Blue skies and sunshine contributed toward an impressive turnout for the Central Whidbey Sportsmen Association’s fifth annual benefit turkey shoot on Sunday.

“The weather and the fact that it was well advertised helped a lot,” CWSA president Larrie Ford said.

The group raised $429.50 that went to the food bank Gifts from the Heart in Coupeville. In the past they have donated to such organizations as WAIF and the Help House in Oak Harbor.

“$300 is probably average,” Ford said.

The turkey shoot consisted of six events in which everything from pistols, shotguns and rifles were used.

Contests included: shooting at a large bullseye 25-yards away, knocking charcoal briquettes off toilet paper tubes, hitting turkey targets, firing at jug head targets, trap shooting and popping balloons 100-yards away in adult and junior categories.

Regardless of the event, accuracy was the key to taking home a turkey.

In order to win the majority of the contests it was required to get the nearest to the target the most, except for the balloon shoot, which provided more of an element of surprise. Two winning balloons were placed among several others on the adult side of the range and one on the junior side. The first people to find the balloons containing the confetti could take home the prize.

The benefit attracted a wide array of both male and female competitors and shooters ranged from the age of eight up.

“I just like to get out here and shoot,” 12 year-old Trapper Rawls of South Whidbey said.

Those who shot the top two scores of each event and winners of the 12 and under junior competitions took home frozen turkeys for their efforts.

“It’s a good cause and the tickets are only five bucks for four of them,” Harold Griggs of Coupeville said.

Even though the cost for entering was cheap the main focus of most seemed to be having fun and supporting charity.

“Even if you win a turkey it probably ends up costing you 20 bucks,” Griggs said laughing.

All those involved seemed pleased with the day’s results.

“This is the club’s way of supporting the community that supports us,” membership secretary Lou Gunn, said.

Turkey winners

Bullseye

Dennis Skog

Pete Tulloch

Harold Griggs

Briquette

Pete Tulloch

Jim Pfifer

Turkey targets

Chad Yingling (junior)

Sharron Maddex

Chris Radcliff

Murph Cross

Herb Strassler

Jug head

Ted Lile

Al Lindell

Dennis Scott

Trap

Trapper Rawls (junior)

Chris Hulls

Rick Schwehm

Eric Ford

Rifle

Jessica Blanchette (junior)

Linda Wantanabe