RELOAD!

MARCH 2003 NEWSLETTER
© Bruce Buck, editor

CTSCA 16th Annual Meeting
East Mountain
February 16, 2003

By Lans Christensen

Our ship of state needed an ice-breaker to get into port for the
annual meeting. Bitter cold greeted the sixty Travelers attending, but
East Mountain’s fireplace and stove were well stoked and chills were
soon easing. As an added bonus, Chef Mark prepared a pre-meeting
breakfast of pancakes, syrup, and sausage. Enron and some dot/coms
might still be standing if they had started their annual meetings with
one of Mark’s breakfasts.

At 9:15 Al called the meeting to order. Showing consideration for all,
the meeting was declared “smoke free”…but cigars were later passed out
to reward those that put off their puff.

In his introductory comments, Al identified the Travelers as the
oldest and largest sporting clays club in the country and graciously
accepted the title of “Benevolent Dictatorship” as defining our system
of government. The board of directors was introduced: Al Anglace,
pres., Don Brenton, secy/treas., Cyndi Dalena, membership, John
Lawlor, Bill Drake, and Lans Christensen.

New members were introduced by their sponsors and were heartily
welcomed. We have opened the doors to 50 new members for 2003, and if
this sounds like a large increase, it should be noted that we had 30
non-renewing individuals.

The minutes of the 2002 meeting were accepted and approved and the
Treasurer’s report delivered. In keeping with our non-profit status we
“spent it all” and start the new year with a clean sheet. The beauty
of the system is apparent again.

In his president’s report, Al remembered our friends Vic D’Avanzo and
Bill Fucini who passed away during the year. He re-enforced our
position as a social club first and foremost, and cited our spring and
fall trips and rapport with the Georgia Social Shooting Club as great
examples of this successful format. Cyndi Dalena and John Lawlor were
again recognized for their enormous contributions and congratulated on
both having been named “shooting sportsmen of the year”.

The relation with the NSCA was again mentioned, and the situation is
basically unchanged, though Al feels that with a new Director in place
at the NSCA, dialogue may be more productive in the future. As
mentioned in a previous Reload, the NSCA has embraced our scoring
system. Al closed with his “wish list” for 2003: Please fill out your
shoot registrations properly! Register early! Check your name off the
list as soon as you arrive! ..and please make a day of it if you can.
Stay and cheer the folks who had a good day. You sure would want
everyone there to cheer you when it was your day!

Committee reports followed:

Membership: We now have 680 members, if you include shooting family
members, though it was emphasized that fully one-half of our
membership did not participate in a single event in 2002. The average
attendance at our 2002 shoots was 109, and the overall annual average
score was 64 (up from last year, and reflecting the re-defining of
“traveler tough” targets.) We have more women as members than ever,
but a decline in the junior ranks.

Spring Trip: Al read the itinerary. All pertinent info is in this
issue of "Reload!".

Fall Trip: Same format as spring trip with Bethlehem, PA as the base.

Courting Clays: East Mountain on May 4. Every effort will be made to
increase attendance at this very popular event. It is a day for the
ladies and new shooters with great emphasis on fun.

Video Library: George Parsons named as new chairman, with assistance
from Joe Sproviero. This valuable program will be brought back to
life.

Old Business: Clinics were again discussed, with the usual problems
regarding scheduling difficulties. The mentor program is very much in
place. New shooters have only to request squadding with one of our
mentors.

New Business: Club FITASC championship is currently in limbo, but with
efforts being made to make this event a reality. Questions were raised
regarding Tamarack Preserve’s new policy of non-toxic shot and
bio-degradable wads and what ammo would be available. This is up in
the air at this point, but members will be informed as the questions
are answered.

Nominating Committee: Surprise!! The standing board was renominated
and re-elected.

Al then declared the meeting an open forum, and invited any and all
comments, suggestions, and even criticisms. Interestingly, the
comments reflected broader concerns about our sport and less about the
nuts and bolts of the Travelers organization. The question was posed,
“ where do we see the club in 5 years?” Our increased membership has
caused concern about overbooked shoots etc. Al has given this
potential problem much careful consideration and feels that the sport
as a whole has reached a ceiling in terms of new participants. This is
substantiated by a leveling off in NSCA membership. The decline in
junior shooters was discussed as well, and Al elaborated on our
policies to help all junior shooters. We really do everything in our
power to make it possible for juniors to shoot. The reasons that they
don’t may well have broader social issues at the core, such as the
increase in single-parent families, emphasis on team/school sports,
and always, the national sentiment regarding firearms. As far as the
club in 5 years-Better Than Ever!

We adjourned at 11:30, enjoyed Tortellini, and did what we do
best…enjoy a round of (the coldest ever) sporting clays.

TRAVELERS SCORING SYSTEM IS PROVEN TO CATCH ERRORS

Last month I mentioned that the Travelers’ method of entering scores
has received attention from the NSCA. With our method it’s much easier
to catch errors than when you just use “X” and “0”.

So , ahem, er, ah, I “tested” you by using a scoring example with an
error in it:

“A typical Travelers station scoring might look like this: 1, 2, -, 3,
-, 5 followed by 5 // 43, with the 5 for the station total and a 43 or
what ever for the cumulative score to that point.”

And it worked! Yessirree. The scoring system was so good that the
error was easy to spot. My email was soon flooded with “Hey, Bruce,
can’t you add!” and other even more pointed comments. Of course, they
are right. I can’t add, but that’s for another day.

Now you see to what lengths I will go in espousing the correctitude
and utter infallibility of Travelerisms.

MISS MANNERS ON PROPER DRESS...

After clothing has kept us warm and fulfilled the legal requirement of
hiding the body parts everyone knows we have anyway, there remains its
modern function of decor. While most of us could happily shoot
sporting clays in a pair of boots and a loincloth, we choose not to.
Some of us swaddle ourselves cap-à-pie in garments of Sherwood green,
pickle green, cheese rind green or old sneaker green. Green is good.
Others take the more capitalistic approach by wearing brightly
variegated garments prominently touting the merits of this or that
cartridge company, landscaper or diaper service. Capitalism is good.
Many even soar into the fashion stratosphere by donning a Travelers
cap. Class is good.

Miss Manners feels that the rules of proper dress for sporting clays
are extremely flexible. Both the English Country Squire guise and the
Hardened International Competitor look are completely in keeping with
the sport depending on where you are. The more serious the
competition, the better the H.I.C. look. The more serious the
luncheon, the better the E.C.S. costume.

Only when approaching the lower limits of decorum, does Miss Manners
stamp down her pointy petite size six shoe- (the one with the
retractable spike). Once, at a shoot far, far away from the haute
couture of genteel New England, Miss Manners encountered a competitor
in cut off trousers, torn tee shirt proclaiming that a particularly
basic bodily function "happens", and no shoes to cover some of the
dirtiest feet this side of a Bulgarian winery. Miss Manners plotzed.
To this day she is haunted by that vision of sartorial Hell.

Fortunately, the Travelers have more consideration for their fellow
man and are to be commended on their tasteful deportment. They know
that there is nothing wrong with shooting well and looking the part.
Miss Manners says "Well done" to the Travelers fashion elite and she
is anxious to see the coming spring styles.

Internet readers please note: The Connecticut Travelers Spring Trip is
open only to Travelers and their guests.

SPRING TRIP~ April 11, 12, 13 The Connecticut Travelers Spring Trip
is one of the best events we put on each year. We meet the members of
the Georgia Social Shooting Club for our North/South Skirmish. Unlike
the old days, both sides win. This year the dates are April 11, 12 and
13. You can join us for all or part of the trip as you wish. Here’s
the itinerary:

Friday, April 11, 1:00 PM, sporting clays at Pintail Point
(www.pintailpoint.com), 511 Pintail Point Lane, Queenstown, MD, tel:
410-827-7029, Directions: At the Route 50/Route 301 split, stay on
Route 50E. About 3 miles from that, look for a sign that reads “Aspen
Institute, Next Right.” Turn right on Carmichael Road. 1.5 miles on
the right is the entrance.

Friday, April 11, 7:00 PM, dinner at Harris’s Crab House, 433 Northway
Kent Narrows Grasonville, MD. Dinner Buffet including: Top Round of
Beef, Crab Imperial, Salad, Potato, Vegetable, Coffee, Iced Tea, Soda
and Dessert. Cash bar available. Cost: $28.50 per person. All
reservations must be made and paid for in advance.

Saturday, April 12, 9:30 AM, sporting clays at Owen’s Station Sporting
Clays, 12613 Hunter’s Cove Road, Greenwood, DE 19950, tel:
302-349-4334. This is a new place on our itinerary. The Georgia crowd
shot their last year and loved it. Directions will be provided on
Friday or email scoutsrents@hotmail.com in advance.

Saturday, April 12, 1:30 PM, sporting clays at Chesapeake Clays, 16090
Route 312, Bridgetown, MD 21640, tel: 410-752-1824. Under new
ownership! Lunch will be available for $6.95 ­ soup/sandwich/beverage.

Saturday, April 12, 7:00 PM, Cocktail Party (thrown by the CTSCA) &
Dinner at the Fisherman’s Warf Inn, across the street from the Comfort
Inn, Kent Narrows. Choice of: Prime Rib or Crab Cakes, Stuffed
Potato and Vegetable, coffee, tea or soda and dessert. Cash bar
available. Cost: $28.00 per person. All reservations must be made and
paid for in advance.

Sunday, April 13, 9:30 AM, sporting clays at J&P Hunting Lodge, 1105
Benton Corner Road, Sudlersville, MD 21668, tel: 410-438-3832. Lunch
will be available at their snack bar after you shoot!

You will pay for your own hotel and your shooting as you go, but
dinners must be pre-paid. If you plan to come, please contact Danni
Jesudowich by March 30 so that she can tell the ranges what to expect.
Dinner reservations must, must, MUST be prepaid and received by Danni
by March 30. Use the coupon below.

Hotel Information: Please make your own hotel reservations. Twenty
rooms have been reserved for CT Travelers at the Comfort Inn at Kent
Narrows, 3101 Main St., Grasonville, MD 21638, tel: 410-827-6767.
Please make sure that you tell the reservation clerk that you want a
Connecticut Traveler’s room. Rates are: $78.00 for two Double beds,
$83.00 for a King bed for you monarchs of the mattress. Tax in
Maryland is 8%. The block of rooms is being held until March 17. If
you don’t make your reservations by that date, you are not guaranteed
the rate or the room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spring Trip North~South Skirmish 2003 Dinner Reservations

Dinner reservation payment MUST BE RECEIVED no later than March 30th.
Sorry, no exceptions. Please make checks payable to: CTSCA

Send to:

Danni Jesudowich

240 Landing Drive
Brewster, MA 02631
tel: 508-896-9655
email: scoutsrents@hotmail.com)

Name(s):________________________________________________________________

Friday night Buffet $28.50 ____________ will be attending.

Saturday night Dinner & Cocktails $28.00 _________________ will be attending.

________________Prime Rib ______________________Crab Cakes





For Sale: GERMAN WIREHAIR POINTER, puppy three months old, female,
brown and white, excellent hunting lines. Beautiful dog. Low mileage.
First $950 takes her. Contact John Marwell, email: gmarwell@aol.com,
tel: 203-862-4002.


*NOTE: Reload! accepts both Wanted and For Sale notices. There is no
fee for placing an ad. Ads are run solely as a service to our members.
It is the responsibility of the buyer and seller to see that all
relevant laws are obeyed. Advertised items must be related to
sporting clays.



TECHNOIDAL TRUISM #34

Did you know… Naw. Skip it. You already knew that.



**** THE UPCOMING TRAVELERS MONTHLY SHOOT ****

2003 SHOOTING CALENDAR

MAR 16 MID HUDSON TRAP & SKEET, NY-MARCH MADNESS
APR 11~13 SPRING TRIP TO MARYLAND, MD-NORTH SOUTH SKIRMISH
APR 27 OLD NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT-TAX TIME REVOLT
MAY 4 EAST MOUNTAIN, NY-COURTING CLAYS
MAY 18 TAMARACK PRESERVE, NY-MAY MINUET
JUN * TAMARACK, NY-NAT’L WILD TURKEY FED CONCURRENT SHOOT
JUL 20 SANDANONA/ORVIS, NY-SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME
AUG 8~10 ADDIEVILLE EAST, RI-GREAT EASTERN LOBSTER CLASSIC
SEP 14 FAIRFIELD COUNTY F&G, CT-SMALL GAUGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
OCT 3~5 PENNSYLVANIA -FALL TRIP
OCT 19 MILLBROOK ROD & GUN, NY- OKTOBERSCHUTZENFEST
NOV 16 EAST MOUNTAIN, NY-CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOV * EAST MOUNTAIN, NY-KOEHLER SOC. FUNDRAISER THREE SHOT
DEC 14 MID-COUNTY, NY-DICK LOSEE MEMORIAL CHRISTMAS PARTY
* An asterisk indicates a date still to be determined

*** OTHER SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

MAR 22 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) NEW ENGLAND THREE SHOT CH
APR 11~13 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) SPRING FITASC CH
APR 18 NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT (860-738-3619) GOOD FRIDAY OPEN
APR 20 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) OPEN SC CHAMPIONSHIP
JUN 22 NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT (860-738-3619) THREE SHOT SHOOT OUT
JUL 9~13 CLAYTHORNE, KS (620-597-2568) FITASC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
JUL 25-27 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) NEW ENGLAND FITASC CH
AUG 3 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) OPEN SC CHAMPIONSHIP
SEP 6 NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT (860-738-3619) SPORTING CLAYS CLASSIC
SEP 9~14 NATIONAL GUNCLUB, TX (800- 877-5338) NSCA NATIONALS
NOV 2 NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT (860-738-3619) THREE SHOT SHOOT OUT
NOV 7~9 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) FALL FITASC CH
DEC 7 NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT (860-738-3619) CHRISTMAS AT THE COON



CONTACTING THE TRAVELERS...

CTSCA Home Office: Email <CTSCA@email.com> (by far the best way) or
telephone 860-354-9351 if you absolutely must.

Membership, Address Changes and Shooting Class status: Contact Cyndi
Dalena at 860-582-3142 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Leave message.
Or Email shotguncyndi@prodigy.net

Guide Book questions, contact Dick Orenstein preferably by email at
<oren@umich.edu> or call if you must 203-226-5251.

To place an ad, post a shoot date in Reload! or simply heap abuse on
the editor, contact Bruce Buck at tel: 203-454-1080 (worst way), fax
to 707-215-0668 (adequate way) or email <bcb23@columbia.edu>
(marvelous way, you clever Traveler you!).

The current and previous issues of Reload! are posted on the internet
at <www.ShotgunReport.com>. You will also find megs and megs of other
useless Technoidal drivel there. Great literature never dies. It just
sort of lurks around.





**** THE UPCOMING TRAVELERS MONTHLY SHOOT ****


SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2003
MARCH MADNESS SHOOT
MID-HUDSON GUN CLUB
NEW PALTZ, NY

You have all heard the phrase "mad as a March hare". Well, it is
March, we are dealing with some rabbits and besides, a little
eccentricity is good for the soul. As Montaigne essayed four hundred
years ago- "A man must be a little mad if he does not want to be even
more stupid." The Frenchman poses a Hobson's choice if ever there
was one.

Mad or not, March is always an interesting time to hold a shoot.
Those of you who have become bored shooting hundred straights may rest
assured that Mid-Hudson’s Mike Maglio will keep you entertained. If
you don’t think so, you satisfy both of Monsieur Montaigne's
requirements.

The cost is $70 and will include continental breakfast, challenging
targets, sumptuous lunch and the usual lavish prizes from Tiffany,
Cartier and Wal-Mart. Suchadeal! Naturally, you have to get your
prepaid reservation in to the home office no later than Thursday,
March 13. Same with cancellations. No-show’s entry fees are donated
to our children’s charity. GUESTS ARE WELCOME AT THIS SHOOT.

For those so inclined, our usual Connecticut Travelers subgauge
handicaps will apply. 12 ga = 0, 16 ga = 3, 20 ga = 5, 28 ga = 10, 410
bore = 20, pump or SxS gets an additional 5. So, if you shoot a 410
pump, you’ll get 25 birds. In the March wind and chill, that may be
all you get with the idiot stick. The Technoid reminds us that March
shooting in the NorthEast is the time for big guns, big shells, big
pellets and small egos.

Directions to Mid-Hudson Trap and Skeet Club, New Paltz, NY: Take the
New York State Thruway to Exit 18 “New Paltz”. After the tollbooth go
100 yards to the traffic light on Rte 299. Turn Right onto Rte 299.
Go about _ mile on Rte 299 to the next traffic light. Turn Left at
that traffic light onto N. Ohioville Road. Go 2.7 miles on N.
Ohioville Road to the Mid-Hudson club entrance on your left. If lost,
strayed or stolen call the club at 845-255-7460.

NOTE: EYE AND EAR PROTECTION IS MANDATORY AT ALL TRAVELERS’ SHOOTS!