LOCAL NEWS | Moore County boasts not one but two 4-H shooting sports teams. Young archers that shoot Genesis or Open Compound bows make up the 4-H Moore On Target Team and the Lynchburg Clay Busters practice shotgun games like trap, skeet, and sporting clays.

The Tennessee 4-H Central Region, which is composed of 35 counties in middle Tennessee, held its first 4-H Spring Shootout just days before the pandemic sent everyone home, according to Moore 4-H Youth Development Agent Lorie Burtts. Moore County had 18 students travel to Ridley 4-H Center in Columbia to compete in the Genesis Archery. Five students also competed in the Trap and Skeet at the Maury County Gun Club.

Gavin Marshall and Gus Burtts each won first place in their age division in Genesis Archery.  Others with top ten finishes were: Alex Lynch (fourth place), Jack Hart (fifth place), Junior Marshall (eighth place), and Evan Miller (tenth place).  Michael Sisk took home first place in the Trap and Skeet contest, and his teammates Caleb Sells and Wyatt Burtts tied for seventh place.  

Seven Moore County youth participated in the State 4-H Fall Shotgun Jamboree held at the Nashville Gun Club. Due to the pandemic, only senior high youth were invited to keep the contest size small. This contest tests a shooter’s skill in trap, skeet and sporting clays. Michael Sisk won the Champions Division. New team member, Brogan Schwartz placed sixteenth overall, Brandon Sisk placed fourth in Skeet and Wyatt Burtts placed sixth in trap.

The State 4-H Fall Archery Jamboree was altered to only include open compound and recurve divisions, leaving no state contest for our senior high Genesis shooters.  Two Moore County 4-H’ers took part in the archery contest that took place at Hyder Burks Livestock Pavilion in Cookeville.  The competitors shot indoors at 20 and 30 meters and outdoors at 3-D wildlife targets placed at unknown distances 30 yards or less.  Wyatt Burtts took top honors that day placing first and his younger brother Gus Burtts placed sixth.  

“Moore County 4-H has a very strong shooting sports program, and with support from grant funding provided by The Friends of NRA and the National Wild Turkey Federation, the cost to participate is minimal,” says Burtts.

For more information, contact the Moore County UT/TSU Extension Office at 931-759-7163. •