Man's love of shooting overcomes disabilities

By Marion Valanoski
For The Daily Item

June 17, 2009 08:25 am

— ELYSBURG -- Paul Zedack may have already captured the top prize at this year's Pennsylvania State Trap Shoot and yet the event still has five days of competition and some of the world's top shooters haven't made the trek to the Valley Rod and Gun Club.
It has nothing to do with targets broken or plaques awarded but rather coming off the traps Monday with another memory that time or the elements can't wear away.
Competing with four shooters from the Delaware Water Gap area the 78-year old shooter from Danville was overwhelmed by the way the strangers allowed him to compete while breaking their own level of concentration.
Zedack due to several physical ailments shoots while seated on a scooter. The scooter recoils when the gun goes off and he must take time to move back into position for the next shot.
The process can hold up competitors for additional minutes, but there was nary a squeak of discontent.
"They told me afterwards that just watching how I struggled to prepare for each shot they were honored to be in my group," Zedack said. "To them it was a memorable event and something that they would never forget.
"When I shoot both myself and the scooter recoil back and they were impressed how I prepared for each shot and the steps taken to get into position. I didn't win anything but it was a memorable experience for me as well. And their friendliness and kindness won't be forgotten."
Coming to the traps in Elysburg since 1964, Zedak has to deal with excruciating pain from arthritis in his lower back, which requires shots, has had his knees replaced three times and had to deal with infection in one right after Christmas. He also has a heart condition, poor circulation, and, as recently as three weeks ago, had one of his toes removed.
Yet here he was competing in probably as many as six events and wearing a smile that everyone he meets easily recognizes.
Why?
"It's just in my blood," Zedack said. "I love to shoot and probably have put my life in jeopardy a few times to do so."
Growing up in the waning days of the Great Depression, Zedack's initial experience with shooting came at the age of four when his father handed him a Daisy BB gun. With additional help from an uncle, he became proficient with the instrument and made a few dollars in the process.
"They started out with putting quarters in the splinters of the shed we had in the backyard and rewarded me with each one I knocked out, the Danville resident said. "I got so good they went to nickels, dimes and then pennies but I kept on getting better. My uncle even used Silver Dollars that were tossed up in the air but the results were the same.
"I went to a 22-rifle and then a 16-gauge shotgun, but with rationing during World War II shells were hard to come by so my dad began to ration them and told me to make each shot count, epecially when hunting, or you'd have to wait until the next time they were available."
While in the Air Force and stationed in Germany, Zedack was able to join a gun club and hunted on the grounds of an old lodge owned by Herman Goering. At the club they could hunt wild boar, road deer and elk.
As time went on and physical problems began to mount, Zedack began to shoot from a bar stool. He made adjustments to the seat, allowing him to swivel around and that he or friends could carry from trap to trap. His brand new scooter was provided with the help of a few special friends.
"The height is different and trying to concentrate while sitting and moving is quite difficult," Zedack said. "Gary, Ann, Amie and John Devine, who will shoot for the Junior Championship on Thursday, have been life-long friends and have followed me to all shoots and prior to getting the scooter carry my stool, gun and shell bag because I don't have the strength.
"Young John, when he wasn't shooting, would help me or one of his parents, who would alter their schedules to when I was shooting, just to help me. Without their help, my shooting would have been over years ago and despite my urging (they) would never take anything for their help, saying it would be an insult."
Zedack also takes pride in the memories provided by a pet gray wolf named Kahlua, who lived with his wife and family for 16 years.
"I remember our club had a Gray Wolf Trophy and what a thrill it was for me when I won it at the Muncy Gun Club," Zedack said.

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