It is a rare occasion when the chance arises to receive instruction from a world champion, someone who has excelled at the highest level of their sport, but just such an opportunity has arrived for Toledo area youths interested in skeet shooting.
The Toledo Trap and Skeet Club is hosting a free clinic for 15 people between the ages of 12 and 18, offering two full days of instruction from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 19 and 20. Information and registration forms are available at the club, which is located south of Berkey near the intersection of Central Avenue and Route 295, at 3150 North Berkey Southern Road.
WATCH: Skeet shooting basics
Skeet is a recreational and competitive shooting activity that involves the participants breaking clay disc targets thrown into the air mechanically at high speed and at a variety of angles. The shooters use shotguns to break the clay targets, sometimes referred to as pigeons.
A round of skeet consists of 25 targets, with 17 shot as singles and eight as doubles. The first miss is repeated immediately and is called an option. If no targets are missed during the round, the last or 25th target is shot at the last station. Skeet normally is shot in squads of up to five shooters. They move from station to station around the half moon, ending up in the center, at the end of the round.
This skeet shooting clinic will feature Fred Tschantz, the 2013 World .410 Champion, and Victoria Stellato, a college freshman from North Carolina who has won six Ladies World Championship titles. Tschantz was introduced to skeet shooting as a 20-year-old serving in the U.S. Army, while Stellato started shooting on her middle school NRA hunter safety team at age 11. At only 13 years old, Stellato became the youngest female to win a concurrent world title, repeating as world champion in 2013-14.
A fully refundable deposit will be required to hold a place in the clinic, and the club intends to fill all 15 spots. There will be updates posted on the Toledo Trap and Skeet Club Facebook page, and information also is available by calling club vice-president Greg Stalter at 419-345-6088.
Besides instruction from two of the best skeet shooters in the world, the youths also will be treated to breakfast and lunch each day.
BIRDING FESTIVAL: The 10-day Biggest Week in American Birding festival opens Friday with a full schedule of workshops, guided birding activities, half-day birding tours, keynote speakers, vendors, and evening socials. Other highlights include a bird tattoo contest and songbird banding demonstrations. Maumee Bay State Park Lodge & Conference Center serves as the festival headquarters, with additional vendors and activities taking place at Black Swamp Bird Observatory, the local non-profit that is the driving force behind the festival, located at the entrance to Magee Marsh Wildlife Area.
COFFEE AND BIRDS: Wildwood Preserve hosts “Coffee with and for the Birds” from 8 to 9:30 a.m. each Thursday this month. Meet at the Window on Wildlife and enjoy walks in search of migratory songbirds, followed by a cup of bird-friendly coffee. This Metroparks Toledo event is free, and to register or for more information call 419-407-9700.
FREE FISHING WEEKEND: Ohio’s Free Fishing Days are Saturday and Sunday, and open to all Ohio residents. This is the only weekend of the year when anyone 16 years old or older is not required to have a fishing license. Ohio’s state parks are involved in the promotion, offering a camping discount during the event. Campers can receive a 20 percent discount Friday through Sunday by using the promotion code 18ANGLER when they make an online reservation.
10-MILE HIKE: Metroparks Toledo is sponsoring a hike along the Maumee River from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Hikers should gather at the Providence Dam parking lot, wear sturdy hiking shoes, and pack water and a trail lunch. The hike will move downriver to Farnsworth Metropark along the Towpath Trail, then the hikers will be shuttled back to the Providence starting point on a minibus. The hiking route will take the group through three Metroparks to view many of the seasonal highlights of nature.
SPRING WILDFLOWERS: Each Sunday of the month, wildflower walks led by a naturalist will take place at Oak Openings Preserve. The walks begin at 1 p.m. at the Mallard Lake parking lot and last about 90 minutes, taking participants on a tour of the spring ephemerals that carpet the trails of Oak Openings this time of year. This Metroparks Toledo event is free, and to register or for more information call 419-407-9700.
Contact Blade outdoors editor Matt Markey at: mmarkey@theblade.com, or 419-724-6068.
First Published April 30, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
