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Volume 5, Issue No. 2                              February, 2007

DAGNABIT DEB IS A SERIOUSLY ILL COWGIRL PLEASE REMEMBER HER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Dagnabit Deb is a very sick cowgirl and will be in Park West Hospital, in Knoxville, for an undetermined time.  If you want to send her a card, note or posies, her address is : Deborah Brenneman – Park West Hospital – Room 516, Knoxville, Tennessee 37923.  Or you can send her a message at – carepages.com Dagnabit Debs Adventure.    Shootin’ just ain’t the same when Dagnabit Deb’s not with us.

FEBRUARY IS GOOD SHOOTIN’ WEATHER – SAY 70 SHOOTERS

Owlhoot Hardin – Shooting Black Powder, Duelist Style

As Josey Buckhorn puts it, “A bad day of Cowboy Shootin’ is better than a good day at work.” And he’s right.  But the February Shoot was a good one. At least it managed to attract 70 shooters to come out and defend frontier justice in the wilds of East Tennessee.

The day started with a bang, down at the Buffalo Shoot.  At the end of regular shootin’, Last Kiss had tied Marshal Too Tall in the Long Range Lever Action competition.  He managed to squeak by in the shoot-off. Yukon Hootch won the 22 Caliber shoot, and Pole Cat Carl managed to out shoot Caliber .45 in the Long Range Pistol competition.  Marshal Too Tall won the Long Range Single Shot category.

In the Main Match, Unpleasant was the Top Gun and placed 1st in the Traditional Class. Last Kiss was the Top Cowgirl Shooter.  The Top 10 Shooters were: (1) Unpleasant (2) Buck Dodgers (3) Will Reilly (4) Rusty Spur Slim (5) Pleasant (6) Festus D. Deputy (7) Marshal Too Tall (8) Ocoee Red (9) Polecat Carl (10) Double Eagle. 7 cowboys shot perfect matches with no misses: Unpleasant, Pleasant, Judge’m All Duncan, Lightning McCoy, Ruckus Roy, Undertaker John and Tenn Smoke.

Applesauce, daughter of Cool Waters, accompanied her paw to the shoot and shot her 1st Ocoee Rangers match as a Junior Cowgirl. Like her paw, she shoots very well.  She’s been shootin’ cowgirl for about a year, but not many matches. And although she’s not taken up the shotgun yet, she hits real well with her pistols and rifle.  How well? She missed only 5 shots in the match.

Applesauce is 11 years old, and she’s already tuned in on firearms safety.  She couldn’t believe Deadman wanted her to point her pistol at him for this photo, even though Horse-shoe John and Cool Waters had already checked the gun and verified that it was safely unloaded.

And speaking of Cool Waters, he had a Pleasant experience during the shoot.  Remember the knock down bonus targets?  Well, Cool Waters grabbed his pistol, shot the pistol targets very fast, then shot the pistol knockdown target. When the bullet hit the target, it made a quiet little “dink” sound, verifying that he’d hit the critter. But it didn’t move. If there’d been a butterfly sitting on that target, it wouldn’t have been disturbed at all.  But he’s accurate, and quick, and a good feller to shoot with.

            Applesauce                               Applesauce and Cool Waters

SHOOT RESULTS

TOP GUN – Unpleasant … TOP GUN – COWGIRL – Last Kiss … BUFFALO SHOOT – Long Range Pistol – Polecat Carl … Long Range Lever Action Rife – Marshall Too Tall … .22 Cal – Yukon Hootch … Long Range Single Shot Rifle … Marshal Too Tall

Outlaw

1. TN Tombstone

2. Tucson Tuco

3. Cactus Red

WE’LL HAVE A SENIOR DUELIST CATEGORY AT THE MARCH SHOOT

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The Ocoee Ranger Page 2                   February, 2007

The Reel West, The Real West and the West of Our Imagination

THE REEL WEST – Clint Walker

Clint Walker in YUMA

Have you ever heard of Norman Eugene Walker? Didn’t think so.  Ol’ Norm was born in Hartford, Illinois, in 1927. And if he’d stayed there and been Norm, you wouldn’t have heard of him at all.  Shucks, if you’re only in your ‘30’s you may never have heard of him in any event.  But Norm left Hartford, and entered military service in the later days of WWII, the Big One. And when he was released from active duty, he didn’t go back to Illinois. He scrambled around with various jobs, and then decided to try acting.

Of course Norm sort’a stood out in a crowd.  He was a big feller, standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 200 + pounds, all proportioned to make him photogenic.  Somewhere along the way, Norm became Clint Walker. He got a few parts, once even playing Tarzan in a comic movie.  Then in 1955, Warner Brothers cast Clint to play Cheyenne Bodie, in the TV show CHEYENNE. And he became a Western star.  He was Cheyenne until 1962, when the show ended.  During and after his CHEYENNE days, Clint made a few theatrical westerns and a few made-for-TV Westerns, and appeared in some other movies, like the DIRTY DOZEN.  In his other Western roles, he was Killer Kane and Yellowstone Kelly, and other characters.  And his movies were good.  So was his CHEYENNE  TV series.

However sometimes the premise in some shows overlooks a little detail that looks real screwy.  For example, in 1 of Clint’s CHEYENNE adventures, he was hit on the head from behind and knocked out (almost all TV western heroes were hit on the head and knocked out  ….. frequently) by a little feller who was running from someone.  So, the little feller changed clothes with Clint.  And when he came around, Clint put on the little feller’s clothes.  And guess what? Clint’s big clothes perfectly fit the little feller. And the little feller’s clothes perfectly fit Clint. How about that? Sounds like a scenario that T-Bone would write, doesn’t it?

Clint’s retired now.  Look in the Cowboy Chronicle, Shoot Magazine, True West and others and you’ll see that these days Clint’s appearing at western festivals with other former stars of the golden days of TV Westerns. He and his compadres are gathering to reminisce with each other and with old folks like many of us, who remember them as they were, and still think that for at least 1 Saturday a month, we’re like we were in those long ago days.

THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION – Irish Jake

Irish Jake

If Cowboy Action Shooting has a lasting future, it’ll depend on young shooters like Irish Jake. Irish Jake started Cowboy Shooting with the Smoky Mountain Shootists Society, or as we know them, the Knoxville Cowboys, in March 2006, and he attends monthly shoots with his father and trail pardner, Boondock Saint.

How’d Irish Jake get his alias?  Here’s how he describes it: “I have Irish heritage, and I just put Jake in front of it.”  Out on the range, he shoots .357 pistols, and a Rossi ’92 Winchester Rifle.  His shotgun choice varies from a double barrel coach gun to a ‘97 Winchester pump.

Here’s what Jake has to say about Cowboy Shooting: “It’s the best shooting sport. The people are friendly, and you get to play cowboy for a day.”  Who’s his favorite cowboy? “John Wayne.” Irish Jake is a fine feller.  He likes Cowboy Shooting, is safe with his guns, spends time with his paw, and he likes John Wayne.  He’s a real red blooded American boy.  Make that cowboy.

THE REAL WEST – Joseph F. Glidden  1813 – 1906

Joseph Glidden

Joseph Glidden was a man who got around.  Look for information about him and you’ll see that he was born and grew up in New York.  You’ll also see that he was born in New Hampshire and moved to New York.  But it can be safely said that he was born, and he was born somewhere in 1813, and he eventually arrived in Dekalb, Illinois, where he became a farmer. Joe had worked as a thrasher on Midwestern farms, bought his own equipment, earned a bit of money, saved his money and when he arrived in Dekalb, he bought farmland.  And later he bought more and developed other business interests. At one time, he was even the county sheriff in the Dekalb area.  But that’s not what made his name known to historians. Joe Glidden was the man who killed the cowboy.  It’s true.

When Joe became an Illinois farmer, wood was not in plentiful supply, and keeping cows in where they were wanted and out of where they were not wanted was hard and expensive to do.  So folks with lots of cows hired lots of cowboys to manage them. Then in 1874 when he was 64 years old, Joe got a patent for the first commercially marketable barbwire.  And when the smoke cleared from court fights about the rights to barbwire, Joe became the Barbwire King of the US, and became a very rich man from doing so.  His invention consisted of a single wire, which intermittently had twisted sharp wire wrapped around the single wire, and then another wire was twisted around both to keep everything in place and make it stronger.

The Killer of the Open Range and the Roving Cowboy

Joe started a manufacturing business. Then he took a partner and expanded his business.  Later he sold his interest for $60,000 plus royalties. But Joe’s business days weren’t over. He eventually owned a large farm in the Midwest, a 250,000 acre ranch in Texas, a hotel, a bank and a newspaper. Joe died in 1909. He probably wasn’t asked to join the posse in the sky.  After all, Joe was the man who killed the open range and the big round-ups and the era of the mounted cowboy. Simply stated, Joe was 1 of the most significant contributors to the modernizing of the American West.

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Volume 5, Issue No. 1                        January, 2007

72 SHOOTERS START 2007 COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING WITH A BANG

Dustin Clays, in his Josey Wales hat, shoots & Horseshoe times

Howdy, pardners.  And welcome to 2007on the Range, the shooting range. If you missed the January shoot, you missed a good one.  The action was fast, the shootin’ was good, and the air was full of gun smoke.  At least it was after Coffee Joe fired his black-powder-shootin’ shotgun. There was such a boom after one of his shots that Dustin Clays said that the noise alone would have knocked the target down, with or without shot in the shells.

The day started out chilly.  Well, no that ain’t right.  It started out cold.  Then it warmed up as the sun came out.  And it was a splendid day. Marshal Too Tall shot well enough to become the 1st Ocoee Rangers Top Gun at a 2007 Shoot. But other folks were close behind him. Last Kiss, shootin’ Lady Gunfighter, was the Top Gun of the Cowgirls, and we had 6 cowgirls shootin’ the match. The Top 10 shooters were as follows: (1) Marshal Too Tall (2) Rusty Spur Slim (3) Festus D. Deputy (4) Fiddleback (5) Pleasant (6) Dustin Clays (7) Unpleasant (8) Ocoee Red (9) Polecat Carl (10) Kenesaw. And in the midst of all that shootin’, 8 Cowboys shot no-miss matches. These straight shootin’ cowboys were Rusty Spur Slim, Fiddleback, Pleasant, Dustin Clays, Wildcat Wilkey, Rev. Adam Jones, Bad Eye Tom, Limp Along Charlie and Coffee Joe.

Cowfolk in earmuffs, L-R: Rev. Adam Jones, Outrider& Mesquite Millie. Out of respect for Deadeye Daisy, Sheriff Donald in his Daisy Duck earmuffs is not shown.

Sometime in the mid morning, while it was still a mite cool, the photographer happened upon the 3 cowfolk shown above, all wearing earmuffs, and asked: “What kind of cowboys would be wearing earmuffs?” The Rev. Adam Jones answered: “Cold ones.” But he evidently warmed up.  He shot a perfect match: No misses. And Last Kiss’s secret was revealed. The secret:  How has she become such a good shooter, even shooting Lady Gunfighter?  Some folks thought it was practice.  And some thought it’s them spiffy pistols that she’s shootin’.  But that ain’t it.  The secret to her success is the green rabbit’s foot hanging from her gun belt.  Of course, it didn’t do much for the rabbit.

SHOOT RESULTS

TOP GUN – Marshal Too Tall … TOP GUN – COWGIRL – Last Kiss … BUFFALO SHOOT – Long Range Pistol – Calibre. 45 … Long Range Lever Action Rife – Marshall Too Tall … .22 Cal – Marshal Too Tall … Pre Shoot Side Match – Festus D. Deputy

NEXT SHOOT – FEBRUARY 24

The Buffalo Shoot begins 8:00 am. Registration 8:30 am  –  Posse Leader walk-through 9:15 am  – Safety meeting 9:45 am  –  Shooting follows  – All times are Eastern Time.

THERE WILL BE AN OCOEE RANGERS SHOOT IN FEBRURY

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The Ocoee Ranger page 2                      January 2007

The Reel West, The Real West and the West of Our Imagination

THE REEL WEST – SUSAN CABOT (1927-1986)

Susan Cabot

Unless you’re an Audie Murphy movie fan, you probably won’t recognize Susan Cabot’s name. She was a petite, dark haired & dark eyed beauty who appeared in several of his Western movies. And there was a reason for that:  she was good looking, could act, and most importantly, she was 1 of the few actresses shorter than Audie. Of course, she also appeared in other Westerns with other cowboys. But she didn’t start life as Susan Cabot. She was born Harriet Shapiro in Boston in 1927, and her on screen appearances showed that she was an actress:  she was capable of portraying a spirited, happy character.  But her real life didn’t match what she portrayed.  Susan was raised in a number of foster homes. She went to New York when she was 17, and married right away, to escape from foster homes.  But the marriage wasn’t a good one.  She was very attractive, interested in dramatics, and became an actress appearing on TV and bit parts in films.  Then in 1950 she was “discovered” and got a part in a forgettable movie.  But that lead to a Hollywood contract with Universal, where she was frequently cast in good old Western movies.  To see her in 1 of her best roles, appearing with Audie Murphy, take a look at GUNSMOKE.  It’s a very good movie, and they work well together.

Susan, although she was very good in Westerns and in the other movies she appeared in, didn’t cotton to the roles she’d been playing.  So, she got out of her contract and left Hollywood briefly to try stage acting. That, however, didn’t work out, and she returned to Hollywood. And then she left Hollywood again and returned to the theater.  In 1964, she had a son, who suffered from dwarfism. Then in 1968, she married for the 2nd time.  The marriage lasted 12 years and ended in divorce. Susan was suffering from mental illness. In 1986, Susan’s son killed her.  She was 59 years old. Susan’s real life was sad and tragic.  But when you see her on film, you see a very different person.  That’s the 1 that counts, because that’s the 1 that will last, as long as folks like Shadrack Jones and others continue watching her Western movies.

THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION – LAST KISS

Last Kiss Last Kiss started cowgirl shooting in June 2004. Of course she’d been shooting before that: “I started shooting as a kid and love it. And I love the Old West and the guns.” In 2000, she joined SASS, and like all of us, she had to choose an alias. Here’s how she chose her alias. “I wanted it to be personal.  I thought about being a schoolteacher, or a soiled dove.  But lots of Westerns are romantic.  They have a last kiss before riding away, or going to war, or before going to bed, or whatever you want to make of it.  So, I chose Last Kiss.”

Since becoming Last Kiss, she’s shot Lady Traditional, Double Duelist, Gunfighter and Black Powder.  And her shooting has improved as her experience has increased.  During her cowgirl shooting career, she’s shot .45 pistols and .38’s, but usually .38’s.  And she’s shot double barrel shotguns in 20 and 12 gauge, however she now shoots a Winchester ’97 12 ga. But she’s not just a shooter. She’s completed the SASS ROI course and is registered to take the ROII class with the Knoxville cowboys in early 2007. And on the range, she’s been a posse leader, spark of energy in her posse and a registration cowgirl.  There’s more to this cowgirl than a hat and gunsmoke.

Who’s her favorite Western actor? “Maureen O’Hara.  And I like her especially in a specific role, Mrs. McClintock.”  And her favorite Western movie? “McClintock.  It has John Wayne, and Maureen O’Hara, and fighting and shooting, and partying.  It has everything.”

In 2006, the Ocoee Rangers presented Last Kiss the 2006 Annual “Spirit of the Game Award”.

THE REAL WEST – ELFEGO BACA  (1865 – 1945)

Elfego Baca – Pistollero

Lawyer & Policitian

Elfego Baca was a man of many lives:  Mexican American pistolero, self appointed Deputy Sheriff, elected Sheriff, U.S. Marshal, practicing lawyer, County Court Clerk, School Board Superintendent and local and state politician. Elfego was born in New Mexico in 1865, but not long thereafter, his family moved to Topeka, KS.  However in 1880 following the death of his mother, 15-year old Elfego returned to New Mexico.  4 years later, his legend began.

In December 1884, cowboys emasculated a Mexican in front of a saloon in the town of Frisco, now known as Reserve, NM.  This followed other rowdy behavior that was the normal way of things in the community.  The Sheriff was located elsewhere and evidently found plenty to keep him busy elsewhere.  So, Elfego found himself a badge and a pistol, appointed himself Deputy Sheriff and set out to bring justice to Frisco.  In the process, a cowboy took a shot at Elfego, and he and his compadres cornered Elfego in a shack.  During a period of about 36 hours, the cowboys fired a reported 4,000 shots into the house, trying to expunge (How ‘bout that word, Owlhoot?) the community of the pesky Mexican with the badge.  Not a bit shy, Elfego returned their fire, and in the process, he killed 4 cowboys and wounded 8 others.  He didn’t get a scratch.

Finally,the cowboys ran out of ammo and left town, and Elfego emerged unharmed. However the event wasn’t over.  In May 1885, Elfego was tried for murdering 1 of the cowboys he shot.  During the trial, the door to the house that he sought shelter in was produced as a defense exhibit: it had about 400 bullet holes in it – all heading inward.  Elfego was acquitted.

Following the Frisco shoot-out and the aftermath, Elfego embarked upon his career of many opportunities and risks.  And he remained controversial through his many careers.  He had a fondness for politics, courtroom theatrics, pistols, drink and wild women.  Throw in his time-to-time involvement as a lawman, and you have the natural ingredients for a movie.  And in the late 1950’s, Walt Disney recognized that fact and brought Elfego Baca, the man with 9 lives, to television, after his other legendary character, Davy Crockett, had run his course. Elfego died in 1945.

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The Ocoee Ranger page 3                                    January 2007

POSSE 2 – JANUARY 2007 SHOOT

L-R Kneeling:  Catoosa Kid, Tellico, Sledge, Sundance McNeyman, Standing: Rev Adam Jones, Outrider, Big Lighting McCoy, Dustin Clays, Coffee Joe, Ben Shot, Deadman, Horseshoe John.  As usual, Pleasant & Unpleasant were too slow to get back from lunch in time to get in the picture.

CHANGES TO BE MADE IN THE 2007 CHRISTMAS EVENT

After talking with several folks about the 2006 Christmas Shoot and Event, the common feeling was – it was too long. So, we’re going to make a few changes for the 2007 Event. Why are we showing it here?  Well, 2 reasons: (1) so you might come, if you see it won’t be so long, and (2) to get your help with arranging door prizes to give away.  Here’s what we’re going to do in 2007:

The Pre-Shoot      We’ll only read the safety rules, and do the prayer.  Ocoee Red, or his designee, will walk around and give out the November certificates before the gathering.  No announcements will be made and no Territorial Governor discussions will be held.  That will wait until January.  This will save about 30 minutes.

The Shoot     We’ll still shoot 3 stages.  But – there won’t be any movement other than right in front of the shooting covered sheds. There will be no down range movement, no reloading, other than the shot gun, no bonus point shooting and no complications.  We’ll still shoot pistols, shotgun and rifle. Stages can be fun, but not lengthy.  Targets will be managed so they are fun to shoot, but not so many – so it won’t take long to pick them up and put them in the storage shed.  This will allow us to get to the restaurant sooner after the shooting is done.

The After Shoot Event     We’ll eat and then present Annual Awards.  This year, we’ll give awards for Top Category Winners for the Year.

q       We will discontinue the gift swap.  We’ve grown to such a number, that it takes too much time:  several folks have left early in 2005 and 2006, even though they had gifts on the table.

q       We’ll still give door/trail prizes.  But if we’re lucky to have a big prize that everyone would want, we’ll give that 1st so everyone will have an equal chance to win.  Then everyone else who wins a prize will get what he or she wins: no passing.  If someone gets something they don’t want, they can trade with someone else, or give it away.

These changes will easily save 1 ½ hour.

Prizes     At the January Shoot, you may have noticed a container on the registration table (although we got it out late) for folks to make donations to be used to buy prizes for the December 2007 Christmas Shoot and Family Event.  The container will be at each shoot through September.  All money received (however much or little) will be used to buy prizes to give away at the event.

We’ll still seek event sponsors (vendors) and gifts, but some things will be given but not in the drawing.  Prizes not given in the drawing will be available on a 1st come basis to folks who want them.

Please help us by making a few contributions to the magic container as the shooting year progresses.

Conclusion      We should be able to have a fun shoot, an enjoyable lunch, good prizes and a fun after shoot event, and not have all day tied up – like we did in 2005 and 2006.

KNOXVILLE COWBOYS / SMOKY MOUNTAIN SHOOTIST SOCIETY – TO HOLD ANNUAL SMOKY MOUNTAIN SHOOT-OUT MARCH 29, 30 & 31

Our Knoxville shooting pardners will hold their Smoky Mountain Shoot-Out March 29-31 (the 5th Saturday in March) at their regular club shooting range in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Side Matches will be held on Thursday, March 29.  The Main Matches will be held on Friday March 30 and Saturday March 31.  Fees are shown below:

Side Matches … $15             Main Match … $65          Spouse … $45    Jrs. & Buckaroos … Free   Awards Dinner (Saturday Night) … $35 per ticket     For more information, see the Smoky Mountain Shootist Society website  (www.smsgazette.com) or contact Hombre Sin Nombre (865) 740-3801 or El Carrera (865) 579-9001.

Hombre Sin Nombre

El Carrera

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Volume 4, Issue No. 12                                               December, 2006

IS SANTA CLAUS A COWBOY ACTION SHOOTER?

L-R:  Double Eagle, Bad Eye Tom & Deadeye Daisy

Ho-Ho-Ho! Merry Christmas. And it was a Merry Christmas at the Ocoee Rangers’ 4th Annual Christmas Shoot & Family Event. And for a while, we thought Santa was visiting to shoot with us.  Double Eagle saw “Santa” and jogged over to tell him that he’d been a real good boy and expected to be remembered on Christmas. Deadeye Daisy looked skeptical when she heard the comment. Then Bad Eye Tom, the cowboy who looked like Santa, just chuckled.  Evidently, both he and Daisy had doubts about Double Eagle. 

The Christmas Shoot is always special, because lots of cowboys & cowgirls dress a bit more spiffy than usual. And then there are the festivities after the shoot. 52 shooters ventured out to shoot 3 stages.  And the Christmas spirit started there.  Our sponsor, the Cleveland Hunting Rifle and Pistol Club, approved a free shoot for December. And it was also a bit unique because lots of shooters decided to shoot black powder, like Owlhoot Hardin who technically shot Sr. Black Powder Duelist. And the weather  ….. It was absolutely great: sunny and warm.

L-R: Bittercreek Jack, Owlhoot Hardin & Dustin Clays

L-R: Dead Beat & Tin Pot

The Top Gun was Dustin Clays and the Top Cowgirl Shooter was Yazoo City Gal.  The Top 10 Shooters were: (1) Dustin Clays (2) Pleasant (3) Rusty Spur Slim (4) Unpleasant (5) Fiddleback (6) Ocoee Red (7) Polecat Carl (8) Lightning McCoy (9) Barn Scoop and (10) Cool Waters. 2 shooters shot matches with no misses:  Pleasant and Lightning McCoy.  In the Buffalo Shoot, Marshal Too Tall won the Long Range Single Shot Rifle and the .22 Cal. competition and Fast Harley placed 1st in the Long Range Lever Action Rifle Shoot.

SHOOT RESULTS

TOP GUN – Dustin Clays … TOP COWGIRL – Yazoo City Gal … BUFFALO SHOOT – Long Range Single Shot Rifle – Marshal Too Tall … Long Range Lever Action Rife – Fast Harley … .22 Cal – Marshal Too Tall

49er

1. Ocoee Red

Outlaw

1. Marshal Too Tall

NEXT SHOOT – JANUARY 27

The Buffalo Shoot begins 8:00 am. Registration 8:30 am  –  Posse Leader walk-through 9:15 am  – Safety meeting 9:45 am  –  Shooting follows  – All times are Eastern Time.

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The Ocoee Ranger page 2                                                December 2006

2006 Annual Awards Presented At After Shoot Luncheon

After the December Shoot, cowboys and cowgirls got together at the Golden Corral in Cleveland, TN for lunch and after action festivities.  At that function, Ocoee Red presented the 2006 Annual Awards. 

The first award presented was the Annual Spirit of the Game Award. It went to Last Kiss. This award is presented to a cowboy or cowgirl who has consistently demonstrated a positive image on the range and otherwise conducted himself or herself in such manner to be a role model for others. 

L-R: Marshal Too Tall, Ocoee Red and Last Kiss

The 2006 Top Gun Award went to Marshal Too Tall. Dustin Clays received the award as the 2006 Most Accurate Shooter. The 2006 Top Cowgirl Shooter Award was presented to Last Kiss.

Other award winners were as follows:

2006 TOP TEN SHOOTERS – places 2-10

The Top 5 Most Accurate Shooters of 2006 are at right and below

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The Ocoee Ranger page 3                          December 2006

VENDOR SPONSORS OF THE 4TH ANNUAL OCOCEE RANGER CHRISTMAS SHOOT & FAMILY EVENT

PLEASE REMEMBER THESE GOOD FRIENDS WHEN YOU PURCHASE THINGS FOR YOURSELF OR FRIENDS IN 2007.   WHEN ORDERING, PLEASE INCLUDE A BRIEF NOTE THANKING THEM FOR SUPPORTING US.

Brownells, Inc.

200 South Front Street,

Montezuma, Iowa 50171-1000

Phone: 1-800-741-0015

www.brownells.com

Gun parts, cleaning stuff, cowboy gun leather, etc.

West Creation

7916 FM 1241

Hamilton, TX 76531-3129

www.westcreations.com

email: westcreation@htcomp.net

Cowboy kitchen silverware, dinner-ware, glass ware and other western related products

Starline Brass

1300 W. Henry St.,

Sedalia, MO 65301

Phone: 800-280-6660   

Phone: 660-827-6640

FAX: 660-827-6650

info@starlinebrass.com

Top Quality reloading brass.

True West Magazine

P.O. Box 8008

Cave Creek, Arizona 85327

Phone: (408)575-1881

www.TRUEWESTMAGAZINE.COM

Subscriptions!  Call    888-687-1881

RG2 Digital Media

1140 Reynolds St.,

Covington, GA 30014

Mail P.O. Box 628,

Covington, GA 30015

Personal Trading Cards and other professional printing

Shoot! Magazine

7154 W. State Street,

Boise, Idaho 83714

Subscriptions! 

Call  1-800-342-0904

Or:   www.shootmagazine.com

Hamilton Dry Goods

Ron & Donna Hamilton

4075 Roberts Matthews Hwy,

Sparta, TN 38583

Phone – Store: 931-739-6061

Home: 931-528-6061

www.hamiltondrygoods.com

email: hamiltondrygoods@miltipro.com

Cowboy & Civil War Period Clothing and Merchandise

The Fort Western Store

Gene Vergurg

903 Central Ave.,

Nebraska City, Nebraska 68410

Catalog western wear and other items.

Saddlebag Bullets

(Cool Waters)

Randy Gothart

13 Collins St.

Woodville, AL  35776

Phone: 256-776-4909

All popular sizes Hard Cast, Sized & Lubed Bullets. Powder & other reloading supplies

Benton Shooters

Highway 411

Benton, TN  37307

(423) 338-2008

www.Bentonshooters.com

Guns, hunting, fishing – all sporting equipment

Outrider’s Leather Products

Richard J. Leonard

123 Woods Lake Way

Cleveland, TN  37323

Phone: 423-479-8942

Email: Outrider@bellsouth.net

Terry’s Toys

Terry Eischen

6101 Welworth Ave.

East Ridge, TN  37412-3651

Phone: 423-889-9807

Cowboy guns

Coon Dawg

Michael F. Coon

412 Christions Bend Road

Church Hill, TN  37642

Phone: 423-357-1150

Clothing & other items

Other Sponsors

River Bend Rough Riders Cowboy Action Shooting Club

Canton, GA area

Contact:  Sheriff Donald 

Phone: 770 –  607-0794

sheriffdonald@hotmail.com

Pleasant & Dustin Clays

Mesquite Millie & Deadman

OCOEE RANGER CONTACTS – 

Ocoee Red 423-476-5303 ocoeered@charter.net ….. 

Sundance 423-479-8465 jneyman8465@charter.net ….

Pleasant 423-476-6865 pleasant2@charter.net ….

Deadman & Mesquite Millie  770- 889-0934 jedalton@mindspring.com

Horseshoe John .. 706-866-5372  horseshoejohn@bellsouth.net

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Volume 4, Issue No. 11                                 November, 2006

NOVEMBER – THE RANGE WAS COVERED WITH TURKEYS

Attendance was down at this years’ November after Thanksgiving shoot. In each of the 2 previous years, we had 70 shooters, but this year only 51 brave shooters ventured out – and 1 had a family emergency and had to leave.  But for those who participated – it was a warm, sunny, generally terrific day. The shoot was geared toward turkeys. After all, Thanksgiving is associated with turkeys.  And the script writer is a ……, you get the picture.  It was a fun day.

“Is it time to Shoot yet?”  – Roma Jane and Long Gulch listen to possible rules changes during the pre-shoot meeting.

Big, ready to shoot for the turkey. He was a Winner last year.

Each posse had a turkey shoot stage.  Look below and see the turkeys who won the turkeys.

The Top Gun was Marshal Too Tall and the Top Cowgirl Shooter was Last Kiss, shooting gunfighter.  The Top 10 Shooters were: (1) Marshal Too Tall (2) Festus D. Deputy (3) Dustin Clays  (4) Polecat Carl (5) Ocoee Red (6) Pleasant (7) Rusty Spur Slim (8) Cherokee Maddog (9) Horseshoe John and (10) Pyro. 3 shooters shot matches with no misses:  Dustin Clays, Outrider and Marshal Too Tall.  In the Buffalo Shoot, Marshal Too Tall won the Long Range Lever Action Rifle & Single Shot Rifle competition and the .22 Cal. class and Sundance McNeyman placed 1st in the Long Range Pistol Shoot.

Winners of the Turkey Shoots

L – R:  Rawhide Rex, Tennessee Mongo, Polecat Carl and Sheriff Donald

SHOOT RESULTS

TOP GUN – Marshal Too Tall … TOP COWGIRL – Last Kiss …

BUFFALO SHOOT – Long Range Pistol – Sundance McNeyaman … Long Range Single Shot Rifle – Marshal Too Tall … Long Range Lever Action Rife – Marshal Too Tall … .22 Cal – Marshal Too Tall

Outlaw

1. Curly Bill

2. Badlands Beck

3. Rawhide Rex

Wranglers (non shooting award):

Cherokee Maddog, Bittercreek Jack, Sheriff Donald, Fast Harley, Lightning McCoy

Wranglers are folks who put forth extra effort in helping their posses conduct the shoot

DECEMBER ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOOT & FAMILY EVENT  DECEMBER 16

Bring your family or special other and let them meet your cowboy & cowgirl shootin’ pardners.

See page 2 for more information.

Page 2

Page 2

The Ocoee Ranger page 2                      November, 2006

THE REeL WEST & the real west

THE REeL WEST – HARRY CAREY 

(1878 – 1947)

Henry DeWitt “Harry” Carey II was a silver screen cowboy in both the silent and sound eras. But, he wasn’t native a westerner. Nope.  Ol’ Harry hailed from New York City.  While attending law school, he had a boating accident, and while recuperating, he wrote a play.  When he recovered, he convinced someone to put his play on stage.  Of course he had to play the lead.  It was a big success.  So, his law career was forgotten.  He gave up the courtroom for the floodlights.  Of course you could say that he gave up acting in front of a jury to take up acting in front of a paying audience.

Harry Carey

After his 2nd play flopped, Harry joined a movie stock company, and when it moved to Hollywood, he went along. In 1915, he appeared in THE BATTLE AT ELDERBUSH GULCH, a Western. During his career, Harry appeared in a lot of Westerns and in other stuff as well.  And he did well in all his roles.  In 1920, he began the most important role of his career: he met and married Olive Golden, and they became lifetime partners.

How good was Harry?  Well, by 1919, he was earning $1,200 a week. And he continued making Western movies: solid, realistic movies.  But the public’s taste changed.  They became more interested in the glitz and dash of Westerns featuring Tom Mix and Hoot Gibson and others.  Still, Harry kept making good films and real good money.

Sound came, and Harry kept right on going, just like the Energizer Bunny.  He bought a ranch and livestock, and kept making movies. Then in 1939, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but he lost to Thomas Mitchell for his performance as Doc Boone in John Ford’s STAGECOACH. In the years that followed, Harry appeared in a number of Westerns.  He appeared with John Wayne in ANGEL AND THE BAD MAN, and again with him in SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS and in THE SPOILERS and in RED RIVER.

Harry died in 1947, and was buried in his cowboy outfit. How about that? But Harry really didn’t die. As long as folks watch John Wayne Westerns, he never will.  You’ll see him directly in some of the Duke’s Westerns.  But you’ll see him indirectly in about all of them, if you watch John Wayne. John Wayne adopted some of the gestures that Harry used in his performances. Among others, he copied a certain slouch sitting in the saddle. And in the SEARCHERS, when he’s framed in the doorway in the final scene, you’ll see the Duke walking away, holding his left arm with his right.  Harry often did that. Oh yeah, Olive Carey also appeared in the SEARCHERS: she played Vera Miles’ mom.  And Harry Jr. played Vera’s brother.

Trooper John W. Vermillion

THE REAL WEST –

JOHN W. “TEXAS JACK” VERMILLION  (1842 – 1911)

John Wilson “Texas Jack” Vermillion was born in 1842 in Russell Co. Virginia.  In 1861, John did as many other Virginians did after the Yankees invaded the South in their War of Northern Aggression:  he joined General JEB Stuart’s cavalry of gray riders.

After God turned away from the South and allowed the Yankees to win the war, old John headed west.  In Indiana, he married a Yankee gal.  He probably thought that if he couldn’t lick’em, he might as well join ‘em. Then the newly weds moved to Missouri, where John became a lawman for several years. But tragedy struck and his wife and 2 small children died of diphtheria. Devastated by his loss, John tossed his badge and went further west, finally arriving in Dodge City, Kansas.  On the Western frontier, he began a different life.  He became a whiskey drinkin’, sixgun packin’, quick shootin’ gambler.

Somewhere in his western rambling, John became “Texas Jack” and met and apparently became friends with another southern gambler, John Henry “Doc” Holiday.  And like Holiday, he got involved in several violent encounters in saloons in various places.  In 1881, he was in Tombstone, Arizona. That was about the time when the Earps and Doc Holiday were involved in the OK Corral street fight and the aftermath shootings.  Evidently because of his friendship with Holiday, “Texas Jack” rode with Wyatt Earp on his vendetta ride in 1882, after Morgan Earp was killed. 

When the Earp posse left Arizona, Jack rode up to Kansas, where he plied his skills at the gambling tables there.  Before long, he got involved in a gambling fight and shot and killed one of his card cheatin’ opponents.  Then, he left the country and returned east to Virginia.

In 1883, John married Nannie Fleenor. But somehow, he couldn’t stay away from the west.  So, he took his family to Idaho.  In 1888, he became involved with the Soapy Smith gang and got involved in a shoot-out with another gang.  2 years later, in 1890, he killed a feller in another gunfight.  It was a fair fight, but “Texas Jack” hung up his spurs and moved back to Big Stone Gap, Virginia, for good. Guess what he did for a livin’ in Virginia to support Nannie, his 2 kids and himself?  He became, believe it or not, a Methodist Minister. In 1911, “Texas Jack” Vermillion died in his sleep.

Annual Christmas shoot & family event December 16

Don’t miss our Ocoee Rangers Christmas Shoot & Family Event on December 16th.  We’ll shoot 3 stages at the range and then meet at the Golden Corral Restaurant in Cleveland for lunch and activities:  presentation of annual awards; drawings for prizes, provided by

event sponsors; and cowboy & cowgirl gift exchange.  We always have a lot of fun.  If for some reason you can’t shoot, come to the after shoot activities anyway. Participation in the gift exchange is optional:  if you want to do it, ok; if you don’t, that’s also ok. Only folks who have shot in at least 1 match during 2006 –even if it’s that morning – are eligible for the drawings for gifts provided by sponsors.  Anyone, shooters & non-shooters, can participate in the gift exchange. If you want to participate in the gift swap, bring an unwrapped gift and put it on the gift table.  Prizes should be somewhat related to cowboy shooting or a western theme and should not cost more than $10 – $20.

The Christmas event is a good time to dress up in cowboy/cowgirl finery – shooters & non-shooters.  Mesquite Millie & Deadman will have their camera ready to take pictures of anyone (individual or family or special pardner) who wants their picture taken at the shoot.  No, it won’t cost nothing to get your picture took.

COME & PLAY WITH US IN DECEMBER.  AND BRING YOUR FAMILY. LET’EM MEET YOUR PLAYMATES