Remember the good old stages

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Amen, I've been to some of the best matches ever this year. THESE are the good old days.

 

 

BTW: I look to be shootin' more this year so watch out compadres!! ...well...maybe 'watch out'

 

GG ~

[Matthew Duncan]

Shotguning the snake (piece of rubber garden hose) past the line.

 

Riding a horse (stick horse) to the next shooting postition.

[Anvil Al #59168]

Shotguning the snake (piece of rubber garden hose) past the line.

 

Riding a horse (stick horse) to the next shooting postition.

 

 

Did the snakes this year

 

Rode a stick horse last year.

 

So some of this stuff is still around.

[Dang It Dan 13202]

Thinking back, the only thing I remember about all that stupid stuff, at least the one thing that I thought was HISTERICAL was watching Tequila get totally wrapped up with a whip (you were supposed to knock the dynamite off the stump with a whip). He dang near fell down, had it wrapped about three times around his ankles and at least once around his neck. I had to stop him mainly because we were both laughing so hard.

 

The rest of that stuff, er, not so funny.

[Griff]

Sure do, getting shells from wishing well, roll a smoke on the clock, shoot the bow, throw the lance etc . etc. Don't miss any of it.

It's nice to have those memories... but that's what they should stay!

[Red River Ray SASS#33254]

Thinking back, the only thing I remember about all that stupid stuff, at least the one thing that I thought was HISTERICAL was watching Tequila get totally wrapped up with a whip (you were supposed to knock the dynamite off the stump with a whip). He dang near fell down, had it wrapped about three times around his ankles and at least once around his neck. I had to stop him mainly because we were both laughing so hard.

 

The rest of that stuff, er, not so funny.

Nah throwin a Sombrero wasn't to funny come ta think ofv it

 

 

RRR

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Remind me again how many cowboys used golf balls.

Probably more than used shooting carts, loading strips, and other "common" accoutrements of our sport.

[Wyatt]

I remember throwing a knife and it stuck in the target.........stood there for ever admiring my luck. Using a whole belt full of shotgun shells to move the hose. Shooting off a swinging bridge. Shooting under a table.........tough when you are 6'5". Hat toss, Shells from a saddle bag, carrying a dummy........and many more I don't care to remember. Ahhhhhhhh.........the good old days, like before air conditioning, portable communication devices and the Interweb

[C0ckr0ach, SASS #26100]

How much time should be devoted to Action in Cowboy Action Shooting ?

 

If a reasonably fast shooter can shoot the Stage "Stand & Deliver" in 20 seconds, should other activities (moving location, carrying something, etc.) add 3 seconds to the time, 5 seconds, 10 seconds. ?? How much Action ? Or should every stage just be "Stand & Deliver" ??

[Korupt Karl]

How much time should be devoted to Action in Cowboy Action Shooting ?

 

If a reasonably fast shooter can shoot the Stage "Stand & Deliver" in 20 seconds, should other activities (moving location, carrying something, etc.) add 3 seconds to the time, 5 seconds, 10 seconds. ?? How much Action ? Or should every stage just be "Stand & Deliver" ??

I don't know where you are accustomed to shooting, but for the most part there aren't many stand and deliver stages in these parts. I've shot Indiana, Ohio and Michigan State along with Guns of August and the Seige this year and all of them had good movement, nice target placement and well written scenarios.

 

I'm with you in that it is a bit boring to stand and 10-10-4.

 

KK

[Snakebite]

I certainly remember the "Good Old Days" (at least I think that I do )... I attended my first EOT in 93. It was a different game than we see today, but it was NOT a game that was completely full of stupid stuff. There were things like sitting on the horse while your pards pushed you down a track with you shooting left and right on the way down. You were Playing the game, like taking cover behind a well or a wagon or this or that... ACTUALLY play/acting out the scenario... for a short time you were actually the STAR in this "Mini-Western". Most of the whiz-bang stuff that I remember was more on a local level. Many areas had a particular match where they expected to find "Stupid" stuff, and they enjoyed it for what it was. It has always been the intention of this game to be a PLAY ACTION game. Being a shooting competition was a secondary aspect of the game. These roles have been reversed.... THAT is the difference in yesterday's game and today's game. We've got some really fast shooters in today's game, but I fear that many folks in today's game haven't got a clue what the game was meant to be or what it is about. That being said... I DO SUPPORT today's game, even though it has taken a different direction. I do, however, try to introduce just a little bit of yesterdays game into our local annual event every year. Nothing "Stupid", but a little bit of game playing.

 

Snakebite

[Oddnews SASS# 24779]

Starting a stage with a Golf ball on a tee in a box. You carried the box of "TNT" over to a staged gun. If the golf ball stayed on the tee you got a bonus. If the ball fell off you were blown up (no bonus).

 

Oh, now you've done it. I hope you have asbestos long-johns because you're about to be flamed for suggesting that the game was more fun with non-shooting tasks done on the clock.

[Doc Molar 18470 LIFE]

I have been shooting since 97. I have been to matches big and small thru out the years that have had the silly things, heck I have even written stages with all that in them. Those kinda things have had there time(like sun dials & type writers), but the sport has moved on. I think you need to listen to your shooters, and the numbers at matches that either do those things or not shows what people really want to spend there entertainment dollar on. And that is really what this boils down, havin fun.

 

Nothing stays locked in time forever, not even the old west!!!!!

[Mustang Gregg]

 

I reckon I will be writing our October stages.

And THERE WILL BE some action (other than just shooting) on every stage.

I'm pondering there'll be:

Pouring from whiskey bottles

Throwing some dynamite sticks

Rolling dice or card drawing

Iron horse "riding"

It ain't gonna be a quiz..just some fun cowboy fantasy stuff.

NOW, IS THAT SO BAD???

 

Mustang Gregg,

TG for ENGC

[Litl Red]

 

I reckon I will be writing our October stages.

And THERE WILL BE some action (other than just shooting) on every stage.

I'm pondering there'll be:

Pouring from whiskey bottles

Throwing some dynamite sticks

Rolling dice or card drawing

Iron horse "riding"

It ain't gonna be a quiz..just some fun cowboy fantasy stuff.

NOW, IS THAT SO BAD???

 

Mustang Gregg,

TG for ENGC

 

 

Heck no, it sounds like fun.

 

Truth is, this game was fun back in the 90s when I started, and it's fun today. Good thing is that some clubs realize there is room for trying to mix in some fun, and leeway to do stuff as long as it's fair to everyone.

[Oddnews SASS# 24779]

Write me down as in favor of more "silly stuff" on the clock. I think it does two things that enhance the sport -- and one of those two things is something that actually has to do with the shooting challenge.

 

The first thing it does is simply add an element of fun. Most of us aren't top shooters and aren't going to be. There's no harm in adding two seconds to my shot string -- I'm not going to win anymore than I'm apt to win the national pub darts championship of the United Kingdom.

 

But the second thing it does is that it actually improves competition. Those actions take shooters eyes and hands away from targets and guns, forcing them to refocus when they engage targets. It adds to the concentration and mental aspect of the shooting sport. Yes, it slows people down. So does using single-action pistols.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

 

I reckon I will be writing our October stages.

And THERE WILL BE some action (other than just shooting) on every stage.

I'm pondering there'll be:

Pouring from whiskey bottles

Throwing some dynamite sticks

Rolling dice or card drawing

Iron horse "riding"

It ain't gonna be a quiz..just some fun cowboy fantasy stuff.

NOW, IS THAT SO BAD???

 

Mustang Gregg,

TG for ENGC

Hi Gregg and others,

 

Not bad unless the card drawing or dice rolling impacts target order. Things that make executing a stage different for some shooters are not good. Although, at a monthly, it isn't as inappropriate as it would be for an annual.

 

About those pesky snakes (hoses), I used to hate them. I actually got tennis elbow from all of the missing and reloading. However, at the Return of Helldorado in Ukiah this year, they did snake shooting correctly. The four snakes were placed like a tic-tac board. You could actually get them all out of the circle with a certain shot placement and one shot, which I did. Also, if you didn't get them all with one shot, there were only four of them, unlike that other time...

 

Regards,

 

Allie

[Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862]

+1. Gimmicks may be "fun" IF it is a club match and no one is bothering to keep score. But, on the clock gimmicks have no place in an actual match. Especially, a match where people drive long distances and spend a lot of money on travel and match fees.

Yeah, I agree. But maybe if you stick the knife or hatchet, off the clock, your name gets put in for a drawing for a nice prize....like a free shoot next year or something.

[Possum Skinner, SASS#60697]

Mad Dog,

But wouldn't that be like getting your cake AND eating it too?

 

Possum

[Kiowa Kid, SASS #69870L]

Mad Dog,

But wouldn't that be like getting your cake AND eating it too?

 

Possum

I like cake.

 

KK

[Pit Bull Tex]

I was never around in SASS when you cowboys call the good old stages.To me the good old stages are shot at Orange on the first and third SATs. now and at Lake Charles on the 2nd and 4th Sats .We have movement.WE seldom have a stand and deliver,we have swingers, sliders ,we birds pop ups Lots of good stages.My good old days are now.

[Dang It Dan 13202]

Nah throwin a Sombrero wasn't to funny come ta think ofv it

 

 

RRR

 

 

What can I say?????

[Mustang Gregg]

 

Allie:

 

Naw, the luck of the draw doesn't change the target order.

It only determines what target you shoot (same size, same distance).

And the "silly" stuff is done off the timer.

 

Mustang

[Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862]

Mad Dog,

But wouldn't that be like getting your cake AND eating it too?

 

Possum

I like cake AND ice cream. And I like to eat it too. But I don't like on the clock silly stuff, take me long enough to work my way through one as it is.

[Matthew Duncan]

Tombstone rack. 6 targets one behind the other. You have to shoot and flip down the first one before you could see the second and so forth. Left over rounds went on a large dump target.

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

I remember throwing a knife and it stuck in the target.........stood there for ever admiring my luck. Using a whole belt full of shotgun shells to move the hose. Shooting off a swinging bridge. Shooting under a table.........tough when you are 6'5". Hat toss, Shells from a saddle bag, carrying a dummy........and many more I don't care to remember. Ahhhhhhhh.........the good old days, like before air conditioning, portable communication devices and the Interweb

Yep, I remember those, throwing a hatchet at wood block -5sec,and shooting a hole in a door with your shotgun to shoot the rest of the stage through the hole.......talk about happy feet and the basketball rule The last match I shot like that included in one stage, 1) pour a shot of whiskey......if you spilled a drop +5sec ...... 2) flip a card to see what target to start with ......3) there was also a fairly heavy ball and chain around your ankle .......4) move to horse....(remember there's a ball and chain around one ankle) climb on horse and shoot rifle targets with pistol

 

If memory serves me there was an average of about 12-14 misses for that match, one lady that really struggled had about 24 misses Boy those were the good ole' days...................NOT

 

Don't get me wrong, a little something every now and then is fine, some folks just took it a little too far. Good Luck

 

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Utah Bob #35998]

Fun stuff should be done off the clock and not go overboard, and it's fine. But some people don't think it's fun stuff at all I guess. One guy told me it takes him "out of the zone" and messes up his hyper concentration.

 

Different strokes I reckon.

[Madd Mike #8595]

Tombstone rack. 6 targets one behind the other. You have to shoot and flip down the first one before you could see the second and so forth. Left over rounds went on a large dump target.

love that target

[Korupt Karl]

Tombstone rack. 6 targets one behind the other. You have to shoot and flip down the first one before you could see the second and so forth. Left over rounds went on a large dump target.

I shoot this one a lot at Ft Lauderdale at the Goldcoast Gunslingers and I enjoy this one.

 

KK

[Korupt Karl]

Good post Mathew; I think the general feeling is that it was fun at one time and now we can move on. A little now and then at the Member shoot or the Monthly is cool and most should be before the clock. If you were to think of the clubs that still do this with regularity, it's really tough to come up with many. Just sayin

 

KK

[COAL CAR KID, SASS #15921]

Howdy Matthew,

 

We had one of those NITRO boxes with the golf ball on a T; I have no idea where it went.

 

I still use the garden hose snakes in my stages form time to time; they are a fun target.

 

If I use a stick horse; you would be shooting .22 shot shells out of a single six at 5 or 6 clays on 2" X 2" set at about 3ft away.

 

Nothing wrong with throwing dynamite, flipping cards, carrying a gold bag or a lantern & stuff like that.

 

I have a hit the rope and save the guy being hung rig; the rope is 1" bar with a collar welded to the end (the other end has a plywood cowboy on it) that slides over a pin, a hit knocks it off the pin. I set it up close enough that it's doable and make it a bonus.

 

I think there is room for some of the old game stage elements to be mixed in from time to time. I like a mix of target sizes and distances; within the guidelines. If all the stages were just big & close 10-10-4 stand and deliver, it would get old rather quickly.

[Lone Dog, SASS #20401]

It already did, for the most part.

 

I only know of one club hereabouts that still has rifle targets at legitimate rifle distances. Not a SASS club. It has always struggled with attendance. But then every club here in the great Golden Spread is struggling with that.

 

It usually has several stages with bonus targets but curiously none of the goofy stuff so many decry. No roping, knife throwing or egg juggling.

 

It is a great and good match and I keep hoping against hope more will see that. Alas there are CASers living 5 minutes away who stay away in droves and run it down as a "bullseye" match. They keep spreading the falsehood that the rifle targets are 75 yards out there when in reality the very farthest is 40 paces, the rest are closer, some much closer.

 

The truth is they do not know where the rifle impacts at 40 paces and cannot be bothered to figger it out. In a nation once rightly known proudly as A Nation of Riflemen, this is sad to me.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

It already did, for the most part.

 

I only know of one club hereabouts that still has rifle targets at legitimate rifle distances. Not a SASS club. It has always struggled with attendance. But then every club here in the great Golden Spread is struggling with that.

 

It usually has several stages with bonus targets but curiously none of the goofy stuff so many decry. No roping, knife throwing or egg juggling.

 

It is a great and good match and I keep hoping against hope more will see that. Alas there are CASers living 5 minutes away who stay away in droves and run it down as a "bullseye" match. They keep spreading the falsehood that the rifle targets are 75 yards out there when in reality the very farthest is 40 paces, the rest are closer, some much closer.

 

The truth is they do not know where the rifle impacts at 40 paces and cannot be bothered to figger it out. In a nation once rightly known proudly as A Nation of Riflemen, this is sad to me.

Couple of observations...

 

1. It's very hard to spot for targets that are 40 or so yards away...that's why most of those shooting sports use KD's or Paper.

2. There are other shooting sports that focus on distance/accuracy.

3. SASS is not, nor has it ever been a shooting sport that focused on these attributes. The Judge said once...something to the effect of 'Stage designs should be done so that 90% of the shooters can shoot 90% of the stages clean 90% of the time.'

 

See...there is a reason why we in the shooting world have different disciplines to partake in. We shouldn't try and make one be a "Be all" game.

 

Phantom

[Cowboy Junky]

If the term "Cowboy" action means non shooting actions on the clock, non consistent conditions for shooting (dice rolls to determine target sequences or someone "randomly" hiding your shotgun shells in a bag of beans), non shooting bonuses or penalties or physical requirements that are detrimental to the aging population of our game....

Then yes - some of the "Cowboy" has dwindled from cowboy action. And that is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

On the clock home field advantages (stick the knife - hide the shotgun shells, etc) only serve to alienate your visiting shooters and games of

chance (dice rolls, flip a card, etc.) change the events outcome from shooting to luck based.

 

I think match directors can include "silliness" or "activities" to entertain shooters without components that change the shooting aspect of our game.

A challenge off the clock can award someone entry into a drawing or just give a shooter the opportunity to ham it up.

 

At our upcoming State Championship - shooters will have activities, some on the clock but stage related and with ZERO effect toward scoring.

Things like flip the card table, push open the ticket booth door, swing open the cell door and escape...

There will also be a "Prior to beep" challenge of throwing a pickaxe at the bad guy - if you manage to "stick" him - you earn a drawing ticket for a special drawing at the banquet. (Foam rubber pickaxe - a picture of a bad guy and plenty of velcro).

 

This types of things along with handled props retain "Cowboy" flavor while preserving the integrity of the competition.

These are the good old days. I feel sorry for those too stuck in the past to see that.

I was visiting a club once where you had a big target across a lake......it was 80-100 yards and you had to shoot it with pistol or rifle......I can't remember. It was fun for the locals because they have shot it many times........even though I knew I could hit it I was at a HUGE disadvantage trying to "dial it in" on the clock for the first time. Kinda' took the wind out of my sails a bit for the rest of the match.

[Korupt Karl]

It already did, for the most part.

 

I only know of one club hereabouts that still has rifle targets at legitimate rifle distances. Not a SASS club. It has always struggled with attendance. But then every club here in the great Golden Spread is struggling with that.

 

It usually has several stages with bonus targets but curiously none of the goofy stuff so many decry. No roping, knife throwing or egg juggling.

 

It is a great and good match and I keep hoping against hope more will see that. Alas there are CASers living 5 minutes away who stay away in droves and run it down as a "bullseye" match. They keep spreading the falsehood that the rifle targets are 75 yards out there when in reality the very farthest is 40 paces, the rest are closer, some much closer.

 

The truth is they do not know where the rifle impacts at 40 paces and cannot be bothered to figger it out. In a nation once rightly known proudly as A Nation of Riflemen, this is sad to me.

Dog; I think you might have hit on it "They struggle with attendance"....In April you had 12 shooters and that's fine as they want to shoot that style. Our monthly's run between mid 40 to mid 50's and we have quit doing the crazy stuff after the beep. I'm still old school in that I don't mind an ocassional variance, but at State and above it doesn't belong.

 

As Doc Molar and so many have said...your customers will talk with their feet. It is an entertainment sport. On a side note....if a club is going to do an "Iron man" stage or use derringers,a staged 22 pistol, etc. Post it ahead of time and give people a heads up.

 

Just my too scents.

 

KK