[OGC Director]

I kicked off my 2011 season at my home club Oxford GC in Chester County Pa. Today was their annual New Years Day Ham Shoot and we had great weather. How do you beat a winter shoot in the 50's? The shooters came out and we had a great crowd. Between the Ham shoot and practice we had over 30 squads.

I got there early to give Trap Captain Ray Natale a hand setting up. We were a little shorthanded because my daughter Samantha is still sick in bed (she is looking a little better and should be up and around soon). After setting up I had the ladies in the kitchen cook up my usual. Nothing beats breakfast at the gun club.

After breakfast I saw the guys at the counter to get signed up. I got on Event #3, trap 3, post 5. While waiting for my event I helped load some traps and got on the practice trap to warm up. I was seeing the targets well and smoking them on the practice trap so I headed into the event feeling good. I got off to a great start by crushing the first 3 posts but then a slight left from post 3 left me wondering what happened. I think I took the target for granted and just lost my focus a little bit. After that I kept my head into the game and finished with 49x50. My luck was good and I ended up Hi-gun for my event and won across the board (hit with my 24,25, and 49) for 3 hams. I also managed 2 prizes on the splashboard, so I won't be headed back to Fort Wayne empty handed.

A beautiful day at the gun club

My gun mount felt good today. I just hope I can keep it going next Thursday nite and on Saturday for the Pen-Mar League. I would love to help my team out with a good score.

Rich (home for now) in Indiana

PS On the deer hunting front, I'm seeing plenty of deer, just not the one I want.

 

[Ross]

Glad to have you back on TS. Hope your daughter is all better by now. We need another HAPPY thread here, too much negativity in some threads lately. Shoot well & stay with that diet & exercise program. Hope to meet you someday in Indiana when we visit our daughter. Ross

 

[OGC Director]

Ross, Thanks for the kind words and concern for Sammy. She was almost back to her usual self this morning and should be fine for school on Monday.

I was thinking about heading to West Chester today for their ham shoot but my wife wouldn't let me get out of bed this morning. I'm starting to think that she really does miss me when I'm in Indiana!!! Anyhow, I'm glad I was busy this morning because my Buddy Lucky Larry said that when he got to West Chester at 11am there wasn't a soul in sight. I'm not sure if the shoot got canceled or if we had the date wrong? I guess Larry and I will just have to wait for Tues. to shoot at Quarryville. Gale Wallace's cooking will just be icing on the cake. I think I have put 5lbs back on since being home but I am enjoying myself.

Rich in Indiana

PS I saw 11 deer on the back 40 last night but no antlers. I'm still getting some trailcam pics so I know there are still a few big ones around.

 

[OGC Director]

I met Lucky Larry at his house and rode with him to Quarryville for some Tuesday evening practice. We got there about 3pm just in time for the evening shadows to creep across the trap fields.

I like to do what I call Pen-Mar practice. 25 singles on trap 1 and 25 hcp on trap 2. Just the way it's done during the league shoot. The targets were tough to see so I wasn't unhappy with the results. 24 on singles and 24 on hcp. Now if I can just get it done on Sat. when it counts. Larry had a tough time with the lighting conditions but he shot better once the lights came on.

After shooting it was time to see Gale in the clubhouse for dinner. Larry and I both had the Hot Roast Beef and it hit the spot. I was bad and had a piece of her chocolate and peanut butter cake as well. I guess I will just have to work out harder when I get back to the gym in Indiana.

Before we left we settled up with Big Dave for our rds of practice. Tuesday evenings is informal and on the honor system. A nice place to shoot and to get a bite to eat.

Rich in Indiana

PS Larry and I got over to Dicks today for their sale on Gun Club Target Loads (both light and heavy). $49.98 a flat. I love the tax free shopping in Delaware.

 

[CalvinMD]

Dang I miss you all...will see you soon though

 

[grnberetcj]

Calvin...

It'll be good to see you back on the line again!!

Curt

 

[CalvinMD]

Thanks Curt...will be glad to get back

 

[OGC Director]

Samantha was finally out of the sick bed. We got to Oxford and had things set up and ready to go by 4pm. But where were the shooters? The weather wasn't a real factor, temps in the 30's with no wind but we got off to a real slow start. The first Green Bird Squad finally hit the line after 5pm and we were wrapped up by 8:30. There were 21 squads total between practice and Green Bird. A real slow night.

I got off to a great start. I was seeing the targets well and ran the first 2 events. After that the gun went into the rack and I was loading traps and pushing squads. Around 7pm they had a squad that was one man short so I hit the line again. I was doing well and ran the first 3 posts when I heard what I thought was my name called out over the loudspeaker to shoot the longbird. While I was thinking about that I heard the puller call "Lost". That's what happens when you don't keep your focus on the job at hand. After that I had my first Cheddite primer dud in over 30,000. It was dented deep but didn't go bang. Anyhow, the very next target I got after not firing was the green bird. Talk about luck. 3 events, 2 Hi-guns and 1 green bird, not bad. I must have used up my luck for the night because the longbird didn't break until it hit the ground!!!! The pot rolls over to next week.

The garage is full of targets waiting for shooters.

Some people noticed that the Mighty HHR has changed colors. After finding out how much new brakes and tires cost, I traded in the 08 for a Silver 2011. I hope it proves to be as good as the old one.

Next on the shooting schedule is the Pen-Mar League at Oxford on Saturday. I just hope the snow misses us.

Rich in Indiana

 

[OGC Director]

So much for hoping the snow would miss. Samantha and I got to the club about 8:45am and helped get things ready for the Pen-Mar Shoot. Shoveling snow, spreading salt, and doing the rest of the things that make winter shooting fun. After a good breakfast I hit the line on the 2nd squad out. It was snowing pretty good and the conditions were supposed to worsen as the day went on. On my 3rd target of singles I thought my mount felt a little off but I called anyway and we all know what happened next "Lost". Not the way I wanted to start. Being to lazy to do a remount cost me a singles target. I ran the rest but the damage was done. On hcp I ran the first 2 posts but then a hard right on post 5 caught me looking in the wrong place and I shot behind it. By the time I got to post 1 the snow had picked up a little bit and I was having trouble seeing the target and dropped 2 more. Wilbur Ruhl was Hi on my squad with a 47. He held Hi-gun most of the day but a late 48 knocked him down to 2nd. Fred Branscome and myself had 46's which got us a half yard punch.

Back Fence shooter Carliss Bowers dealing with the snow on his way to a 46.

Kurt Nelson was one of the lucky ones and didn't have any snow while he tried out his new Trap Special.

Oxford gave it a good run but Cedars was to much today and we had to settle for 2nd. We have a 6 target lead with 4 shoots to go. I just hope it holds up. I won't be able to make any more of this seasons league shoots so they will have to do it without me.

There is no place like the gun club on a wintery day.

Rich in Indiana

 

[grnberetcj]

Goose hunting in the snow is fun too...

Curt

 

[OGC Director]

I headed to Wilmington Trapshooting Assoc. today for some games put on by Curt Jones (nice bird by the way) and gang at WTA. It was a blustery winter day but the sun was shining (nothing falling from the sky). We started with a couple of Annies (Killers where I've been hanging out). I wasn't hitting them great but I managed to finish third in the first one. The 2nd one I shot out of turn and was the first shooter out. We also did a longbird from about the 35 yard line on post 5 next trap over. Curt and George were the only shooters to hit it and they went back and forth a few times before George was declared the winner (George donated his winnings back to the club).

We then headed into the club house for some free lunch. Meatball sandwich with potatoe salad. After warming up it was back to the line for some 27yard draw protection. My partner for the first 2 was Allen Brown. We dug ourselves a hole early in the first one and didn't make the shootoff. We did better the 2nd time and would have won if I hadn't shot into a broken bird (sorry Mr Brown). My partner for the last two protections was Bob Malmstead. He had to carry me for the first couple of posts but I got it back together and we won both shootoffs (Thanks Bob).

I had a lot of fun today with a great bunch of guys. I would like to say thank you to Kate for scoring today.

Merlynn keeping track of the cash.

Rich in Indiana

 

[grnberetcj]

Glad you made it Rich...always enjoy shooting with you....

Curt

 

[Shooting Jack]

Thanks for the pictures. Good shooting. I'm a wuss and hate to go out if temp is less than 50. I made it to church today but didn't go shoot because it was 37 degrees at 1230. That just ain't South Georgia weather. LOL Jackie B.

 

[OGC Director]

My holiday stay at home is starting to wind down. I hope to get to Quarryville on Tues. but we do have another winter storm on the way. My last chance to shoot at OGC will be the Thur. nite Green Bird as I will be hitting the road back to Indiana on Friday morning. My time does fly when your having fun. The only down side of my visit home is this cold that I can't shake.

This is one of my backyard bucks I have been keeping an eye on. He's a 3yr old 8pt about 20" wide. I can't wait to see what he looks like next year.

Rich (heading back soon) in Indiana

 

[870smokim]

At last a shooter that I envey, nice pictures but i'll take Ca. weather for my shooting. nice thread.

870 smokim

 

[OGC Director]

I told Lucky Larry to head to Quarryville without me. My cold took a turn for the worse yesterday. I started to run a slight fever and my cough feels like I'm ripping my lungs out. Not good for shooting or sitting in my deer stands. I had to miss the election membership meeting and dinner at Oxford last night. After hearing Larry's version of events I must say I am a little worried about the trap programs future. Trap Capt. Ray Natale stepped down. He says he is burnt out and I do understand the feeling. What I don't understand is no one willing to step up and take their turn for a year. It kills me to think that all our hard work over the last few years may be going down the tubes. Time will tell. I would do it in a minute if I wasn't 600 miles away.

Rich in Indiana

 

[grnberetcj]

Rich,

Sorry to hear about Oxford and that no one from the "Trapshooting" side of the membership volunteered. Now the trapshooter's will have to contend with neophytes setting the targets and running the programs.

This'll be an interesting year for trapshooting at Oxford.

Curt

 

[OGC Director]

A few winter wonderland pics of the back 40 before the sweating with the snow shovel starts.

I just hope I will have a clear sky and dry pavement when I leave for Fort Wayne on Friday morning.

Rich (headed back soon) in Indiana

PS Yesterday afternoon before the snow my backyard buck buddy was making a scrape while I took his pic from my deck.

 

[OGC Director]

ttt

 

[OGC Director]

I got on the road about 8:30 this morning (after a tearful goodbye with my gal, I hate leaving her like that) and I didn't see a snowflake until I hit State College. I drove in falling snow just about the rest of the way but the roads never got bad. I had no problems and made it in under 10hrs. Now I'm unpacking and trying to get back into my apartment living mode. I'm feeling a little down but some practice at St. Joe on Saturday should help things a bit. Plus I have to get back into the workout mode and get rid of the holiday weight I put on. I don't know how much it is and I'm not going anywhere near a scale until I've been back at it for a while. I don't want to depress myself anymore than I already am.

I did have a good time last night at Oxford. I entered 4 green bird events and had 2 hi-guns, 1 tie (I lost in the hat to Ken C.), and 1 green bird for 3 wins (23, 24, 24, 24). It was cold (in the teens after the sun went down) with a bit of a breeze. Turn-out was a little light (15 squads) but those of us that shot had fun.

Rich (back in Fort Wayne) in Indiana