Trapshooting in Indiana has a rich history spanning well over 100 years. Over the course of time, we’ve began to come across various stories & recollections of the good ol’ days. If you have any stories (and photos) to share, please contact us and pass them along.
Indiana Trapshooting Past
If you have a few minutes, take a look at some old photos and articles of Indiana trapshooting past. If you have any photos to share, please pass them along!
Kingen Gun Club / 50th Anniversary
Kingen Gun Club has had a tremendous effect on Indiana trapshooting. In July of 2009, Kingen GC celebrated their 50th anniversary. To help celebrate this significant milestone, Trap and Field wrote an article about how the club was established as well as the shooting accomplishments of the Kingen family. Links to the article can be found below:
Carmel Gun Club
The following story comes from Mark Burgess about the Carmel Gun Club:
“I remember the Carmel Gun Club fairly well. A friend of the family and a friend to the Bargersville Gun Club ran the club for a time in the 60’s.
The gun club was closed for a while in the 50’s and the property was sold to the Carmel American Legion Post about 1960. The gun club was located at 852 W Main St. Carmel, IN (also known as 131st St.) That address is about a quarter mile east of what they call now “Old North Meridian.” I went there a few (several) years ago and the Trap line is now paved over for a parking lot of a small “Strip Center”. I was able to go around in back of the buildings and was able to find a few tiny pieces of broken targets.
Delbert Perry rented the trap grounds and part of the American Legion building and held Registered shoots there until the late 60’s. Delbert Perry never used the old dilapidated clubhouse and it was torn down in the mid 60’s. The Carmel Gun Club had 4 trap fields.
Delbert was known for having marathon style Singles events and many times having them, both on Saturday and Sunday. This was done mostly for Dr. Claud Donahue who was trying to get the ATA record of most Registered Targets shot. During the 60’s there was also another gentleman by the name of Adolph Nelson from Michigan who had the record for the most targets at the time and shot there both Saturday and Sunday to keep ahead of “Doc”.
Several well known Indianapolis shooters shot at the Carmel Gun Club. Claud Donahue. Frank and Edna Stark, George Tony, George Heaney and Clarence “Shorty” Hinds and many more”.