Trapshooter on the Scooter | Video

Alexander Gorney | 6/24/2012

Dorothy Stancliff has never been the type who stays at home watching cookies in the oven. The 83-year-old great-grandmother is one of the top trapshooters in Montana.

"Ever since 1978, I`ve only missed one state shoot in the state of Montana. But that was the year my husband had his stroke,” she said.

Stancliff is in Bismarck this weekend for the Roughrider Trap shoot. She doesn`t miss many targets, even though she now pulls the trigger from a scooter.

"I don`t have good balance. I can`t shoot standing up anymore and if I`m going to play this game as long as I can, this is the way I`m going to do it."

"She ruined her shoulder and then both of her knees went and she didn`t shoot for a couple years,” said Pat Banister, Stancliff’s daughter. “A friend of hers in California sent her that scooter and gave it to her with the stipulation that when she`s done with it she has to pass it on to another shooter that needs one."

Stancliff has a long list of accolades. She was the first woman to win a state marathon in singles, blasting 498 out of 500 targets in one day. She`s also in the Montana Hall of Fame.

"Dorothy is absolutely phenomenal,” said Rod Gilmore, a board member at Capital City Gun Club. “Besides just being a wonderful lady, she is one heck of a trap shooter."

She may make shooting from a scooter look easy but it took some time to adjust.

"I had to learn how,” said Stancliff. “Your perspective to the target is different when you go out there. But after a while you get used to it."

Stancliff also uses her talent to coach younger shooters who are new to the game.

"I kept missing and missing at the beginning and she said slow down,” said Jeanette Bricks, who is new to trapshooting. "She was very helpful telling me how to take control and deep breaths so I could get on target."

"I taught my grandson to shoot and he shot with me for four years,” said Stancliff. “When he turned 18, he discovered girls, it was his downfall. My twin grand-daughters came along and they went with me for a while and then I recruited my daughter and she goes with me."

"I`ve seen her make grown men cry,” said Banister. "She`s much admired because she`s not only a good shooter but a nice person."

"I love it. I like the people. Most of my friends are on a trapline," said Stancliff.

Stancliff says her condition limits her to no more than 200 rounds a day. But she says she has no plans to put away the shotgun anytime soon.

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