BFGC concludes winter league action

After an 11-week span that began during the frigid first weeks of January,  the Bonners Ferry Gun Club recently concluded its winter leagues.

The weather on the final day was a beautiful 55 to 60 degrees and beautifully sunny. Approximately 25 shooters participated in the leagues each week, including those students shooting for the Duke’s Claybusters High School trap team. 

Week 11 scores were Bill Bustillos 40, Melanie Campbell 38, Ron Campbell 39, Michael Compton 33, Gene Frederickson 35, Amanda Myers 31, Dean Nelson 38, Mike Pruitt 35, Charley Runnion 36 and Dennis Smith 36. The 11th week scores for the Duke’s Claybusters were Joe Campbell 36, Charlotte Holman 31, Linus Holman 34, Sebastian Holman 31, Trenton Myers 41, Cora Nichols 38, Noah Nichols 37, Kelsey Noble 21 and Garrick Patty 40.

In the Spokesman Review 2024 trap shoot, Bonners Ferry Gun Club took 12th place overall. The women's team took seventh place and DCB took eighth. In the Camas Prairie League, the BFGC placed 20th place while the DCB took ninth.

On a local level, there are no team scores. This year, the winner of the leagues was based on nine of the eleven scores after the bottom two scores were dropped. The field was then broken into three classes: Class A, Class B, and Class C. 

A Class: first place, Ron Campbell, 376/450; second place, Melanie Campbell, 360/450; and third place, Bill Bustillos, 357/450.

B Class: first place, Kristie Campbell, 330/450; second place, Charley Runnion, 318/450; and third place, Mike Pruitt, 316/450.

C Class: first place, Jerry Schilling, 290/350; second place, Gene Frederickson, 275/450; and third place, Michael Compton, 263/450.

After the shoot, the members of the Bonners Ferry Gun Club enjoyed an Irish dinner provided by Dean Nelson, Peggy Compton and Steve Hudson. Then the games began as they continued into the weekly Annie Oakleys.

Upcoming events at the Bonners Ferry Gun Club include a fun day for the Duke’s Claybusters on Saturday, April 6, where Coach Ron will present the league awards and the shooters will play firearm games. The Annual Duke Shoot will be held April 14 at 9 a.m., a shoot dedicated to former member Duke Guthrie who was one of the main inspirations for the Duke’s Claybusters. This shoot is open to the public and we will have visitors from all over the Rural Northwest at the gun club to enjoy the games. Further into the summer we will hold an Amateur Trapshooting Association shoot and the Lonny Jelinek Memorial will be held Sept. 8. Please feel free to come out and join in the fun. 

The Bonners Ferry Gun Club is currently open for winter hours Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. until people are finished shooting. Summer hours will begin in May and will include Wednesday at 4 p.m.

We hope to see you there, and always remember, shoot straight and keep your powder dry.