Cherokee Sporting Clays

***(Check in is 8:00 to 8:45, Safety meeting at 8:45, Shotgun start at 9:10 am)***

Cold and windy for our March shoot. I thought no one would show up and 41 crazies did along with me. Thanks to Henry Gentry and cohorts for setting the course and Frank McGowan for his chili lunch which was nice on this cold day.

HOA – Don Barrett (84)

A Class – Rodney Harris (79) Tie Breaker

B Class – Larry Stephenson (75) Tie Breaker

C Class – Dean Hallman (68)

D Class – Mike Caldwell (62)

E Class – Ronnie Crowe (49)

Next shoot is April 12th.

The April match will have a concurrent 28 ga. event. If there are no more than 25 entries we will have HOA, Classes A-D. If there are over 25 entries we will have HOA and Classes A-E. In either case there will be no second places, and scoring will by Lewis Class.

We will be considering handicap for 20 and 28 gauges, and .410 in future matches.

Our first shoot against ARC resulted in a loss 383 to their 387 @ Brush Creek on March 1^st. We do have one consolation in that our shooters are better looking than their shooters. Next match will be @ Brush Creek again on May 24^th. Our best five were:

Dale Melton (79)

Sam Alston (79)

Earle Darby (76)

Ken Melton (75)

Dick Rupert (74)

HELP: No volunteers for the remaining months for either course setting or lunches. You all maybe shooting the same course in April you did in March. Lunches don’t have to be fancy. What do you want for $25?

Rick Jones

Shoot Coordinator

HELP: People are shooting the sporting clays course and not reloading the machines. Top off all the machines you use, PLEASE.

Parker/BOSS electric rabbit machine (single rabbit) in excellent condition - asking $2,000.00. Call Al Brock 706-776-7777.

The machines mounted on carts are not to be moved when the tires are flat or have low air pressure! Fifteen tires have had to have the tubes replaced as valve stems were pulled from the tubes due to being moved with flat tires or low pressure. We have a compressor in the maintenance shed and a portable air tank. Inflate tires to 40 psi!

When connecting clamps to battery post(s) on the Pro-Matic machines do not install with unnecessary force! The battery posts are tapered, so place clamp only far enough on the post to secure a good connection. To put them all the way down the post and "stand" on the clamp destroys the clamp or springs it so that it will not provide electrical connection. (Not to mention the frustration and aggravation you cause when someone tries to release the clamp - sometimes causing injury or requiring tools to release the clamp.)

When shooting the monthly shoot, remember to shoot *CONSECUTIVELY FROM YOUR ASSIGNED STARTING POINT!* For those who don't understand this, if you start at station 12, it goes 12, 13, 14, 1, 2 , 3, etc. Please understand with a shotgun start like this, skipping around only bottlenecks the entire shoot and holds up everyone! Please be kind & considerate to your fellow shooters. Thank you.

Recently this happened. Probably in moving the trap and or the solar panel, a battery minder (black box on stand) was torn loose from the stand and left upside down to collect rain water. As you can see from the picture it was ruined and the solar panel is now unable to charge the battery. Please move them with care. These ARE expensive! Thank you.

When moving the solar panel stand and/or the trap there are quick disconnects on the wire from the battery minder to the battery that should be disconnected first so this does not happen again.

We sincerely appreciate the hard work by a few members in maintaining the SC course, setting matches and maintaining equipment.

1. Excessive movement of the electric machines results in damage to trailers and machines. Always have someone with you to assist when you move any machine. Always unload the carousel for all but hand adjustments within a few feet - if movement requires attaching machine to a vehicle: unload targets first.

2. Do not start too early in setting for the next match. A monthly set-up should left alone for three weeks.

3. Our policy is to set targets thus: 1. Any target should be hittable by a significant number of shooters within classes A, B & C. 2. We should not set targets with goal of making it extremely difficult for anyone to hit. And 3. The goal is to make each experience on the Sporting Clays course one that will reward all shooters and encourage them to return.

4. Changes in presentations will be continually monitored for safety by Al Brock, Joe Bradshaw, Earle Darby and Woodrow Hix. If you set a machine that you are not completely confident with location, presentation, safety and within above guidelines; have it checked by one of the above persons.

If you run across an empty trap that you want to shoot, reload it. Sooner or later everyone who wants to shoot sporting clays will end up doing some target replenishing. (That's a hint folks! )

Simply Satisfying ........

Five Stand

Finished and ready to go. The machines are left “ON” so all you have to do is open the control center and start pushing buttons 1 thru 7. The tower is number one and from there it proceeds clockwise up the left side, across the road in the front and down the right side to trap #7. RELOAD MACHINES WHEN FINISHED. Targets are in the storage shed by the tower. WHEN ALL SHOOTERS ARE AT THEIR STATIONS, SHOW ONE BIRD FROM EACH TRAP, NO MORE. Please keep the costs down. No club shoots cheaper than we do. Let's keep it that way. Thank you.

Rick Jones

Shoot Coordinator