Sportsman's club to host pumpkin shoot

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Nothing screams fall in Wyoming quite like pumpkins and the sound of rifles in the distance. Bringing these two fall favorites together, Chloe Coy, secretary of the Weston County Sportsman’s Club, and Wes Birkley, along with other members of the club, will host the group’s first pumpkin shoot on Saturday. 
Coy and Birkley said they got the idea to host the event while installing new metal targets on the rifle range.
“We were discussing what we could do as a big last event for the season outside and also get people excited for what our indoor range could offer in the winter,” Coy said. “We also wanted to make sure it would be an event that included a variety of activities so all ages could get involved.”
Using the fall theme to their advantage, the duo thought, “What could be more fun than shooting pumpkins.” To gauge interest in the event, Coy turned to Facebook.
“It seemed to get great feedback, so we are going all in!” Coy said. 
The fall-themed event will feature three different shooting activities, goodies and the opportunity to visit with other gun lovers in the area. 
The first activity, according to Coy, is the mystery pumpkin shoot. 
“This event will have 60 pumpkins downrange on our (the club’s) rifle range. The pumpkins will be placed anywhere from 100 yards all the way past 300 yards, as well as a variety of different heights,” Coy said. “Attendees need to bring any rifle larger than a .223 and ammo.” 
Each pumpkin, Coy said, will feature a painted number, and the person at the firing line will draw out of a bucket the number of a pumpkin to shoot. 
“Once they find the target, aka the pumpkin, they have to shoot it. This is all timed and each missed shot will add time to the overall score,” Coy explained. “Some of the pumpkins downrange will have mystery prizes, so if you are lucky you will draw a mystery pumpkin.”
The person with the highest score in the mystery shoot, according to Coy, will win the grand prize. She noted that the more people who attend and participate, the better the mystery prizes and grand prize will be. 
The cost to participate in the mystery pumpkin shoot is $15 per pumpkin.
The second activity will be a  “timed ghost kill.” This competition involves eight metal targets, each painted to look like a ghost, set up on the outdoor pistol range. 
“They will be placed between 7 and 25 yards from the firing line. Attendees need to bring their ARs or any semi-automatic pistol they would like to shoot,” Coy said, noting that competitors will be allowed 10 rounds to destroy as many ghosts as possible. 
“This event is timed, and each miss adds additional time to their final score. The person with the best accuracy and time wins,” Coy said. 
The cost for the ghost shoot is $2 per round, and Coy said that armor-piercing rounds are not permitted at the ghost station. 
The third and final event involves a family fall favorite: carving a pumpkin. According to Coy, only 30 pumpkins will be available for carving at $15 a piece.
“This event will be held at the indoor pistol range and will have .22 pistols and ammo available for our attendees to use which makes it very friendly for those who do not have these types of guns or that have never shot before,” Coy said. “Pumpkins will be set up on hay bales with faces drawn on for people to shoot out, which carves the pumpkin. It is super fun and is something enjoyable to take home and set on the porch before the trick-or-treaters come.” 
Coy said that the club hopes to have at least 60 participants so they can use up all the pumpkins the club purchased for the event. 
“Anyone under the age of 18 participating at the rifle station (mystery pumpkin shoot) will have to have a parent or guardian sign a permission and waiver. Anyone under the age of 21 handling a pistol will have to have a parent or guardian sign a permission waiver,” Coy said. “These forms are all taken care of at the time of registration. Individuals who are acting irresponsible with any firearms will be removed from the event and not refunded.” 
Registration for the activities begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the event beginning at 10 a.m. Coy asks that anyone planning to attend the event RSVP by calling 307- 949-0651.