We’re not quite sure how U.S. Rep. John Kline would stack up against Chaska’s own sportsman state legislator, Joe Hoppe, but here’s a press release from Chaska’s U.S. Representative regarding his abilities in a recent shooting contest. (Just don’t tell Vice President Dick Cheney about it.)

Congressman John Kline (R-MN) was named the “Republican Top Gun” after an impressive shooting display at the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s 13th Annual Shootout at Prince George’s County Trap and Skeet Center in Maryland. The event pits the Republicans against their Democrat colleagues on the trap, skeet and sporting clay ranges to establish the straightest shooters on Capitol Hill.

“The annual Shootout is a great event” said Congressman Kline, who has been an avid hunter and fly-fisherman for most of his life. “I enjoy spending time with members of the Caucus, usually we are working together to promote legislation that promotes conservation and preserves our great hunting, shooting and fishing heritage.”

As the smoke cleared at the end of the day, the Democrats won the event for just the second time in the event’s 13-year history. Kline won the “Republican Top Gun” award with a score of 60 broken clays out of 82, hitting 73 percent of his targets. Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN) won the “Democrat Top Gun” award with a score of 62 broken clays. Former Sportsmen’s Caucus co-chair Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) triumphed as the 2007 individual Congressional Top Gun with a score of 66 broken clays.

“This is a sight few Americans would expect to see – Republicans and Democrats together enjoying a day of recreational shooting,” said Jeff Crane, President of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “But when it comes to hunting and fishing, members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus check their party affiliations at the door.”

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus are currently focused on Endangered Species Act reform, conservation taxes, and the Farm Bill.

Minnesota is well represented in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. In addition to Congressman Kline and Congressman Peterson, Congressman Jim Oberstar (D), Congressman Tim Walz (D), Congressman Jim Ramstad (R), and Sen. Norm Coleman (R) also belong to the Caucus.