Griffin Howe, a sub-junior talent hailing from Michigan, has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the 2023 shooting season. Remarkably, at a mere 16 years old, his talent with a firearm is nothing short of extraordinary. What sets Griffin apart is not just his age, but his unwavering determination to test his skills against the very best in the country. He crisscrosses the nation, participating in the largest NSCA tournaments, where he faces off against seasoned veterans and emerging stars alike. Griffin's ambition knows no bounds; he has set lofty targets for himself, and it's evident that he's charting a course to not just meet, but exceed them. His journey is a testament to his dedication, talent, and the promise of a future bright with accomplishments in the world of competitive shooting.
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[00:00:43] Also brought to you by Rick Hemingway's Pro-Matic Trap Cells, Cole Gunsmithing, Clay Target Vision, Castellani USA and Ultimate Shooting Accessories, Sound Gear, Clay Shooter Supply and Falcon Strike. This week I have a sub junior on with me that has had a great 2023 season.
[00:01:41] He's only 16 years old and from Michigan, but travels the country shooting in the largest NSCA tournaments held and competing with some of the best shooters in the U.S. He has some big goals and he's on the right track to achieve them.
[00:01:54] Please welcome to the show, Griffin Howe. Griffin, glad to have you on with me. Thank you for the opportunity. Yeah, man. You know, this is actually the first time you've been on Shotgun Sports and I've been watching your scores for a while now
[00:02:23] and knew something big was coming. You know, you're consistently at the top of sub junior. Uh, and with the scores that sub juniors are currently shooting, I knew that the top of sub junior was going to be close to the top of the top.
[00:02:38] Open category, because you're shooting, they're shooting so good. The sub juniors are so strong and I'm going to get into what you've been winning in a minute, but I kind of want to get to know you. You know, I don't know you. I've seen you several times.
[00:02:53] I've waved at you, but I don't know you. So I'll kind of, this is going to be like a podcast for I'm getting to know somebody and the people listening can, can get to know you with me if they don't know you.
[00:03:04] So, uh, I know you turned 16 in July, but that's about it. So give me your backstory, how you got involved in clay shooting and, and we'll just go from there. Yep. So, uh, my family, my aunt and uncle actually saw there's a local
[00:03:19] shooting team called the Manchester young guns in Manchester, Michigan. And it was originally just like a trap and skeet team. And so when I was eight years old, um, my aunts and texts, my mom asking if I wanted to join my cousins on the shooting team,
[00:03:32] the shooting team had just kind of got gotten started then. And, um, so I joined the shooting team and I mean, the first practice I practiced trap and fell in love with it right there. And then soon after that, later in my first year,
[00:03:46] I shot sporting clay for the first time at my local gun club, which is called Brooklyn sportsman's club. It was just a little 50 bird shoot. And I, uh, fell in love with it from there on, there on out. And, um, just from there on,
[00:04:02] I shot a lot of sporting clays, just SCTP for awhile. And then I think a shot, Oh, it was probably three years of SCTP before I shot my first NSEA event. And, um, then I got an NSEA. And then first we took a lesson from Tom C actually,
[00:04:24] no, I take that. I take that lesson from Tom C. Actually, no, I take that. I take that back. It was Pat Liskey first. And then that kind of led on to taking a lesson from Tom and then the clinic
[00:04:36] from the Tom and David, which led on to Wendell. You've got a lot of similarities with you and Wendell and Tom, the way you shoot. I don't know how Pat shoots. I haven't ever, I've never watched him shoot, but if you,
[00:04:46] so you went to Tom and then you went to Wendell, when did you, when did you start thinking, all right, I might have a chance to, to be good at this or, you know, what was that point to where you knew that this was something you really wanted
[00:04:59] to do? Yep. So at a local sportsman's club, there's the club pro. His name is Carmen McRobert. He's been a huge help in my shooting journey. And he watched me for the first time shooting.
[00:05:09] And he told my grandpa that I had a lot of talent and that kind of helped me believe in myself. And I remember the car ride home asking my grandfather, what does it take to be a professional shooter?
[00:05:21] And what does it take to get good enough? And from there on out, he pretty much knew that it's something I really wanted to do. And so that just kind of struck a spark after him telling me how I have to be a
[00:05:33] professional shooter and take a lot of hard work. And from there on out, I just fell in love with it. Who did you look up to when you was in these beginning stages? Uh, I'm sure you knew who some of the big name shooters were like Tom,
[00:05:45] but who did you look up to and think, you know, I want to be like this guy when I get a little older. I mean, everyone, Todd, Joe Fonese, Tom C, Wendell, Zach, everyone. Which one did you, which one did you gravitate towards the most?
[00:06:02] I guess probably David or Wendell. It was, it was David. I would say I gravitated more towards David or Tom or Wendell. You got, you started with Tom, you went to Wendell. What kind of, tell me what Wendell taught you.
[00:06:15] Tell me when you're kind of like where you were and versus where you are now. What is, what did he teach you in that span of time? Uh, I would say my first lesson, I really hadn't really gotten into NSEA a lot yet.
[00:06:28] I think I shot my first day going to see it, which was the 2019 night soccer, which that's when Tom told me that I should probably look into going to Wendell. And um, so I mean the first lesson,
[00:06:39] Wendell just got into the basics of things and I wasn't super good then. I was just a kid who shot for fun most of the time. And that's where I just pretty much got into it. And then from there on out, it just, it,
[00:06:53] every single lesson was a step forward and I don't know, it's probably been 2019 was when I took my first lesson. So it's been four years. Yeah. When's the last time you've had a lesson with Wendell? I took a lesson from him. It was,
[00:07:07] so what do you, what do you work on now with, with when you go to your coach? I mean, you know, you just want a regional, you HOA the regional and what do you, what do you talk about in lessons now or what do you work on?
[00:07:20] So it used to be like fundamentals and mechanics and just like the simple, um, just the way I shoot. But now it's changed into like mental things and psychological things. And type things like that. Cause that has a big role in what the physical shooting does.
[00:07:40] Like the mental part of it controls everything in the physical part of it. Explain, explain that, explain what you do to mentally prepare them. So mentally preparing to me is, um, before I shoot,
[00:07:53] I would say I just get myself super relaxed because I used to get very anxious and actually, uh, earlier this year, when I was struggling, which the past two years have been a big struggle for me with that.
[00:08:05] Just, I get, I used to get really bad anxiety before I shot. And so now I've learned how to calm myself down enough where I can finally relax and shoot well. How do you do that? A lot of like breathing strategies and stuff like that.
[00:08:21] Maybe listen to music or something like that before you shoot. And I, a lot, I pray a lot, which helps me. Anything that helps, you know, calm your mind for sure. I mean, it's, you know, a lot of people think that this is just,
[00:08:32] you just go out there with a gun and you pull the trigger at a, at a moving clay target. Big deal. But it's a little harder than that. You know, it's, there's a lot that goes into it. And people that listen to this know that,
[00:08:44] but people that don't listen to this or have just gotten into the sport, don't understand that yet. You know? And yeah, I mean, when you get, you get thousands of different things. Yeah. You get to that level, man. And you have to, you have to have that edge.
[00:08:58] You have to figure out what it is that gets you to the top. And once you know how to shoot, the only thing that's blocking somebody from doing it is their mind, you know, and, and what they're thinking and their thoughts.
[00:09:09] So that's a, that's something I haven't even figured out how to do. I mean, I, you know, I think about everything else except, except for breaking the target when I go. So, you know, but that, that's, that's, that's, that's a big part of it.
[00:09:23] So, you know, but that's, it's neat to see someone of your age winning like you've won. And, and you've really just started that this year. I mean, you've won stuff, right? But it seems like you're on like a total, I don't know what you want to call it,
[00:09:37] but it's like shoot after shoot after shoot. You're always at the top or your runner up or your, you're winning the sub junior concurrent or your HOA in the regional. I mean, when you won that Jack links cup this year in sub junior,
[00:09:48] do you think that kind of started this year off on the right foot? This gave you that, that edge or that confidence to do better for the whole year? I would say so. I mean, the past few years have been a mass struggle for me.
[00:10:02] All of last year. I, uh, I was doing really well like in the 2021 season. My guns hit me and all that. And then I got a new gun, which all of last year is just been hard guns that she was using. I actually am really happy for that.
[00:10:21] Cause not only did that teach me like how to properly know if my guns fitting or not, but that also taught me cause I had to get used to missing. I just was lost in a lot of it was mental probably.
[00:10:32] But yeah, so this year I finally got a pattern stock from Cole, which huge thank you to Cole. They have been a massive help and getting my gun to fit me. And if anyone ever needs a pattern sock or any gun work, go to Cole gunsmithing. Yep.
[00:10:48] Yeah. So I got a new pattern stock at nationals in 2022 and we worked on it and got it fitting. So, and then we went to Jack links. And it kind of kicked it off from there, which Jack links is a heck of a shoot.
[00:11:03] That's one of those ones. And I think it's going to be even bigger next year that I just kind of look forward to going to, I don't know why, I guess just because I like it. I like going down there.
[00:11:12] I like the place and they do a good job with it. A really good job. So this year, you know, with Jack links, where did you go from there? What was your next tournament that you did good at the one?
[00:11:22] Well, Gator cup was a big struggle for me. Really? I don't, Gator cup was an interesting shoot for me. Why? I had a PTSD from the U S open going down backwards. Was it anything like that? No. Okay. Well, good. It was a different way.
[00:11:44] It was equally as hard, just differently. It was like, well, it's going to be on the next stand. Right? Yeah. Not a hundred yard crosser. Yeah. Gator cup was okay. You did well at some regionals too, right? Other than the wind you got, uh, Northeast.
[00:12:01] I did pretty well there. I won sub junior concurrent there. I didn't really think I would have won sub junior, but it turned out to not be as bad as I thought, which that's just a big thing that I'm having to
[00:12:11] learn is sometimes this, you, the score may not look very good, but with the targets we're shooting nowadays, it isn't as bad as we think. Right. But it is why you're doing it. You know what I'm saying? Right.
[00:12:27] You got an issue to 85 and you're like, Oh, you know, that's, I just ruined that. And then everybody else comes in right there close to it. And you're thinking, well, I guess I didn't do so bad. Does that make you feel good?
[00:12:38] Or does that make you feel like I still should have shot better? How does that make you feel? It makes me feel good, but also just know, I tells me that there's still some stuff that I need to learn.
[00:12:46] But sometimes the hard targets is what you need to win. Would you say that Gator Cup was the hardest targets you shot or not? The Gator Cup, the U S open. Oh, without a doubt. Yeah. Yeah. It was very hard.
[00:13:00] I mean, it's like everything else is easy after you shoot that. You know what I mean? Yeah. I enjoyed that. You did something like that. I enjoyed that shoot and I enjoyed shooting at the targets.
[00:13:11] I mean, I knew I wasn't gonna win anything anyway, so I enjoyed shooting at the targets and I enjoyed shooting at the targets. And I think when you have a family that is like that, have the opportunity
[00:13:16] to win and thinking, you know what's in their mind when they're walking up to the U S open and it's like that. So tell me about your family. I know they've been a big part of your shooting success and your shooting journey. Tell me about you.
[00:13:28] I know you, your granddad goes with you, your mom and dad, your sister. Tell me about your family. Yeah, no, I mean, my family has been the biggest thing in my shooting career and it takes a lot.
[00:13:37] If you have a great family, it's awesome to have a family. to have a family and my grandpa is the best grandpa you could ever ask for. Um, yeah, so we're good family. We're very close and, and yeah, so my grandpa goes with me everywhere.
[00:13:52] And sometimes my parents are going, but my grandpa's not retired. So there's a lot more time to travel with me. And my parents now took over the, our family plumbing company. So they don't have a ton of time and time anymore to travel with me.
[00:14:06] So your grandpa started the plumbing company and your, your parents took over. Right. Yes. Nice. And your grandfather is your mother's dad, right? Yes. The one that I always see is what I'm at. Yep. Okay. Yeah. You'll always hear. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:14:21] So, and I see him, I can remember, I don't know. I might've been at the Gator cup one year and it was, I think it was you and him sitting, we were going to shoot five Stan. I think I was shooting with Anthony or something.
[00:14:34] And, uh, y'all were sitting there and I think that's the first time I met you. It was a few years back. Maybe. Yep. I remember. You remember that? Uh, you have that cool Creek. You were shooting with Tom. Was it Tom? Okay. Yeah. You should have the time.
[00:14:45] Yeah. Yeah. I remember that. And, and, uh, that's, that's the thing. That's the first time I met you, but you know, I don't remember a lot, but I remember that. So what, what grade are you in? You had junior. Um, yep. One of my junior year. Okay.
[00:15:00] And you go to what school you go to? I go to Manchester junior, senior high school in Manchester, Michigan. It's a really small school. Only have I think 50 kids in my grade. Really? And it's a public, it's a public school. The public school. Wow.
[00:15:17] Um, how does shooting or does it interfere with school and your school work or how do you figure out how to handle it both? How do you figure how to handle both of them? Just like everything else work in life and shooting and just to learn to balance
[00:15:31] it. And a lot of times I'll try to get my schoolwork done in the car ride, going to the shoot. So I'm not worrying about any work or anything to do like that during the shoot, which is a good thing with my school.
[00:15:43] Actually we give them a schedule and they're pretty chill with me traveling and giving you work as I go. As long as I'm, I'm assuming as long as you get it done, I don't have a problem with it. Yeah.
[00:15:54] As long as I get it done, if I don't get it done, there might be an issue. Yeah. Well, let's keep it. Just keep doing that then. So let's, let's talk about this big one you just had when, when was the regional,
[00:16:04] it was the Western regional at, uh, in Colorado, right? That you, you want, tell me about the whole shoot. Tell me about everything. Cause I didn't go. I mean, the shoot was greatly ran. There was main feet task, everything that we normally have with the regionals and
[00:16:20] yeah, everyone is saying the targets. Yeah. They were not horribly hard targets, but that what that really does show is mental toughness because knowing that you have to go out there and it's almost like you can't miss and it is, it's hard to wrap your mind around that.
[00:16:39] But I mean, it was a good shoot. I would say it was, and it was a challenge. It was more of a challenge than I would say than shooting a hard target. Just cause you had to be spot on every single shot throughout the entire tournament.
[00:16:52] What, uh, didn't you shoot a hundred and something? Yep. I shot a hundred the first day of the main. And the orange course. All right. So I saw some posts on Facebook about the targets are easy.
[00:17:05] Look at all the high scores and you know, this, that, and another. And I, my response, I didn't say this on Facebook, but my response when I was talking to somebody was everybody's still shooting the same targets if they're hard
[00:17:18] or if they're easy, there's still the same targets that you're still going to have a you know, and I think it's, I like the idea of easier targets and letting everybody have a good time and see who washes out at the end. You know what I'm saying?
[00:17:34] And yeah, I think that would be more fun than having to go shoot a bunch of hard targets and beating your head up against the wall at night when you go home, you know, it just seems like it would be fun.
[00:17:44] Her has a really good way to say that too. Okay. When John, John says, um, at these shoots, it doesn't matter if they're hard or easy or not super hard or whatever they are, you're still going to have those
[00:17:57] select few that are always going to be near the top. Sometimes you may have a couple of that pop up here and there, but if they're hard targets, what happens to all the people that are in a class?
[00:18:10] They get, they get their butts whooped and they don't want to shoot anymore just because it's not as fun when you're going out there and shooting up 63 when you can go out there and shoot at 88 or an 89. And if you have 12, one hundreds or 12 straights, whatever, you still
[00:18:28] going to have a winner. You just have a shoot off, you know? And, and I think that's actually what happened with you, right? Didn't you have a shoot off? Yep. I had a shoot off with Austin and Jack. That's right. Austin was on fire that weekend. Wasn't he?
[00:18:42] He was, he was, he was almost unbeatable. I was watching him and I really thought that Austin may pull it out. Then I saw that, saw what you shot a hundred and I thought, well, here we go.
[00:18:54] So, uh, you ended up winning and you know, I think I told you congratulations on Facebook, but you know, what was that feeling like when you won that first big tournament? It was a feeling like none other.
[00:19:07] It was kind of hard for me to grasp at the moment though. Just like knowing that I just want a major event. Yeah. Um, but now that it kind of sinks in now, like I did win my first major
[00:19:19] and it's a big deal for me and my shooting career. Is team USA something you're focused on? For sure. Yeah. I mean, I think that's most people that are into it like you are, you know, I think that'd be cool in the sub junior.
[00:19:34] Now that they have the sub junior team USA, you know, that's, um, I guess something you can shoot for, right? It's my last year in sub junior. Well, Hey, they got it for junior too. You know, there's only a few.
[00:19:47] And I can't even name more than a couple. So, and I know some people can sub juniors that have HOA, a shoot, which is pretty impressive. Yeah. There's not many at all. No, I know. I know David probably did it. Tom did it.
[00:20:01] Joe's done it maybe Todd, but there's, there's a, I mean, there's more I'm sure, but it's, it's pretty impressive, man. I mean, you just turned 16 years old and you HOA a shoot. You have all the big guys there.
[00:20:12] All that does to me is put a smile on my face. I think it's cool. Kids coming up or taking it as serious as some of these people that do it for a living and being successful with it, you know? Yep. Absolutely.
[00:20:24] And I would say that seems like sub junior now is a different level. Yeah, it is. It is. And you know, young kids, younger kids, I guess you should say maybe not your age,
[00:20:36] maybe a little younger than you, but they seem to always think that success in this sport comes quick and that's what they're doing. Always think that success in this sport comes quick. I've noticed that my son's 10 and he's shooting and he thinks he should hit them
[00:20:48] all, you know, and that's not the case. What do you say about that to kids that are coming up in the sport, maybe a little younger than you and get aggravated because they miss or get aggravated because it's not going the way they want it to go.
[00:21:02] What are your experiences with that? That you could share with them? Yeah. I mean, it happens to everyone. I was once that way I used to get very angry and I missed a target thinking
[00:21:12] that I should shoot a hundred straight all the time, but I mean, it's reality. No one's no one in sporting clays will ever be perfect and shoot a hundred straight all the time. That's just learning, learning to deal with that and keeping the cool and all that.
[00:21:26] And I think that's hard for, for youngsters, you know, especially mine, mine, you know, we were shooting and I try to take him to the bigger local stuff. I don't ever hadn't taken him. I think I took him to Jack links.
[00:21:39] But the problem that he has is he'll, I mean, he's 10 and he shot for six months and he misses a target and he gets mad at himself and I, and I don't even know how to handle it other than just to smile at him.
[00:21:53] Like you can't get mad when you've only been doing this six months. I mean, what are you, what are you mad at? The guy that's going to win, it's going to miss. That's kind of what I've been working with him on is you can't
[00:22:04] get mad at stuff like that. You gotta, it's kind of like a learning curve. You know what I mean? And that's, that's just hard for, I'm facing that right now with my son and, you know, listening to somebody that you're raised talk about mindset
[00:22:19] and how you've handled it. Um, I think can, can get a message across to some of the younger kids, but it's, it's, it's the sub juniors, man. They're really, really good right now. You know, you know, it's just, it's crazy.
[00:22:32] What do you foresee yourself doing in the upcoming years? Are you, are you wanting to stay in the sport? Are you wanting a career in this sport? What are you, what are you wanting to do? Absolutely. I'm looking for a possible career in the sport.
[00:22:47] I mean, I know it can be tough to have a career in the sport because there's only a select few that really can have a great career in the sport. And, um, definitely, I'm not sure, maybe looking into being a pilot in the
[00:23:02] future, just cause I mean, that's once you get into it, it's not, it may be a full-time job at first, but after that it's not a full-time job and you can schedule yourself so, which would give me time to, if I want to give
[00:23:15] lessons or travel, that would be a huge help. Are you talking about like a commercial pilot with Delta or somebody like FedEx or something? Like Delta. That'd be cool. Now are you, does anybody in your family fly? My grandpa, he's a, he, he's a pilot.
[00:23:31] He's been a pilot since I think the nineties. That will also be a huge help. Cause I mean, he knows all the tricks and everything like that, about airplanes that blow my mind. Does he still fly? Oh, he's, he's still, he's still flies. Really?
[00:23:47] Does it, do y'all fly the chutes? No, he has a, he has a smaller airplane that he flies. Uh, yeah. Well, hey, they'll get there. I don't know about flying with him in the airplane, man. Yeah.
[00:24:01] My dad flies also, and, uh, he flies a lot and, uh, it's, it's pretty interesting because he's, he's really into it and I'm not, you know, I'd rather just fly Delta, but, uh, it's, uh, it's a good career to get
[00:24:15] into for sure, especially like a FedEx pilot that works four days a month or whatever it is. You could do all kinds of stuff in shooting when it comes to that. Oh yeah. That'd be, that's the best way to do it. I feel like,
[00:24:28] I never thought about that. What's your goal? What's your, what's the next, uh, achievement that you want to make or get or win or whatever? Well, that's the main achievement that I'm going for is to be a world champion. You're talking about an open world champion,
[00:24:43] an open world champion. Correct. But I mean, stepping stones, you can learn how to win W a world champion. Yeah. Well, that's, that's the top of the top board right there. What have you won as a sub junior? I'm not talking about this year, just in general.
[00:24:58] What have you won? Yep. I've won some smaller shoots, some stuff at Dan Bailey's place, Eagles and S I've won some stuff there at one, some small shoots in Michigan, but I've never came anywhere near close to winning something like a regional or anything like that.
[00:25:13] But you have now, you know, so, so let's, let's, let's talk about SCTP versus the NSCA for a second. You said you shot in a SCTP, um, a few years back, compare the two.
[00:25:27] How did you, did you learn more shooting with SCTP before you got into the NSCA and the targets that prepare you like it was supposed to it's a great organization for starting kids out. And I mean, I see TP is bigger than it ever has been.
[00:25:44] I mean, I went to the, uh, SCPB nationals this year and I think they had 10,000 registered kids shooting there, which is unbelievable. And I mean, that's crazy. SCTP is it's good to learn in, I would say learning to shoot trap
[00:26:00] first or learning to shoot first and then going into sporting plays. But I think the biggest thing about that is they give you fluffy targets that someone who may not travel to the bigger shoots can shoot it straight on. Yeah.
[00:26:15] When I went to an SCA suits and I got smacked in the face. Yeah. I've never seen a target past 60 yards. Yeah. Yeah. There's a big difference. I went, my son's school had a tournament today and I went to the
[00:26:31] tournament and was, you know, I was thinking, well, there's going to be some fluffy targets, some big, you know, easy stuff now there was none of that. And it really surprised me because some of these kids they've never shot before and they're throwing targets.
[00:26:46] Like we seriously though, like we would see it like Joe skull stuff. I mean, it's, I thought, how are these kids supposed to hit that? And I thought, I thought school shoots were easy, but I guess they're changing, I don't know. So really, yes.
[00:27:00] I'm talking about big targets. I mean, it was, it was really, I thought to myself, I don't think I can hit this. I mean, it was, I don't know. I just thought kids' shoots were supposed to be easier, but I guess not.
[00:27:11] I don't know if they're trying to ramp it up. I don't know what they're doing, but it was, it was an eye opener for sure. To see these kids out there, these fifth and sixth grade kids that are
[00:27:19] trying to shoot these targets have no clue what they're doing. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think they should be easy at that just to keep kids in the sport for a while and then, yeah, but I think, I think as CPP coaches should really
[00:27:30] do is try to persuade kids to start shooting some of the NICA things. Yeah. Just to keep our sport growing. Yeah. Is it too, uh, so they can experience more, do you think than what SETP offers as far as targets are concerned? Absolutely.
[00:27:47] Cause there's some very talented shooters and SETP that people in the NSA wouldn't even know. And I think if we could get some of those kids to come in the NCA and learn to shoot some of these targets, I think it could change our game. Yeah.
[00:28:03] When did you start having people support you shooting Griffin? Like as far as sponsors were you, you're fairly young, weren't you? Cole gunsmithing. We started off with, and I want to say Cole, I don't remember what 20 next 2020 when Cole, that was my first big support from them.
[00:28:24] And then it went on to be from Cole. It went to be bear pelt when bear pelt just started. And then it went on to be, let's see who it was game bore. And then recently there's folded wing apparel and rainier. Really? That must be a new one.
[00:28:44] I don't remember seeing that one. Is that a new one for you? Yeah, that was, that was last year, about a year ago. So you have a clay bot. Do you work with that? I do. And those things are amazing. Do you have them set up?
[00:28:55] You have some property, you have it on. Yep. So we have eight machines and we have one of the chromatics on the clay bot. And I mean, you can throw a rabbit with a standard target off that thing. Yeah. And drive it over and everything.
[00:29:09] Not to step on them. What now? What you've got eight traps at your house. Yes. At my grandparents place, which we actually built a house across the street from my grandparents. Well, that sounds like it would be very beneficial. You practice at home then? Yes, I do.
[00:29:23] Which is huge. Yes, it would be. I've noticed that a lot of people that shoot like Tom C for example, has several traps at his house and they just seem to always, they can shoot when they want to and they get really good at doing that.
[00:29:39] Chromatic, she said. Yes. We have chromatics and then I have, we have one Laporte and one Lincoln trap. Well, it sounds like you got it going on, man. Um, I'm actually really impressed with what you've done.
[00:29:50] Uh, it's, it's, um, I like to see kids successful, you know, and, and, and doing well in what they're doing. And, and you're one of them, you and, you know, there's only a few of
[00:29:59] them, you and Turner and Joe and Connor, you know, there, there's a couple more for sure, but I mean, I've always kind of watched you guys and y'all, y'all are really impressive, really good kids. And, and, uh, I wish y'all all the best for sure in this sport.
[00:30:16] And I think you're on the right path. So. Yep. Well, I greatly appreciate that. Yeah, man. What's what's next for you? Where are you going next? Do you want, I know you're going to go to the regional, um, the north central regional. What's what's after that?
[00:30:29] Uh, the south central regional, Louisiana, Covey rise. Oh, I bet that's going to be. Terribly hot. Yeah. It might be pretty humid. Man, that's crazy how hot it is down here, but I bet you're not, you're not. Are you used to the hot weather?
[00:30:46] You're not used to it. Are you? No, you got to stay. You got to stay like cold region, don't you? Yep. We're up in Michigan and I mean, I mean, once in a while we'll get temperatures that are three digits, but most of the time it's averaging around
[00:30:59] 80 degrees when he gets nine, you about to start, you better, you getting hot. Aren't you? Yeah. Then, uh, but in the winter, actually last December we had a wind chill of negative 38 degrees. I don't even know how to, I don't even, I'd like to, I'd
[00:31:13] like just feel that one time. I don't like to feel it. Is it as cold as it sounds like it is? Oh, it is as cold as it sounds like it gets you to the bottom.
[00:31:25] Well, you know, you can either live down south, like, like we do down here and just be an absolute, just misery in the summertime, or you can live up there and being the same thing during the winter time. So I guess it is what it is, you know?
[00:31:38] Yeah. I don't know. I was down shooting at the meadows not too long ago and it was a hundred degrees and like 80% humidity. That sucks. It does. I don't know how you guys deal with that. You know, it's kind of fun to tell people this all the time.
[00:31:52] You can, if you go take a shower, okay. And you get out of the shower and you put on your clothes without drying off. That's exactly what it feels like down here. Like you just walk out of the house and it feels like you just put your
[00:32:05] clothes on after you got out of the shower. It's crazy. And it's, it's just, it don't make anybody want to stay outside, you know, for three or four months. It's just, but it is what it is.
[00:32:17] You know, we don't have, I've seen snow maybe three to four times in my life here. So you see it every winter, you know? Yep. It's a lot of it every single winter. And I think that's cool.
[00:32:28] I'd like to have me a snow plow on the front of my truck where I can just ride around and push snow everywhere, you know, and a snowblower to clean off the driveway, I just think that'd be cool just because I've never done it.
[00:32:38] But anyway, listen, thank you for coming on, spend a little time with me. Um, yeah, no, absolutely. Can I just say one quick thing? Yeah. It just, thank you to everyone. If you're listening, thank you to everyone in my shooting career, like
[00:32:53] Wendell and all my sponsors, they've been a huge, huge help to my shooting. Yeah. And I couldn't have done it without them. Yeah. It takes a team, man. You know, it takes a team to be successful and you've, you've been on the right team. You're doing good.
[00:33:07] And, and, uh, like I said, I wish you the best and, uh, I'll probably see you here in the next few days and, um, you know, make sure I wave at you again. Yeah. So I appreciate it. Yeah, man. Thank you for having me on here. Yeah.
[00:33:20] If you ever need anything, holler at me. Okay. All right. I appreciate it. All right, buddy. See you. Thanks for listening. Remember to visit us online at ShotgunSportsUSA.com. Check out the products that our sponsors have to offer and we'll see you on the next one.