Steve Carmichael - Blowin Smoke: A Trap Shooters Journey to the Back Fence and Beyond

The views and opinions expressed in this book are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of Gatekeeper Press. Gatekeeper Press is not to be held responsible for and expressly disclaims responsibility of the content herein.

Blowin' Smoke: A Trap Shooter's Journey to the Back Fence and Beyond

Published by Gatekeeper Press
2167 Stringtown Rd, Suite 109
Columbus, OH 43123-2989
www.GatekeeperPress.com

Copyright 2021 by Steve Carmichael

All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

The editorial work for this book is entirely the product of the author. Gatekeeper Press did not participate in and is not responsible for any aspect of this element.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021938834

ISBN (hardcover): 9781662913969

ISBN (paperback): 9781662913976

eISBN: 9781662913983

Cover photo www.ByWinslow.com
Original illustrations by Brandy Junod

Dedicated to my family,
and the many friends and acquaintances
met along the way

My sincere thanks to Kenny Ray Estes
Past Director of the ATA Museum and Trapshooting Hall of Fame,
for his dedication to the history of our sport
and assistance with this publication

I was most pleased when I learned Steve Carmichael was putting together a history of 20th century trap shooting as he was, and is, in a position to write about it that is unique. He writes as both an ATA Hall of Fame competitor and a long-time manager of a large and popular gun club.

Other people have written about trap shooting, mostly about its beginnings and early times. But, the Golden Years as I think of them, was during the period that Steve is writing about in this book. The size of the shoots and the rewards (trophies) are hard to imagine when compared to todays events. How many of you have competed for a new automobile for instance or received an option payoff such as $1400 for a 25 or over $3000 for a 50 straight during a 100-target event? And all this was from shooters entering the options as their fees made up the rewards.

Turn the pages slowly while enjoying this book. There is a lot to be learned as you put yourself into this time frame.

Neal Crausbay, Sweetwater, TX
President, Amateur Trapshooting Association 1995
ATA Trapshooting Hall of Fame Inductee 2007

How does one begin a lifetime thats revolved almost exclusively around trapshooting?

I suppose for me it started on a September day in 1959 at the age of 10. My father was reading the sports section of the Sunday Kansas City Star newspaper and mentioned an upcoming Ducks Unlimited trapshooting tournament. The event was scheduled the following weekend at Elliotts Shooting Park in Raytown, MO. They were giving away new Winchester Model 12, 20-gauge pump guns to the winner of each class- A, B, C, D, and to the high score in the Hunters Class. This was exciting news to me as Id been hunting with him for the prior two years using my Iver Johnson Hercules grade.410 side x side. The little gun was a great starter, but I was eager and ready for an upgrade.

My father, Stanley Howard Carmichael (1926-1992), was raised on a farm in northwest Missouri. He was a survivor, though seriously wounded February 27, 1945, on Iwo Jima with the 3rd Marine Division. He was barely nineteen years old. He was designated as a light machine gunner and carried the Browning Automatic Rifle, better known as the BAR. His wounds were from mortar shrapnel accompanied by blast concussion on the black sand of the beach. Just prior to the mortar attack, his platoon was strafed by machine gun fire that ripped his canteen and extra ammo pouches off both sides of his web belt, somehow missing his entire body mass. Two thirds of the men that accompanied him that day were not as fortunate.

Todays youth truly have no concept of that kind of hell.

Its only by sheer luck that Im here to tell the story and share the photo below. While a man of few words, he embraced strong family values and led by an example Ive aspired to duplicate my entire life. He was the best.

Stanley Howard Carmichael (right)
Recovering on Guam, April 1945

Dad was an excellent wing shot but had never attempted anything more formal than a few clays from a hand thrower. I can honestly say I had never seen him miss anything he had shot at, with shotgun, handgun, or large caliber rifle. Ever.

The following week we made the drive across town to the shooting park. He went into the clubhouse and signed up. A long-time fixture of Elliotts Shooting Park, Jack Thompson, was at the handicap table and asked the usual questions about his past trapshooting experience. Dad said none on a regulation trap field, but admitted he was an excellent shot with rifle, pistol, or shotgun. Jack immediately placed him in the Hunters Class and asked him to listen for his name to be called over the PA, announcing when and where his squad would be shooting.

As this was a 50-bird event, two boxes of shells were purchased. Federal Monarks with the image of the clay target breaking on the box if I recall. We returned to the car and he removed his only shotgun from the soft case in the trunk; a hump-back Browning 3 Auto 5 with plain 32 barrel. This was his duck, goose, pheasant, and quail gun. I had seen it many times and could attest that he was deadly with it.

Eventually, we heard his name called and made our way to the starting trap. I sat on a bench and found a pencil and a piece of cardboard I used for keeping score.

One thing I noticed as he started shooting was that he had to eject each spent round by manually pulling the bolt back. He was also deliberate, riding each target almost to its crest. But he appeared to be doing OK.

As trap targets do, they were going right, left, and all over, but that didnt seem to affect him. At the end of the first round of 25 targets, I had nothing but X on my box lid. Same for the second 25. Sure enough, he had broken all 50 targets.

He put his gun away and we returned to the clubhouse amidst quite a stir. Mr. Thompson pulled dad aside and stated that anyone in the Hunters Class should not be breaking 50 straight and offered him the opportunity to try again in a different class.

My father was easy-going, but I could tell this really got under his skin. We left, feeling somewhat cheated and with a bit of a bad taste in our mouth. However, a seed had been planted and he discovered trapshooting was a game he had the natural talent to excel at.

By the following Spring he had purchased a field grade Winchester Model 12, then added a Simmons ventilated rib. He made his own Monte Carlo trap stock in my uncles basement. A year later, he placed 4th in the Grand American Handicap in Vandalia, OH. Two years following that, he won the car at Elliotts annual flagship event; the MOKAN Handicap. It appeared if any redemption was due, it had been achieved.