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Volume 3, Issue No. 2                          March 5,  2005

March 5th Was A Beautiful Shooting Day  –  But Rain At Places Away From The Range Scared Some Shooters Off!  We Still Had 54.

Our March 5th shooting day was beautiful.  Oh yeah, it rained for about 3 minutes about 8:45 am, but the sun came back out and it was a beautiful day.  Most folks shot the match in shirtsleeves.  The Rev. Adam Jones was in charge of weather, and whatever he did, it worked.  Speaking of the sun, Sunshine Billy showed up dressed in his B-Western shooting attire.  And his guns and gun-rig were something to behold.  But he didn’t shoot right.  Nope.  Them B-Western cowboys sorta threw the bullets from their six-guns.  He shot normal.  And his guns held the same number of rounds as ours, not the 50 that seemed to be the norm when many of us were growing up with the B-Western heroes.  But what the heck.  At our next match, we’ll officially recognize the B-Western category. So if you want to dress the part and participate in that class, jump in.

T-Bone did an excellent job with the shooting stages.  There was a little of everything.  We threw knives, shot flying clay pigeons, staked out mining claims, shot small targets way down range for bonus points, and generally had a terrific shoot.  Pleasant’s gang, himself and his 2 off-spring (Pyro & Unpleasant), did very well.  They came in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd in the Gunfighter category, and Pleasant was the Top Gun of the day.  Roma Jane was the Top Cowgirl shooter.

Tabasco JOT was back, after being unable to shoot for a while for medical reasons. He placed 2nd in the Senior category. Tabasco said to tell everyone that he’ll resume hosting the 8:30 am Tabasco JOT Side Shoot before the match at the March 26th shoot.

The Western Look:  Long Gulch (49er), Roma Jane (Cowgirl), Bittercreek Jack (Classic) & Sunshine Billy

(B-Western)

5 shooters shot clean / no miss matches:  Polecat Carl, Hombre Sin Nombre, C Rider, Tarheel & Deadman.  The Top 10 Shooters were:  1.  Pleasant   2. Double Eagle   3. Ocoee Red   4.  Whiskey River Nelson   5.  Fiddleback   6.  Marshal Too Tall   7.  Festus D. Deputy   8.  Cherokee Maddog   9.  Slater   10. Sunshine Billy.

Shooting results are continued on page 3.

Out on the Range

Kneeling L – R:  Festus D. Deputy, Ben Shot, Hombre Sin Nombre, Whiskey River Nelson.  Standing L – R:  the Catoosa Kid, Rev. Adam Jones, Sunshine Billy, Long Gulch, Roma Jane, Bittercreek Jack, Sundance McNeyman & Horseshoe John.

NEXT OCOEE RANGER SHOOT – 26 MARCH

The Buffalo Shoot begins 8:00 am. Registration 8:30 am  –  Tabasco JOT’s Side Match 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                          March 5, 2005

THE REEL WEST, THE REAL WEST & THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION

THE REEL WEST  –    TOM MIX   (1880 – 1940)

Of all the early Western movie “stars”, Tom Mix was the most prominent.  In his day, he was a rodeo & Wild West Show performer and a star in silent and later in talking Western movies.  Born in Pennsylvania, he was a westerner by heart and ambition, not by geographical origin. But so what.

It’s hard to know Tom Mix’s real life story, after he and Hollywood finished their artistic improvements. Shucks, according to their history, ol’ Tom was a Rough Rider with Teddy Roosevelt, a Texas Ranger and a lot of other stuff. But there’s no doubt that he was the most prominent cowboy star until Gene Autry arrived and eclipsed

Tom Mix – the 1st cowboy superstar

all those that came before him.  Before Tom Mix, William S. Hart was the biggest cowboy star.  Hart wore nondescript clothes, strived for gritty realism, complete with dust and other not very romantic stuff. Then Tom came along and began the practice of cowboy movie stars wearing large hats and big spurs and fancy outfits & gun rigs.  In short, he was a showman, and adults and kids loved his style and flocked to see his movies.  Tom was also the top paid cowboy star for many years.  Neither Gene Autry nor Roy Rogers were ever paid anywhere near as much as Tom, even in their most popular days of studio movies.

Tom was injured in a few horse falls doing movies in the ‘30’s and retired from the movies and began performing in circuses, then bought his own circus, which drained away a lot of his money. When he was 55 years old, Tom was lured back to Hollywood to make THE MIRACLE RIDER, an adventure series for which he was paid $40,000.  After that, it was back to the circuses. In 1938, his Wild West Show / Circus ended.  Tom was killed in a car crash in 1940.  After 5 wives, losses in the stock market and his circus, and his extravagant lifestyle, he didn’t leave much in his earthly estate.

Now you and Whiskey River Nelson may say, “I ain’t never seen Tom Mix.  That was way, way before my time.”  But that’s not exactly true.  As a matter of fact, you see Tom every month.  If you’ll look in the upper right corner on the front page of every edition of The Ocoee Ranger newsletter, Tom is the cowboy in the red bandana.

Dustin Clays

THE WEST OF OUR IMAGINATION  – 

DUSTIN CLAYS

In the old West, it wasn’t unusual for fellers to do all kinds of things before they did the things for which we know them.  Well, Dustin Clays is a modern version of such a feller. Back in the ‘80’s, he started shooting flintlock and caplock long rifles.  That’s where he met a feller who would later become the Kenesaw Kid.  Then he started shooting clay targets with shotguns. While doing that, he met a feller who would become Rawhide Rex. And then 1 day, he got into something really important:  he and Rawhide Rex both participated in their 1st Cowboy Shoot … on the same day. 

That was back in ’99. He used borrowed guns in that 1st match.  Then to learn to be a real pistolero, he attended a single action pistol shooting school conducted by none other than Owlhoot Hardin.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

How did he get his cowboy alias? Here’s how he explains it. “When I’d come back from the skeet range and my wife asked how I’d done, sometimes I’d say, “I dusted ’em”.  So later when I was trying to come up with an alias, she suggested “Dustin Clays”.”  (Ain’t it interesting how many cowboys have names suggested by their wives.)

What does he shoot? “My main match guns have been Rugers, a ’66 Winchester rifle and a ’97 Winchester shotgun.  But lately I’ve enjoyed the Classic Cowboy class and shoot .44 Colts, a ’73 rifle and a mule-eared double barrel that Jerry Harper has worked his magic on and is almost too nice to shoot.”  And he shoots well, no matter what category he shoots in. (The Ocoee Rangers started fielding the Classic category some time ago as a result of Dustin Clays’ suggestion.)

Ol’ Dustin says that he likes Cowboy Shooting because of “the great people you meet and the friendships that develop.”  He likes shooting as an Ocoee Ranger because “sometimes a scenario includes the skeet range.”  I guess that’s why he’s Dustin Clays. … He still likes dustin’ them clays.

THE REAL WEST –  TOM O’FOLLIARD    (1858 – 1880)

Ever heard of Tom O’Folliard? If you haven’t, that’s not surprising.  Tom didn’t pioneer any cattle trails, and he wasn’t a well know gunman (that’s the Old West terminology – Hollywood invented the gunfighter), and he wasn’t a famous outlaw.  Tom was ….. well, he was … a pal.  It just happened that he chose to be a pal to Henry McCarty, Henry Antrim, William H. Bonney, and Billy the Kid. Sounds like a real crowd, but Western history buffs know that all these names, except Tom, were the same feller.

Tom O’Folliard

Tom was born in Texas, but soon after his birth, his family moved to Mexico.  His parents died of small pox there, and an uncle went down and brought young Tom back to Texas. He was passed around among various relatives, until in 1878 he and a friend lit out for New Mexico.  Tom ultimately ended up in Lincoln County and became a participant in the Lincoln County War, the event that made the names John Chisum and Billy the Kid known to this day.

Young, wild, reckless Tom gravitated toward Billy the Kid and became 1 of his very good pals.  They shared many of the same experiences and characteristics: their parents died when they were very young, left home as boys, and they both frolicked and fought when it suited them. Tom was with Billy in Alex McSween’s house during the 5-day battle in Lincoln, during which the house was set fire and McSween and others were killed.  Tom, Billy and some others escaped. After the death of McSween, Tom, Billy and their crowd made their living rustling cows from John Chisum.  But over time, most of Billy’s gun totin’ pals drifted away.  But not Tom. Tom was Billy’s pal, and he stayed.

Tom shared a few other things with Billy, other than early backgrounds and rowdy personalities.  Both were killed and buried in Ft. Sumner, NM, and a Pat Garrett posse killed both.  In Billy’s case, Garrett did the shooting personally.

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The Ocoee Ranger Page 3                          March 5, 2005

SHOOT RESULTS (Continued from page 1)

Traditional 1. Whiskey River Nelson 2. Fiddleback 3. Slater

Cowgirl 1. Roma Jane

Modern 1. S. A. Pondwater 2. Limp Along Charlie 3. Awful Close

Gunfighter 1. Pleasant 2. Pyro 3. Unpleasant

Senior 1. Sunshine Billy 2. Tabasco JOT 3. Tennessee Hawk

49er 1. Double Eagle 2. Ocoee Red 3. Marshal Too Tall

Classic 1. Cherokee Maddog 2.  Lightning McCoy 3.  John Daniel

Black Powder 1. the Catoosa Kid

Duelist

1. Owlhoot Hardin

2. Sheriff Jack Cooley

Buffalo Shoot

.22 cal. 25 yards – Pyro        100 yards shoot – Pleasant

Ocoee Rangers Wranglers – March 5

Fiddleback

Badhand Callahan

Cherokee Maddog

Tabasco JOT

Fast Harley

Rev. Adam Jones

Sunshine Billy

And the Critter said, “Where’s T-Bone?”

SASS RANGE OFFICER I AND RANGE OFFICER II CLASSES OFFERED APRIL 30

CLUBHOUSE – CLEVELAND HUNTING RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB RANGE

If you want to take either the SASS ROI, or ROII, or both courses, they’ll both be conducted at the clubhouse at the Cleveland range on Saturday, April 30.  Times and charges are shown below.  Charges cover the cost of printing, materials and the SASS completion pens that successful participants will receive from SASS.

            Course             Time                                        Charge             Course fees will be collected at the range

            ROI                   8:00 am – 12:00 noon                 $10             ROII                  1:00 pm – 5:00 pm                     $25

Cherokee Maddog will be the instructor in the ROII class.  He’s SASS certified to conduct ROII training.

If you need additional information, contact Ocoee Red.

Here’s How Our Cowboys and Cowgirl Placed in Shoot-Out at Pigeon Forge

12 – Sunshine Billy (3^rd Senior)                                       48 – Polecat Carl (14^th Traditional)

14 – Pleasant (1^st Gunfighter)                                          51 – Pyro (8^th Gunfighter)

20 – Marshal Too Tall (3^rd 49er)                                       52 – Owlhoot Hardin (1^st Elder Statesman)

23 – Ocoee Red (5^th 49er)                                               56 – Tucson Tuco (11^th 49er)

25 – Unpleasant (8^th Traditional)                                       62 – Ranger Roger (3^rd Duelist)

29 – Double Eagle (6^th 49er)                                            65 – Fast Harley (4^th Classic)

31 – Festus D. Deputy (7^th 49er)                                      76 – Wildcat Wilkey (10^th Senior)

36 – Loose Cinch (4^th Gunfighter)                         90 – Last Kiss (2^nd Ladies)

42 – Cherokee Maddog (1^st Classic)

According to Ocoee Red, the Knoxville Cowboys & Cowgirls hosted a great shoot, and the weather cooperated to have an extremely enjoyable and exciting 2005 Shoot-Out At Pigeon Forge.  Congratulations to the Smoky Mountain Shootist Society, our Knoxville cowboy & cowgirl neighbors and fellow Cowboy Action Shooters, for a well-done 2005 Saddle Up Celebration Event.

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The Ocoee Ranger Page 4                         March 5, 2005

SHOOT RESULTS

Alias	CL	S-1	R-1	S-2	R-2	S-3	R-3	S-4	R-4	S-5	R-5	OS	OR	OT	Miss	CS	Stgs
Pleasant	GF	24.85	1	30.09	2	44.58	11	32.27	3	29.16	2	19	1	160.95	3	2	5
Double Eagle	49er	40.01	9	37.82	8	36.65	4	36.96	8	31.00	3	32	2	182.44	3	3	5
Ocoee Red	49er	43.09	13	38.79	10	36.19	2	31.38	2	32.00	6	33	3	181.45	3	3	5
Whiskey River Nelson	T	40.98	10	36.36	6	38.40	5	34.29	6	36.32	9	36	4	186.35	2	3	5
Fiddleback	T	50.10	24	25.50	1	42.60	8	33.06	4	26.77	1	38	5	178.03	8	2	5
Marshal Too Tall	49er	38.32	8	34.10	3	45.07	12	40.93	13	31.48	4	40	6	189.90	3	3	5
Festus D. Deputy	49er	26.79	2	47.24	20	43.01	9	38.77	9	33.05	7	47	7	188.86	1	4	5
Cherokee Maddog	CL	43.77	14	38.38	9	45.54	13	28.76	1	38.73	12	49	8	195.18	2	3	5
Slater	T	26.83	3	41.13	14	42.09	6	39.49	10	41.48	21	54	9	191.02	6	0	5
Sunshine Billy	Sr	44.71	17	47.69	21	35.13	1	39.78	11	31.78	5	55	10	199.09	2	3	5
Tucson Tuco	49er	36.56	7	39.28	11	46.47	15	40.75	12	40.80	17	62	11	203.86	5	2	5
Tabasco JOT	Sr	28.78	5	48.81	22	42.19	7	43.51	16	40.80	17	67	12	204.09	5	2	5
Pyro	GF	46.92	19	35.66	4	55.52	27	34.01	5	40.99	19	74	13	213.10	7	1	5
S. A. Pondwater	M	42.35	12	46.05	19	45.91	14	44.41	19	41.44	20	84	14	220.16	2	3	5
Unpleasant	GF	41.70	11	35.95	5	58.18	30	58.09	35	35.03	8	89	15	228.95	5	2	5
TN Ted	49er	28.23	4	57.58	32	48.03	18	48.88	26	40.15	16	96	16	222.87	4	2	5
T-Bone Angus	T	50.09	22	44.22	17	36.63	3	56.53	33	44.34	24	99	17	231.81	2	4	5
Widow Maker	GF	58.65	34	43.65	16	49.92	21	36.50	7	42.43	22	100	18	231.15	9	1	5
Keystone	GF	74.55	48	41.45	15	44.02	10	45.50	20	37.05	10	103	19	242.57	1	4	5
Limpalong Charlie	M	55.95	31	40.59	12	48.02	17	46.84	23	43.01	23	106	20	234.41	2	3	5
TN Hawk	Sr	49.22	21	49.19	23	53.98	25	47.36	24	40.02	14	107	21	239.77	2	4	5
Polecat Carl	T	72.07	45	40.89	13	52.09	23	46.40	22	37.66	11	114	22	249.11	0	5	5
Long Gulch	49er	48.10	20	44.59	18	53.14	24	54.79	29	44.87	25	116	23	245.49	7	2	5
Awful Close	M	36.01	6	37.14	7	61.80	37	60.67	38	46.39	29	117	24	242.01	8	2	5
Deadman	T	43.77	14	55.56	28	54.25	26	43.59	17	50.20	34	119	25	247.37	0	5	5
Owlhoot Hardin	D	72.94	46	55.86	29	51.83	22	42.66	14	40.05	15	126	26	263.34	2	3	5
Tarheel	T	56.61	32	56.66	30	47.80	16	46.30	21	45.59	28	127	27	252.96	0	5	5
Catoosa Kid	BPC	53.04	27	49.42	24	49.65	20	49.11	27	51.86	36	134	28	253.08	4	2	5
Lightning McCoy	CL	53.53	29	51.47	26	49.44	19	61.10	39	45.36	27	140	29	260.90	3	2	5
Sundance McNeyman	M	66.86	40	57.02	31	57.58	29	42.73	15	47.47	30	145	30	271.66	4	2	5
Rev Adam Jones	Sr	44.26	16	53.12	27	71.43	44	49.88	28	48.44	31	146	31	267.13	3	3	5
Hombre Sin Nombre	Sr	46.61	18	63.18	42	61.27	35	55.26	31	45.17	26	152	32	271.49	0	5	5
Sheriff Jack Cooley	D	50.09	22	62.08	39	57.07	28	48.71	25	52.82	38	152	33	270.77	3	2	5
Squire Shooter	49er	52.70	25	57.73	33	60.28	33	58.11	36	56.83	43	170	34	285.65	7	1	5
Purly	49er	56.91	33	58.25	35	62.39	38	44.09	18	64.07	47	171	35	285.71	6	1	5
Fast Harley	GF	60.61	36	64.45	43	70.92	43	63.08	40	39.03	13	175	36	298.09	10	1	5
Wildcat Wilkey	Sr	53.72	30	65.06	44	60.44	34	55.22	30	56.38	42	180	37	290.82	4	2	5
TN Mongo	49er	64.76	39	49.80	25	69.98	42	66.67	42	48.49	32	180	38	299.70	5	2	5
General Breckinridge	M	60.52	35	65.22	45	64.55	40	56.43	32	53.75	39	191	39	300.47	3	2	5
Outhouse	T	52.94	26	88.06	51	58.93	32	65.86	41	54.13	41	191	40	319.92	10	1	5
Tin Pot	Sr	63.67	38	62.45	40	64.28	39	67.20	43	48.62	33	193	41	306.22	6	1	5
Roma Jane	F	63.55	37	61.55	38	69.67	41	76.49	47	51.14	35	198	42	322.40	7	2	5
Badhand Callahan	D	67.80	41	58.08	34	75.70	45	77.51	48	52.31	37	205	43	331.4	8	1	5
C Rider	M	69.25	43	80.82	49	58.56	31	71.46	44	53.91	40	207	44	334.00	0	5	5
John Daniel	CL	71.44	44	59.51	36	80.19	46	57.55	34	69.52	49	209	45	338.21	14	0	5
Bittercreek Jack	Sr	84.66	51	62.57	41	61.48	36	71.73	45	60.07	45	218	46	340.51	10	0	5
Colonel Mortimer	49er	53.11	28	66.58	46	85.04	49	92.19	51	59.07	44	218	47	355.99	10	0	5
Krazy Jim	Sr	73.79	47	78.46	48	80.98	47	58.49	37	72.54	51	230	48	364.26	3	4	5
Dajango Slim	T	79.77	49	59.96	37	92.39	50	84.44	49	60.39	46	231	49	376.95	7	1	5
Gracious Gringo	CL	68.51	42	76.47	47	83.84	48	74.00	46	75.28	53	236	50	378.10	10	0	5
Dead Beat	BPC	83.48	50	117.04	54	92.50	51	101.93	54	66.32	48	257	51	461.27	17	0	5
Sunflower	F	96.57	52	96.16	52	96.50	52	97.37	53	69.88	50	259	52	456.48	7	2	5
Ben Shot	Sr	102.28	53	83.79	50	99.19	53	93.42	52	73.62	52	260	53	452.30	4	3	5
Midnight Marauder	T	121.90	54	108.92	53	112.10	54	89.56	50	90.28	54	265	54	522.76	18	0	5

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