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Shooters place and retrieve their targets, and then stand
on the firing line and shoot. Several women, in period costumes, also attended.
There were even a few boys on the line. These old style guns, firing their
black powder, make enormous amounts of smoke, as can be seen below. |
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Taking another shot. The odd looking metal wagon in the
background is a favored conveyance of the oddly dressed tribe, calling themselves
tourists (an old word which when translated means "those who dress funny,
get lost, and spend lots of money"), that like to visit these events. |
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The range officer seems to be comforting an older "trapper"
while the younger men shoot. The tall man to the right seems to be casting
a critical (or is it fearful) eye on the performance of his competition. |
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A young boy stands on the line with the men, while the
range officer makes sure he abides by rules of safety and common sense. There
was no trouble, and there were no mishaps. The average football game is
more dangerous and injury prone. |
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This pioneer woman takes aim, and fires. She is firing
a flintlock musket, and the puff of smoke above her head is from the tiny
bit of powder burned in the priming pan. The main cloud of smoke, produced
from firing, is out in front of the rifle, and is not visible in this photo. |
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Looking hopefully downrange towards their targets. |
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Looking more like a miner than a trapper, this shooter
waits for the smoke to clear before trying his hand. |
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A police officer acts as a range master, and supervisor.
His modern automatic pistol is very much in contrast to the vintage style
arms being used here. This very modern representative of 20th century law
enforcement was quite friendly, and seemed to enjoy his assignment. He introduced
me to some of the shooters, and even induced the couple below to pose for
me. |
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A girl takes her turn, while a younger man seems unsure
of what to do. Perhaps he is worried that she will out shoot him. This was
a real possibility on the frontier, where the women were expected to be able
to shoot, ride, trap, skin, and occasionally fight as well as the men. Latter
settlement allowed for more genteel behavior, and less was expected (and permitted)
from the women. |
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Watching and waiting. This group checks out the skills
of their competitors, and calculates their chances as they watch some of the
others compete. Actually, the competition was pretty friendly. Back in former
times there would have been considerable wagering, and these events could
turn quite serious. |
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A French trader stands with his rifle ready, awaiting
his turn at the firing line. |
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The school marm, fur trader, and several other shooters
in period attire await their turn on the line. |
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A couple of the better black powder shooters, who also
happen to be a couple in the more permanent sense of the word. This husband
and wife team earned several awards for their shooting. As I recall, the wife
was somewhat better than the husband. This should help to keep him on his
toes. |
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Striking a pose, this couple demonstrates a family's
last line of defense from two centuries ago. |
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