These 'birds' can turn into gold
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Over the course of the past month, the world has witnessed major sporting events such as the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Tour de France.
In Michael Taylor's competitive arena, count the World Shotgun Competition.
Taylor, who has a ranch in Winnett, Mont., and lives in Rollins, returned last week from the event in Italy after being gone since the Fourth of July. His wife, State Rep. Janna Taylor, did not accompany him overseas, but she did share in his gold medal victory.
As he sported his two gold medals he won for the shooting competition, Taylor described the event as a worldwide gathering of shotgun sportsmen from 28 countries and a setting that consisted of an opening parade and the playing of each nation's national anthem.
The competition itself was broken down into two age groups, 21-45 and 50 and above. Those in between play in an "open" competition, Taylor said.
"This is a sport like track," he stated. "It's an individual sport. You're challenging yourself to do the best you can."
Taylor, who was on a six-man team that included individuals from Switzerland, France and the United States, said the competition involved shooting 50 targets a day for a four-day total of 200 targets.
"It takes two-and-half hours to shoot 50 targets," Taylor added.
Taylor has been on the U.S. team in Cypress as well in Australia.
"It's very popular in Europe. It's supposed to be the best of the best."
While many people's image of a shooting exercise entails going into an open field and blasting away, Taylor said there is a lot of discipline involved.
"We don't just pick up a gun and do this, he said. "There are things that are beyond your control. You have to stay in the present."
Staying in the present and keeping realistic expectations requires the ability to spot the target from anywhere between 20 and 55 meters away. The targets are called "birds" but are actually cylindrical wooden objects flung out into the open vastness as the shooters wait.
Sometimes, Taylor added, the targets are "bouncing around like a rabbit."
If there is a higher goal for the sport besides the competition, Taylor said it would be to improve how people approach it.
"The practice is to achieve better gun safety and to make you a better sportsman in the field." That includes, he added, staying properly hydrated.
"The first that goes is your eyes," he added.
In order to be successful, Taylor said he's taken a philosophical approach to help him make it through the competition.
"At times you're the bug, other times you're the windshield."
