The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-19
MUST KEEP BOY INTERESTED IN
 TRAPSH00TINC


 which faces the War Department. the
 National Board for the Formation of
 Rifle Practice, the National Rife As
 sociation Is that of keeping the re-
 turning soldiers interested in rifle
 and shotgun practice
 Men who had never put a service rifle or shotgun 0 their shoulders
 prior to 1917 have acquired the ex-
 perience of depending upon small
 arms for their continued existence.
 They have seen the damage inflicted
 by steel 1-jacketed bullets and shot
 shells tearing through flesh and bone.
 They are in a position better 10 real
 ize than anybody else the army rife
 and the trench shotgun.
 But these men know the rifle and
 shotgun only weapons of war. Per haps many of them still regard them
 chiefly as lethal weapons, useful only when an enemy is to be eXtermInated.
 Such as they have entirely overlook ed or are ignorant of, the fact that
 hundreds of thousands of good American citizens find in rifle and shotgun practice a sport which ap- peals to men who love to pit their skill against other men. And so the attractive side of rife and shotgun shooting, from the angle of a worth while sport, must be spread broad cast.
 Attractive shooting programs must be arranged, leagues organized and matches conducted even with greater frequency than in the past. And above all, the government of the United States must be brought to realize the wisdom of unwinding as much red tape as possible from about the procurement and ownership of government arms, ammunition and target accessories as Is compatible with safeguarding government prop erty and properly restricting the use of the arms to target practice and perhaps hunting, since the pursuit of game has always been. and will all
 ways be valuable in the development of the well-trained. well-balanced and practical marksman
 Ira psh ooters are born, not made, say some people. Others claim just | the reverse. This difference of opin- | ion among the "eXperts' caused the | writing of many pieces for the papers during the past few years. Maybe they are both right. We don't know. but we want to put somethin g | before you that Just came to our mo- | tice.
 
 One year ago last May Paul R. Earle of Starr, S. C., was in Jackson | vile, Fla, at the Duva1 Gun club, and 1 he picked out gun and shot at some 1 targets. It was his first trial at the ] clay target sport. He averaged about ! 70 per cent. Just a few weeks ago 1 MT. Earle won the championship of | South Carolina, and averaged 97 per | cent. That after 8 months shoot ing. This performance speaks for | itself.
 | Programs for the Grand America n 1 Ira pshooting Handicap have been | forwarded to thousands of sports | men. These programs give the com | plete details of the trapsh ooting 1 classic. which takes place in Chicago Aug. II to Is. inclusive. The man agement is making a determined eff fort to rouse up 1000 entrants for the tournament. This was the goal set several years ago when the war stepped in and sort Q crunped things. If you want a program write to the A. T. A, 4O6 Fourth avenue, New York
 Stefansson, the explorer, is quite proficient with the scattergun, and | usually carries hand-trap around i with him. 50 that he may enjoy l trapshoo ooting. Shooting played a prominent part in the last trip of l Stefansson and his party got two tons l of meat for every pound of cartridges l used during the five and ope-half years.
 i Points on the American Trapshoot- l ing Association long run trophy com petition may be earned at the Grand I American Handicap Ia apshooting | tournament. which is to be held in | Chicago Aug. II to 15, inclusive. The | targets in the South Shore Country club special on Aug. II, and the | Justification events on Aug. II are registered. Therefore, runs of 50 or over may be carried over from one