The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) recently held the 4th Annual State Skeet and Trap Championship at the Palmetto Shooting Complex at the National Wild Turkey Federation in Edgefield, SC. Three hundred sixty youth shooters in grades 6-12 participated in the two-day state tournament, 180 in trap and 180 in skeet. Participants for the DNR State Skeet and Trap Championship are chosen from two open events held in December and January; 474 youth participated in the DNR Skeet Open in December, and 456 youth participated in the DNR Trap Open in January.
The SCDNR began its shooting program, called Scholastic Clay Target Sports, in 2015. This year, the SCDNR gave away $31,800 in college scholarships at the State Skeet & Trap Championship. Money for these scholarships comes from private donations that the DNR receives through the Hampton Wildlife Fund. Friends of the Triangle Gun Club in Newberry County came together to honor one of their local legends, Allen Morrison, raising $5000 to give two $2500 scholarships in his honor to the top male and female high school senior at the DNR State Skeet Championship. Allen is a retired Marine Corps Skeet Team member who was a Gold Medalist in the Pan American Games in International Skeet in 1967 and a Silver Medalist in 1970 with the USA Olympic International Team. He was a member of the Military All-American Team and the Industry All-American Team in 1968-69. In 1992, Allen was inducted into the NSSA National Hall of Fame. In 1993, he was inducted into the Armed Forces Hall of Fame.
This year’s recipients of the first annual Allen Morrison Scholarship were Elizabeth Easler from Richland Creek Top Guns and Bradley Lehman from Mid-Carolina Gun Club.
