Haines Sportsman’s Association hosts Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot

The Haines Sportsman’s Association hosted its Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot over the weekend. Wet, snowy weather couldn’t stop trap shooters in Haines from letting the lead fly in hopes of taking home the season’s most coveted prize: a discount coupon for a turkey from Howser’s IGA or Olerud’s Market.

It’s 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning and the shooting range out Mud Bay Road is covered in slush.

Inside the clubhouse, people sit around eating brownies and drinking coffee before the competition begins.

Will Hickman is the president of the Haines Sportsman’s Association. He says that during the 60 years of the club’s existence, the turkey shoot has become an annual tradition.

“Turkey Shoot’s probably been going on for as long as the sportsman’s have been around, since 1958. The rules for this one. It’s just a five-round shoot. One shot each round. The winner gets a certificate. Good for a turkey or ham at one of the local grocery stores,” Hickman says.

This year only a half dozen people have turned up. Hickman says a lot of their regulars are still out clearing snow from the roads.

“The guys on the plow crew for the state make up quite a bit of the shooters, but we’re hoping it’ll pick up a little bit. Normally around 10 o’clock, it will pick up a little more.”

Out on the range, a few people are taking practice shots before the competition begins.

Brent Crowe offers to give a basic tutorial on shooting clay pigeons to a couple cheechako reporters.

“I like to kind of find my site picture you know, across the top of the barrel, flat, you can’t see it. Point at the back of the trap tower. Say ‘pull.’ Swing through the target and squeeze as it goes by. This is the safety. Forward is fire, back is safe. One shell at a time. Go ahead and drop it in the action. Wrack it closed, slide the safety forward and you’re ready to fire,” Crowe says.

After practice is over, five competitors take their positions behind the trap.

A normal round of trap shooting is 5 shots from 5 different positions behind the trap tower. So a total of 25 shots per person.

The turkey shoot is much quicker. Each competitor only gets one shot from each station. After each person has taken 5 shots a winner is declared for the round. If there is a tie, the top shooters move on to a shootout.

This year Shane Horton and Brent Crowe were the most successful shooters. Both took home turkey coupons after winning two rounds apiece.