The ISU Trap and Skeet Club shot their way to a fourth-place finish overall at the Association of College Unions International National Championships in San Antonio, Texas.

The club also earned an invitation to represent the United States in an international competition in Prague, Czech Republic in September.

Preliminary results had the team finishing third overall, but the official results, after being adjusted for handicaps, had the Cyclones finishing fourth with a combined total of 1,385 targets in four events.

The four events that make up the overall score are American Skeet, International Skeet, American Trap and International Trap.

The team finished fourth in American Skeet, fifth in International Skeet, fourth in American Trap and sixth in International Trap. The team also finished as runner-up in Sporting Clays, but the Sporting Clays score did not figure into the overall team totals.

“Going to Texas was a big deal,” said Lee Van Brocklin, advisor. “We were really happy. We did really well this year. The students in the club now have a much better appreciation as to how it can be competitive as well as fun as opposed to just doing it for recreation.”

Van Brocklin said the club currently has about 40 members, eight of whom made the trip to San Antonio.

Those eight included club president Tyler Bruch, senior in agricultural studies, Matt Grunig, senior in animal ecology, Jeremy Phillips, Tony Bustos, freshman in mechanical engineering, Tim Williams, senior in construction engineering, Scott Williams, senior in agricultural studies, Carl Olson and Rocky Kalsow, senior in industrial engineering.

“There’s no requirement to own a firearm to be in the club, but [members] have to have taken a gun safety course,” Van Brocklin said.

Van Brocklin said the Ames Isaac Walton Club, a private club, has been instrumental in helping the club compete.

“They’ve opened their facilities to us and they’ve been more than supportive of us,” Van Brocklin said. “Without their facilities, we wouldn’t be able to have a club.”

Bruch said the Isaac Walton Club has really helped Iowa State compete with clubs that offer scholarships in their programs and receive more money from their schools.

“[Competing with those teams] is where Isaac Walton has really helped us out,” Bruch said. “They let us practice there twice a week. Having a range with access to it that close to school is phenomenal.”

The invitation to represent the United States was an unexpected honor for the club, Bruch said.

“The trip to Prague is a really great opportunity. It’s just something really amazing,” Bruch said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Those six guys are going to represent the U.S., not just ISU.”

Iowa State will send one three-man team in International Skeet and another three-man team in International Trap. In order to go, the club will have to raise funds to be able to afford the $1,500 cost per man for the trip.

“We’re looking at doing a shotgun raffle,” Bruch said. “We’re getting a really good deal on a really good shotgun.”

Van Brocklin said the club has received some money from the Government of the Student Body as well, and he has written a letter to the athletic department as well, but has not received a response yet.

Bruch said he believes club members will be able to raise the money.

“I think we will be all right,” Bruch said. “Some people have even already sent us free-will donations and once we really get going I think we will be able to come up with the money.”