JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Fancy yourself a marksman? Or markswoman, for that matter.
If you think you’re the best shot in the West, there is still time to prove it to your friends. Enter the Wyoming Top 100 Shooting Sports challenge by July 31 to see where your skills rank among top Wyoming pistol and rifle shooters. Submissions are open for Bolt Action Centerfire Rifle, Centerfire Pistol, Centerfire Semi-Auto Rifle and Rimfire Rifle. Winners will be announced in August by Governor Matt Mead.
“Wyoming is a state that is proud of its commitment to the Second Amendment and to responsible ownership of our firearms,” said Governor Mead. “This competition teaches gun handling and safety to new shooters as well as reinforcing those skills for experienced competitors. I look forward to awarding the Top 100 in August.”
After signing up, you better bone up on your shooting skills. Shepard Humphries and his wife Lynn Sherwood own and operate Jackson Hole Shooting Experience. They invented luxury entertainment shooting seven years ago where the focus is on creating opportunities for families to come together while learning a new skill in a safe, educational, and fun environment.
“At the Jackson Hole Shooting Experience, we ‘meet you where you are’ in terms of your experience level and goals. We help you hone your skills, develop your confidence, and learn more about yourself and this fun sport,” Humphries says. “With proper training, a complete novice can surpass the average 30-year shooter in only a few sessions. But whether you are a beginner or an expert marksman, you’re paired with a professional coach for safe, educational fun and shooting skills development.”
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Wyoming firearms industry, and the National Rifle Association are supporting this effort. These initiatives promote safe shooting and participation in shooting sports—whether that’s hunting, target shooting or sanctioned competitions. Revenue from the sale of guns and ammunition fund wildlife management.
“We always encourage safe and ethical hunting. To do that you need to practice and be comfortable with your firearm or bow. We want to thank everyone for participating in this event and local shooting clubs for hosting competitors. We also want to thank Federal Ammunition, Birchwood Case, the NRA, Magpul, Monster Energy and Wyoming Arms for their support of the Wyoming Top 100,” said Renny MacKay, communications director for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Sherwood reminds novice shooters, it’s never too soon to test yourself.
“From ‘zero to hero’, competition shooting is a blast,” Sherwood says. She entered her first local competition just two weeks after overcoming her fears and taking her very first shots ever, back in 2010. “It wasn’t because I was any good, but I felt it was a safe place to learn and to push myself to grow, while being surrounded with a great group of supportive, encouraging and experienced shooters. There’s something horrifying yet satisfying about testing yourself when 15 sets of eyes are on you. You either crash and burn or you rise to the occasion.”
Competitors must have a Wyoming Conservation Stamp available from the Game and Fish to participate in the Wyoming Top 100. For questions about completing the challenge or submitting scores, contact Rebekah Fitzgerald at (307) 777-2596.
