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SEPTEMBER 2000 NEWSLETTER
© Bruce Buck, editor

THE PHONE CALL by Vinny La Scalza

Hi! How was your weekend? Good… Me? I just came back from the
best big-time shoot of the year, The Travelers’ August 11-13 Lobster
Shoot, at Addieville, Rhode Island. It was the best tournament of
last year and has actually improved this year. What do I mean? Let
me tell you…

Price. You cannot shoot 200 registered tournament targets cheaper
than $150! This represented 28 stations on two separate courses.
Every station had two machine presentations and a unique looking
woods/field arena. Normally people rave about value at a tournament
when they pay $1.00 a bird. Anything below this is a steal!

Prizes. Seven new shotguns were given away at this shoot, but they
were not automatically given to class winners. Instead, they were
raffled off to the entrants in each class. If you shot in a
particular class, you had a chance at a beautiful shotgun. Engraved
silver platters went to the class champions while a veritable pick-up
truck of lettered shooting towels, Remington knives, framed wildlife
prints, hats, and even a box of crow decoys were given away as door
prizes.

Peccadilloes. Anyone who attends big shoots knows that problems
occur with the traps, clay targets, and registrations. There is
nothing more disappointing than to be rolling along on a sporting
clays course and come to a stand backed up with 30 people. There are
usually some shooters who start reading while others on the edge of
the crowd are already lying on their backs. Everyone is waiting for
"Mr. Repairman", and he is waiting for a part from U.P.S. So much
for your shooting momentum.

Well things break, but I have never shot anywhere else that is as
prepared as Addieville. Thanks to Geoff Gaebe, the owner of
Addieville, for that. In fact, the biggest danger at Addieville is
being struck by a high speed cart piloted by Geoff filled with trap
technicians on their way to speed things along. As a member of a 4
person squad, you will finish the course you were assigned to shoot
as fast as you can walk it. There were 215 shooters competing and I
averaged 2.5 hours for both the Ruger and Traveler’s courses.

Food. Saturday night of a two-day shoot is usually reserved for a
banquet dinner of exotic goodies, camaraderie, lying about scores,
and coming up with the damnedest excuses all under a brightly colored
big top tent. Of course this is extra and one need not attend.
However, the dinner consisted of lobster tails and shell fish, corn
on the cob, salad, black steaming coffee, and strawberry shortcake
all for $25. I was filled with trepidation when I opened my small
black snap purse, and then joy as I found the $25 gold piece my
grandfather gave to my father. I was going to live life large and go
for it! The food was exceptional, and I was plied all night with
drinks from friends who asked me to recount how I worked with Andy
Duffy on his swing and helped him win HOA over the weekend.

Want me to tell you about the shooting? My weekend at Addieville
consisted of two separate worlds, The Traveler’s Course and The Ruger
Course. The Traveler’s Course consisted of twists and turns with
targets canted at angles and trap springs set very light. Targets
falling and climbing over sloping ground and always peaking and
starting to fall as you pulled the trigger. This course was
technical to the extreme and absolutely fascinating. You had to watch
the targets carefully to figure out what they were doing before you
could create a shooting strategy to deal with them. The Ruger course,
which was directly across from the clubhouse, was the more difficult
of the two causing numerous religious conversions and pharmaceutical
emergencies. What made this course so difficult? Well, the entire
course was saturated with black targets. Although there was plenty of
sky around these targets to enable seeing them, the very early stages
of their flight off the trap arms became invisible. This meant less
time to make critical decisions about the bird. There was also an
abundance of specialty targets in use such as the midi and battue.
These birds are not standard sized birds and present their own set of
difficulties. Finally, there were some far shots on this course,
which always appear to intimidate shooters. Let’s take a look at
some of these presentations.

Station #15 had the shooter taking an orange standard bird crossing
from left to right no more than 15 yards in front of the shooter.
This was followed on report by a teal from a trap 5 yards to the left
of the shooter’s foot going up and away from the shooter. The first
bird felt like it was close enough to hit with the barrel but forced
you to strike it with a lot of follow-through because of its speed.
You then tried to stop this follow through to the right because a
teal was leaving from the left. By the time you arrived for the
teal, it was just a point in the sky. What exaggerated this feeling
was the fact that the teal was a midi. If you tried to finish the
first bird without much follow through you probably missed it, but
were in good shape to follow the teal as it climbed. If you gave the
required follow through to the first bird, you had to hit a
pinhead-sized teal at its apex. Advice: make sure of the first bird
and tighten up choke for the second. It wasn’t that far; it was just
small.

Station #1 in view of the clubhouse had an orange bird appear from a
bush on the right 15 yards away and slowly cross your vision. This
was the bird that you were going to make pay for all the misses of
the day. Simultaneously, however, there was a trap 60 yards directly
away from the shooter throwing a bird at the shooter landing perhaps
25 yards away and slightly to the right side. Both birds were
standards and therefore, both birds were conspicuous as they moved in
your field of vision. This was a simple station, if you had the
mental discipline to ignore the far bird until the close bird was
shattered. So easily said, but difficult not to glance at the other
bird.

Station #7 had only two pair of report teal 45 yards from the
shooter. These teal were black so that you could not see them early
in their flight until they cleared the trees. This forced you to
have to move, mount, and shoot very quickly if you wanted to be able
to place the shot in front of the teal on the way up. If you tried
for the teal at the apex, you had to account for the distance since
the birds that were hit were breaking on a delay. I saw one shooter
who cleaned this station, and he broke all four birds falling perhaps
10 yards down from their apex. He said that he was too slow to take
them on the way up and just started his gun at the apex pulling past
the bird on the way down.

What a great time! I am sorry you couldn’t be there with the other
200 plus shooters. Definitely put it down on your calendar for next
year, and we’ll squad together. It is always a good time. You know
it is a funny thing. The scores and targets are already becoming a
little fuzzy in my mind and soon will be forgotten, but I don’t think
I will ever forget Dave and Sandi (a simo pair forever), Jeremy,
Kurt, and Vinnie arguing about the Yanks and Mets, Zaid’s Springers
frolicking, Andy Duffy shooting a 97 on the Traveler Course in rubber
sandals, Al circulating among groups of people much like a bee
receiving sustenance from flowers, Danni and Alex tied forever to a
Vizsla, Rachael a 16 year old shooting prodigy, Akbar’s smile, Kevin
sitting in the back of a golf cart the size of a New York limousine,
and my own fortune for having been there. Goodbye.


HOA Andy Duffy 189
AA Joe Maresca 171
A Edward Finnegan 172
B Christian Gray 159
C Steve Dalena 162
D Brian Griffin 150
E Eileen Broderick 138

In addition to Vinny La Scalza’s thoughts above, our own Jefe Supremo
and President For Life, Al Anglace, wanted to add a few items about
the Lobster Shoot…

"The Travelers donated $100 to charming young Rachel Glawson to
defray expenses for her appearance at the NSCA National
Championships. She is also being sponsored in part by Katy Skahill
and Krieghoff. We also gave her a Traveler gear Bag. She is Richie
Frisella's granddaughter and a Traveler.

Bruce and Donna Galotto spent three days at Addieville. Bruce worked
on the target presentations with Geoff Gaebe and Donna helped out in
the administration area. Geoff Gaebe honored their efforts by
presenting them with a beautiful DU framed print.

A very important part of next year’s Lobster shoot will be any
suggestions that we get from the members that participated this year.
We welcome input and they can extend any to me at ctsca@email.com if
they would like. Travelers represented 57% of the shooters of the 200
plus entrants."


DICK LOSEE MEMORIAL CLAMBAKE, Mid-County Gun Club, Lagrangeville, NY,
July 30, by Al Anglace …

The rain gods did reappear in the general vicinity of Mid County Rod
and Gun Club on Sunday, but it did not dampen the spirits of the 110
shooters signed up to honor the memory of our good friend Dick Losee.

The new target presentations that were originated for this special
day brought smiles and helped the members cope with the intermittent
light drizzle. The smiles grew larger when the club members brought
out the large ice buckets and asked everyone to begin the feast.
Potatoes, sweet corn, 1/2 chicken and a big red lobster filled the
buckets and little giggles were heard as each member prepared to
enjoy the feast.

Dick's daughter and son, Dick, Jr., thanked everyone for remembering
their dad and reminded our great sport and us of the great respect he
had for the Travelers. Great door prizes aplenty capped off a most
enjoyable day of laughter, camaraderie, good food and challenging
targets. We will do it again next year.


GEORGIA’S SOCIAL SHOOTING CLUB by Al Anglace

I have been waiting for a good reason to travel to Georgia to visit
my sister and hopefully visit some of the fine people that I have
corresponded with for many years while assisting in the organization
of the Social Shooting Club of Georgia. Bert Schmidt, the founder and
President has offered many invitations that really were tempting me
to throw the gun in one of those new Dodges and head south.

I was in the midst of a usual busy day when Joyce called me to let me
know that my niece was getting married (in Georgia) and we just
received the invitation. Without projecting more interest in the
shooting venue than the wedding, I proceeded to email Bert. Bert
responded with a plectra of shooting suggestions that I was sure
would never pass the board of directors at my house. Sure nuf, it was
decreed that I would have to wait until we arrived in Georgia to
arrange my play times.

I may point this out a few more times but I want to tell you about
southern hospitality and how it can spoil you real quick. After
arriving, I found that the itinerary prepared for the week left me a
few extra hours to play, so I got on the horn to Bert and we selected
to visit Cherokee Rose and Rock Fence Station near Auburn, Alabama.
The latter was a regular Social Shooting Club event.

Now I mentioned southern hospitality, and how it can spoil you real
fast. Well, I was informed that a SSC member, Dick Philips, would
pick me up at my sister’s door and deliver me to the shoots. He would
have to travel about one half hour out of his way to do this. That’s
not all. When I got to the Rose, I finally met Bert. He promptly
informed me that as long as I was in Georgia I was not to reach for
my wallet. It sounded pretty firm, like one of Joyce’s orders so I
could not do anything but thank him. Olympia cartridges sent up about
ten flats of ammunition for me to burn up. I tried like heck to do so
but I fell a little short of my goal to shoot every one of them. John
from Olympia also gave me a personalized souvenir shot glass, which
was very nice.

The Rose, being the premier sporting range in it’s prime was far from
that mental picture that over the years had developed in my mind as I
heard story after story about the highly respected facility. I
visualized southern style, well-groomed grounds with what else, the
"star shot" grid ready for my onslaught that surely would bring it
into submission. "Naw, we don’t use it much." That was the answer I
received from the manager when I anxiously asked if we could shoot
it. Without going into much detail about the target presentations, I
will say that they did as good a job as they could with a completely
automated course. The "five stand" didn’t get the highest marks as a
couple of traps were not working and what was working did not operate
so well. A nice little clubhouse housed some real nice staff people
and with the new owners, Bill and Casey Atkinson’s desire to
re-establish "The Rose" as the premier sporting club in the country,
I will be happy to visit it again the next time.

Sunday, shoot day again. This time Dick picked me up and we drove
about two hours to Rock Fence Station where the regularly scheduled
SSC shoot would be held. Owner Ray MacClendon, greeted me with his
trusty 28 gauge strapped into the cart stirrup and ready to go. He
was what I call a gentle giant. A big "Teddy Bear" of a guy with an
outgoing warn personality and a "happy go lucky" guy. We proceeded to
shoot some nice target presentations together and he showed us how
the little 28 could hit those high hard ones.

This club is built using railroad cars. Somehow, someone came up with
this and it was indeed interesting to say the least. Huge, with
guestrooms for the hunting crowd or anyone that wants to overnight at
the club. Well stocked "pro shop" and great food. I didn’t need
anything else to make me a winner but Bert presented me with some
kind words and a nice appreciation plaque. The SSC inducted me into
their most revered "El Primo" club and extended me free shooting for
life with SSC. Chidingly I mentioned that this award should not cost
the club very much unless I consider moving to Georgia but
appreciated very much the recognition and the hospitality that was
extended to me.

The SSC is in capable hands as Bert is an extremely dedicated
individual and this club has a bright future. I will always remember
these fine people and hopefully will return soon.

READERS: You will notice, no doubt to your vast relief, that more and
more stories and reports in RELOAD! are being written by our members.
Vinny La Scalza and Al Anglace have contributed a great deal to this
issue. Vinny has generously volunteered to do our shoot reports for
us through at least the end of the year.

Your horde of editors here at RELOAD! gleefully welcomes this member
input and hopes for more. If you have a little something you’d like
to publish in our Travelers’ newsletter, email it on in to Bruce Buck
at <bbuck@juno.com> and we’ll see if it’s a fit. Technical articles,
experience with a new gun, a successful shooting technique, shooting
gear reviews, that sort of stuff. This could be your first step to a
writing career. Earn money at home in your spare time! Win free
trips! Yeah, right.

MISS MANNERS ON FRENCH LEAVE

Do you remember the time, during your more tender and impressionable
years, when you sat squirming at the dinner table near the end of the
meal. You were waiting for a lull in the interminable, droning,
monotonous adult conversation so that you could blurt out the magic
"May I please be excused". This would enable you to bolt off to far
more important childhood pursuits. Now that we are older, we may come
and go more or less as we please, but we have learned (generally) to
commit these comings and goings with a proper concern for the
sensibilities of others. The awards ceremony after a shoot is really
the most special time of the day. While very few of us get to walk
to the front of the room, it is always an appreciated courtesy to
stick around for those who do. Miss Manners notes that Travelers have
been very good about making the effort to stay to congratulate the
winners. It is a good show of sportsmanship and contributes to the
camaraderie of the shoot. Miss Manners says "Well done."

Besides, why do you think Al always has the door prizes after the
awards? RELOAD!

By the way, the name of our newsletter, RELOAD!, comes from the
gleeful yells of the Travelers’ faithful when a person lucky enough
to have his name called for a door prize is unlucky enough not to
have stayed to collect it. The prize is "reloaded", redrawn and
awarded to someone who saw fit to stay.

DID YOU KNOW…

Right handed shooters go deaf in the left ear first. That’s the ear
closest to the muzzle when you are shooting.

Married men seem to go deaf in both ears at the same time.


*** 2000 CONNECTICUT TRAVELERS SHOOT SCHEDULE ***

SEPT 17 FAIRFIELD F&G- SMALL GAUGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
OCT 6-8 FALL TRIP TO CANADA
OCT 15 MILLBROOK R&G-OKTOBERSCHUTZENFEST
NOV Date pending FRIAR TUCK-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

SEP 9 NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT (860-584-1083) SHOOT & DINNER
SEP 10 FRIAR TUCK, NY (800-832-7600) GREEN COUNTY OPEN
SEP 21-24 SANDANONA, NY (413-339-4377 VINTAGE CUP SxS EXPOSITION
OCT 1 PECONIC, NY (631-727-5248) 100 REGISTERED SPORTING
OCT 1 WALLKILL, NY (914-564-0185) 150 TARGET FUN SHOT, $65
OCT 8-9 FRIAR TUCK, NY (800-832-7600) COLUMBUS DAY 200
NOV 10-12 PECONIC, NY (631-727-5248) SHOOT TO CURE BREAST CANCER
NOV 12-13 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) FALL FITASC CH
NOV 19 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) FALL SC OPEN


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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
THE TRAVELERS SMALL GAUGE CHAMPIONSHIP
FAIRFIELD FISH & GAME CLUB
MONROE, CONNECTICUT

Yes, the Connecticut Travelers actually do shoot in Connecticut. Not
often, but when we do, it is really worth it. We started our very
successful sub-gauge championship at Fairfield three years ago and
found their course ideal for the little guns.

This shoot is for sub-gauge guns ONLY. You can shoot your 12, but it
will only be for practice, not for prizes. Your choice. The prizes
will go to the sub-gauge guns. The course will be built for
sub-gauge. If you use a 12, even if it is a 12 gauge SxS or a pump,
it’s for practice only. Of course, you’ll still have just as much fun
and enjoy a delicious lunch.

Don’t have a 20, 28 or 410? Not to worry. We will make an effort to
put you in a squad with a loaner gun or with someone who is willing
to share. One way or the other, we will get it done. Remember, this
is for fun. You will be amazed at what you can hit with a sub-gauge
gun. When you send your reservation, if you don’t’ have a little gun
check the box that mentions that you will need to share a gun and
what gauge you prefer. Bring ammo for that gauge. No ammo is
available at the club.

We will use or normal handicap system as it has proven remarkably
fair in the past. We simply add the particular sub-gauge gun handicap
to your actual score. The handicaps are: 16 ga=3, 20 ga=5, 28 ga=10,
410 bore=20, pump and SxS get an additional 5. Example: if you shoot
a SxS 28 gauge you get 5 birds for the SxS and 10 for the 28 gauge
for a total of 15. Pick whatever you feel will give you the best
chance or the biggest fudge factor. Shells are limited to standard
target weights for the gauge: 16- one oz, 20- 7/8 oz, 28- _ oz and
410- _ oz.

It’s all the usual drill. Arrive by 9:00 AM and sign in on the Big
Board. Everyone will be presquadded because you will have
preregistered and prepaid by Thursday, September 14. If you haven’t,
we look forward to seeing you at the October shoot, but not at this
one. Suck down some high test coffee and doughnuts as the Amazing
Travelers Shoot Machine ramps up for the squadded start. Lunch and
lavish prizes are included. Guests are welcome at this shoot. All
of this for only $55. Oh, yes, Juniors (under 18) and junior guests
shoot FREE! How small gauge can you get?

Directions to Fairfield County Fish & Game, Monroe, CT: Merritt
Parkway (route 15) to Exit 49 North "Rte 25 North, Danbury". Take
Rte 25 North for 5.3 miles to Route 111 North "Monroe". Turn Right
onto Route 111 North and go another 5.3 miles to Hammertown Road on
Left (white house with white picket fence on left). Turn Left on
Hammertown Road and follow Hammertown Road 1.3 miles to club entrance
on Right. Clubhouse is .3 miles up the driveway. If lost, strayed or
stolen, call Fairfield County Fish & Game, Monroe, CT at
203-426-9400.

REMEMBER, EYE PROTECTION IS MANDATORY AT ALL TRAVELERS SHOOTS.

PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

CTSCA SUB-GAUGE CHAMPIONSHIP
FAIRFIELD COUNTY FISH & GAME
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2000

Send your paid reservations (check for $55 made out to "CTSCA") for
the Sunday, September 17, 2000 "CTSCA Sub-Gauge Championship" at
Fairfield County Fish & Game, Monroe, CT to:

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

Your check and pre-registration must be in our hands no later than
Thursday, September 14. Cancellations will not be credited after that
date. ALL GUESTS ARE WELCOME. TRAVELERS JUNIORS AND JUNIOR GUESTS
(UNDER 18) ARE FREE .

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

I will be shooting my own ____________ (16, 20, 28, 410) gauge gun.
Would it be convenient to share your gun with another member of the
squad?

I do NOT have a sub-gauge gun and would like to share a _________
gauge gun.


INTERNET READERS NOTE: The Connecticut Travelers are a private
shooting group and their shoots are not open to the public. There is
a waiting list for membership in the club and a personal sponsor is
required. If you are interested, please contact <CTSCA@email.com>.