Ambush At The Caverns '97

Let The Hostilities Begin:

Saturday afternoon were these events: Long Range Single Shot Rifle, Long Range Lever Rifle (pistol caliber), Derringer/Pocket Pistol, .22 cal pistol and rifle, Speed Shotgun and Pistol Combo, and Hip Shot - Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun.

Four Posse's Shot Stages 1-4 on Saturday, 10/4/97 8:00 A.M. and the other Stages 5-8 on Sunday 10/5/97 ending early in the day for the side matches on Saturday and the Awards and other shooting on Sunday. (Other posse's started on 5-8 and ended on 1-4 on Sunday)
Check out photo of Top Cowboy Shooter, Duel Chambers (419.70) (Bob Liddell of Hernando, MS ) and Top Cowgirl Shooter, Harmony Jean (693.93) (Julie Moore of Senoia, GA). Will Riley (444.57) was top Traditional, Montana Miles (854.34) was top Junior, Montain Tom (519.46) was top Duelist, Trapper Bill (540.80) was top Modern, Curly Bill (698.20) was top Senior. You might also want to see Cowboys & Cowgirls around "Saloon" which was main tent area, or the field full of Vendors selling western gear.

Stage 1 : "I'M IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW"

You've done did it again, waking up in jail with a hangover, a knot on your noggin and in shackles! As your head starts to clear, you remember getting caught in a "compromizim position", with a purty gal. How wuz you supposed to know she wuz the judge's daughter! Lying on your bunk, you and the sheriff are jaw jackin when in comes that same purty gal with a covered tray, but afore you kin git up, in busts her 9 big brothers with a hangin rope.

When the old sheriff trys to run them boys off they just up and shoot him down like a dog! That purty gal hollers and hands you the tray through the bars. God bless purty women, cause in that tray is a trusty six shooter! After you blaze away at them big old boys, you grab up the sheriff's pistol. Seems as he fell against your cell when he wuz plugged.

If it wuzn't fer bad luck you'de have no luck at all, cuz that hawg leg is plum empty. You load it up right quick like usin bullets from the sheriff's gun belt and shoot like "hell". Grabbin up the sheriff's shotgun that fell on the floor, rite by the bars, you pluck shells out of the sheriff's vest and shoot the last of them pesky brothers.

[===click to view Stage 1 Diagram & Layout===]

2 Pistols--10 Cartridges, Shotgun--4 Shells

Shooter loads 1 pistol and places it in the tray. The other pistol is staged empty in the sheriff's holster. At least five pistol rounds are placed in the sheriff's belt loops. At least four shotgun shells are placed in a pocket of the sheriff's vest. Shotgun is staged, action open and empty pointing down range, leaning on the sheriff's body.

At the beep shooter takes the tray from the timer, picks up the loaded pistol and yells "She ain't that purty", and shoots the pistol targets left to right. Holster the empty pistol and pick up the empty pistol from the sheriff's holster. Load this pistol from the sheriff's gun belt and shoot the pistol targets again, left to right. Pick up the shotgun, load from the sheriff's vest and shoot each shotgun target twice.

NOTE: Not saying the line is a 10 second penalty. Shooter shoots entire stage in irons.
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Stage 2 : "PRUNELLA AIN'T NO PUSHOVER"

One fine fall day, Prunella Puddingtang was tendin her chores, as she did everyday, from sunup till sundown. Cookin, washin, milkin, feedin, raisin younguns and protectin the homestead, whilest all the men folk are drivin the herd to the railhead. While hangin out her wash, Prunella ketches site of an Injun movin about out in the woods. As she moves towards her rifle, which she always keeps close at hand, she spots a bunch more of the ornary hostiles a movin in. After blazin away she grabs up her baby, yells a warnin to the other younguns and from inside the cabin, defends her family and home against an Injun attack.

[=====click to view Stage 2 Diagram & Layout=====]

1 Pistol-- 5 Rounds, Rifle-- 8 Rounds, Shotgun-- 6 Shells

Shooter puts on apron and bonnet. Load pistol and holster it. Rifle is loaded and staged leaning on hay bale pointing down range. Shotgun is staged, action open, leaning in corner of cabin. Three shotgun shells are placed in left apron pocket and three in right apron pocket.

At the beep, shooter picks up garment in wash tub and uses three clothes pins out of apron pocket to hang the garment on the clothes line. Shooter then yells, "Injuns!! You younguns git in the house". Shooter picks up rifle, kneels down behind the hay bale and engages rifle targets, double tapping each target. Action open, place rifle on hay bale.

Pick up the baby from the pallet and move into the cabin and place baby in the crib. Shooter moves to the window, draws his pistol and through the window, engages the five pistol targets. Shooter holsters pistol and yells, "A women's work is never done", picks up the shotgun, loading from apron pocket only, engages the left shotgun target, then the right target and continues to alternate targets until six rounds are fired.

NOTE: 10 second penalty each for not saying lines. Pistol and shotgun barrel must be protruding through window. A dropped shotgun shell is scored as a miss. Not moving the baby is a 10 second penalty.

(Sponsor: Poplar Ridge Homemaker's Club)

Stage 3 : "A REAL CLOSE SHAVE"

You've just got settled in the barber chair, face all lathered up for a real good shave, when in walks "Stump Leg Joe" and his gang of no-accounts. Thinking they got you cold-turkey, old Joe pulls iron and starts to flap his jaws. Seems as though old Joe is still carrying a grudge around, cause you shot his leg off, with a Greener, a few years back when you was a lawman out in the Nations.

After listening to about all you can stand, you up and shoot old Joe with the sixgun you had drawn all the while, under the barber cloth. Things get right lively in the barber shop for a time! When the dust settles and the smoke clears old Joe and his gang won't be bothering you or anybody else, cause you've done shot them all grave yard dead.

[=====click to view Stage 3 Diagram & Layout=====]

1 Pistol--5 Cartridges, Rifle--8 Cartridges, Shotgun--4 Shells

Shooter loads 1 pistol. Rifle is staged loaded on the table. Shotgun is staged action open on the table. Both are pointed down range. Shooter sits in barber chair, with one pistol in hand under the barber cloth. Shooter's face is lathered with shaving cream.

At the beep, shooter yells "You ain't never going to learn, Joe" and shoots the pistol targets, shooting the center target first. Each remaining target is then shot in any order. Shooting with the pistol is done while seated in the barber chair. The shooter then stands up, holsters the empty pistol and moves to the table. Each rifle target must be engaged twice and each shotgun target must be engaged twice. The shotgun is loaded with shells from the shooters person.

After shooting rifle and shotgun, weapons must be placed on the table, action open and pointing down range.
NOTE: Letting your barber cloth touch the ground will result in a 10 second penalty.
Not saying the line is a 10 second penalty.
Not shooting the center pistol target first is a 10 second penalty.
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Meridian Mini-Storage (Sponsor)

Stage 4 : "DAMN THAT BRANDING IRON IS HOT!
GIVE THAT INDIAN A SIGN"

Gus Leghorn and you are about to start fall branding. The air is cool, and the leaves have begun to change. Down at the corral you notice the talley has come up short. You and the neighboring ranchers haven't been bothered by the local tribe, because you've always spared them a few head every so often, to keep them pacified.

When you tell Gus about the short count, he tells you that the old chief has passed on to the happy hunting ground, and that the new chief, Painted Rock, has put on war paint and wants to run all the white eyes out of the country. Chief Painted Rock is out for your scalp. INDIAN ATTACK!!

[=====click to view Stage 4 Diagram & Layout=====]

1 Pistol--5 Cartridges, Rifle--9 Cartridges, Shotgun--4 Shells

Shooter loads and holsters pistol. Shotgun is staged lying across Gus's chest, action open, pointing down range. Four shells are placed in Gus's vest pocket. Rifle is loaded and placed in the scabbard on Splinters. Shooter stands by fire, branding iron in hand, tip in fire.

At the beep, shooter pulls calf tail, releasing the indian. Shooter engages the indian with the branding iron, popping the balloon, then returns the branding iron to the fire. Shooter then engages the pistol targets, left to right, then re-holsters. Shooter moves over to Gus, picks up shotgun and engages the four shotgun targets, loading from Gus's vest only and firing from a kneeling position. Shotgun is placed back on Gus, action open and pointing down range.

Shooter then moves to Splinters and mounts. Rifle is drawn from the scabbard and rifle targets are engaged closest to farthest then farthest to closest. The ninth round is fired at the red target.

NOTE: Not popping balloon is a 10 second penalty.
Firing at rifle targets out of order is a 10 second penalty.
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3-D Ammunition and Bullets (sponsor)

Stage 5 : "SALLY AIN'T NO TURKEY"

It is the fall of 1868 and you are the wagon master of a wagon train headed up the Bozeman Trail. The wagon train is three weeks out of Fort Laramie and the meat supply has played out. A small band of friendly indians pass by and tell you of a herd of buffalo just north of the Big Horn River. You figure it will take 8 buffalo to provide enough meat to make it on in to Virginia City.

You harness up "Old Sally", your pack mule, and head out. Easing up over a ridge you spot the herd grazing so you tie Old Sally to a tree and hunker down behind a log, taking up a real good shooting position. Just as you've shot your last buffalo, you spot a turkey thats been flushed out by all the rifle fire. You let out a gobble, the turkey stops and you plug him.

Now your troubles have just begun because up rides 10 hungry Crow Indians and they are intent on taking your buffalo, turkey and SCALP!!!

[=====click to view Stage 5 Diagram & Layout=====]

2 Pistols--10 Cartridges, Rifle--9 Cartridges Shooter loads and holsters both pistols. Rifle is loaded and placed in the scabbard on mule. Shooter stands with mule's reins in one hand. At the beep shooter says "Lets go Sally", and pulls mule over to the tree and ties her up. Shooter then removes rifle from scabbard and kneels down behind the log. After shooting the buffalo 8 times, shooter stands, gobbles at the turkey and engages the turkey target. Action open, shooter leans rifle on log, pointing down range. Shooter then picks up the turkey, staged beside the log, and moves back to Sally, placing the turkey on Sally. Shooter then draws one or both pistols and engages the 5 pistol targets. Each target must be engaged twice.
NOTE: Failure to gobble is a 10 second penalty.
Failure to tie turkey to Sally is a 10 second penalty.
Failure to engage turkey is a miss and is a 5 second penalty and a 10 second procedure penalty.
Failure to say line is a 10 second penalty.
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B & B Guns and Banjo Shop (Sponser)

Stage 6 : "DUCK DUKE"

You are a "Deputy" town marshal in El Paso, Texas. It's a lazy summer night and you're standing in the doorway of the jail, waiting for the marshal to return from taking a turn around town. Just as the marshal is crossing the street, you spot a whole passel of hombres, fixing to ambush "Duke". You holler for Duke to get down, as you blaze away with your trusty six-gun and shotgun, saving the life of Marshal Duke, and become the town Hero.

[=====click to view Stage 6 Diagram & Layout=====]

2 Pistols--10 Cartridges, Shotgun--8 Shells

Shooter loads and holsters both pistols. Shotgun is staged leaning against door frame, action open. Eight shells are placed in a box on the table. At the beep, shooter yells "Duck Duke" and pulls the rope, causing Duke to duck. Shooter then engages the five pistol targets, left to right, with first pistol.

Re-holster and then engage the targets again with the second pistol, right to left. Re-holster and pick up the shotgun, loading from the box on the table only, and engage the left shotgun target, top to bottom, then the right shotgun target, top to bottom, and repeat this sequence until eight rounds are fired.
NOTE: Not saying the line is a 10 second penalty.
Not causing Duke to duck is a 10 second penalty.
If a shotgun shell is dropped to the ground it is scored as a miss.
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Maples Industries (sponsor)

Stage 7 : "AMBUSH AT THE CAVERNS"

Captain Kennamer and his company of Home Guards and Scouts have just returned home, in Kennamer's Cove. The horses have been fed and put up. The picketts have taken up their posts, and all is quiet. With your trusty shotgun by the door, you sit down at the table to enjoy some of Mama's home cooking.

Just as you start to eat you hear a pickett yell "Halt", followed by a shot. Suddenly all hell breaks loose and hot lead is flying, bullets striking the cabin like hail from hell's own thunderstorm. Caught by surprise, your men scramble to their stacked weapons. Bushwacker Johnston's Lads of Gray have mounted a calvary charge and you and your men must re-group, return fire and repel the attack.

[=====click to view Stage 7 Diagram & Layout=====]

1 Pistol--5 Cartridges, Rifle--8 Cartridges, Shotgun--6 Shells

Shotgun is staged, action open, leaning in corner of cabin. Rifle is loaded and staged in the rifle rack. Pistol is loaded and holstered. Four shotgun shells are placed in the saddle bags on the fence. Shooter takes a seat at the table, with knife and fork in hand and napkin tucked in shirt collar.

At the beep, shooter drops utensils, moves to the left cabin window, and engages five pistol targets, left to right. Prior to firing shooter must shout, "Bush Wackers". Shooter re-holsters pistol, picks up shotgun and engages two shotgun targets through the right window. Shooter returns shotgun to corner, action open, exits cabin through door. Shooter moves to rifle rack, picks up the rifle and engages the four rifle targets, sweeping left to right then left to right again.

Shooter returns rifle to rack, action open. Shooter picks up saddle bags, moves back into the cabin and picks up the shotgun. Loading from the saddle bags shooter engages the shotgun targets through the right window, alternating targets shooting each target twice.
NOTE: Not saying line is a 10 second penalty.

(This stage is a fictional re-creation of events that took place near our shooting range during the War Between the States.)
Automatic Vend X (Sponsor)

Stage 8 : "CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN"

Your work as "Cook" for the Ketch Ranch, Oklahoma Territory, seems never to be done. The whole outfit is out branding young stock and you have just come in from hunting praire chicken. Just as you get settled on the "Throne" in the outhouse, a band of roving hostiles attack the ranch headquarters. Alone, outnumbered and with your britches down, you must defend the ranch with your trusty six-guns, rifle and shotgun.

[=====click to view Stage 8 Diagram & Layout=====]

2 Pistols--10 Cartridges, Rifle--8 Cartridges, Shotgun--4 Shells

Shooter loads and holsters both pistols. Shotgun is staged, action open and empty, on kitchen table. 4 shotgun shells are placed into sack on table. Rifle is loaded and staged, leaning against corner, inside the outhouse. Shooter must be seated on the throne, catalog in both hands, outhouse door closed and latched.

At the beep shooter opens door and yells "Can't a cowboy read in peace", draws a pistol and engages the pistol targets, left to right. Holsters the empty pistol, draws the second pistol and engages the targets again, left to right. After holstering the pistol the shooter stands up, picks up the rifle and from the doorway, engages the rifle targets. Each target must be engaged twice. Action open, return the rifle to the corner. Shooter moves to the kitchen table, dumps out the contents of the bag onto the table, locates 4 shotgun shells and engages each shotgun target twice.

NOTE: If you have a pistol in a cross-draw holster, it must be staged on the "throne" next to you and returned to this position after firing. If a live shotgun shell rolls off the table, it is considered a "Dead Round". All pistol targets must be engaged from the sitting position. The line "Can't a cowboy read in peace", or words to that effect, must be recited prior to engaging pistol targets, or a 10 second penalty will be imposed.
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Automatic Vend X (sponsor)