Shoot ’em, but don’t eat ’em

Normally I don’t advocate shooting things that you aren’t going to eat, unless they are snakes, possums or coyotes. But I do add one thing to that list. Pigeons. Clay pigeons. Or as Larry the Cable guy calls, them, “skeets”.

If you are going bird hunting this year – dove, teal, duck – anything like that, it’s never too early to start practicing. Fortunately, we’ve got a great place to do just that right here in Union Parish.

Wild Wings. Not the kind that game birds use to get away from you. Wild Wings Sporting Club and Lodge.

I was able to go spend some time on the sporting clays range recently and it’s a great place to not only hone your shooting skills, but to have friendly competition with your hunting or shooting buddies.

“We have people who are pretty serious about shooting and folks that just want to have a good time,” said Randy Smith, owner of the facility along with his wife Gayle.  “We try to accommodate any request that people have, even including giving shooting tips for those who are struggling breaking the clays before they hit the ground. I’ve been instructing folks for years and sometimes it is just something minor that makes you miss.”

Two common mistakes for shooters, according to Randy, are not getting your check all the way down on the stock of the gun so you get a good view and stopping the gun when you pull the trigger. You need to keep the gun barrel moving in the direction the target is going to spread out the shot and keep up with the target. There are several sizes of clay targets too, one to match what you’ll be shooting at in the actual field.

You can get in touch with Randy or Gayle at 1-866-982-5999 or drop by and check out their place at 433 Downsville Road. They’ve got skeet and trap and an excellent sporting clays course with all kinds of setups, including shooting down in a ravine and up over the water. They have lots of options for hunting pen-raised birds, too, including chukars, quail and pheasant. They also have guides and dogs. Check their website for options or give them a call.

There’s an overnight lodge, meeting rooms and they keep shells on hands and even rent guns. But they won’t cook your skeets for you.