Seems he was born with an eagle eye and a steady hand.
Since 1953, Dickinson resident Al Lundgren has been shooting registered trap and having celebrated his 92nd birthday June 24, he has no plans to quit anytime soon.
Throughout his career, Lundgren has shot more than 300,000 targets, also known as clay pigeons.
"I've probably shot over a million rounds with practice and league," Lundgren said.
Lundgren shot his 100,000th round at the age of 87.
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During his tenured trap shooting career, Lundgren has amassed quite a shooting resume.
For 34 years, Lundgren and his wife Estelle, religiously drove to Arizona for Al to compete in some of the country's largest trap shooting competitions.
On Feb. 2, 1984, Al shot 200 straight targets at a competition in Phoenix.
Al said during competitions in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., he shot 596 consecutive targets without a single miss.
From a win on the state level in 1988, Al moved on to compete in the American Trap Association's Grand American competition in Vandalia, Ohio (the nation's largest trap competition at the time) where he took third place.
In 1988, Al was inducted into the North Dakota Trap Shooting Hall of Honor for trap shooting and was also named the veteran's class Champion of Champions.
Estelle has stood proudly by his side throughout his trap shooting career. During their 63-year marriage, the couple has traveled thousands of miles to four Canadian provinces and 17 states in search of the next trap competition.
"My girls were raised in the back seat with the potty chair, puzzles and you name it," Estelle said. "When I say together, it's together. Trap shooting has been my life."
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During a two-day shoot Aug. 1 and 2 at the Dickinson Trap Club, Estelle said she made 15 pies and cooked for two straight days, providing sustenance for all the shooters.
Very little can stop Al from doing what he loves.
In March 2006, Al had shoulder surgery, and by Sept. 9, he shot 100 straight targets, something not many can accomplish.
With more than 500 trophies in their home, the Lundgren's have resorted to storing some in the basement. The collection includes multiple ornate, silver belt buckles, china, silver platters and intricately engraved knives.
Prior to the couple's move to Dickinson nine years ago, Al was president of the Mohall Trap Club for 25 years. Unbeknownst to Al, the Dickinson Trap Club had already elected him president before his move to Dickinson. Today, Al serves as the club's treasurer.
Dickinson resident Dennis Biederstedt and member of the Dickinson Trap Club's board, has known Al for three years and can attest to his eagle-eye ways.
"This is kind of what he lives for," Biederstedt said. "He kind of makes sure everything's functioning."
Al is a lifetime member of the Dickinson Trap Club, the Mohall Trap Club, Minot Gun Club, Mesquite, Nevada Trap Club, Kramer Trap Club, the Sherwood Trap Club and the Lansford Trap Club.
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Still on top of his game, Al is slated to compete Saturday and Sunday in Bismarck's 40th Annual Sharptail Trapshoot.
Al proudly said he is one of the most tenured trap shooters in North Dakota.
"There is only one other guy older than me that shoots," Al said.
Passionate about passing his craft on to the younger generation, Al tries to instill his motto, "Go hunting and trap shooting with your boy today and you may not be hunting for him tomorrow," within all who he helps perfect their shooting abilities.
A family affair, the Lundgren's granddaughter, Kris Hastings of Belfield, said Al trap shoots with his great-grandson and three grandsons.
Anyone can enjoy trap shooting, she said.
"Anybody can do it, mothers, fathers, living proof, my grandfather," Hastings said.
