Allen Degner
Owatonna, MN

Elected: 1974
Shooting Member

Al Degner, popular Owatonna sportsman who took up trapshooting because it was a clean and health sport has been inducted in the Minnesota Trapshooting Hall of Fame.  Degner, who has been a member of the Minneapolis Tribune All-State Trapshooting team 11 times shot his first registered targets in 1957 when he was 52.  That year he broke 99 X 100 from 16 yards and 93 X 100 in a handicap event.  The following year the 53 year old printer and gun-stock maker won the Minnesota State Handicap at St. Cloud with 95 X 100 from 22 yards.  Degner, a member of the Minnesota State board of directors for 10 consecutive years, including the presidency won the Iowa State Class A Open in 1962 and the Tri-State Zone Singles at Blooming Prairie the following year.  But his big year was in 1966 when he won the Gopher State 16-yard title with 199 X 200 and the Doubles with 97.  He won the Gopher State Class AA the following year, the State Long Run Veterans Championship for four consecutive years, is the  only shooter in the state ever to reach 27 after age 65 and the only vet in the state who shoots this yardage.

Degner has been a board member of the Owatonna Gun Club for 17 years, helping make it one of the better clubs in the State.  He has been a board member of the Blooming Prairie Gun Club for the past four years and at the present time is High Chief of the Sioux Indians. 

Degner, who was recently chosen Captain of the 1973 All-State Veterans team said "I consider making and fitting at least 200 gun stocks and forearms for new shooters a much better contribution to trapshooting than I do winning championships."