RELOAD!

JANUARY 2000 NEWSLETTER
© Bruce Buck, editor

Please note! Due to the Holidays, we’re running late. If you want to
come to the January 16th shoot (and of course you do!), send that
reservation in TODAY!

CHRISTMAS PARTY SHOOT... December 18, 1999 Mid-County Gun Club,
Lagrangeville, NY. Santa's biggest gift to the Travelers, second year
running, was some atypical winter weather. It was clear, calm and in
the 50s. It wasn't always so. Many of you will remember the
Mid-County Ice Bowl of '97. Some of those shooters are still frozen in
place like mammoths in Siberia. This time over 160 of Santa's little
elves showed up to celebrate the last shoot of the millennium and no
one was disappointed.

Every course has its particular flavor. Mid-County's dominant
presentation was a novel split pair where the first bird was flat and
straight, while the other bird off the same arm but a different rail,
was straight, but high, looping and at a slower speed. Of the fifteen
stations, we saw variations of this particular pair at six or seven.
Sometimes it was hard to tell which bird to shoot first, sometimes the
difference in the speeds tripped you up. It was really very
imaginative and gave the shooter a different problem to solve each
time.

Winter shoots always have trouble with the sun being so low on the
horizon. Since just about all sporting courses are laid out in a
circle, low sun inevitably causes glare somewhere. In sun glare, old
eyes suffer more than young eyes due to the older eye's slower
dilation. Life is tough. Still, Mid-County made every possible effort
to keep "sun" shots on the ground or at least below the horizon. You
can't ask for more unless you can talk Apollo into rerouting his
chariot.

As I write this, I am out in the flat, windswept, treeless land of
western Ohio's farm country. It reminds me that Mid-County's course
has marvelous topography and it was put to good use. The combination
of steams, hillside, woods, open spaces and several towers gave a
different look to almost every station. Not every course is so blessed
and we should celebrate the variety.

Station One was a two machine report presentation of crisscross
quartering birds. The first bird quartered away from a tree stand
above right. It required perfect aim as the sight picture changed
dramatically as it drew away. The report bird was a typical 35 yard
hot crosser. It looked flat, but it was really dropping because it
followed the land and the land dropped. It's the oldest trick in the
book and just about everyone bit on it. When will we learn that a bird
which travels parallel to the ground isn't always on the level?

The rabbit pairs on Station 5 used the same trick, throwing the rabbit
on a downward sloping ground. The rabbits also had some speed. Many
shooters found it easier to get on the rabbits quickly by starting
with a mounted gun. A mounted gun gives you speed, but it takes away
visibility. The visual point of emergence of a rabbit is very
predictable, so a pre-mount works well, whereas on other targets it
might not. Trap-style targets and teal are also often good candidates
for a pre-mounted gun.

Station 12 is Mid-County's signature station- a 40 yard downhill
quartering gravity rabbit followed by a short, hot skeet crosser in
the trees. A gravity rabbit (slooooow) is a rifle shot. You "aim"
right at the front edge or, in this case of a quartering down hill, at
the lower front edge. There is no lead. The bird is so slow that any
lead would miss in front. Because the bird was so slow, there was also
no centrifugal force to help break the target. You needed some choke.
I saw several people with open chokes put shot into the dirt all
around the bird and not get a break. Hitting a rabbit is only part of
the battle. You have to hit it with enough pellets to break it.

After the shoot, the serious fun began. Mid-County's members served
the Travelers a marvelous banquet with shrimp cocktail and an outdoor
grilled steamship roast beef. Ray Frowd, our most experienced member,
looked hale and hearty as he helped serve his fellow club members.
Andy Duffy introduced his charming fiancee Jennifer. Congratulations
to them both. In honor of perfect attendance in 1999, a gift
certificate for a free shoot in 2000 was given to Lans Christensen,
Cyndi Dalena, Hank Drapou, Bruce Galotto, Geoff Ross, Vinnie LaScalza
and Charlie Troy. Also recognized were our permanent master of
ceremonies Bruce Galotto, director of membership Cyndi Dalena, Guide
Book editor Danni Jesudowich and Montreal trip organizer Henry Nachaj,
our very own Lone Canadian.

The Connecticut Travelers Sporting Sportsman of the Year award, given
annually to the person the Travelers feel has done the most for the
sport, was awarded to Jack Robertson. Jack works with the National
Shooting Sports Foundation and his contributions include starting the
immensely successful Chevy Truck competition series as well as heading
up several local sporting clays clubs and doing the work for numerous
charitable shoots. Often working in the background, Jack is one of
those people who just gets the job done without seeking the credit.
Jack, and the others like him, are the backbone of our sport.

Our Travelers Christmas Shoot charity this year was the Toys For Tots
program. The members brought so many toys that they were stacked up
waist high and several yards across. Good on us. Happy children. What
goes around, comes around. At the end of the feast Santa Al and his
elves doled out dozens of lucky draw door prizes. It was a great
Christmas and the end of the most successful Travelers year ever.


HOA MIKE GRECO 93
I-1 Rich Frisella 89
I-2 Bruce Galotto 87
I-3 Mike Horodyski 86
II-1 Jim Muller 86
II-2 Gordon Whalen 85*
II-3 Paul Elia 83
III-1 Joe Gimelli 69
III-2 Bob Busha 68
III-3 Warren Lambert 67*
IV-1 Jim Vaden 70
IV-2 Jay Colin 65*
IV-3 Richard Burns 65
V-1 Mike Canale 58
V-2 John Marwell 55
V-3 Patsy Gimelli 54
VI-1 Bob Quartarone 48
VI-2 Carol Thomas 45
VI-3 Keiran Farslow 44
Lady-1 Susie Clarke 66
Lady-2 Cyndi Dalena 62*
Lady-3 Leigh Leighton 62
Vet-1 Gordon Forbes 85*
Vet-2 Zaid Siddig 82
Vet-3 John Lawlor 79
Jr-1 Paul Hughes 53
Jr-2 Rocky Cotoia 47*
Jr-3 Mike Soltes 47
Jr-4 Jordan Zeyher 30
Jr-5 Luke Sproviero 29
Jr-6 Alyssa Prior 20
* ties decided by tie-breaker stations

THANK YOU FROM JACK… "I can't thank you enough for the recognition
that was afforded me at the Christmas shoot last Sunday. I was highly
honored to be chosen as the Connecticut Travelers Sporting Sportsman
of 1999. The award will have a very special place in our home for all
to share with me in the future. I consider myself lucky to have so
many friends in the shooting fraternity. As I mentioned at the shoot,
the thing that sets the shooting world apart from others is the fine
people that are involved in our sport. Janet and I both thank you for
a lovely day and also for the nice gift that was presented to her. Now
that I will be doing less traveling for the Foundation, I should be
able to make a few more of the Travelers shoots. I wish you and all
the Travelers a very Happy Holiday Season."

Yours truly,
Jack Robertson


HOW RELOAD! GOT ITS NAME... Even a stray dog deserves a name. The
Connecticut Traveler’s stray dog, our newsletter Reload! came about
its cognomen in roughly the same way it’s written each month- totally
by accident.

At the end of many of our shoots, we have lucky raffles for prizes. To
encourage people to stay for the prize ceremony, our rule is that you
have to be present to win a raffle prize. If your name is drawn and
you aren't there, the prize is drawn for again amid eager cries of
"reload!" and a new winner is chosen. We were looking for a name for
our newsletter and "Reload!" seemed as good as any. See how easy it is
to make history?

Also, for those of you who are on the Internet, the current issue of
Reload! is always published at <www.shotgunreport.com>. Past issues
are also archived in case you want to reference something or recall
past glories

HAROLD KOEHLER SOCIETY SHOOT... On Sunday November 28, at East
Mountain Preserve the Harold Koehler Society held its annual
charitable shoot. The goal was to raise money for a tuition fund for
deserving young students studying conservation or the trades. 81 guns,
including many Connecticut Travelers, attended. It was a great day to
enjoy shooting and help out some deserving kids. Your Travelers
presented the Society with a $1000 donation to help defray the tuition
expenses of two particularly deserving students. These two kids are
paying their tuitions on a monthly payment plan, so every little bit
helps. Thanks Travelers.

THE JUDGE RULES... Oyez! Oyez! All rise for Hizzoner Mucho Pomposo.
Your court of sport is now in session. And with that the Judge made
his entrance, robes flowing and face just slightly flushed with a
recent surfeit of vintage port. Having dined well with Vito the Nose
at the trattoria behind the court house, the Judge had the
self-satisfied look of a man who has just completed a good business
deal. The parking tickets Vito's nephew had accumulated in front of
Miss Sally's Hideaway House of Urban Welcome will be forever laid to
rest underneath the fresh asphalt used to repave the Judge's driveway.
Life has a way of ironing out its own bumps. It's all so simple, the
Judge thought to himself, if you just follow a few of the unwritten,
but so very practical, rules of the game.

Take sporting clays for example. There really isn't much written about
proper behavior when you are on the stand. The court takes judicial
notice of the obvious things- like keeping most of your clothing on
and not shooting any dues-paying member. It's the other stuff which is
sort of in the grey area of the sporting clays judicial system. So
here are some of the unwritten rules of Travelers sporting. There is
nothing hard and fast about them. They are just meant to make
everyone's life just a little easier. Particularly your own. If you
are the first person in your squad to shoot the stand, you are
entitled to see a "show pair" IF (note big "if") you arrived at the
stand too late to watch the previous squad shoot. If you have watched
the previous squad shoot a few pairs, please don't ask for more.
You've had your look. Unnecessary show pairs take time and cost money.
In the long run this delays the shoot and raises the prices for
everyone.

There is also a right way to call for the target. When you get in the
stand, call out loudly "New Shooter!". Wait a moment to let that sink
in and then call "Pull!". Calling exactly this way accomplishes a
number of things, all of them to your advantage. Announcing "New
shooter!" not only tells the trapper that he is to begin the sequence
anew, but it gets him used to your voice. When he hears the next
command "Pull!" he will be ready for it and give you an instant pull.
If you don't call "New shooter!" and just hop into the stand and yell
"Pull!", you have no idea if the trapper is paying attention or not.
Your target may, or may not, be instantly pulled. It may be the
trapper's fault, but whose day is a slow pull going to ruin? Not his,
that's for sure. You can skip the "Trapper ready?" stuff. The "New
shooter!" accomplishes the same thing and doesn't require the trapper
to call back, something that gets tiresome for a trapper after two
hundred or so shooters go through his station.

Since the Travelers score for themselves, here are some hints on how
to do that job correctly. First, your squad has to decide who calls
the birds- the person writing in the scores on the card, or the person
pushing the button. One or the other makes the call, obviously not
both.

If you are calling the hits and misses, it is vital that you make your
calls loud enough for the shooter to hear. Obviously make your call
after the shooter has shot at the complete pair, not just the first
bird. Please use only the words "Dead" and "Lost". Greater
imagination is not required. The calls are "Lost and lost", "Dead and
lost", etc. Again, call loud enough to let the shooter hear. You are
not being impolite when you call the hits out loud. Silence on your
part merely keeps the shooter guessing whether or not he hit the bird.

It is also very helpful on the last pair to call the birds and then
give the shooter his total score on the station. "Dead and lost, total
score of five" would be an example. This not only tells the shooter
what he did, but it also tells the scorer and the squad what is being
written down. It is polite and avoids confusion. It is also the sign
of an experienced scorer.

If you are the first scorer for the squad, you may find it helpful to
number the score sheets in order. This way, when they inevitably get
screwed up later, it will be easy to resort them correctly without
being forced to remember who follows whom.

While it is generally polite to remain with your squad at all times,
there is one exception. If it is your turn to be the first shooter at
the next station, it is OK to leave your squad immediately after you
have shot and walk ahead to that station to observe the targets being
shot by the preceding squad. This takes away a little bit of the
disadvantage of going first and it also speeds things up a bit for
everyone. It means that you will be able to shoot without needing view
pairs. It is no handicap to the rest of your squad as they can view
your targets to plan their attack accordingly.

The Judge seemed satisfied with these pronouncements, shuffled his
papers and nodded to the bailiff, who took his cue. "All rise. This
term of your court of sport is now concluded. Go forth and commit
sporting clays." And it was done.

*** 2000 CONNECTICUT TRAVELERS SHOOT SCHEDULE ***

JAN 16 EAST MOUNTAIN- MID-WINTER MARTYRDOM
FEB 20 EAST MOUNTAIN- ANNUAL MEETING
MAR 19p MID-HUDSON-MARCH MADNESS
APR 7-9p SPRING TRIP TO MARYLAND
APR 16p PECONIC-TAX TIME REVOLT
MAY 21p TAMARACK-MAY MINUET
JUN 18p MID HUDSON- BUSTIN’ OUT
JUL 16p ORVIS/SANDANONA-SUMMER TIME, SUMMER TIME
JUL 30p MID-COUNTY-DICK LOSEE MEMORIAL CLAMBAKE
AUG 12,13 ADDIEVILLE-GREAT EASTERN LOBSTER CLASSIC
SEPT 17 FAIRFIELD F&G- SMALL GAUGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
SEPT 30,1p FALL TRIP
OCT 15p MILLBROOK R&G-OKTOBERSCHUTZENFEST
NOV 12p FRIAR TUCK-CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOV 26 EAST MOUNTAIN- KOEHLER SOCIETY FUND-RAISER
DEC 17p MID-COUNTY- CHRISTMAS PARTY
"p" = Proposed date and venue. As we confirm additional dates, we
will note it on the schedule.


*** OTHER SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

What, nothing of interest anywhere else in the land? Come on. Gotta
be something out there where we can shoot stuff. Give us a call
(203-454-1080) or Email <bbuck@juno.com> if you know of any open
shoots in Travelers Turf which might interest our members.

GOING TO A SHOOT? WHY NOT ASK A FELLOW TRAVELER TO JOIN YOU? ALL THE
NAMES AND ADDRESSES ARE IN THE TRAVELERS GUIDE BOOK.

CONTACTING THE TRAVELERS...

CTSCA Home Office: Email <AAA738@aol.com> (by far the best way) or
telephone (860) 354-9351 if you absolutely must.

Membership, Address Changes and Shooting Class status: Contact Cyndi
Dalena at (860) 584-1083 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Leave message.
Or Email shotguncyndi@prodigy.net

Reload! To place an ad or post a shoot date, contact Bruce Buck at
203-454-1080 or <bbuck@juno.com>. The current and previous issues of
Reload! are posted on the internet at <www.shotgunreport.com>





**** THE UPCOMING TRAVELERS MONTHLY SHOOT ****

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16
MID-WINTER MARTYRDOM
EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
DOVER PLAINS, NY

Start the Millennium in the sensible way- come shoot your gun up in
the air and freeze your fanny off! Yessiree, mid-winter is when the
real shooters become flaky, snowflaky that is. No hunkering down on
the divan, petting the poodle and nibbling sugar plums for us.
Besides, football season is over and there is nothing left to do but
watch people in their underwear heave a ball through a hoop. It makes
ever so much more sense to stand out in the freezing cold, dressed
like the Michelin man, powdering some clay disk with a shotshell. As
always, registration opens at 9:00 AM and we go out shortly
thereafter. Make sure to sign in at the scorer's table when you first
come in. Then you can have some caffeine, sugar and schmooze a bit.

Since it's winter, bear in mind that everyone will appreciate it if
you shoot with all deliberate speed. Fidgeting and dawdling around on
the stand keeps everyone out on the course a bit longer. Even though
the days are getting longer, they are also getting colder. You might
consider wearing boots with cleats as the trails can be slippery.

The entry fee for this shoot is $55 and GUESTS ARE WELCOME. The usual
sumptuous banquet lunch consisting of a lot of nice warm brown stuff
will be served.

DIRECTIONS to East Mountain Preserve, Dover Plains, NY:

At the junction of Interstate Rte 84 and NY Rte 22, take NY Rte 22
North for about 27 miles to the town of Dover Plains, NY. Turn Right
at the first traffic light in Dover Plains and go straight for one
mile directly into the East Mountain driveway. If lost, call East
Mountain at 914-877-6274.

EYE AND EAR PROTECTION IS MANDATORY AT ALL TRAVELERS SHOOTS.

INTERNET READERS: Connecticut Travelers shoots are not open to the
general public, though certain shoots do invite guests if you know a
Traveler’s member. Our big shoot in August at Addieville, RI is open
to the public and we hope that all the shooters in the area will
consider attending and sampling "Travelers Tough" targets.





CONNECTICUT TRAVELERS SURVEY FOR THE NEXT MILLENNIUM
Please take a minute to share your thoughts with us

With all the legislative pressure to control our guns and the activities we enjoy, should the Travelers do any of the following:
A: Require every Travelers member to be a NRA member. YES____ NO____
COMMENTS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B/ Organize a fund-raiser to benefit and support the NRA YES____ NO____
COMMENTS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

C/ Remain as we currently are now- encouraging NRA membership, but not requiring it? YES____ NO____
COMMENTS:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due to the large turnout at our August "Lobster" shoot at Addieville, we have agreed to again support the NSCA with this shoot in 2000. Please list any suggestions you have to improve this shoot. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you have any suggestions for shooting awards for next year? Which award did you like best, even though you might not have won one?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you satisfied with our current shoot starting times? YES___NO___Would you make any changes, and if so, how? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you satisfied with the charities we are supporting?
Koehler Society Scholarship: YES___NO___
Toys For Tots: YES___NO___
Comments:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Each year the Travelers are asked as a club to join various national sporting clays organizations. In the past we have remained unaffiliated and independent. We will vote on this at the Annual Meeting.
A: Should we as a club join the NSCA? YES___NO___
B: Should we as a club join the SCA? YES___NO___
C: Should we as a club remain unaffiliated? YES___NO___
D: Is there any other sporting clays association we should join?
Comments:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What do you think about the current size of our shoots? _________________________
If you would change the size, what would you do? ____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

What do you think about the size of the Travelers membership, currently at about 400?
________________________________________________________________________If you would change the size, what would you do?______________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Our shooting clinics are often held in the winter because there is less shooting pressure. Would you be interested in a winter clinic? YES___NO___ A clinic at some other time of the year? YES___NO___ When?__________________________________________

Spring trip? When and where would you like to go?_____________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Fall trip? When and where would you like to go? _______________________________
________________________________________________________________________


Your personal shooting data:
Make, model and type of shotgun:___________________________________________
Ammo?_________________________ Preferred shot size?_______________________
Brand of glasses?_________________ Brand of vest? ___________________________
Do you reload? _______ If so, which hull, powder, wad, primer? Shot?____________ ________________________________________________________________________
Which shooting magazines do you get? _______________________________________
How many registered shoots do you go to each year? ________
How many unregistered shoots (like the Travelers) do you attend? _________
How many times a month do you practice? ______
How often each year do you travel and stay overnight to shoot clays? ________
Do you play other sports? __________________________________________________

Are you on the Internet? YES___NO___ Do you use Email? YES___NO___
How would you feel about getting Reload! by Email rather than by hard copy?
________________________________________________________________________

Any other comments, criticisms or suggestions about your Connecticut Travelers? Feel free to use extra paper. If you have the time to write, we have the time to read.












Please return by February 1st so that we can compile and respond to
the answers at the Annual Meeting at East Mountain on Sunday, February
20. Mail your completed questionnaire to:

CTSCA Survey
91 Park Lane Road
New Milford, CT 06776