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Shooting for Hunters for the Hungry

October 2, 2009 By Tom Sadler

I took the occasion of a lovely fall day this past Sunday to shoot in the Hunters for the Hungry benefit shoot. I am delighted we are getting some rain here in the Valley, but the break in the weather was

The shoot took place at Flying Rabbit Sporting Clays in Mt. Crawford. It was a fun shoot with 113 shooters competing on the 100-target course.

Congratulations go to Glen Tharp, Russ Ringler, T.R. Whetzel, Jeff Smith and Nathan Mongold. Each one had the high score in their class. Tharp was high scorer overall breaking 94 of 100 targets. The winner in the long bird shoot was Waynesboro’s own Watson Lewis.

Hunters for the Hungry is one of those programs that can really make a difference to people in need. In these times of economic hardship for so many people, the generosity of hunters who share the bounty of their time afield is especially important.

Professional meat processors across the state, including a half a dozen here in the Valley, cut, wrap and freeze the meat for distribution. In 2008 food banks, church groups and the Salvation Army distributed more than 380,000 pounds of low-fat, high-protein meat to folks in need.

Those hunters who contribute some, or all, of the game they harvest are carrying on one of the proudest hunting traditions — sharing in the success of the hunt.

Too often these days hunting is seen as an out-dated pastime. Hunters are an important economic contributor to our local economy. Just as importantly, they are helping provide food that is both local and healthy —something we need to be doing more of.

In talking with the organizers of the event, John Alexander and Rick Hill, owners of Flying Rabbit, and Gary Arrington, special projects coordinator for Hunters for the Hungry, they all spoke of their appreciation for the support from the community, both financially and in the numbers of volunteers that made the event a success.

“The support from the community was 125 percent,” said Hill. Not 100 percent, 125 percent.”

The event attracted more than $10,000 in financial contributions as well as donated products and services. The volunteer support for the event was significant as well.

“We had over thirty volunteers from groups like the National Wild Turkey Federation, Quality Deer Management Association, Buckmasters as well as students from JMU,” said Alexander.

By the way, I shot a 68, respectable for me but not good enough to win a trophy.

The Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited elected new officers this past Saturday at the fall council meeting at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria.

Outgoing president John Ross presided over the election of Bill Pierce as the new president, James “Chubby” Damron as first vice president, Richard Landreth as vice president for education, Bob Rosenthal as vice president for policy and Jason McGarvey, as vice president for communications.

David Jones, Marcia Woolman and Jay Henderson were elected to the three at-large seats and I was elected as the council’s representative to TU’s National Leadership Council.

The council also congratulated Woolman and Ross for receiving awards at Trout Unlimited’s 50th anniversary banquet in August.

TU’s highest national award for volunteer leadership was awarded to Woolman, she is the first woman to earn the award. Ross was one of seven leaders to receive the organization’s Distinguished Service Award.

Whether you hunt or fish or just enjoy the great outdoors for its on sake, when you support a community event or join a group that is working for the future of the resource you are helping keep the hunting and fishing tradition alive for future generations.

You can read more of my columns at the News Virginian.com.

Some of the winners show off da hardware!
Some of the winners show off da hardware!
yours truly 'bout to put the hurt on some clays
yours truly 'bout to put the hurt on some clays

Sporting Clays in the Valley

February 20, 2009 By Tom Sadler

If you enjoy shooting a shotgun and want to get out and have some fun, here is some good news for you.

The Valley has a couple of great sporting clay courses where you can really enjoy yourself.

Sporting clays started in England, but really took off in the United States in the 1980s.

The targets are thrown by machines, called traps, and replicate the flight of game birds like pheasants, grouse and ducks. Good courses present these targets in natural surroundings. Each course is laid out in a series of shooting stations.

Each station offers the shooter a challenge similar to one you might find while out hunting and can test the limits of shooting ability. You might see targets crossing in front of you, going through openings in the trees, going over your head, coming toward you or running and bouncing along the ground.

This past weekend I had the chance to visit two operations, the Flying Rabbit in Mount Crawford and Quail Ridge in Lexington.

My good friend John Alexander and his partner Rick Hill took over the operation at the Flying Rabbit last year. The course is located on Route 11 about one-and-a-half miles north of Route 257.

Alexander and Hill started working on the improvements to the Flying Rabbit in November. They changed the layout, added new stations and modernized the course by adding all electronically controlled traps.

Unlike many courses using mechanical traps that require an operator to accompany the group, at Flying Rabbit each group of shooters is given an electronic device that allows them to throw the targets.

“We are most proud of our control box,” said Alexander. “You can throw your own targets and shoot at your own pace.”

They will be expanding the operation with plans for both a five-stand course and wobble trap setup. Alexander told me the five-stand should be ready by March.

Flying Rabbit is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until dark. They are open by appointment, Wednesdays through Fridays, call 574-2529. A round of 50 targets costs $20, a round of 100 targets costs $35. You can buy ammunition on site or bring your own.

There is a shooting league in the works and they have plans for fun shoots and tournaments as well.

Quail Ridge, open for sixteen years, is located at 336 Murat Road in Lexington. The sixteen-station course winds along a half-mile path along a wooded hillside.

All shooting is by appointment only so you need to call 463-1800 before you go. They are open from 9 a.m. until dusk Thursdays through Saturdays and noon until dusk on Sunday.

A round of 50 targets costs $20 a round of 100 targets is $30. You can buy ammunition on site and they have some basic accessories like glasses and hearing protection as well.

Quail Ridge is open to shooters of all ages.

“I started shooting trap competitively when I was 10 years old,” said Chris Salb, the owner of Quail Ridge. “There is no reason to stop youngsters from shooting.”

Quail Ridge hosts corporate events, charity shoots and tournaments.

Both operations offer instruction. If you are a bird or small game hunter and haven’t tried sporting clays, give it a try. If you just shoot trap or skeet, you may find sporting clays a welcome change of pace.

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