Student marksman finishes in second place

A shooting sports enthusiast has made her mark at a recent national-level target shooting competition.

Courtney Priest, 18, took second place in the ladies' 20 gauge division at the 12th annual World Wild Turkey Still Target Championships held Oct. 7-9 in Edgefield, S.C.

"I've been shooting my whole life and with the NWTF for two years," said Priest, a recent graduate of Delphi High School who is now studying to be a dental hygienist. "It's a fun hobby and something I'll probably continue to do in the future."

Still-target shooting simulates a turkey hunter aiming for a wild bird at 40 yards. Winners are determined by the number of pellets they are able to place in a 3-inch circle in the kill zone of the paper target turkey's head. As a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation-Wea Chapter, Priest advanced to the nationals based on her performance this September at a NWTF sanctioned shoot, where she took the 20-gauge open class title as well as runner-up in the ladies' competition.

Priest, who shot a 26 during practices for the nationals, was beat by the narrowest of margins in South Carolina.

"I scored 17 pellets in a 3-inch circle, and the winner shot an 18," she noted.

Shooters in both the local and national events could compete in a 12-gauge Hunter division, 12- and 20-gauge Open, Women's 20-gauge division and JAKES (junior) division. Priest said her placing in the national shoot, coupled with her practice scores, has inspired her to go Egunning for the competition.