Commentary
Relive your childhood fantasy with some ‘Cowboy Action Shooting’ Shooting sports come in many forms, and many have nothing to do with the hunting of big or small game animals.
For those of us who grew up playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians, the ideal shooting sport developed.
The sport is known as Cowboy Active Shooting (CAS) was formed as a competitive shooting sport.
A news release from the River Junction Shootist Society of Donegal points out that the sport is growing by “leaps and bounds.”
It goes on to say, “This form of reliving the old west in the period from the late 1800’s to the early 20th century involves shooting period firearms (revolvers, rifles and shotguns) in scenarios that might have come straight out of a western movie or historical event. It is adapting a ‘persona’ and an alias, and dressing in period clothing. It is ‘playing’ with some of the finest folks you’ve ever met – men and women who are fascinated by the history of the West, have a penchant for hamming it up and enjoy friendly shooting competition in a way they never could when they were kids.”
All old cowboys and cowgirls are invited to re-live their childhood fantasies at the River Junction Shootist Society’s Cowboy Community Day Shoot from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, July 13 at the Indian Creek Valley Sportsman Association near Indian Head.
Visitors will see “real” cowboys in action, and they are invited to try their hand at shooting replicas of classic cowboy guns.
Members will explain the history of guns, clothing and ways of the old west.
The River Junction Shootist Society is affiliated with the Single Action Shootist Society (SASS) and is in its fourth year. It is dedicated to raising awareness, preserving the history and espousing the values of the old west.
Once-a-month shoots include a day of friendly competition using authentic and/or reproduction firearms dressed as characters from the old west. The public is invited.
The Society supports the Indian Creek Food Pantry. All proceeds (monetary or donations of non-perishable food items) to that worthy cause.
For more information contact JoAnn “Eula Goodnight” Kemp at 724-593-3330 (sjkemp@1usa.net), Annie “Appalachia Annie” Trimble or Curt “Chicken Coop” Cooper at 412-343-0498 (CRCooper@aol.com).
We may have been born 100 years too late, but it is never too late to join in the fun, so check it out this Saturday.
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ONE HUNGRY PIKE: In January, Edward Grena of Brownsville called to tell me a personal fish story.
He then sent photos and more details along, but I misplaced them. Well, they are back and here is Mr. Grena’s story.
On Dec. 12, 2001 he caught a 41-inch, 18-pound northern pike while fishing for perch at Deep Creek Lake, Md., using a minnow as bait.
After he arrived back home, he called Terry Murray to have the pike officially weighed and measured for the biggest fish of 2001 contest at Franklin Rod and Gun Club near Smock.
Grena took the pike to Murray’s house to have it weighed and measured, and Murray wanted to show it to his son, whom he takes on fishing trips.
Grena said, “He pushed the lower jaw (lip) open with his foot to show his son the teeth, and when he did, the fish lunged forward and clamped on to his foot. Terry pulled his foot back, but his shoe stayed in the pike’s mouth. As you can see in the photograph, the fish held on even after being pulled on and lifted from the ground.”
Then Mr. Grena told another fishing story.
“Years ago, I brought a couple of walleyes home from High Point. They were on the ice for hours. That night, as I went to fillet them, they had thawed and started to move. I was surprised that they became so active on my kitchen table, but I guess the warm temperature revived them as they were out of water for about six hours, and the temperature was that way below freezing. On Dec. 12 it was not too hot at Deep Creek.”
Humans have been revived after being submerged for a long time in freezing water, so these fish stories are very interesting and believable, and thanks to Mr. Grena for passing them along for the enjoyment of other fishermen.
Herald-Standard outdoor editor Rod Schoener can be reached on line at rschoener@herald-standard.com