Archive for the “Newsletter” Category
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Volume 1, Issue No. 9 (Web Edition) November 2003
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The November match was beautiful weather wise, with lots of bangs and clangs. Deadman will have all the details real soon, so check back often. The November scores and rankings are posted so check them out.
Don’t forget that December 6th is our Christmas Shoot/Family Social and 2003 Awards Celebration. If you need information real quick check the contacts page and get in touch with somebody. Hope to see your there!
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| HAPPY HOLIDAYS! |
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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[join sass] [join nra]
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Volume 1, Issue No. 8 (Web Edition) October 2003
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Page 2
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TOP TEN SHOOTERS
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| Top Gun – Marshal Andy – Top Gun |
| Curly Bill |
| Cool Waters |
| Dustin Clays |
| Pleasant |
| Cruel Hand Luke |
| Ocoee Red |
| Tobasco JOT |
| Rusty Spur Slim |
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Horseshoe John
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OCOEE RANGER BADGES
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If you want an Ocoee Ranger badge and haven’t ordered yours yet, or haven’t told someone to get you one for Christmas, remember, the base cost of the badge now is $52. In January 2004, the badge will cost $58.50. Contact / have the gift giver contact Tri to order the badge. His contact info is listed on the Contact page. The badge looks good and is very well made, and it would look great on your shirt, vest or blouse – depending on whether you’re a cowboy or cowgirl.
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December 6th/Christmas Shoot – Family Event & 2003 Awards Presentation
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We’ve been workin’ on the Christmas Shoot & Family event. So far, sponsors have donated bullets, brass, a badge, a subscription to Shoot Magazine, dusters, knives and other nifty prizes to be awarded by drawing. But you have to be present to win. We’ll shoot 4 stages and then saddle up and journey over to the BelAire Grill for lunch. After we eat, we’ll present Annual
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| Awards , draw for prizes (they’re still comin’ in), and do other stuff. So, mark your calendar and plan to attend. Bring your better half or significant other and the little cowboys and cowgirls too. Remember, it’s a family event. |
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2003 OCOEE RANGER AWARDS
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| In order to be eligible to be considered to receive an annual shooting award, you have to have shot in at least three Ocoee Ranger matches in 2003. If you have shot in only two, November will be your last chance to qualify. Awards are presented at the December whing-ding after the match, and the results of the December shoot (4 stages) will not count in 2003 annual results. |
| Here are the 2003 Annual Awards that will be presented: 2003 Top Gun, 2nd – 10th place shooters of the year, Top Cowgirl Shooter, Accurate Shooters, Spirit of the Game, Top Hands, and some others. |
| When you turn in your Christmas wish list and when you buy stuff for yourself, don’t forget the generous folks who sponsor our Christmas Shoot and Family Event this year: |
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SHOOT MAGAZINE – Starline Brass
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River Junction Trade Co. – Benton Shooters Supply
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NEW COOKS ON THE RANGE
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| In October, new cooks signed on to provide grub to hungry cowboys and cowgirls at Ocoee Rangers shoots. One of them may look familiar…he’s Old Iron Pants’ father. The other is his mother. When the Gabors learned that Dan, our previous cook, |
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had changed jobs and could no longer be free on Saturdays, they signed up for the job, packed their chuck wagon, and got ready for the round-up. With Mom and Pop cookin’ for the cowfolk and Old Iron Pants shootin’, it shows once again that Cowboy Shootin’ is a family activity. Oh yeah, Dan said, “Good bye, and thanks to everyone for their business.”
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The Gabors – (L-R) Old Iron Pants & the new cooks. Sis, Mom & Pop
We’ll Post A Menu Here With Prices As Soon As We Get One From The New Cooks.
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BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM IN CARTERSVILLE, GA WELL WORTH THE VISIT
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At Deadfoot’s recommendation, Mesquite Millie and I visited the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA early this month. He said that it had terrific paintings & bronze sculptures and Western movie posters, and it does. Millie and I spent 3 hours there. We arrived just as a short orientation movie began. It’s very good. We skipped the guided tour and just roamed around on our own. They have cowboy, Indian and civil war paintings and lots of sculptures: large and small. One statue is of John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, mounted on ol’ Beau and holding his big loop Winchester. They also have a gift shop with books and other stuff. Photography is not allowed inside
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| the gallery. But they have two real nifty life-size statues of a cowboy on a bucking horse outside the building. You can take pictures of them. If you live in the Cleveland, Chattanooga, Dalton, Ringgold area, it’s well worth the trip. You Knoxville cowfolk may not be as tempted to visit, unless you have other things to do in the area. (Cartersville is about 40 miles north of Atlanta.) |
| It’s easy to find. Just exit I-75 South at Exit 290. Go west, that’s turn right if you’re driving south, to Hwy 41, and go south a couple of 3 miles. Then turn right on East Church Street. The museum is about 2 blocks on the right. It’s a big white building. It’s open every day except Monday. The ticket price is $6 for adults, less for kids. Deadfoot’s right…it’s an excellent Western art museum. |
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SHOOT THROUGH PASSES FOR OCOEE RANGERS SHOOTS
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| Got a commitment you can’t get out of? Get a “Shoot Through” pass from Mesquite Millie or Deadman, when you register to shoot. When you get to the first stage, give your posse leader your shoot through pass (your special scoring sheet), and the posse leader will let you shoot early in the stage. Then take your “Shoot Through Pass”, and go to another stage. That way, you can shoot a complete match. And you can take as much or as little time as you need to have a fun shoot and still meet your commitment. |
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ON TO PAGE 3
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Page 3
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Volume 1, Issue No. 8 (Web Edition) October 2003
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Page 3
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The reel West, the real West and the West of our imagination
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THE REEL WEST
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Randolph Scott
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When this word slinger was a pup, he had 2 Western movie heroes: Randolph Scott and Audie Murphy, in that order. Randolph Scott was the essential Western movie hero. He rode tall in the saddle, because he was tall. He was from Virginia, so he sounded like a cowboy, or at least what a cowboy was supposed to sound like. And he made a bunch of cowboy movies, among others. And most of them were very good. Stuff like Man in the Saddle, The Gunfighters,

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Trail Street, Ride Lonesome, The Tall T, Western Union and many others. John Wayne produced one of Randy’s movies, Seven Men From Now, and then wished he’d played the lead himself.
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Randy’s last movie was a Western, and one that aficionados of Western movies recognize as a classic, Ride the High Country. In it, he and Joel McCrea played aging Westerners as the Old West was passing into history. It was also Joel’s last picture. Both were classy cowboys, and both ended their careers with this good ol’out of doors action Western. If you’re ever at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in Oklahoma City, you’ll see Randolph Scott’s picture in the Western movie area. Joel McCrea’s picture is also there.
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| THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION |
| Tellico |
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Some folks say that a picture is worth a thousand words. If so, then this photo tells it all. Tellico, who hangs his spurs in Tellico Plains, TN, has been a Cowboy Shooter for many years. In fact, he has one of the old style SASS badges, and it has No. 3482 on it. How about that? Especially now that there are more than 50,000 SASS members. Tellico started shootin’ with us in the early days at Guns & Stuff, before the
Tellico in vest & neck-tie
move to the Cleveland range. He said that he’d been priced
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out of the cowboy shootin’ group that he had been with. That group “evolved” to the point that anyone who wasn’t shootin’ real Colt six-shooters wasn’t welcome. Being’s how he was shootin’ Rugers, he saddled up and moseyed along.
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When Tellico started shootin’ with many of us southeastern TN / north GA cowboys and cowgirls, he used a .45 -.70 Sharps reproduction rifle in the Buffalo Shoots before the match. He usually shot last, because sometimes his Buffalo gun would make the target unusable after he finished shootin’, sometimes before he finished shootin’. His Sharps was the first one that many of us had seen. He also was the first continuous user of a bird’s head pistol grip on one of his six-guns.
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In the world in which he makes his livin’, Tellico is a Trout rancher, or wrangler, or rustler. Anyway, he herds fish. Recently a wise acre of a cowboy asked him how one branded a fish. Without missing a beat, Tellico replied, “Use a cold brand, and put it behind his ear.”
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THE REAL WEST
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John Chisum
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The name John Chisum is very well know by Western movie fans, folks with an interest in Western history, and Cowboy Action Shooters. But did you know that John Chisum was a Tennessee boy? That’s right, John was originally from Madison County, TN. But he went west to achieve fame and fortune. John eventually became a cattleman and in the mid 1800’s moved a herd of about 900 cattle from Texas to New Mexico. In 1873 he founded his “South Springs Ranch” near Roswell, NM. Although owning only about 40 acres where his house and the water / springs were,

he ran cattle on about 100 miles of open range and became a
John Chisum
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| sure enough “cattle king”. John was one of the many players who became involved in what became known as “the Lincoln County War”, a local economic war between factions fighting to do the kind of business each wanted to do. It just happened that John and his friends, John Tunstall and Alex Mc Sween, weren’t ruthless or crooked enough to win the war against the other fellers: Jimmy Dolan and Lawrence G. Murphy. John’s role was that of providing capital, at times sanctuary to some of the warriors, and moral support. For although he is widely known as a Western figure and was stunningly portrayed by John Wayne in the movie Chisum, the real John Chisum didn’t carry a six-gun and didn’t do any physical fighting in “the Lincoln County War.” Folks like Billy “the Kid” Bonney, Charlie Bowdre and others did that. |
| In the end, John lost most of his wealth because of his involvement in the Lincoln County affair. He died of cancer in 1884, three years after Billy “the Kid” Bonney was killed. John left only a fraction of his once vast empire, but that estate was valued at $500,000. For you cowboys who ain’t never seen that many zeros and can’t count that high, that’s a half a million bucks. Not bad for a Tennessee cowboy, huh? |
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Buenos dias, amigos.
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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BACK TO PAGE 2
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BACK TO PAGE 1
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Page 1
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Volume 1, Issue No. 8 (Web Edition) October 2003
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Page 1
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64 COWBOYS & COWGIRLS SHOT IN OCTOBER OCOEE RANGER MATCH
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The October match was terrific. It was sunny. The leaves were colorful. And we had excellent turnout. 64 shooters saddled up as Ocoee Rangers and proceeded to battle the bad guys and the roving critters. In the crowd were veteran shooters, like Owlhoot Hardin, Pleasant, and Cool Waters – all SASS Territorial Governors. Also present were relative newcomers, like Sunflower and Casino Jones, who were shooting their 2nd Cowboy Action Shooting Match. And then there were the non-shooters, like Mrs. Loose Cinch – master score keeper, Angel Outlaw – another good score keeper, and KD Hollister – new to the Cowboy Action Shooting crowd.
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Before the main match began, 9 shooters participated in the Buffalo Shoot. Marshal Too Tall won the .22 cal. rifle shoot. Then he and Tri tied in the 100 yard open sight shoot. But in an after match shoot-off, ol’ Too Tall edged Tri out. Then the main match began, and it was a doozy. Once again, we had a cowboy who shot a clean match: Dustin Clays. He placed 4th in overall competition. All in all, he had an enviable day. Marshal Andy was the Top Gun for October, closely followed by Curly Bill. Killin’ Time was the top cowgirl

shooter, but Flossie shot well also: she missed only 5 shots.
DUSTIN CLAYS SHOOTS PERFECT MATCH
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| That ain’t bad shootin’. If she and Deadman could learn to miss as quickly as some of the upper ranking cowboys, they’d be humdingers – instead of just dingers. Sunflower, shooting her 2nd match did well. She missed 12 shots, but she cut her misses by 50% from her 1st match. That ain’t bad shootin’ either. |
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THE OCOEE RANGERS PREPARE TO POSSE UP AND SHOOT
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Thanks to the following:
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Range Set-Up Volunteers
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Horseshoe John – Limp Along Charlie – Linc – Double Eagle
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Posse Leaders
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| Double Eagle – Horseshoe John – Tri – T-Bone Angus |
| the Catoosa Kid |
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Author of Scenarios
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T-Bone Angus
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Buffalo Shoot Honcho
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Marshal Too Tall
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KEEP EM’ COVERED
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Always keep your eye protection on when you’re on or near the range.
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SHOOT RESULTS
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Traditional
Duelist
Marshal Andy
Rusty Spur Slim
Curly Bill
Horseshoe John
Cool Waters
Tri
Modern
Black Powder
Sundance McNeyman
T-Bone Angus
Limp Along Charlie
the Catoosa Kid
Awful Close
Tennessee Hoss
Cowgirl
Senior
Killin’ Time
Tabasco JOT
Flossie
Sunshine Billy
Sunflower
Calibre .45
Classic Cowboy
Buffalo Shoot
(.22 Cal) Marshal Too Tall
(100 yards) Marshal Too Tall
Challenged
Gunfighter
C. Rider
Buffalo Tracker
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| NOVEMBER BUFFALO SHOOT |
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Buffalo shooters in November will use crossed sticks, shooting from a sitting position. Crossed sticks will be furnished. Marshal Too Tall will again conduct a .22 cal cowboy rifle side shoot during the Buffalo shoot. Remember, it dosen’t cost any extra to shoot in the Buffalo shoot.
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| OCOEE RANGERS MONTHLY SHOOT IS THE 4th SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH |
| Don’t forget that the Ocoee Rangers shoot on the 4th Saturday each month. The Buffalo Shoot starts at 8:30 am. The Posse Leaders walk through is at 9:00 am. The Safety Meeting is at 10:00 am then we shoot. You must be present at the Safety to shoot. Be sure to bring plenty of ammo and pack your good humor too! |
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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ON TO PAGE 2
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[join sass] [join nra]
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Page 2
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Volume 1, Issue No. 8 (Web Edition) October 2003
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Page 2
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TOP TEN SHOOTERS
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| Top Gun – Marshal Andy – Top Gun |
| Curly Bill |
| Cool Waters |
| Dustin Clays |
| Pleasant |
| Cruel Hand Luke |
| Ocoee Red |
| Tobasco JOT |
| Rusty Spur Slim |
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Horseshoe John
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OCOEE RANGER BADGES
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If you want an Ocoee Ranger badge and haven’t ordered yours yet, or haven’t told someone to get you one for Christmas, remember, the base cost of the badge now is $52. In January 2004, the badge will cost $58.50. Contact / have the gift giver contact Tri to order the badge. His contact info is listed on the Contact page. The badge looks good and is very well made, and it would look great on your shirt, vest or blouse – depending on whether you’re a cowboy or cowgirl.
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December 6th/Christmas Shoot – Family Event & 2003 Awards Presentation
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We’ve been workin’ on the Christmas Shoot & Family event. So far, sponsors have donated bullets, brass, a badge, a subscription to Shoot Magazine, dusters, knives and other nifty prizes to be awarded by drawing. But you have to be present to win. We’ll shoot 4 stages and then saddle up and journey over to the BelAire Grill for lunch. After we eat, we’ll present Annual
|
| Awards , draw for prizes (they’re still comin’ in), and do other stuff. So, mark your calendar and plan to attend. Bring your better half or significant other and the little cowboys and cowgirls too. Remember, it’s a family event. |
|
2003 OCOEE RANGER AWARDS
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| In order to be eligible to be considered to receive an annual shooting award, you have to have shot in at least three Ocoee Ranger matches in 2003. If you have shot in only two, November will be your last chance to qualify. Awards are presented at the December whing-ding after the match, and the results of the December shoot (4 stages) will not count in 2003 annual results. |
| Here are the 2003 Annual Awards that will be presented: 2003 Top Gun, 2nd – 10th place shooters of the year, Top Cowgirl Shooter, Accurate Shooters, Spirit of the Game, Top Hands, and some others. |
| When you turn in your Christmas wish list and when you buy stuff for yourself, don’t forget the generous folks who sponsor our Christmas Shoot and Family Event this year: |
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SHOOT MAGAZINE – Starline Brass
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River Junction Trade Co. – Benton Shooters Supply
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NEW COOKS ON THE RANGE
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| In October, new cooks signed on to provide grub to hungry cowboys and cowgirls at Ocoee Rangers shoots. One of them may look familiar…he’s Old Iron Pants’ father. The other is his mother. When the Gabors learned that Dan, our previous cook, |
|

had changed jobs and could no longer be free on Saturdays, they signed up for the job, packed their chuck wagon, and got ready for the round-up. With Mom and Pop cookin’ for the cowfolk and Old Iron Pants shootin’, it shows once again that Cowboy Shootin’ is a family activity. Oh yeah, Dan said, “Good bye, and thanks to everyone for their business.”
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The Gabors – (L-R) Old Iron Pants & the new cooks. Sis, Mom & Pop
We’ll Post A Menu Here With Prices As Soon As We Get One From The New Cooks.
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BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM IN CARTERSVILLE, GA WELL WORTH THE VISIT
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At Deadfoot’s recommendation, Mesquite Millie and I visited the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA early this month. He said that it had terrific paintings & bronze sculptures and Western movie posters, and it does. Millie and I spent 3 hours there. We arrived just as a short orientation movie began. It’s very good. We skipped the guided tour and just roamed around on our own. They have cowboy, Indian and civil war paintings and lots of sculptures: large and small. One statue is of John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, mounted on ol’ Beau and holding his big loop Winchester. They also have a gift shop with books and other stuff. Photography is not allowed inside
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| the gallery. But they have two real nifty life-size statues of a cowboy on a bucking horse outside the building. You can take pictures of them. If you live in the Cleveland, Chattanooga, Dalton, Ringgold area, it’s well worth the trip. You Knoxville cowfolk may not be as tempted to visit, unless you have other things to do in the area. (Cartersville is about 40 miles north of Atlanta.) |
| It’s easy to find. Just exit I-75 South at Exit 290. Go west, that’s turn right if you’re driving south, to Hwy 41, and go south a couple of 3 miles. Then turn right on East Church Street. The museum is about 2 blocks on the right. It’s a big white building. It’s open every day except Monday. The ticket price is $6 for adults, less for kids. Deadfoot’s right…it’s an excellent Western art museum. |
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SHOOT THROUGH PASSES FOR OCOEE RANGERS SHOOTS
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| Got a commitment you can’t get out of? Get a “Shoot Through” pass from Mesquite Millie or Deadman, when you register to shoot. When you get to the first stage, give your posse leader your shoot through pass (your special scoring sheet), and the posse leader will let you shoot early in the stage. Then take your “Shoot Through Pass”, and go to another stage. That way, you can shoot a complete match. And you can take as much or as little time as you need to have a fun shoot and still meet your commitment. |
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ON TO PAGE 3
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BACK TO PAGE 1
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[join sass] [join nra]
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Page 3
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Volume 1, Issue No. 8 (Web Edition) October 2003
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Page 3
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The reel West, the real West and the West of our imagination
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THE REEL WEST
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Randolph Scott
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When this word slinger was a pup, he had 2 Western movie heroes: Randolph Scott and Audie Murphy, in that order. Randolph Scott was the essential Western movie hero. He rode tall in the saddle, because he was tall. He was from Virginia, so he sounded like a cowboy, or at least what a cowboy was supposed to sound like. And he made a bunch of cowboy movies, among others. And most of them were very good. Stuff like Man in the Saddle, The Gunfighters,

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Trail Street, Ride Lonesome, The Tall T, Western Union and many others. John Wayne produced one of Randy’s movies, Seven Men From Now, and then wished he’d played the lead himself.
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Randy’s last movie was a Western, and one that aficionados of Western movies recognize as a classic, Ride the High Country. In it, he and Joel McCrea played aging Westerners as the Old West was passing into history. It was also Joel’s last picture. Both were classy cowboys, and both ended their careers with this good ol’out of doors action Western. If you’re ever at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in Oklahoma City, you’ll see Randolph Scott’s picture in the Western movie area. Joel McCrea’s picture is also there.
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| THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION |
| Tellico |
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Some folks say that a picture is worth a thousand words. If so, then this photo tells it all. Tellico, who hangs his spurs in Tellico Plains, TN, has been a Cowboy Shooter for many years. In fact, he has one of the old style SASS badges, and it has No. 3482 on it. How about that? Especially now that there are more than 50,000 SASS members. Tellico started shootin’ with us in the early days at Guns & Stuff, before the
Tellico in vest & neck-tie
move to the Cleveland range. He said that he’d been priced
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out of the cowboy shootin’ group that he had been with. That group “evolved” to the point that anyone who wasn’t shootin’ real Colt six-shooters wasn’t welcome. Being’s how he was shootin’ Rugers, he saddled up and moseyed along.
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|
When Tellico started shootin’ with many of us southeastern TN / north GA cowboys and cowgirls, he used a .45 -.70 Sharps reproduction rifle in the Buffalo Shoots before the match. He usually shot last, because sometimes his Buffalo gun would make the target unusable after he finished shootin’, sometimes before he finished shootin’. His Sharps was the first one that many of us had seen. He also was the first continuous user of a bird’s head pistol grip on one of his six-guns.
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In the world in which he makes his livin’, Tellico is a Trout rancher, or wrangler, or rustler. Anyway, he herds fish. Recently a wise acre of a cowboy asked him how one branded a fish. Without missing a beat, Tellico replied, “Use a cold brand, and put it behind his ear.”
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THE REAL WEST
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John Chisum
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The name John Chisum is very well know by Western movie fans, folks with an interest in Western history, and Cowboy Action Shooters. But did you know that John Chisum was a Tennessee boy? That’s right, John was originally from Madison County, TN. But he went west to achieve fame and fortune. John eventually became a cattleman and in the mid 1800’s moved a herd of about 900 cattle from Texas to New Mexico. In 1873 he founded his “South Springs Ranch” near Roswell, NM. Although owning only about 40 acres where his house and the water / springs were,

he ran cattle on about 100 miles of open range and became a
John Chisum
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| sure enough “cattle king”. John was one of the many players who became involved in what became known as “the Lincoln County War”, a local economic war between factions fighting to do the kind of business each wanted to do. It just happened that John and his friends, John Tunstall and Alex Mc Sween, weren’t ruthless or crooked enough to win the war against the other fellers: Jimmy Dolan and Lawrence G. Murphy. John’s role was that of providing capital, at times sanctuary to some of the warriors, and moral support. For although he is widely known as a Western figure and was stunningly portrayed by John Wayne in the movie Chisum, the real John Chisum didn’t carry a six-gun and didn’t do any physical fighting in “the Lincoln County War.” Folks like Billy “the Kid” Bonney, Charlie Bowdre and others did that. |
| In the end, John lost most of his wealth because of his involvement in the Lincoln County affair. He died of cancer in 1884, three years after Billy “the Kid” Bonney was killed. John left only a fraction of his once vast empire, but that estate was valued at $500,000. For you cowboys who ain’t never seen that many zeros and can’t count that high, that’s a half a million bucks. Not bad for a Tennessee cowboy, huh? |
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Buenos dias, amigos.
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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BACK TO PAGE 2
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BACK TO PAGE 1
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[join sass] [join nra]
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Page 1
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Volume 1, Issue No. 7 (Web Edition) September 2003
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Page 1
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IT RAINED ON THE COWBOYS & COWGIRLS! ALL 56 OF ‘EM!
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The September shoot was interesting. A lot of things happened. We had 56 shooters, and about a dozen observers. Unfortunately, Jack Rabbit Bob was one of the observers. He was injured in a vehicle accident and was unable to shoot. But Flossie defended the family shootin’ honor and came in 2nd in the cowgirl competition. Chickamauga Clint’s dad, Blind Boy, shot his 1st match as a cowboy shooter and SASS member. (In the movie THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, with Sharon Stone & Gene Hackman, one of the characters is identified as the Blind Boy. So, enter Blind Boy to the Ocoee Rangers) 2 Dogs Runin’ shot her 2nd match with us, this time dressed as a cowgirl: last time, she was an injun. Tennessee Jake shot his 1st ever Perfect Match, without missing any targets. When he fired his last shot and hit his last target, he turned to Deadman and said, “How long have I been doin’ this? Since 1998? This is my 1st.” Then he chuckled and said, “It’s about time.” Double Eagle and Cruel Hand Luke also shot a Perfect Match: both have done so before.
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We learned that the Rev. Adam Jones is an influential sky pilot and cowboy. When he was registering to shoot, Deadman made a wise crack, as usual, and told the Rev to include in his pre-shoot prayer to ask to have the rain hold off until at least 3:00 pm. Well, it didn’t rain until 3:00 pm, and then it came down in buckets. As luck would have it, Wacky Jack had shot four clean stages and was shooting number five when the rain came down at its hardest. In the darkness and rain, he managed to miss 4 shots on

that last stage. He said, “I thought I had me a clean match,
Tennessee Jake Shoots Perfect Match
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| but it’s hard to hit the targets, when you can’t see’em.” Well, better luck next time, cowboy. And thanks, Rev Adam. 3:00 pm was better than 2:00 pm. |
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ACTION ON THE RANGE
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Cactus Red defends his cowgirl pardner as T-Bone times Red Neckerson (L) and Big (R) look on.
L-R: Calibre .45 & the Kenesaw Kid
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Thanks to the following:
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Range Set-Up Volunteers
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Horseshoe John – Mrs. Limp Along Charlie – Limp Along Charlie
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Double Eagle – Linc
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Posse Leaders
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| Double Eagle – Horseshoe John – Pleasant – T-Bone Angus |
| Marshal Too Tall |
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Author of Scenarios
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T-Bone Angus
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Buffalo Shoot Honcho
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Marshal Too Tall
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BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
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Always keep your eye protection on when you’re on or near the range.
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SHOOT RESULTS
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Traditional
Duelist
Cruel Hand Luke
Horseshoe John
Ocoee Red
Cactus Red
Double Eagle
Owlhoot Hardin
Modern
Black Powder
Limp Along Charlie
Catoosa Kid
Tarheel
T-Bone Anugs
Awful Close
Cowgirl
Senior
Summer Dove
Tabasco JOT
Flossie
Kenesaw Kid
Dixie Land Delite
Calibre .45
Classic Cowboy
Buffalo Shoot
Shadrack Jones
Unpleasant
James Flynn
Challenged
Gunfighter
C. Rider
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| .22 Caliber Cowby Rifle Sidematch |
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Marshal Too Tall will conduct a .22 cal. cowboy rifle side shoot during the Buffalo shoot at the October match. Targets will be at 25 yards. Legal rifles are open sight cowboy .22 cal. rifles (lever action, single shoot cowboy style, etc.). No .22 magnums or other 22 stuff allowed. Marshal Too Tall said that if you ain’t got a cowboy .22 rifle, bring some .22 ammo and shoot another feller’s gun.
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| OCOEE RANGERS MONTHLY SHOOT IS THE 4th SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH |
| Don’t forget that the Ocoee Rangers shoot on the 4th Saturday each month. The Buffalo Shoot starts at 8:30 am. The Posse Leaders walk through is at 9:00 am. The Safety Meeting is at 10:00 am then we shoot. You must be present at the Safety to shoot. Be sure to bring plenty of ammo and pack your good humor too! |
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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Volume 1, Issue No. 7 (Web Edition) September 2003
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TOP TEN SHOOTERS
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| Top Gun – Tabasco JOT – Top Gun |
| Cruel Hand Luke |
| Ocoee Red |
| Double Eagle |
| Fiddleback |
| Pleasant |
| Unpleasant |
| Whiskey River Nelson |
| Marshal TooTall |
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Jaybird Daniel
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OCOEE RANGER BADGES
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Have you noticed the new Ocoee Ranger badges that several of us have been wearing? Remember, the base cost of the badge now is $52. In January 2004, the badge will cost $58.50. So if you want one or you want to put one on your Christmas or birthday list, contact, or have the gift giver contact Tri. His contact info is listed elsewhere in this newsletter. A couple of cowboys
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cowboys were very instrumental in the selection of the badge design. Tri took the lead in locating badges from which to select and then put our design on the badge. Horseshoe John also contributed. Each time the selection gang got together to look at possibilities and talk about the badge, Horseshoe John pointed out, “I want a shiny one.” And we got a shiny one. It looks good and is very well made, and it would look great on your shirt, vest or blouse – depending on whether you’re a cowboy or cowgirl.
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OCOEE RANGERS EXCEL AT TENNESSEE STATE COWBOY CHAMPIONSHIP SHOOT
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Several of our cowboys and one lone cowgirl shot in the Wartrace Regulators Reckoning / Tennessee State Cowboy Championship Shoot in September.
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A total of 95 shooters participated in the event, and here’s how our folks did
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Pleasant – 2nd in Gunfighter and 21st overall
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Dutch Al – 2nd in Sr. Duelist and 25th overall
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Jack Rabbit Bob – 2nd in Modern Cowboy and 29th overall
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Owlhoot Hardin – 3rd in Sr. Duelist & 59th overall
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Flossie May – 3rd in Ladies Traditional & 92nd overall
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the Catoosa Kid – 4th in Black Powder Cartridge & 64th overall
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Ocoee Red – 8th in Cowboy 49er & 28th overall
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Unpleasant – 8th in Traditional Cowboy & 35th overall
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Tabasco Jot – 1st in Sr. Cowboy category & 12th overall. He was 1st in fast rifle event at Mule Camp
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Double Eagle – 9th in Cowboy 49er & 31st overall
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A hearty congratulations and a big well done to all these shooters and to all their competitors!
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December 6th/Christmas Shoot & Event
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Ocoee Red has confirmed that the BelAire Grill in Cleveland will be the site of our after-shoot lunch and family Christmas event on December 6. We’ll shoot 3 (maybe 4) stages and then saddle up and journey over to the BelAire Grill and chow down. Then we’ll present our first ever Ocoee Ranger Annual Awards.
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| Awards like Most Accurate Shooter in 2003, Top Gun, Top Cowgirl Shooter, Spirit of the Game Award, and other stuff. Then we’ll do other entertaining stuff. So far, two sponsors have agreed to provide trail/door prizes to be awarded by drawing, and we’re still bumming other stuff from potential sponsors. So, mark your calendar and plan to attend. Bring you better half or significant other and the little rug-rats too. Remember, it’s a family event. |
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THE COOK SAYS “GOOD BYE”
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| Dan, the cook, will no longer be at our shoots to provide lunch. He’s changed jobs and Saturdays are no longer available. He said, “Good bye, and thanks to everyone for their business.” As of now, plan on bringing your own lunch to the October shoot. We’ll try to find a replacement cook, but we don’t know what will be possible. If you know someone who might be interested in providing hamburgers, hotdogs, a grill, and drinks, have them contact Ocoee Red. |
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SHOOT THROUGH PASSES FOR OCOEE RANGERS SHOOTS
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| Got a commitment you can’t get out of? Get a “Shoot Through” pass from Mesquite Millie or Deadman, when you register to shoot. When you get to the first stage, give your posse leader your shoot through pass (your special scoring sheet), and the posse leader will let you shoot early in the stage. Then take your “Shoot Through Pass”, and go to another stage. That way, you can shoot a complete match. And you can take as much or as little time as you need to have a fun shoot and still meet your commitment. |
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Volume 1, Issue No. 7 (Web Edition) September 2003
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Page 3
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The reel West, the real West and the West of our imagination
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THE REEL WEST
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Rock Hudson
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Now I now what you’re sayin’. There ain’t no way that Rock Hudson was a silver screen cowboy. But you’d be wrong. He was in several Westerns. He was never very convincing as a Western character, but he made Western movies. Shucks, he even made one with John Wayne, The Undefeated. He also made The Last Sunset, with Kirk Douglas. Kirk was very good. Rock was there, just like the horses and the rocks , and other stuff. But most ironic of all, when Hollywood
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Rock Hudson
made a bio-picture, The Lawless Breed, about Texas
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gunman John Wesley Hardin, they picked… Rock Hudson to play Wes Hardin. Yeah. That’s what was done. Wes Hardin was one of the most proficient characters with a Colt pistol of early Western history. How natural was Rock with a pistol and gunbelt? Well, if there had been a carpenter’s hammer in the holster instead of a Colt revolver, he probably wouldn’t have noticed the difference. But then, any Western movie is better than no Western movie.
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| THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION |
| Cruel Hand Luke |
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Do you remember when you first started Cowboy Action Shooting? If you do, you probably recognize that you’ve changed a bit. Cruel Hand Luke is no exception to that rule. When you see him shoot in a match now, he’s fast, accurate, very competitive and he wears his guns and his cowboy duds like he knows what he’s doin’. But was he always like that? Let’s turn the clock back to February 2000. The place is up on the mountain going toward the Sequatchie Valley. Our regular
shootin’ range wasn’t available that Saturday. So a
Cruel Hand Luke – 2003
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herd of us cowboys went out and had a shoot at a temporary, unimproved location. It was cold, rainy, and we only shot 2 or 3 stages. There was this youngster who came along with us. He was just gettin’ into the cowboy shootin’ game. You should’ve seen him. He was enthusiastic, and you could tell that he was serious about the game because he was shootin’ a Winchester ’73. That was back in the days when most of us were shootin’ ’92 Winchesters and Marlin cowboys. Here was this young feller shooting a
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“73 Winchester. Of course that wasn’t the only thing that made him different. He was wearing a humongous, colorful sombrero that made him look like a peacock.Flip the clock forward to today. Cruel Hand Luke still sometimes struts like a peacock. But he’s earned it. He’s the most consistently accurate, fast and winning cowboy amongst the Ocoee Rangers. He has the interest and coordination to be a good shooter, and the youth to
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Cruel Hand Luke – February 2000
lead the SASS cowboy shooters of tomorrow.
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THE REAL WEST
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John Wesley Hardin
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John Wesley Hardin was probably the deadliest gunman of the Old West era. During his violent life, he is said to have killed more than 20 men. That’s sorta strange for a preachers’ son: his father was a circuit riding Methodist minister. Wes began his rip snortin’ career as a shootist in Texas in his early teens, during the reconstruction era following the War of Northern Aggression. The Rangers were replaced by a state police force and the imposed government managed to alienate itself with much of the Texas populace. Many officials and troops were black, and that further angered many of the Confederate citizenry. It’s said
John Wesley Hardin
that Wes shot a black soldier because Yankee soldiers had
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| murdered and raped some of his family members in the closing days of the war. It may be true, but for whatever the reason, young Wes Hardin shot a black man with a .44 Colt pistol, and started down the road that would make him one of the most notorious gunmen on the Western frontier. Wes was involved in many shootings and was ultimately sent to prison for shooting a Deputy Sheriff, who was trying to shoot him. |
| After shooting the Deputy Sheriff, Wes fled to Florida, and then to Alabama, where a Texas Ranger captured him. Wes attempted to draw a pistol to discourage his captor, but it got hung in his suspender strap and he was taken. He was returned to Texas, where he was tried and convicted, and at age 25, he was sent to prison, where he served 14 years before his release in 1892. |
| Wes studied law while in prison. When he was released, he practiced law in Texas, but was not successful at it. His career as a lawyer and a gunman was ended in the Acme Saloon in El Paso, TX on Aug. 19, 1895. He was standing at the bar rolling dice with the bartender, and Constable John Selman walked through the door and shot him in the back of the head. (A jury acquitted Selman of murder charges, determining the shooting to be self defense.) |
| Wes wrote an autobiography, believe it or not. Granted, it’s written from his viewpoint and may or may not be exactly the way it happened, but historians generally recommend that folks interested in the Western shootists give it a read: The Life of John Wesley Hardin as Written by Himself. |
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Hasta la vista, amigos.
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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Volume 1, Issue No. 6 (Web Edition) August 2003
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A LOT OF COWBOYS & COWGIRLS SHOT AUGUST OCOEE RANGERS SHOOT-OUT
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By afternoon’s end, it was hotter than…well, the Rev. Adam Jones would have said it was real hot. So, that’s good enough for me. How could you tell it was hot? Well, the Rev had his Derby hat pushed back on his head to cool his forehead, and he was minus his coat. And the shootin’ was hot, too. Cool Waters was the Top Gun of the day, although the tie-breaking measurement (total time) had to be used between he and Dustin Clays, who finished 2nd. Four cowgirls competed with the cowboys. And… Drum roll! Chickamauga Clint shot his first Perfect Match.

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He didn’t miss a single target. That’s not bad, considering he had to hit two flying charcoal briquettes with his shotgun.
Chickamauga Clint Shoots Perfect Match
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| If you weren’t at the match, I bet you didn’t know that charcoal could fly? But ask anyone who was there, and they’ll tell you it’s true. |
| What else happened? Double Eagle completed his apprenticeship as an aspiring Posse Leader. He’ll solo at the September shoot. Shadrack Jones placed 1st in the Classic Cowboy category and will receive his first ever certificate as a shooting category winner. (He’s won best costume or best presence contests several times) |
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It’s sort of ironic that T-Bone wrote his scenarios with two Ocoee Rangers in mind. Ocoee Red had said that he would like some stages with movement in them, and T-Bone wanted to honor Tennessee Jake by using his alias in a stage. What happened? Both Ocoee Red and Tennessee Jake had to miss the shoot. Oh well, the thought was there.
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THERE BE COWGIRLS ON THE RANGE
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L – R: Dixie Land Delite & Summer Dove
L – R: Two Dogs Runnin’ & Flossie
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Daughter & Mother
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Thanks to the following:
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Range Set-Up Volunteers
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Horseshoe John – Limp Along Charlie – Linc – Double Eagle
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Posse Leaders
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| Tri – Double Eagle – Horseshoe John – Catoosa Kid – Deadfoot – Pleasant |
| Limp Along Charlie – T-Bone Angus |
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Author of Scenarios
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T-Bone Angus – Drinking Water – Tri – Tellico
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Buffalo Shoot Honchos
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Marshal Too Tall – Tri
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CAUTION
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Please keep your eye protection on when you’re on the range…even during lunch. The Rev. Adam Jones, Col. Allison & their shootin’ pardners were eating lunch near the target shack. Someone (not a cowboy shooter) was using one of the rifle ranges and a piece of shrapnel from the rifle range came very close to them. So…always protect your eyes. Keep you glasses on anytime you’re on the range.
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SHOOT RESULTS
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Traditional
Duelist
Cool Waters
Horseshoe John
Dustin Clays
Owlhoot Hardin
Diamondback Dennis
Cactus Red
Modern
Black Powder
Jack Rabbit Bob
Catoosa Kid
Limp Along Charlie
T-Bone Anugs
Sundance McNeyman
Cowgirl
Senior
Summer Dove
Kenesaw Kid
Dixie Land Delite
Tobasco JOT
Flossie
Outrider
Gunfighter
Buffalo Shoot
Pleasant
(Open Sight) Tri
Keystone
(PeepSight) Marshall Too Tall
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| OCOEE RANGERS MONTHLY SHOOT IS THE 4th SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH |
| Don’t forget that the Ocoee Rangers shoot on the 4th Saturday each month. The Buffalo Shoot starts at 8:30 am. The Posse Leaders walk through is at 9:00 am. The Safety Meeting is at 10:00 am then we shoot. You must be present at the Safety to shoot. Be sure to bring plenty of ammo and pack your good humor too! |
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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ON TO PAGE 2
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Volume 1, Issue No. 6 (Web Edition) August 2003
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Page 2
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TOP TEN SHOOTERS
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| Top Gun – Cool Waters – Top Gun |
| Dustin Clays |
| Diamondback Dennis |
| Lucky Larry |
| Marshal Andy |
| Curly Bill |
| Jack Rabbit Bob |
| Kenesaw Kid |
| Tobasco JOT |
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Pleasant
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THE LITTLE COWBOY RIDES AGAIN
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A firey horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, “Giddy Up, Horsey!” The little cowboy rides again! Do parts of this lead in sound familiar? Well, if you’re old enough to remember the Lone Ranger programs, they should. If you ain’t, well you just learned something you didn’t know. Notice the trail gear this little feller’s weaing. A cowboy hat and boots…and…he’s sittin’ tall
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and proud aboard his trusty mount, Grasshopper. Grasshopper? Who is this future Cowboy Action Shooter and Ocoee Ranger? Well, it’s none other than ol’ Tri. Ain’t he somethin’?
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| Thanks, Tri, for sharing this bit of nostalgia with us…and thanks to Hopalong Hall* for taking a faded snap shot of a little boy, his dad, and his pony in the yard and making it clear, colorful, and relocating horse and rider to the great outdoors of the Old West. |
| *Hopalong Hall doesn’t shoot and wears a cowboy hat only when Deadman crudely doctor’s a photo of him and adorns him with a proper hat. But, Hopalong has used his skills and improved many of the photos we use in The Ocoee Ranger newsletter and in many of the certificates that we award…and he keeps up with us Rangers here on our website. Thanks pard! Share a photo and a little information, and this could be you. You don’t have to be on a horse. |
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OPEN RANGE
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A NIFTY NEW WESTERN MOVIE
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There’s an excellent, new Western movie in the theaters now. It has everything a Western needs: terrific outdoor scenery, plenty of action, good guys, bad guys, period correct guns, a realistic looking town site, a touch of romance, and an attractive leading lady. (Old

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Iron Pants, Swampy and
Kevin Costner & Robert Duval in “OPEN RANGE”
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| Chickamauga Clint will probably say that she’s a little old for their interest, but they’ll like the movie) Robert Duval does an excellent job in his role, and Kevin Costner’s good too. Now you might say, “Well, I read the book. So, I don’t need to see the movie.” That would be a mistake. I read the book also, and the movie’s a lot better than the book. There’s more action and a few other differences here and there. If you like Western movies, you’ll like OPEN RANGE. |
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GUNPOWDER CREEK REGULATORS HOLD BENEFIT SHOOT 3RD SAT IN SEPT
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Howdy,
Horsetrader, the president of the Gunpowder Creek Regulators in Lenoir, NC has invited us to a benefit shoot they are having for one of their members on September 20th. Their compadre, Parker Shotgun, is recovering from lung cancer and three brain tumors and needs help. They’re
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Ocoee Red
going to shoot an eight stage-four posse shoot. The shoot
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| fee is their regular shoot fee and there won’t be any price to shoot. They will be selling raffle tickets for $1 each for prizes that have been donated. You can find a map to their range on their website, www.gunpowdercreek.com Horsetrader, and three of his pardners, Pocko, Sixgun Shookster, and Ripshin shot with us in July. |
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Here are the directions to their range, if you’re interested in going:
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| Take Hwy 321 north from Lenoir, NC. Turn right onto Hwy. 268. Cheek’s Store is on the left side of the highway at this intersection. Go .8 of a mile and turn right at Patterson School sign, staying on Hwy 268. Go 1.2 miles and turn left on Pigtail Road (dirt road) Range is .2 of a mile on the left. |
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Horsetrader’s email address is murf@twave.net
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Thanks, Ocoee Red
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December/Christmas Shoot & Event
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| Some of us Rangers have been plannin’ a December / Christmas Shoot & Event to be held on Saturday, December 6. We’d gather at the range at the normal time and shoot 3 scenarios (the $10 shoot fee would apply). Then, we’d go to the BelAir Grill in Cleveland for lunch. (private room) Dutch treat. (That means you buy your own grub. It doesn’t mean that Dutch Al will spring for all of us, but he can if he wants too) We’ll exchange gifts (about $10 price limit) in a pick from the pile or from what someone else has taken, and we’ll hopefully have trail / door prizes. We’ll award Annual Certificates of Achievement, and have a good old time. Everyone who wants to come is welcome and anyone who shoots is eligible to put his or her name in the hat for the drawing for trail / door prizes. Families are welcome. Please encourage them to attend. (It ain’t necessary to be in the gift swap, if you don’t want to participate in that part of the event) |
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Dont forget – our next Ocoee Rangers’ shoot on September 27th . The cook will be there. Hamburgers, hotdogs, the trimmin’s and soft drinks and water are available at a very reasonable price.
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SHOOT THROUGH PASSES FOR OCOEE RANGERS SHOOTS
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| Have you ever had a cowboy shootin’ Saturday come up, and you really wanted to shoot, but you had something you had to do in the afternoon – and you didn’t go shoot or you left early? Well pardner, don’t let that stop you from shootin’ and completing the match. Get a “Shoot Through” pass from Mesquite Millie or Deadman, when you register to shoot. When you get to the first stage, give your posse leader your shoot through pass (your special scoring sheet), and the posse leader will let you shoot early in the stage. Then take your “Shoot Through Pass”, and go to another stage. When you get there, give it to the posse leader, and he’ll let you shoot and go to another stage. Etc. Etc. That way, you can shoot a complete match. And you can take as much or as little time as you need to have a fun shoot and still meet your commitment. |
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Remember:
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| 1. To get a “Shoot Through Pass”, tell Mesquite Millie or Deadman that you need one when you register to shoot. |
| 2. Other folks have used them before you. Don’t worry about being strange or unique by using one. |
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3. In a year, you only get to play cowboy or cowgirl and shoot 12 times, unless you visit another group. So take advantage of your opportunity to shoot as an Ocoee Ranger.
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Volume 1, Issue No. 6 (Web Edition) August 2003
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Page 3
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The reel West, the real West and the West of our imagination
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THE REEL WEST
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Mexican Pistoleros
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Duncan Renaldo
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Duncan Renaldo was a movie actor of the 40’s and 50’s, but he became known and remembered not for his many movie roles, but for one movie character that he also portrayed on TV: The Cisco Kid. As the Cisco Kid, Duncan brought dash, adventure and a style to the screen. As a Mexican cowboy, he was not a comic figure. He was fast with a pistol, commanded respect because of his courage and presence, and he always got the bad guys. Oh sure, other actors had played the Cisco Kid before Duncan assumed the role, and a few years ago, another feller tried his hand at portraying Cisco. But none of them fit the role like Duncan. He was the Cisco Kid. Shucks, this ol’ word
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Duncan Renaldo as the Cisco Kid
slinger even saw Duncan in person decked out as the
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Cisco Kid. That was in the old Western town of Knoxville, TN more years ago than it’s fun to remember. Cisco, that’s who he was to me back then, gave me an 8 X 10 photo of himself in costume and on his horse, Diablo. Yeah, Diablo was with him when I saw him at Cas Walker’s Super Market in what is now North Knoxville.
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It’s funny that the Cisco Kid’s lead in identified him as “O. Henry’s famous Robin Hood of the Old West”. If you read O. Henry’s short story “The Caballero’s Way”, you’ll find that his Cisco Kid isn’t Mexican and isn’t a good guy. But who cares. Doesn’t the name “the Cisco Kid” have a ring to it? And if you saw Duncan Renaldo as the Cisco Kid, and you were a kid when you saw him, you wouldn’t doubt that he was the Cisco Kid, and the Cisco Kid was a good guy. Shucks, he still is.
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| THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION |
| Deadfoot |
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Deadfoot has been a fixture, or maybe a character, at southeast Tennessee Cowboy Action Shoots since 1998. He shot with some of us at Guns & Stuff and then migrated to Cleveland and continued riding the cowboy shooting range. When selecting an alias, he chose Deadfoot. Asked why he selected that name, he once laughed and said, “Well, it was either that or 9 toed Steve.” He chose the better name, don’t you think? During his cowboy shootin’ days, he’s protrayed pistoleros
in black, Buffalo Bill in a blond wig and wide
Deadfoot
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brimmed hat, a Doc Holiday that looked like a Mississippi River Boat gambler, and other characters. But he always had fun and he’s always been fun to shoot with. In May, 2003, Deadfoot showed up wearing a big, elaborately designed Mexican sombrero that reminded one of the Cisco Kid, if one was either old enough to remember the Cisco Kid from the 50’s…or subscribes to the Western Channel on Cable TV. In any event, whoever he shows up as, Deadfoot can be counted on to be a good shootin’ compadre and to make a lot of smoke: he shoots black powder.
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THE REAL WEST
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Tiburcio Vasquez
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Tiburcio Vasquez was a real life Mexican bandit and desperado in old California. Born in 1835, in Monterey, CA, Tiburcio learned to read, write, steal horses, commit robberies, and lead other fellers committing similar acts. He served time in prison more than once, but still continued his wild life style. He was friendly, if he wasn’t robbing or shooting you or stealing your horse, and the lady’s loved him. In fact that’s how the law finally closed in on and captured him. He was being amorous with the wife of one of his henchmen, and the irate feller turned himself in to the law and
Tuburcio Vasquez
made a deal to turn Tiburcio in and to testify against him.
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| (Sounds like our current court system, doesn’t it?) The law missed catching Tiburcio, but got close enough that he soon was captured and jailed. Tiburcio was tried and convicted of two counts of murder and was hung in March 1875. While he was in jail awaiting execution, he had many visitors, many of them female. |
| In his day, the poor folks in the area hid Tiburcio. They saw him as a sorta good / bad guy. He challenged authority and stole from people more affluent then they were. He was Mexican, like them, and he challenged the white Californians. They, like their Missouri counter parts who hid the James & Younger boys, never considered the reason why the bandit didn’t steal from them: they were too poor to have anything he wanted. |
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Vaya con dios, amigos.
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Newletter Editors: Deadman & Mesquite Millie Website Editor: Tennessee Justice
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