DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - The top Canadian Ranger marksmen from across the territory gathered in Fort Providence over the weekend to test their skills.

Fifty-seven Rangers in teams of fours or threes represented 15 communities in the territory and one from the Yukon during the NWT Ranger Shooting Championship. The competition was held at the firing range outside of the community from June 13 to 15.

Rangers Troy Lomen, left, David Gerrie, Marilyn Lomen and Harold Jumbo represent the Trout Lake Canadian Ranger patrol at the NWT Ranger Shooting Championship in Fort Providence. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Fort Smith emerged as the top team with a score of 220 points. Fort Smith's Master Cpl. Hardy Freund took the top individual score.

Coming in second was the host community of Fort Providence with 192 points. Team member Master Cpl. Serge Levavasseur took second place in the individual competition.

Third place went to Fort Good Hope with 152 points. Ranger William Bruce from Old Crow, Yukon, took third in the individual competition.

The championship, now in its third year, fulfils a number of goals for the Rangers, said Major Luc Chang, the commanding officer for 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1CRPG).

"It's important for us to gather all of the patrols from the NWT for a friendly competition," Chang said.

The event allows the Rangers to meet and socialize.

The championship is also used to pick the top shooters from the NWT who will represent 1CRPG at the national level at the Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition in Ottawa in September.

Two teams with a joint total of 10 members will be sent to the competition, said Chang. The teams will comprise Rangers from across the NWT, Nunavut and the Yukon.

"Hopefully 1CRPG will do well at the national level," he said.

At the territorial level the championship tests the Rangers skills in a variety of firing positions including prone, sitting, kneeling and standing at distances of 100 and 200 metres, said Warrant Officer Chuck Bachmanek.

Rangers also have to be proficient at different types of shooting including deliberate firing where they have one minute per round, snap shooting with three seconds to aim and fire one round and rapid shooting where 10 well-aimed rounds have are fired in 35 seconds.

While on the line Rangers' performances vary.

"It's like any other competition. Some people are shooting great and others have left lots of room for improvement," Bachmanek said.

All of the Rangers use a Lee-Enfield .303 but each Ranger has their own particular preference for shooting.

On Fort Providence's team, Cpl. Joseph Canadien and Ranger Eric Nadli said they prefer the kneeling and prone positions. Both of the positions provide a lot of stability.

"You can rest your arm on your knee," said Nadli about the kneeling position.

Nadli and Canadien, along with teammate Cpl. Darcy Bonnetrouge, all agreed spending time on the land doing traditional hunting hones marksmanship skills as much as target practise with the Rangers. It was the first time the three Rangers had competed in the event.

"I'm glad I was one of the guys picked," said Nadli.

Taking a different approach, Ranger Marilyn Lomen from Trout Lake said she prefers the standing position for firing.

"It's more comfortable," said Lomen.

Prone position is Ranger David Gerrie's preference. Also a member of the Trout Lake team, Gerrie said his first time at the competition was interesting.

"You meet a lot of different people," said Gerrie.