Northern Ontario Rangers tops in national shoot

Eleven Canadian Rangers from northern Ontario have won Canada’s top award for competitive rifle shooting by Rangers at the annual Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition in Ottawa Sept. 5-18.
“Everyone was a medal winner and we came back with trophies,” said Warrant Officer Gary DesRoches, a Ranger instructor and the team captain. “Their morale was super high. They were very proud when they left Ottawa to go home. They were the top Ranger team in Canada.”
Ranger Simon Shewaybick, of Webequie, who only became a Ranger in February, placed third out of 4,200 in the individual competition. He had the highest score of any Ranger shooting in the competition for the first time.
“That was a real achievement,” DesRoches said.
In addition to Shewaybick, the winning shooters from northern Ontario were: Sgt. Spencer Anderson of Kitchenuhmaykoosib; Master Corporals Victor Rickard and Redfern Wesley of Moose Factory, and Roy Cutfeet from Kitchenuhmaykoosib; and Rangers Toby Hunter of Peawanuck, Leroy Ineese Jr. of Constance Lake, Jonathon Knapaysweet of Fort Albany, Roland Shewaybick of Webequie, and Alex Wesley and Jimmy Wynne of Kashechewan.
The Rangers spent three weeks training at Canadian Forces Base Borden, learning a range of marksmanship skills, including how to gauge wind speeds and to control their breathing and trigger finger pressures.
While training they competed in the Ontario Rifle Association annual competition and took first place in the bolt action rifle category, using the standard .303-calibre, Lee-Enfield rifle issued to Rangers.
They spent another 16 days in Ottawa doing further training before competing against Rangers from across Canada and against other members of the Canadian Forces.
Shooting as an 11-member team, the Rangers won the overall Ranger team shooting trophy.
In the four-member team competition, one team from northern Ontario took second place and the second team took fourth.
The Rangers shot at distances from 25-400 metres, while standing, kneeling and laying prone.
They frequently had to run 100 metres before shooting within a limited time. They shot at paper targets, moving targets and metal “plates” that fell when they were hit.
“The falling plates were the most fun,” Shewaybick said. “You had to shoot fast to knock them down in the time they gave you.”
Each Ranger fired about 4,000 rounds during training and in competition.
“The target at 400 metres is the size of a man,” DesRoches said. “By the time they went home they were capable of hitting and killing a moose or a caribou 400 metres away with no trouble at all.”
It was the third time Canadian Rangers from northern Ontario have competed in the national competition but the first time they won medals and trophies.
“The guys should be very proud of what they accomplished, because they worked very hard over the work-up period and during the national competition,” said Maj. Guy Ingram, commanding officer of the Canadian Rangers in northern Ontario.
“You could see they were excited with their success. It was nice to see. They had a phenomenal team spirit.”
Having such skilled shooters will only benefit the Rangers program.
“My intent has always been to improve the shooting skills in northern Ontario by giving the Rangers better marksmanship skills,” Ingram said. “I now have 11 excellent shooters who can pass their skills on to other Canadian Rangers, the Junior Canadian Rangers, and to members of their communities.”
Sgt. Peter Moon is the public affairs ranger for 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at Canadian Forces Base Borden. See www.canadianrangers.ca.