WY-SHOT 2016 is done and in the books. This is a handgun only steel shoot and prairie dog shoot. This the third year for this match. I had a great time this year. We had 21 shooters in all.
One thing I added this year was an extra stage (6 stages in all each day) where you had to engage all steel targets from either the sitting or kneeling position.
The longest target on the sitting/kneeling stage was 445 yards. Two of 6 targets were 5”, one at around 100 yards and the other one just over 200 yards.
Remember that these are specialty pistols using Bog-Gear, not rifles.

Closest target for the shoot was that 5” at approximately 100 yards and the longest was a 16” piece of steel at 988, and blaze orange prairie dog, just a couple of yards shy of that 16” piece of steel.
Aaron won the short course handily shooting a center-grip XP in 20 BR that he built himself using 55 grain Berger’s with 38 out of 39 hits.

Jake came in second place with 35 hits and Dusty came in third place with 33 hits respectively using a 6-284 and a 6.5-284 center-grip XP’s.
On day 2 which is our long course, the top shooter was Jake using the same 6-284 center-grip XP with 28 hits.
Distances were noticeably longer and what can you say about switchy afternoon winds. Second in the long course was RJ with 27 hits, using a rear-grip 6mm Creed, and then third with 24 hits was Aaron using a center-grip 6 Dasher XP that he built. Chuck took 4th with 23 hits. There was a separation in the field between the top four shooters in the long course and the rest of the field.
Match Champion was Jake with 63 total hits, Aaron with 62 hits.
Talk about a close finish.

Third was RJ with 54 hits.
I have watched these shooters improve in their shooting skill every year. I have had a lot of fun being with these guys.
Logan was one of our new shooters, and is 15 years old. For never having done this before he really did well, and beat 6 adults on day one (Short Course). He was unable to shoot on day two because of some prior commitments, but he is determined to make the whole shoot next year.

Prairie Dog Shoot event winners: Jeremy England- Open Pistol, Chris Rhodes-Field Pistol, Dan Ekstrom-Carry Gun and Mark Schulz-Rimfire.

Other shots to make note of:
Adam Bender, connected on a dog at 1780 yards with his rear-grip 7x300 Win Mag. No recovery but dog was hit with a long blood trail! Folks, that’s 20 yards past one mile.
Glenn Pilgrim, was with Adam trying for the long dogs. Adam and Glenn were shooting out to and exceeding 2000 yards!
Marc Sheehan, connected on a dog at 1320 yards. Same as above, but scored a hit.
Chris Rhodes, a 166 yard confirmed double with a Ken Kelly, Magna-Port modified Smith 29 DX!
Another confirmed hit on the same mound with his Model 28 Highway Patrolman.
Lastly, a confirmed dog at 185 as well......all with iron sights!
Dan Ekstrom, iron sight dog at 187 with a fixed sight Colt Buntline .22 LR
Aaron Alexander, 2626 yard poke at the 16x10” steel with his heavy bench pistol in 7mm Dakota......Two times he missed by inches!!
There was several other guys trying, but could never get close.

The targets are not just strung out in a straight line, but require the shooter to go left or right from the last target.
To give you an idea of the distances on day two: 5” half-moon 462, 5” 524, 5” 569, 10” 641, 12” diamond 670, 16” 988, prairie dog 985, 5” half-moon 532, 5” half-moon 529, 5” 557, 5” half-moon 575, 5” 634, 12” round 681, 5” 669, 10” 705, 10” 702, 10” 788, 10” 846, 14” square 847, humanoid 855, 16x10 vertical 860, 10, 869, 5” 254, 5” 303, 10” 366, 10” 430, 10” 527, and 14” 556, 5” 419, half-moon 498, 10” 583, 12” round 632, 16x10 horizontal 669, 14” 689, 5” 432, half-moon 508, 10” 516, 10” 617, and 10” 673 yards.

With 6 stages/shooting points we will have from 5-9 targets per stage.
There are 5" square targets, and 10" square targets, plus other various sized steel.
Here is the scheme we use to incorporate a time element into the match.
Each shooting position will have 5 to 9 targets downrange.
Our formula is to allow a total time ("par time") for the shooter to set up and engage all targets that is equal to six (6) seconds per 100 yards per target, totaled for all targets from that position, plus 60 seconds of time.
This may seem slow for rifle shooters, but since most are using a single shot break-open or bolt action specialty pistol.
You must engage every target one time and only one time, until you have engaged each target once. IF you have time left over, you can engage any missed target(s) until you hit them or run out of time.
I place a stage where you are facing downhill while your targets are uphill. Kind of mean, but it happens when you hunt.
Another thing is spread the targets so far apart that the shooter has to completely change positions to go to the next target.

This is the third year I have put this shoot on, and I have said I may shoot the course or part of a course, but it not count myself in for any prizes. The last two years, I didn’t do it..Call it procrastination. This year was different.
I did most of the course with my new 6XC H-S Varmint Pistol.

I also shot one stage with my 6.5 SAUM, another stage with a 6.5 Creed.

I also shot the sitting/kneeling stage with a 20BR. These are all center-grip specialty pistols and my first time to fire any of them was at the shoot. Kind of fun that way and made it more challenging. I appreciate Dan spotting for me and helping pick up steel. It was a “me day” and I was pleased with my shooting. It was truly trigger therapy for me. I already have some things in the works for next year. I truly appreciate all the help I have to pull this off each year. Below is most of this year’s participants.

Thanks for the post. What a great event. Brian

We have one guy from Canada drive down and shoot with us every year.

If we don't move to Europe or Alaska, I am going to shoot that thing next year. What a fun trip.