Target Setting at Big Whiskey

For 13 years the Carbon County 4-H Shooting Sports program has been setting targets for the Big Whiskey Invitational BPCR Silhouette match. CC4HSS, is a safety and competitive shooting program. Kids will start with BB Gun, where time is split between the class room and the range. In the classroom, kids are taught the fundamentals of gun safety and the rules of the NRA 5 Meter BB gun competition. At BB gun matches, a written test starts the match, and is worth 100 points. As team Coach Duff Sweeney always says, “The test is the easiest 100 points you can score.” There are several perfect test scores every year, compared to the elusive perfect BB gun target. On the range, kids learn the fundamentals of marksmanship and gun safety is always front and center. BB gun competition consists of the prone, standing, sitting, and kneeling positions. New shooters start with prone, learning proper sight alignment, trigger pull, and follow-through. Over the next few practice sessions, shooters will learn the other positions. Standing position is the most challenging, so it will be practiced every session throughout the rest of the season.

All of this practice leads up to the Montana State BB Gun Match. CC4HSS competes against other teams from across the state. At the end of two days of competition, the top three teams qualify to compete at the National BB Gun Invitational in Rogers, Arkansas.

Though BB Gun makes up the majority of the program, some older shooters also compete in Air Rifle and Smallbore. Competitors in these disciplines regularly compete at the national level, from the national matches in Camp Perry, to those held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CC4HSS also gives shooters the opportunity to try other disciplines with club gear available for Rimfire Silhouette, and Precision Long-Range Rimfire. 

Thanks largely to head coach, Duff Sweeney, Carbon County 4H Shooting Sports is a truly amazing program. The program may not have as many members as other clubs, but its shooters are competitive on both the state and national level. This is a testament to the fundamentals of marksmanship, a major focus of the program. The track record of excellent shooters speaks for itself.

On September 7th and 8th, 2025, Carbon County 4H Shooting Sports set targets at the Big Whiskey Black Powder Silhouette Invitational. 2025 marks the 13th consecutive year of the clubs participation in this event. For the target setters, the morning starts cold and still, with excitement from some and nervous anticipation from others. The older kids with experience line-out the younger kids on what they will be doing for the day. The youngest kids set the chickens because they are the lightest target and get hit the least. Next a big group will tackle the pigs, as a large number of them get hit each relay. Turkeys require a few of the more experienced kids, as they bend easy and sometimes need some special attention to stay on the rail. Lastly, the oldest and most experienced kids (and some adults) go to the rams. Rams are the heaviest target, and need to be reset quickly, as the timing of the whole evolution is determined by how long it takes to set the ram line.

The day of competition starts with the raising of the flags and the National Anthem, this year performed by our very own Mesa Mettes. There’s a final check-in for the target setters which is the calm before the storm. The booming sound of rifles breaks the quiet and the smell of black powder smoke fills the air. The first seven-minute relay has begun. Smoke drifts across the range and targets fall in the distance. “Cease Fire” is the target setters call to action and the kids pile on to the specially made trailer, courtesy of Randy Rembold, from Boulder River Foundry. A side-by-side pulls the trailer down range, dropping kids off at each animal. The side-by-side goes all the way to the ram line, where every one that’s left jumps to reset all the targets that have been knocked down. Once all the targets are back up, one last check is done to make sure everything looks right before heading back down the range to pick up all the other target setters who have been re-setting targets at the turkey, pig and chicken lines. The trailer stops by each line and all the kids jump on before taking off again to pick up the next group.

The whole process takes approximately four minutes. When the target setters make it back to the firing line they have a five-minute break while the second string of fire is shot. Another “Cease Fire” is called and the target setters jump back into action. The same process happens again, only this time the target setters have to paint all the bullet marks so the next relay has clean targets. Pressurized paint cans and bullet spalling contribute to several painted fingers and hands over the course of the day. The process continues all day; going out to set targets for four relays of shooters, every other trip painting the targets. Lifting the heavy steel target back onto the rail is only part of the difficulty. The trailer ride is rough, and as the day goes on, the trail gets more and more dusty. Dust gets into the eyes, nose and mouth of everyone on the trailer. After a long day, the target setters will come back the next morning to do it all again.

Setting targets is hard work. It’s hot, dusty and exhausting. However, it is also a ton of fun. Teammates get to spend the weekend together, laughing and getting to know each other. This experience brings the team closer than just practices ever could.

After the smoke has settled and rifles are removed from the line, the target setters are called to the front at the beginning of the awards ceremony. Thanks to a portion of the match fees, tips and donations, over $2,000 is awarded to the team. After the first year of setting targets, a separate account was set up just for this money. The “Nationals Fund”, as it became known, supports the BB gun team, and individuals who compete at national shooting matches. This fund has helped four separate BB gun teams to compete at the Daisy Nationals as well as helping to fund countless trips to national air rifle and smallbore matches. The generosity of everyone at Shiloh Sharps and Boulder River foundry, as well as the shooters who compete in the match have had a huge impact on the shooters who have been a part of CC4HSS. 

Carbon County 4H Shooting Sports would like to thank Shiloh Sharps, the Boulder River Foundry, the Bryan Family, Duff and Randy, and all who come to participate in the match. Thank You!