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II IIIMII MMIMlM I
SCENES
AND SHOOTERS
AT Hit
LIVE MRDIUfCK
OF THE
MIPONTOUIHCLUd
PflAP SHOTS 5YA57AFFARTI5T
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Trap Shooting Not a Modern Pastime
BAP
P Bhootlng Is tbo outgrowth ot
the oldest sport known to man
with the exception ot IU Im-
medfato parent, the chaso. From
the carllcit recorded history como stor
le ot contests In innrkiiinnBhlp nnd
arms undor artificial conditions as tests
ot the skill ot thoso engaged. The hiero
glyphics ot ancient Assyria, Egypt and the
other early civilizations ot tho oast tell of
theso contests. No cllmo and no pooplo
has been stranger to them, Tho noarost
approach to tho modern shooting tourna
ment was the assemblago of tho Saxon
peasants In England whon they met at
tournaments to settle tho question of su
periority with tho (ong bow, while tbo
lords woro trying conclusions with tho
"gentleman's" weapons. It wns tho boast
of the export that ho could spilt a willow
wand with his arrowa at 100 paces and
Lacksley proved his boast before King John
and the haughty Norman nobleB at tho
tournament at Asaby.
Tbo old backwoodsman, whoso marksman
ship brought victory to American arms In
many a contest with tho Indians and over
whelmed Wellington's veterans at New
Orleans, was able to pick out tho eye of
n squirrel porched In tho top of tho tallest
tree und wherever this class met, at husk
ing boo or barnralslng, tho rifle was brought
along. When work was done and sports
commenced youngsters looked for tho rod
ear, but tho eldors shot at a tack head on
a target,
Tho sport which cultivates tho truo eye
and tho steady nervo has always boon
popular In somo form or other where men
worn strong and loved nature. Stories
could bo told of wondortul shots in tho
chase, but the proof of the boast came
whon all gathored In front ot the target.
With the advent of tho shotgun tho sport
wns changed In form, but not In principle.
For years tho tiup shooter confined himself
to live birds liberated from traps, but this
was necessarily expensive, not alwnys
prnctlcablo on account ot scarcity ot birds
and only a limited number could compete
at a tournament. For theso reasons only
a comparatively few ot the usors ot tho
shotgun over visited or shot over tho traps,
but couflned themselves to shooting In the
Hold.
The great popularity ot trap shooting
cume with the Invontlon of artificial tar
gots thrown from n spring-actuated trap,
which admitted ot rnpldlty of Are, no time
lost In retrlovlng "birds" nnd a great les
soning ot tho cost. Tho first efforts In this
Una were glass balls and artificial
"pigeons" made of tin. The tin pigeon was
novor very popular. In first cost It was ex
pensive, Its flight was not always certain
and every onco In a while somo ono would
ruin the tin bird with a doso of "fours,"
which disorganized Its "Insldcs."
Tho first really successful artificial tar
get was tho glass ball and In a short time
after Its Introduction not only cities but
ovory llttlo town had Its gun club, which
met regularly to pulvorlzo glass. It re
quired only a short tlmo for good marks
men to master the art of catching tho ball
at the zenith ot Its flight, making It prac
tlratly a still target, and when It became
too easy Invcntlvo genius dovclopetl an
other. Then came (no real progenitor of tho'
present "crockery" bird, tho Lngowskl clay
pigeon. Captain Dogardus, tho then cham
pion shot, and Dr. Carver were employed
to tour the country, give exhibitions and In
troduce the new target. Its flight was
similar to the present form ot artificial
targot, In fact llttlo change In form ot tbo
targot Itself bos been made. Its great
fault was a failure to break when hit In
many instances, and the method of fasten
ing It in the trap.
From the date ot the Introduction of tho
vnucer-sbaped target, with Its nearly hori
zontal flight, to tho present trap shooting
has grown steadily in favor. It has been
taken up as a sport independent ot field
shooting, instead of an Incident thereto,
and today thero aro many who shoot at tho
trap who never hunt or shoot In tho field
at nil, though, of course, tbo great ma
jority of trap shooters are not content to
abjuro tho delights of the field. They shoot
at tho trap for love of shooting and bo-
causo It Is n possibility many times whero
a trip to tho hunting grounds is not. It uf
fords tho opportunity of mingling with con
genial companj, and like all true sports
trains nnd strengthens useful faculties
the eyo and tho nervo, for to be a good shot
ono must havo a quick and accurate eye,
be ablo to think quick and havo absolute
control of both mental and physical facul
ties. Tho Introduction of a Berles of traps and
tho "walk-around" system has enabled a
large number of men to participate In
matches and with n big squad of shooters
everyone gets all the opportunity be de
sires tf burn powder.
Dotween the traps and the flold tho lover
of tho gun has no need In the present day
to suffer his gun to rust out In tho case,
for there is plenty ot shooting at all seasons
of the year, closed season on game or open.
For a number of years after trap shoot
ing becamo popular it was a raattor ot.
comment that few ot tho crack shots wero
residents ot the west, a section whero a
greater proportion of tho pcoplo used a gun
than any other and where thero were field
shots who had no need to tako a back
seat In any company. Thoy preferred to
do their shooting in tho flold moro largely
was tho reason. Of lato years tbo reverse
Is true. When tho great handicap shoots
are held In which tho cracks of tho coun
try participate It Is western mon who com-
poso tho bulk of those placed at scratch.
Iowa probably contains a greater number
of mon who aro strictly top-notchors than
any state In tho union, Illinois and Mis
souri ore liberally represented and No
braska has several who must bo reckoned
with, no matter how swift the company.
From tbo Inception of tho present system
of trap shooting Omaha has always been
ablo to put out a strong squad and today
any ovent on the club grounds brings out
a number who aro good for 90 per cent or
better at any time.
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