The Bannock Claybusters, a local trap shooting club for adolescents and teenagers, recently competed in Las Vegas for the USAYESS western regionals. Its coach and creator Todd Dye, a former law enforcement firearms instructor, has much more planned for the organization and is excited at the prospect of growing not only in Pocatello, but all of Idaho.
“We started a team in 2019 initially with seven people here from the Pocatello area on the team and we generally go to five or six competitions every spring and about three in the fall,” Dye said. “We focus on trap as the primary thing but we do shoot some sporting clays and skeet and we also do some five standard shooting. All those are different types of shotgun events.”
Early on, Dye saw the advantages of creating the organization as a local gun club versus trying to get approval for a high school clay target league. The closest high school shooting clubs available are in Burley and Twin Falls, a long commute for any teens interested in the sport. With the Bannock Claybusters, anyone from fourth-12th grade can participate, and their members range from all over Idaho.
“…our criteria is we’ll go out on the range with them,” Dye said. “Can they safely handle a shotgun out on a public range around other people? And that includes handling the gun where it’s pointed. Can they load it themselves? Can they shoot the gun? Can they do all that by themselves? If they can demonstrate that they can do that safely? We don’t care if they hit targets. We can teach them to be better shooters; the first priority is to be safe.”
Accessibility was also a factor Dye mentioned as a perk to clay shooting: “Everybody on the team will go and shoot 150 targets. Everyone gets their fair share, everybody gets full participation. The other nice thing about shotgun shooting is it’s opened to some kids with disabilities I’ve seen kids shoot out a wheelchairs…I’ve seen kids that struggle with diabetes, or asthma, or things that may prevent them from participating in other sports, but they can participate in shotgun shooting.”
With any sport or event however, there are challenges. Clay shooting can be an expensive sport. Boxes of shells, clay targets, the shotguns themselves and safe cases to put them all contribute to the overall cost. First-aid kits, hearing protection, glasses and vests add even most cost on top of the core equipment needed.
To remedy this, the Claybusters were able to get sponsorships and do fundraising to assist in their financial endeavors. A local gun shop in Idaho Falls donated a safe this past Christmas and allowed raffle tickets to be sold at their store raising $8,000 for the team. The NRA foundation offers grants to youth shooting teams or to gun clubs providing them with many of the essentials needed over the five-year history of the team, helping alleviate the monetary burden and allowing the kids to practice at no cost to them.
Beyond the equipment, leadership and teachable moments is also core to what Dye wanted to impart on the members of the club. Captains on the team and senior shooters help coach up players to improve their handling, their form, and their skills. Second-amendment rights and safety are also paramount to club, focusing on preparing the kids to be responsible gun owners and handlers well into their adult years.
“We cover safety roles, you know, muzzle pointed in a safe direction, finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot,” Dye said. “Don’t put a shell on the gun until you’re on the line right and to shoot it. If your feet are moving the action needs to be open…it’s an educational opportunity, as well as it is an opportunity to compete at a pretty high level. Many of our local high school athletes go to a competition that includes everybody in the western United States.”
Competition itself includes many different tiers and categories, and the team is rated on an aggregate of the top shooters, allowing kids of all different skill levels to enjoy the competitive circuit with a broad range of age groups. In the most recent Las Vegas regional, two members of the Claybusters finished third overall and fourth overall in their divisions. A Pocatello high school senior in the club became the Idaho state champion in the PITA (Pacific International Trap Association) division.
“When you got kids in the top five of the western United States that’s a pretty good accomplishment…to be ranked in the top five among the kids your age,” Dye said. “I’m excited that these kids are shooting really well and are going to have opportunities to shoot in college and beyond.”
With members from Pocatello, Blackfoot, American Falls, Firth, Shelley and even as far as Rigby, the Bannock Claybusters are poised to shell out a bit of friendly competition and provide local youth with a safe outlet to explore the world of competitive shooting.