The Dillon County 4-H Shooting Sports Club had several squads to place in recent State Championship Competitions.

In the State Skeet Championship held at Mid Carolina Gun Club in Orangeburg on April 30, 2011, the squad consisting of Cole Anders, Myers Hamer, and Samuel Coleman won 2nd place in the 4-H Junior Division and also Placed 2nd in the South Carolina Youth Shooting Foundation (SCYSF) Intermediate Advance Division. The team had 10 shooters to attend this match which consisted of four rounds skeet for each shooter. Each round consisted of 25 targets. All targets and all the ammunition used were provided by The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) if the competitor had previously participated in a SCYSF event this year and held a SCDNR Hunter Education Certificate.

In the State Sporting Clay Championship held at The Hermitage Shooting facility in Camden on May 7, 2011, two of the team’s squads placed in the 4-H Senior Division. The Squad consisting of Cody Gasque, Huston Hamer, and Logan Cox came in 2nd in the 4-H Senior Division. The squad of Jeffrey Jenkins, Darby Hamer, and Aaron Gardner came in 3rd place in the 4-H Senior Division. The team took 14 shooters to this event and again the SCDNR provided the ammunition and the targets provided the participant had shot in a SCYSF event and held a SCDNR Hunter Education Certificate. There were over 320 youth competitors at this event. This was believed to be the largest sporting clays event ever held in the State.

At the State Championship in Camden, the SCYSF provided 5 Beretta shotguns to give away to the competitors. One gun was given away by random drawing to a shooter in each of the 5 shooting divisions they have. In the Rookie Division, Eli Long of the Dillon County 4-H, was the lucky winner. This was particularly fitting as Eli had shot in the competition with a borrowed gun.

Aaron Gardner of the Dillon County 4-H was also recognized with a prestigious award at the State Sporting Clays Championship. Aaron was awarded the Aaron Powell scholarship for his participation, sportsmanship, and leadership in the sport of competitive youth shotgun shooting in South Carolina. Gardner has been participating in youth shooting events in South Carolina for about 8 years and was one of the first shooters to ever participate in the Scholastic Clay Target Program from the State of South Carolina.

The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. The Dillon County 4-H shooting sports club is open to any youth in Dillon County and has eight certified coaches. The coaches are Donna Sweat, James Sweat, George Hatcher, Allen Gasque, Billy Miller, Carlton Carr, Bill Aston, and Brian Mason. The club will be participating in the last event of the season May 21, The State Trap Championship, at Spartanburg Gun Club. Anyone interested in joining the club may contact any coach or the Dillon County Clemson Extension Office.

The 4-H club practices and trains at the Dillon County Rifle and Gun Club near Latta. The Dillon County Rifle and Gun Club will be sponsoring a NSSF First Shots event on June 11, 2011. This event will be free to anyone who wants to learn to shoot a rifle in a safe and accurate manner. Everything will be provided for anyone who wants to learn to shoot or just become familiar with rifle target shooting. Keystone Corporation has provided 5 special rifles just for youth shooters and a variety of rifles will be on hand for participants to experience different types of actions and sighting systems. Space is limited and can be reserved by calling Bill Aston at 843-752-5316.