Tangie McFee, a Latta High School Senior and a 4-H club member, won the Ladies Sr. division of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) skeet championship at the Palmetto Shooting Complex on February 10, 2018. Tangie shot a total score of 49 out of 50 targets to win first place in the Ladies Sr. division. The awards for taking first placed were many. Tangie won a $1500 scholarship from the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund to use at any continuing education facility of her choice. She also won an over and under shotgun with a retail value of $1000 which was presented by Academy Sports. She shot one perfect round of 25 straight targets and was given a DNR 25 straight patch to signify perfection. Tangei said her most coveted prize was the High Overall (HOA) Award Trophy which will remind her that she was the best lady youth skeet shooter in the state on that particular day. She was also awarded several trophies as her squad of 3 shooters took first place in the Ladies sr. division as well as her individual accomplishments. Shooting with Tangie were Gracie Woelfer who shot a 45 out of 50 and Madison Sharpe who shot 46 out of 50. The squad’s total score was 140 out of 150 targets which was the highest score for all Ladies teams competing in the event.
There are 4 major programs for youth shot gun shooting in South Carolina. They are the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), The Clemson Extension 4-H Program (4-H), The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), and the South Carolina Youth Shooting Foundation (SCYSF). All but the SCDNR charge a participation fee to shoot. To be eligible to shoot in the SCDNR events a youth must have their SCDNR Hunter Education Certification. This can be obtained free of charge by attending one of the classes offered or ON-LINE through the DNR. SCYSF only shoots sporting clays. 4-H, SCTP and SCDNR all shoot Sporting Clays, Trap and Skeet.
Since any youth who has their hunter education card can compete in the SCDNR shoots and there is no fee charged, all their events are considered the South Carolina State Championship events. The South Carolinian Indepenant Schools Association (SCISA) recognizes the SCDNR events as the State Championship as their athletic competition and awards their championship trophies at those events. Each organizations major concern is safety when you have 600+ youth walking around with guns and ammo. As a safety feature there must be one trained coach for every 3 shooters. Tangie has been confirmed as a Certified Youth Leader as she has perused extra training and participation in coaching classes. Once she turns 18 she may be eligible to receive her youth coach certification and once she reaches 21 years old will be qualified as a Youth Shooting Instructor.
In the SCDNR clay target program they break down shooters in to several different divisions. The first division is between schools and clubs. Private schools in the SCISA system are considered high school sports and can only have shooters from the 7th to 12 grades. Examples of this are Dillon Christian School and Pee Dee Academy who both have teams. Public schools do not shoot as athletic programs but shoot as school clubs. The SCDNR still considers them to be school teams. The club division can be made up of any kind of club, including 4-H, Boy scouts, gun clubs, or any other group. This is the division that Dillon County 4-H shoots in.
The next major division is the Ladies group. Females can shoot in either all ladies squads or on mixed squads. Even if they shoot on a mixed squad they are still considered for individual awards in the ladies division.
The final division is by age and experience. SCDNR have a Sr. division for 11th and 12th graders, Jr. Division or 9th and 10th graders and Intermediate division for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Dillon County 4-H accepts members from 7 years old to 19. Other local lady shooter accomplishments go to Bree Ammons for winning a $500 scholarship at the SCDNR State Skeet shoot. Tangie McFee won another HOA at the 4-H SCTP 100 bird sporting clay shoot at the Palmetto Shooting complex on February 17, 2018. Tangie shoot 93 out of 100 targets. The next 2 closest competitors tied with 91. At this same shoot Brenna Miller shooting with Dillon County 4-H came in 3rd. HOA in the Intermediate ladies division with a score of 73 just 2 birds behind the first place shooter.
