What our TMA Postal Matches mean to me

[Ohio Joe]

Hello everyone. I've been getting around for work this morning and it's suppose to be a fairly nice day today. I got to thinking what the TMA postal matches mean to me and I keep coming up with the same answer,,, they mean Fun! No pressure fun!

These matches give me an excuse (not that I always need one) to get out to the Range with the flint or cap lock rifles and send a little lead down range with a bonus of possibly hitting what I'm aiming at. I guess I'm just at that age in life where I enjoy the crack of a Kentucky Longrifle, and the boom of a Hawken. It don't get much better then that!

So I guess I approach our TMA Matches the same way as those Fess Parker shoots. Let's just have a good time and enjoy our outing at the Range no matter what the out come on that target we're shooting at. It's all good, and should always be approached with good natured fun!

[RobD]

well said joe!  

[Bigsmoke]

   Yep, What Rob said.

Actually, Joe, I really appreciated what you said there.  It got me to thinking about what my most memorable paper shot was, and it had to be my tie breaker shot at the Hog Heaven Rendezvous outside of Moscow, ID.  You know it was a pretty good shot when the fellow giving out the prizes shows off your target.


Target pictured with the prize.  Good day at the range.

The best shot shooting at steel happened at my club rendezvous several years ago.  They were getting anxious about target damage due to my wanting to shoot a big bore, so they outlawed anything over .58 caliber.  So, I am using my .54 this particular day and there was a silhouette of a rabbit set out at about 25 yards or so.  Boom, clang and I see something fly off of the rabbit.  I followed it with my eyes and when the line was clear, I retrieved the rabbit's foot which had broken off at a weld.  Only target I have ever broken, although I have bent a few pretty badly with the big guns.  I took the severed foot and filed it fairly smooth and used it as a flap weight on my bag for a few years until I sold that bag.  Now it is just sitting on my little trophy case.

Yep, fun times.

[Uncle Russ]

Good words Joe!  

I enjoy shooting also, I suspect it's somewhere down deep in my DNA, but it's there and it is a force to be reckoned  with once I get the shootin fever...you all know the fever and it's bad,  perhaps something akin to that of a junkie needing a fix.

Once that fever kicks in there's no know antidote, at least that I'm aware of that will make it go away, the best I can do is  go pop some caps, strike some flint, smell some smoke, and life suddenly becomes good again.

I enjoy most the camaraderie amongst shooters. My highlight of any match is the attitude of the group at the time of the shoot. Win, loose, or draw, If everyone is enjoying themselves, it was a great shoot.
I don't always shoot just to win, although it is a bonus to shoot well, but I will pay my money and go to a match because I love that feeling of being with other likeminded people doing the thing we enjoy most...shootin!!
Everyone laughing, joking, tellin a few tall tales of great huntin trips past, is all in good. clean. fun. period.

However, One sour apple in the bunch can run a great day for a lot of people.
Negative remarks, are unsolicited, unneeded, and totally uncalled for.
If you show up at a match where I'm the booshway or Range Master, and you display an attitude, wanting to argue, or taking cheap shots at the other shooters, and I even remotely feel that's having an effect on the shooters, you're gone...right then and there, no questions asked.
People don't come to shoot for nonsense like that.

The most detrimental thing to a shooters morale, in fact, his whole psychological make up, and that one thing which affects his score most, is another shooter being condescending, demeaning, and disrespectful to that shooter, or the group as a whole.

There's typically one in every crowd, and he's soon recognized as soon as he opens his mouth.
Be nice, or don't even show up at the shoot is my moto.

Uncle Russ...

[rollingb]

I've been there too Russ, and agree with every thing you say.  

[RobD]

+1 to russ's post.  

[Ohio Joe]

Thanks Russ, well put, well said!  

[Maven]

OJ & RussB are right on the money, er, that is, target!    On the woods walks I attend, there's always good natured ribbing and that's part of the fun.  I've only heard a raised voice (criticism) once and that's when a friend  did something stupid and unsafe (twice) and was asked to leave.

[Ohio Joe]

Maven, glad to hear you're surrounded by good natured folks on your woods walks, it just makes it so much more pleasant and rewarding at days end, and that's the real reward at the end of the day.  

[Muley]

I have a little voice in my head that this is pointed at me. I think you guys have me all wrong. When I used to go to shoots I was the one making everybody laugh. Of course shooting is fun. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't. The only thing I ever did in my life that wasn't fun was work and at least I was getting paid for that. I couldn't not have a good time if I have a gun in my hand.

So, let me say something that needs to be said. I apologize if I had an attitude and pissed some of you off. I didn't do it on purpose, but if I gave that impression it's my fault. Sometimes the written word doesn't really convey what someone is trying to say. I'll admit I was a dumb truck driver and expressing myself was never my strong point. Sometimes my life isn't going so good and I might show it in my posts. I'll have to work on that. Guys who have met me in person who knew me on forums first always say...You fooled me. I thought you were going to be a jerk. I guess what i'm saying is i'm really better in person. Don't judge me completely by my posts.

As for the postal shoots. I won't be surprised if I come in last. My vision gets worse every year and I can't see anywhere near how I could two years ago in the Mike Fink shoot. Actually, I got lucky for that shoot. Plus, now i'm shooting a flintlock which i'm not very good at, but i'm working on it. So, it would be silly for me to compete if it wasn't fun. I'll still try as hard as I can, but that's actually fun for me. Even if i'm getting whipped if i'm trying i'm having a good time.

So, that's about it. Give me another chance and I won't let you down.

[rollingb]

I have a little voice in my head that this is pointed at me. I think you guys have me all wrong. When I used to go to shoots I was the one making everybody laugh. Of course shooting is fun. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't. The only thing I ever did in my life that wasn't fun was work and at least I was getting paid for that. I couldn't not have a good time if I have a gun in my hand.

So, let me say something that needs to be said. I apologize if I had an attitude and pissed some of you off. I didn't do it on purpose, but if I gave that impression it's my fault. Sometimes the written word doesn't really convey what someone is trying to say. I'll admit I was a dumb truck driver and expressing myself was never my strong point. Sometimes my life isn't going so good and I might show it in my posts. I'll have to work on that. Guys who have met me in person who knew me on forums first always say...You fooled me. I thought you were going to be a jerk. I guess what i'm saying is i'm really better in person. Don't judge me completely by my posts.

As for the postal shoots. I won't be surprised if I come in last. My vision gets worse every year and I can't see anywhere near how I could two years ago in the Mike Fink shoot. Actually, I got lucky for that shoot. Plus, now i'm shooting a flintlock which i'm not very good at, but i'm working on it. So, it would be silly for me to compete if it wasn't fun. I'll still try as hard as I can, but that's actually fun for me. Even if i'm getting whipped if i'm trying i'm having a good time.

So, that's about it. Give me another chance and I won't let you down.

I'm willing to do that.  

[Ohio Joe]

I have a little voice in my head that this is pointed at me. I think you guys have me all wrong. When I used to go to shoots I was the one making everybody laugh. Of course shooting is fun. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't. The only thing I ever did in my life that wasn't fun was work and at least I was getting paid for that. I couldn't not have a good time if I have a gun in my hand.

So, let me say something that needs to be said. I apologize if I had an attitude and pissed some of you off. I didn't do it on purpose, but if I gave that impression it's my fault. Sometimes the written word doesn't really convey what someone is trying to say. I'll admit I was a dumb truck driver and expressing myself was never my strong point. Sometimes my life isn't going so good and I might show it in my posts. I'll have to work on that. Guys who have met me in person who knew me on forums first always say...You fooled me. I thought you were going to be a jerk. I guess what i'm saying is i'm really better in person. Don't judge me completely by my posts.

As for the postal shoots. I won't be surprised if I come in last. My vision gets worse every year and I can't see anywhere near how I could two years ago in the Mike Fink shoot. Actually, I got lucky for that shoot. Plus, now i'm shooting a flintlock which i'm not very good at, but i'm working on it. So, it would be silly for me to compete if it wasn't fun. I'll still try as hard as I can, but that's actually fun for me. Even if i'm getting whipped if i'm trying i'm having a good time.

So, that's about it. Give me another chance and I won't let you down.

I'm willing to do that.  

As am I.  

[RobD]

aye - everyone needs a second chance to prove themselves.  

[Muley]

Ok, Rob. You have a 2nd chance.

Now that would have been humor to me in the past, but i'm willing to bet everybody would take it the wrong way. I have some work to do.

Just kidding Rob. ( I may have to say that a lot in the future)

[Uncle Russ]

aye - everyone needs a second chance to prove themselves.      

Uncle Russ...