As I write this the grass is starting to turn green and the trees are starting to bud out. You can feel that spring is about here and I can't wait to get out to shoot. We have a full slate of shoots scheduled here in Illinois and I want to encourage everyone to get out and shoot and support our clubs that really need your help.
Illinois has a couple of shooters that are reaching milestones. The neat thing about this is they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The first one is Ron Piro, a long time shooter out of the Peoria Skeet & Trap Club. Ron won the state Handicap Championship several years ago and has now shot 100,000 Doubles targets. Way to go Ron! Keep showing us what dedication is all about. The other shooter is Garrett Helms, a great Junior Gold shooter here in Illinois. Garrett shoots all over, and where he shoots he wins. He was recently tearing up his category at the Southern Grand in Florida. He has already shot 25,000 Handicap targets. Great shooting Garrett!
Sadly, I have to report that longtime, southern Illinois shooter, Tom Winn, has passed away. Tom was a fixture here in Illinois for many years. He and his brother Richard ran the Rend Lake Shooting Complex for many years and had shooters from all over coming to shoot there. We'll miss Tom here in Illinois and my condolences go out to his family and friends.
Shoots are just now starting up so next month I should be able to tell you about great shooting results from our shooters. Shoot well and stay safe.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
With this column, I have been an ATA Delegate for one year. If you would have told me I would have done this in the middle of a world-wide pandemic, vote to cancel the Illinois State Shoot and see the Grand move to Missouri, I would have laughed at you. That's the bad news. The good news is, I have met and been helped by a bunch of wonderful people that make this job so wonderful and unique. I want to send out a big thank you to the shooters of Illinois, and shooters across the country, that have put their trust in me. Representing you has been an honor that has meant the world to me.
The link I talked about last month to donate money to the Illinois Hall of Fame is up and running on the ISTA website. Please check it out and see the bricks and how they can be arranged, leading into the planned Hall of Fame building. I realize money is tight, but for one day's shooting costs, you can make a lasting legacy to honor all the great shooters Illinois has produced through the years.
I have noticed that the number of Illinois shooters is down at the Southern Grand. Given all the problems in our country at this time, this is sadly understandable. I am happy to report the ones that are there are shooting well. I want to give a shout out to Charlie Bickle who is shooting his normal great scores. Charlie is an ISTA Director and a member of the Illinois Hall of Fame. Let me tell you that all of his shooting accomplishments pale beside Charlie the man. You will never meet a nicer, better person. Charlie is one of those people that make shooting fun and I feel privileged to be able to call him a friend.
Stay healthy.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
Last month I told you about ISTA creating a link to a company that makes decorative bricks with your name or memorialization on it if you donate money to build a new Hall of Fame (HOF). These bricks will create a walkway leading into the HOF. Bill Huhn, the Director in charge of this fundraiser, and Dan Schocke, our IT guy, have made great progress and by the time you read this, the link should be up and running on our webpage. There will also be a place where you can just donate money if you do not want your name on a brick. I realize money is tight, but I hope you all will consider making a donation. It will be something, as shooters, we all can be proud of in the future.
Illinois has two Mega target members. These are shooters that shot more than 20,000 registered targets last year. They are Daniel Meinecke also Leland Hassler. With all the restrictions and cancellations of shoots in Illinois, and across the Midwest, it is amazing to me that these two gentlemen could accomplish this feat. Awesome job guys and keep up the good work.
I want to give a shout out to a good friend of mine. Jim Lyons recently retired from the ISTA Board of Directors and we already miss him. Jim and I have been friends for more years than either one of us want to admit to. When I first joined the Board, many years ago, Jim was the first person to reach out to congratulate me and offer to help me any way he could. Little kindnesses go a long way. They are like ripples that move out across a body of water touching everything in their path. Jim has many ripples that will affect trapshooting for many years to come in Illinois and across the Midwest. Enjoy your retirement, Jim! Just think, now you have more time to kick Mike W's butt.
Little gun clubs really took it on the chin this past shooting season. It was difficult to stage and get attendance at shoots all across the Midwest. Please attend as many of their shoots as possible because they are the backbone of our sport and we can't afford to lose them.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
I don't have any shooting related news this month so I am going to use this column to talk about some exciting news dealing with the Illinois Hall of Fame (HOF). Earlier this year, I told you about the Illinois Board of Directors voting to raise funds to build a new, bigger and better building for the HOF. We found out about a company that makes bricks with the name of a donor that are used to make a walkway leading into the building. This may sound strange to you, but trust me, the effect is actually quite impressive. We used this method to raise money to build an all-weather track at the high school in my home town. My eyes are always drawn to it when I walk in to watch an athletic event.
We are setting up a link on the ISTA webpage (click here for details) that you can click on to look at the bricks and donate money. If you have already donated money, we have a record of it and you will also have a brick on the walk of fame. Illinois Director Bill Huhn has generously agreed to run this program and he can be reached at 708-408-8286 or
I know money is tight, but please consider giving some money. This walkway will only enhance the HOF and make it something we can all be proud of through the years.
I will not be traveling to shoot this winter, so all my friends in Florida and Arizona, shoot well and stay safe.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate
I want to start this month talking about the Illinois All-American team. We don't have as many members as we usually do in a normal shooting year. COVID-19 totally messed up an Illinois shooter's ability to make the team. In spite of this, we still had shooters persevere to get the job done. Chase Horton made the Open First Team. Hannah Martin made the Lady I Second Team. Janice Rigler made the Lady II Second Team. Ian Lawrence is the Captain of the Junior Team. Garrett Helms made the Junior Gold Second Team. Dan Staker and Dave Dressler both made the Sub-Veteran Second Team. Mike Dennis and Frank Payne are on the Veteran First Team. Charlie Bickle made the Senior Veteran First Team. Finally, Ziggy Thaczenko is on the Chairshooter Team. Congratulations to all of you! You showed us how its done in tough circumstances.
I was looking at results of the Autumn Satellite Grand and saw several Illinois shooters shot very well. Something jumped out at me that I want to talk about now. We all like to shoot and win but we also really enjoy hanging out with our friends. It has got to be fantastic to be able to do this with someone who is your friend that you also love. Illinois is blessed with many couples, such as Brenda & Mike Dennis, Sue & Dan Staker and Valerie & Paul Rogers who shot at Tucson. We also have many parent/child teams, such as Harvey and Jeremiah Schultz, who also shot at Tucson. Sharing this great sport with each other has got to be the ultimate shooting experience and I enjoy watching and rooting for all of you.
Sadly I have to talk about the passing of another Illinois shooter. John Engal was a linchpin shooter here in Illinois. What I mean by that is he was seldom the best shooter at a shoot, although he did break a 100 straight in Handicap at the Peoria Skeet & Trap Club years ago. John was the guy that thinking about seeing him as you loaded up your car to go shoot, made you smile and look forward to getting to the club. His friendship was contagious and not having him at shoots leaves a hole that will be hard to fill. My condolences go out to all the family and friends of John.
Get your guns cleaned and your ammo ready to go because Spring is right around the corner. Until next time.
Bill Duncan, ATA Delegate