Muster 2006 short report

[Kayleen]

Hey folks,
  Muster 2006 is not going well, no one having fun, everyone complaining, targets to small, tagets to large, to far away, to close, food is bad, creek is high, it raining and just not nice here.
GOTTCHA,
   Actually, the weather is cooperating very nicely, cool in the mornng, beautiful in the afternoon, and great siting around a campfire at night.
  Side matches have been fun and everyone is enjoying themself. From shooting rattle snakes to riding on the riverboat to shooting a buffalo and quail in the timber, everyone has been kept busy and doing lots of shooting. I even tried the egg shoot and it went over very well. What a hoot.
  We miss those of you that could not make it and with over 90 doorprizes to be given away tomarrow evening, well the story speaks for itself.
Hopefully we will get to see you next year.

Kayleen

[Pony Racer]

Kayleen sounds great.

I was able to convince boss to let me take the missus to the mountains for a 2 night stay over but only 2-1/2 hours from DC by car.

The whole Korean thing could chnage my plans over the next few monthss - so we'll see what happens.

Keeping my fingers crossed, and glad ya'll are wooping it up!!

[Lou Graham]

Say "Howdy!" to everybody I know and I hope you are all having a great time.  I'm looking forward to a full report and some pictures.

[Bristow Kid]

I have just returned home from the Muster.  Let me tell y'all you missed a very very great event.  This was my first Muster and will definately NOT be my last.  You GAf boys and girls are a hoot to shoot with.  I was sorry that more of you couldn't attend.  Atleast till the door prizes were given out that is.   Just kidding y'all were missed.  There were some great sponsers and lots of fabulous door prizes.   I would Like to send a big thanks to Kayleen and Steve Prairie Fire is an excellent range.  Thanks to Major Matt for being posse marshall and comic relief.  Thanks to Gripmaker for sponsering the banquet and for being an all around great guy.   Thanks to Ol' Gabe for all the hard work you did this weekend.  And to all that I shot with I look forward to someday shooting with y'all again. Y'all were great people and the friendliest bunch I have met in a long time.  I hope everyone had a safe trip home.

Bristow Kid

[Kayleen]

This message is for everyone, however O'Gabe particularly for you.
We awarded you the "Spirit of the Game", you have my sincerest thanks for all the help and great job of scoring for us.
Heaps of Thanks for that and also sponsoring mid-long range and Buffallo hunt.
THANK-YOU from all of us.
Kayleen

[Major Matt Lewis]

Most Importantly,

Thank you to Kayleen and Steve.  I know how much work you and Steve put into it.  And it showed.  This shoot is the high point of my shooting season.  It is an opportunity to see many friends and make new ones.  The course of fire was fun and Challanging.  There were plenty of reloads.  In one way, I am glad that we had a small group of shooters this year.  I had the opportunity to study the topography of the shooting facility.  It is AWESOME!  We have serious opportunity to have some MAXIMUM FUN!  Fun to the point where I think we will reshoot the Civil War next year.  So plan on being in Ackley, IA tenatively on the weekend of September 15th.  The cooking was outstanding.  Kayleen and the Beaver Creek girls run an open air restuarant.  Breakfast Cooked to order.  Things like Pot Roast and Fried Chicken for lunch....

Stay tuned for details but just off the top, we will be able to shoot stages such as Fredricksburg (That's right, clearing the town), With all the hills I have found a place to shoot Little Round Top,  There is also the perfect setting for Burnside's Bridge.  There is also the perfect place to shoot a couple of scenarios from The Wilderness and The Crater.  Not to mention a couple of others.  I will be writing the stages for next year and Steve and Kayleen told me I was Match Directing....    Well, I reckon it's a labor of love.  

Congrats to Sgt Drydock for winning the Plainsman Match*

I will let him talk about the Battle Rifle Demo.  I did shoot my first Plainsman Match.  I REALLY Loved shooting the 1851 Navys.  They are such a sweet shooting pistol.  My try my hand at Frontiersman or Pistoleer sometime.  Of Course they have to go to the Gunsmith first

Anyway, I am VERY Excited!

[Grizzle Bear]

Think you could do Sherman's March to the Sea?

Well, I know all about the cooking at the Widow Barlow's place!

I knew I would regret missing the Muster, but it couldn't be helped. 

Glad everything went well, and all had a good time.

Grizzle Bear

[44caliberkid]

   I attended last years Muster and wanted badly to attend this year.  I was supposed to be a squad leader.  At the last moment, finances dictated I had to work instead.   Because of the great weather we've put up almost 600 acres of beans (working on the last 150 now) and getting ready to start on corn next week.   
   I think the Muster should grow into one of the premier, historic, shoots in the country.  We all need to talk it up and post pics on the various sites we participate in.  A magazine article wouldn't hurt either.
   A big howdy to Lou Graham, great meeting you last year and I'm sure they missed your presence in 2006.

[US Scout]

...I think we will reshoot the Civil War next year.  So plan on being in Ackley, IA tenatively on the weekend of September 15th.  

I have marked it on my calendar already!  I spent most of the weekend thinking how much fun I could have been having instead of visiting the post surgeon for my pre-op physical. 

I'm pleased to hear that even with the small turnout, that the 2006 Grand Muster was a success. 

I would ask Kayleen to send me a list of all those who won in their shooting category, and/or the uniform competiion so that they may be awarded the Star of Merit.

US Scout
GAF, Commanding

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy!

I'm sorry I had to miss the Muster.  Again. 

It's great that y'all had such a wonderful time.


Maybe next year ... 

[Silver Creek Slim]

I had a great time. Great setting and range. Great hosts: Kayleen and Steve. Great "door prizes". Great food. 

Slim

[Frenchie]

All ye who didn't come, eat your hearts out. You missed a fine time, great weather, great folks to hang and shoot with, great food, and me screwing up absolutely everything I tried to do in the Plainsman match - I couldn't have done a better job of messing up if I'd been trying: wrong size caps on the one pistol, forgot to bring caps for my musket to the line, forgot to clear the oil out of the nipple before I loaded it, had to remove the nipple and dribble some powder underneath it... and on and on. I started getting ticked and then I realized what the hey, it was my own fault for not practicing enough and not coming prepared. I chuckled over it all weekend. Next year, oh, yes, next year. My main problem was not knowing what I'd need - I brought lots of stuff I didn't need and not nearly enough of what I did, which confused me (not hard to do in any case) and made me dither and rush. No one laughed out loud, not where I could hear it, anyway. 

That was, by the way, the first time I'd ever fired a projectile from a musket. Dang, I liked it! It beats shooting blanks six ways from Sunday. I may have to join the N-SSA now if only to get in on the discussions. I'm sorry I had to leave early, I wanted everyone to shoot my musket and to try out Sgt. Drydock's Spencer. By next year I'll have my own Spencer and I will be prepared to shoot cap 'n' ball and cartridge guns with the right ammunition and implements.

Traditional reenacting has definitely lost a lot of its remaining luster for me. I've been pretty inactive for a while now, only participating on the forums most of the time. Now it seems even more boring. Actually shooting real lead from these guns at steel plates is a whole new and exciting thing. For that matter, shooting smokeless is going to be boring from now on. But that's getting off the subject.

Many many many thanks to Steve, Madame Kayleen, Kelly (Kellie?) and the ladies who cooked up the great grub and cleaned up after. Tess and I had a wonderful time, we really enjoyed the whole trip for many reasons, and seeing Prairie Fire Range and meeting all the fine folks will always be a terrific memory. We're already planning on doing it again next year and have the lessons learned to make it even better.

[River City John]

Frenchie, I'm going to practice up with my cap 'n' balls this coming year and that plains rifle I have, and I'll plan on being squaded together with you as a Confederate Naval impression, just for the fun of it.
You'll get to see just how badly some other poor fool's luck can be. 
I will also plan on camping primitive on the top of the hill.

September 15th it is, then.
RCJ

[Frenchie]

John, I should be getting my Civil War naval outfit any day now (it was due last month) and we'll be old salts together! We'll use navy slang and no one will know what we're talking about 

[Delmonico]

Who's gonna be the chicken?

[Bristow Kid]

frenchie it was good to meet you and your wife.  I am glad you had a good time even though things went badly for you at first.  You manning of the loading table was greatly appreciated by all.   I look forward to seeing you and your wife again next year.

[Frenchie]

Who's gonna be the chicken?

Har har. 

Major Matt: "Know why sailors get tattoos? So the marines have something to read."
Me: "Marines can read?"

[Frenchie]

Bristow Kid, you ought to know how much you impressed everyone this weekend. You did real good for your first match. Next year I expect to see some serious competition, with you right in the thick of it. Practice, practice, practice!

[Delmonico]

Sorry 'bout that on Frenchie, just couldn't resist, I ran across that one some where doing research on something else.   Guess I'll have to be keel-hauled.

[Dusty Tagalon]

Major Matt; CD with photos sent this AM. Something to think about for next year. Instead of a "Plainsman Sidematch". Integrate the plainsman catagory into the main match.

Dusty