RELOAD!

NOVEMBER 2000 NEWSLETTER
© Bruce Buck, editor

GET EVEN. VOTE!

PASTOR PORTTENG
by Vinny La Scalza

When I was a very small child, I remember growing up in the South and
being brought to church every Sunday. One particular Sunday Pastor
Portteng scared me beyond belief by somehow getting into my mind.
His sermon was about baseball, and he started to warn everyone that
he knew what we were doing. He had my attention now. He yelled that
we all thought we were getting up in the bottom of the ninth, in the
last game of a tied World Series between the Mets and the Yankees.
There were two outs and a 3 and 2 count. I was now in shock! I had
just finished this pretend game and did not think I was doing
anything wrong. "So what happens?" he yelled to a silent church
crowd. "A slow, fat pitch comes across the plate and you hit it for
a home run," he finished in a disgusted tone. I was mortified! Not
only did he get the count correct, but he also saw my homer. Was he
hiding in the stadium crowd? "No one is allowed in my mind!" was
what I almost blubbered aloud. Evidently playing this pretend game
was not a good thing to do because my neighbors started to yell out,
"Right you are Pastor" and "Amen!" Then he seemed to turn in my
direction and screamed out, "You’ll never learn to hit the slider or
the curve ball, if you keep hitting that same old lazy pitch out of
the park!" At this moment it was as though a dam broke as everyone
in the church sprang up cheering and yelling in agreement with the
Pastor. I believe this was the beginning of some of my religious
confusion.

I just didn’t get it. The pastor knew that I and a lot of other
people had trouble understanding this basic principle, so he invented
a game. He had very little money, but he bought an old spring and
made balls of mud hardened by baking them in his oven. Then once a
month on a Sunday he would challenge us to hit and break these mud
balls using a shotgun. Every time we learned how to hit a target,
the pastor would increase the distance or speed of the targets so
that we would all fail and then inevitably complain. Eventually, the
complaining stopped as we all learned the lesson. Little did I know
that on October 15, 2000, at the Millbrook Rod and Gun Club,
surrounded by fall foliage covered mountains, I would have to go back
to my childhood and rely on the lessons I learned so long ago when I
shot Pastor Portteng’s Clays.

Let’s begin at Murderer’s Row. There were four stations put together
on this course to scare the living daylights out of you. The first
of these was station # 14. This was a towering pair of simo Teal.
The targets were far and difficult because they came off a hill and
went straight up and back. But what made these targets remarkable
was that you were trying to hit them from the bottom of the valley
along side the hill. The teal looked like they would be a hazard to
low flying aircraft. The next station (#15) had two battues thrown
off a hill to your right quartering away. They did not begin turning
until 30 yards away and they did not show you their full faces until
very close to the ground in the next county. The next nightmare
(#16) was a bird fired from a trap out to the left and in front of
the shooter going left to right quartering away. No one on our squad
broke this bird closer than 40 yards. There was a slight delay on
all breaks. Of course your follow-through took your barrels out of
position for the handicap trap shot that left straight away on
report. Finally, we finish this nasty quartet with the shoot-off
station whose very sight ruined many a Traveler’s breakfast.

Wasn’t this one of the best Halloween scares you have ever had? What
do you say about these presentations? Quite simply, "Thanks Lavert
Cypher, Charlie Schneible, and all the members of the Millbrook Rod &
Gun Club for allowing us to share this." The presentations were
awesome!!

Let’s lump all these stations together. They all had birds moving
somewhat faster and farther than we are accustomed to. The remedy
then was to increase the lead, barrel speed, and use full choke with
7-1/2s. I know, I can hear you already. "I never really use the
full choke." F is for Far, use it! "I never put the barrels that
far in front of the bird." Do it! "I never swing the barrels that
fast." Just Do it! I know you are afraid.

I’ll share a secret with you. One of the shooters who tied for HOA
was on my squad. Mr. Fancy pants hit three teal out of six and only
two battues. I watched him get his butt kicked in slow motion as we
moved through these nightmare stations. No matter what your class
is, he was at most a bird better than you on these stations. So how
did he manage to get a 71? Well, when we got to some of the easier
stations, he did very well. Some of my squad mates whispered that he
was too stupid to be intimidated and depressed as we were, but I know
different because I asked him. "Life is learning to hit the slider
and curve ball, but you always have to be ready for the slow, fat
pitch," he said to me. He saw the confusion on my face and tried to
clear it up by adding, "I used to shoot a lot of Pastor Portteng’s
Clays when I was younger!"

For the statistically minded, the Travelers average score at this
shoot was a bracing 49. Our average shoot score for the year is 62.
As if we needed to be told this! There were 119 members in
attendance for this shoot while the average attendance for the year
is 125. Obviously some people preferred sitting on the recliner at
home surrounded by day-glo orange food, and hitting that slow, fat
pitch "Outahere!"


HOA John Mohler 71*
I-1 Vinny La Scalza 71
I-2 Gabe D’Arco 71
I-3 Bob Mastroianni 71
II-1 Mark Latakas 69
II-2 Jeremy Willinger 67
II-3 Steve Cambria 63
III-1 Don Brenton 65
III-2 Dave Dunn 62
III-3 Todd Feil 61
IV-1 Kurt Willinger 66
IV-2 Mickey Walka 65
IV-3 Lenny Bates 55
V-1 Bob Demchuk 58
V-2 Emil Dorizzi 56
V-3 Don Hutchinson 53
VI-1 Carol Thomas 35
VI-2 Carol Roesslein 35
VI-3 Dan Pauletti 28
Vet-1 Al Anglace 69
Vet-2 Peter McCree 61
Vet-3 Bruce Buck 61
Ldy-1 Anna Marie Collins 64
Ldy-2 Cyndi Dalena 56
Ldy-3 Patti Wight 55
Jr.-1 Jordan Zeyher 29
Jr-2 Amanda Frone 27
Guest Phil Turner 66
*settled by a thrilling shoot off

ADDENDUM ON SEPT. SUBGAUGE…

Here’s some more info on our September Fairfield Subgauge shoot. We
had 146 shooters, up from 103 in 1999, making this one of our most
popular shoots. 126 of the entrants shot subgauge guns. The 20 gauge
led the way with 60 members shooting the "big" little gun. The
delightful 28 won the "largest increase in popularity" award with 49
members enjoying the sweetest of the little guns. The midget widget
410 was shot by 11 of the sickest participants, with 5 using 410
pumps and 2 with 410 SxS! In all we had 10 SxS, 8 pumps and one
drilling. The rifled barrel was particularly helpful on the looong
crossers. There were also two 16s in use for people who couldn’t
decide between 12 and 20.

TRAVELERS IN CANADA

by Henry Nachaj (The Lone Canadian)

Eight Travellers and one guest came up to the Great White North for
the second Annual Fall trip to Canada. Once more Le Club de La Roue
du Roy put out the welcome mat. Most arrived on Friday at La Roue (as
we call it), and shot several hundred rounds at various clay targets
dispersed around the club. As we have a very limited fall hunting
season for pheasants, the more interesting manual machine sporting
clay course that is set in the various fields was closed.

What was available was sufficient to keep everyone occupied. This
included:

1) an 8 station automated sporting course with a number of 2 machine
presentations and several shooting positions (and lets not forget the
85 foot tower);

2) a 5-stand with 10 machines;

3) 3 skeet fields (that can throw American, International or Olympic
speed targets);

4) the first ever Modern skeet field, and

5) the Podium, a variable height, 4 to 12 feet, 5 position shooting
game that uses 2 oscillating traps. One trap is under the centre 12
feet high position. This one can throw targets strait out to over 100
meters. The second trap is placed in the high house position of the
adjoining skeet field. It throws an American trap target at much
slower speeds.

The Travellers are also interested in food and drink. Therefore,
Friday evening dinning is very important. Reservations were made for
between 10 and 12 persons at Restaurant Le Paris. This was the
pre-registered quantity. We finally ended up with 20 persons. At most
French restaurants, they would tell us to leave, among other words
(as our hostess kept mentioning in French). Luckily, the owners (all
3 generations) are La Roue members. Sebastien Poucant is the 3rd
generation Club member and operator of Le Paris. He accommodated
everyone including giving Akbar and his wife the prized window
seating which displeased greatly the snotty hostess. The food was
great and so was the wine. Someone even sneaked out to get some of
those contraband Cuban things to be smoked later. He even donated a
few to El Presidente.

Saturday early AM, adopted temporary Traveller and La Roue member,
Claude Dubois and myself modified just all so slightly, the previous
days presentations to make them "Traveller Tough". Once everyone
arrived, a little gambling was arranged whereby a token amount was
donated and 2 man teams were formed. To discourage your IRS from
recuperating taxes on the illicit gambling winnings, we will not
disclose the amounts, nor the winners even though no millionaires
were made. Top scores in the Sporting were in the very low 40’s out
of 50. The 5-stand high was 23. The Podium high was 22. Both were
based on 25 targets.

Saturday night like Friday is also an important food and drink night.
Most Travellers ended up in Little Italy at Casa Napoli. The food was
very good and so was the wine and drinks. Service was little slow out
of the kitchen as 4 other groups were present and 2 of the Chefs
decided to go moose hunting together that week. Our president Al,
presented to my wife a beautiful broach and to me a very nice plaque
with a Chesapeake carving holding a duck at the top, and an
inscription underneath that rings so true:

"The measure of a bird dog’s intelligence can determined by the
length of time it takes to resign yourself to his way of thinking"

The Connecticut Travellers always do everything first class.

Sunday AM, once more Pierre and myself tinkered with the target
presentations. This time we made them "La Roue Tough". Station 1 was
one of the tougher. It represented an actual hunting situation. A
quartering away fast rabbit. It was on your right, at a distance of
25 yards. On report, a 110 zipped in, quartering from left at about
30 yards, to your right at 20 feet. The problem to hit either one was
the 2 small bushes in front and the small tree. They created a
situation where one had a tendency to stop gun movement. Station 8
was another very low scoring station. An incoming target arched away
from the shooting box. It showed its underside as it slowed and
turned away. It looked very close, but was in fact at over 40 yards
at its peak. The successful gun shot it before it stalled and showed
its underside. The high score for the sporting dropped to the high
30’s.

The 5-stand targets were altered also. The incoming target would die
at 50 yards. The right to left looping target started at 40 yards to
finish its trajectory near the 60 yards mark. A low, ground hugging
target and a far left, high, slow going away target also got heads a
scratching. There might have been one 20. The speeds were varied on
the Podium. The Canucks both shot the high score on the Podium, 22. A
few more clay targets were broken before everyone retired to the
clubhouse for the farewells.

Due to the new Canadian gun laws, this will probably be the last
official Traveller trip to Canada. Starting January 1, 2001, persons
entering Canada with shotguns will need a permit. Visit www.cfc.gc.ca
on the Internet for details and forms.


*** 2000 CONNECTICUT TRAVELERS SHOOT SCHEDULE ***

NOV 19 EAST MOUNTAIN- DR. RUDY PASSERO CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOV 26 EAST MOUNTAIN- KOEHLER SOCIETY FUND-RAISER
DEC 17 MID-COUNTY- CHRISTMAS PARTY

NOTE: We are rescheduling our November shoot so as not to conflict
with Peconic’s November 10-12 "Shoot for a Cure for Breast Cancer".
The Travelers support this shoot and urge you to attend. Do the right
thing. Help fight a disease that takes our mothers, wives, sisters
and daughters.


*** OTHER SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

NOV 10-12 PECONIC, NY (631-727-5248) SHOOT TO CURE BREAST CANCER
For more information on the Peconic shoot go to their website at
<www.shootforacure.com>.
NOV 10-12 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) FALL FITASC CH
NOV 16 VINTAGERS, SKAT, NH (413-339-5347)
NOV 19 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) FALL SC OPEN


CONTACTING THE TRAVELERS...

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

Membership, Address Changes and Shooting Class: Contact Cyndi Dalena
at 860-584-1083, 9:00 AM to 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 (worst way) or <bbuck@juno.com> (best way). The current
and previous issues of Reload! are posted on the internet at
<www.shotgunreport.com>.



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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19
DR. RUDY PASSERO MEMORIAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
DOVER PLAINS, NY

Dr. Rudy Passero was one of the original Travelers and was our
Treasurer from Day One until he died earlier this year. His
contribution to the Travelers was simply beyond measure. In gratitude
we have dedicated our Club Championships to his memory. Rudy, here’s
a tip of the cap to you. Thanks for everything.

Rudy did everything with style and this is just that- The Summit
Meeting. The Travelers Club Championship is when the big dogs bark.
You have had all year to practice up for it, so don’t hold back now.
Come on out and strut your stuff. Being a Traveler’s class champion
is the peak, the pinnacle, the paradigm of plu-perfection. You don’t
want to miss this one.

It’s all the usual drill. You’ve been doing it for a year. Get there
and get signed in by 9:00 AM. Then get your gear ready to go. Then
get that cup of coffee and doughnut so that you will have enough fuel
to schmooze with your buddies. If you do it all in that order, you’ll
not only be ready when the whistle blows, but you’ll be in a howling
sugar high, vibrating with caffeine and full of good advice when you
hit that first station.

As befits such a momentous occasion, nothing but the best will do.
East Mountain’s newly tweaked course is guaranteed to be Travelers
Tough, yet also caring and supportive with just the right touch of
maudlin sentiment to properly mix the yin and yang of clay target
shooting. That ought to do it for your inner shooter, you Champion
you.

The price is $55. Juniors under 18 years of age are free. So are
junior guests under 18. Adult guests are also welcome at this shoot.

Directions to East Mountain Preserve, Dover Plains, NY:

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


REMEMBER, EYE PROTECTION IS MANDATORY AT ALL TRAVELERS SHOOTS.

PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19
DR. RUDY PASSERO MEMORIAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, DOVER PLAINS, NY

Send your paid reservations (check for $55 made out to "CTSCA") for
the Sunday, November 19th Travelers Club Championships at East
Mountain to:

CTSCA, 91 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT 06776

Your check and pre-registration must be in our hands no later than
Thursday, November 16. Cancellations will not be credited after that
date. GUESTS ARE WELCOME AT THIS SHOOT.

NAME: _________________________________________________________________________

SUB-CLASS: __________ Lady (under 50), Mesdames (ladies possibly
over 50), Veteran (men over 55), Super Vet (men over 65), Junior
(under 18)

Please squad me with: ___________________________________________________________

NOTE FOR INTERNET READERS: The Travelers are a private membership
organization. The above shoot invitation is for information only. The
shoots are not open to the public.