
Gary Bryant...................................Dr.longshot

 

"Junior Atwood" is a great example of why I hate the "ATA".

A very good shooter given yardage by mail for spite, and then forced to stay on the unearned 27 by a code. A great person who has given to the sport of Trapshooting while working to support a family. You would have to go a long way to find someone more willing to help new shooters or work at a local shoot.

Great job "ATA" ... yardage delivered with a postage stamp has stopped a great person and a very good shooter from being a threat to the Idols. And those who fail to see the harm of the "ATA's" actions, you will never understand.

Yes, "Junior Atwood" would be at the top of my list of a "great or influential trapshooting figure".

 

Gosh, so many....

Walter "Bob" Shay from my club in NY, The Canandaigua Sportsmen's Club. Bob was President in 1961, and hired me and a friend to set Trap and Skeet targets for the shooters. From that point on we remained friends until his death a few years ago. Bob get's the credit for my shotgun sports beginning.

Then there were two Canadians who I got to know when I shot with them at one of the NY State shoots...Since then we have remained great friends. These two have been a great influence on me..Terry Jordan and Bill Wylie

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Chris Vendel, a guy who would help anyone, and I was proud to be able to know him not only as a friend, but one who is a leader in the sport.

NOW, on the "Other Side" of the sport....HISTORY

If it weren't for Kenny Ray Estes, I would have never gotten into the wonderful world of Trapshooting history. Early on when Kenny Ray was the Delegate of New Jersey, I would sit and read his Delegates notes in T&F. I wrote and complimented him one time on his writings and NJ information, and we finally met at one of the North Eastern Grands. From that day forward, we have continued to share historical trap shooting findings, and remain good friends to this very day.

There you have my story...Thanks to all !

Dave

 

Back in the Mid to late 70's I started trap shooting as a kid. I met a guy who would frequent a league shoot that shot in the winters, at the small clubs on the outskirts of Portland Or.. We bought reloading supplies from Him, out of a van. He was not a real big guy, and talked with a rasp. Didn't talk much, as I think it hurt him too. His Name was Arnold Riegger. I'd say a guy that They poured an additional 2 yards of concrete for, (nation wide), to have handicap shoots, is probably an influential man in the sport. He treated Us kids well. Never did get to see Him shoot. A legend to Us.

 

I call him "Steve" and he gave me the name "Wadhopper" when coaching me.
First guy to throw me a bird and that was over 20 years ago. Recently back into the sport and he's on my squad every Friday.

 

Frank Ptak took me around to ATA shoots when I first started registered shooting. Jim Feathers (who is 97) took me around at my first Ohio State shoot to meet so many people that I couldn't understand how anyone could know that many shooters. My dad put a shotgun in my hands when I was 6 years old and drug me hunting with him when I was really to small to keep up.

I've met and known so many others, famous or infamous all and in no way can I write down who they all are. Brad

 

The man that stands out to me and I still remember him telling me, Ken these targets are not hard to hit , they are just easy to miss. He is
Herman Welsh of Downers Grove Il. Shot with him at the EMD General Motors Gun Club La Grange Il in the 70's.

 

I guess the most influential people would be the first ones that introduced us to Trap shooting. They got us "hooked".

Like most of us, in my case anyway, there were the shooters that we watched at the GRAND IN VANDALIA and wanted to break scores like they did.

At my second GRAND IN VANDALIA, the first one I shot for the entire week, this bunch was one of those squads.