February is here, can you believe it? Beautiful weather for the weekend and both SC and VA held shoots on Saturday. Nothing to speak of for shoots this weekend in NC and I missed that Watauga had a BIG50 the 4th.
Spartanburg had a good turnout Saturday and here is the link to the info - https://shootata.com/Portals/0/pdf/resu ... leName.pdf Brady Cox won the singles, doubles and HOA. Junior Robert Pobiega won the handicap. 41-25-16 stepped to the line for their monthly shoot and that was a good showing for a February day in South Carolina.
I rode 100 miles North to the Brushy Mountain Gun Club Saturday to shoot a few handicap targets. I got there early, and the drive up was great. Brushy Mountain is a really nice club with 3 trap fields, and I believe 5 skeet fields with 5-stand and elaborate sporting clays courses surrounding the property. It was not a big turnout, but everyone had fun and amidst the slight breeze that pushed the targets around. Dennis Fichtner ran the shoot they used two fields for the events. Not sure who won what because I left while the doubles were in progress. Hopefully I will have that info to post next week, and I am planning on heading back up there the 1st Saturday of March for their next shoot. I also managed to purchase 4 bags of HEPERMETAL shot and this is the first time I have found this brand of shot. I got 7.5’s that I was low on to go along with my 8’s and 8.5 stash.
Morgan Shaw reports a good turnout for the Watauga BIG50 and they had good weather for Boone this time of year. Morg is in the process of posting the information on Facebook and I will try to update this info when I get it.
I ran up to the Rockingham Gun Club Thursday to practice and called George Sudderth on my ride up 29 North. We were talking away and he asked me about the death of South Carolina trapshooter Gary Campbell. I had no idea Gary had passed and George informed me that it was posted in the latest Trap & Field. So, I did a little research and found the obit and his picture and posted the info on Facebook. I wrote that I was informed by George that Gary had passed and that was pretty much the end of it. Later that day I read a FB post that the story I had posted had been picked up by another FB poster and somehow listed George Sudderth as the one that had passed away and not Gary Campbell. The post was an apology for posting the information and let’s face it poopoo happens. I have posted things and have gotten emails and calls for corrections. On my way back from VA I called George to confirm that he was in fact living and breathing – Thank the Lord!
On a sad note, I was informed that former News & Record Sports reporter Bodie McDowell passed away and I know for sure there are only a few people alive that remember what he did for the shooting sports back in the day. I will post the reply below that was written by Ben Smith about Bodie. Also, here is the link to his lengthy obituary. https://www.lowefuneralhome.com/obituar ... e-mcdowell
From Ben Smith
Bodie McDowell was an institution in outdoor writing, an early proponent of wildlife conservation, and a very nice guy! My condolences to his family and friends; he will be missed! In addition to hundreds and hundreds of hunting and fishing articles, Bodie faithfully wrote up the majority of our registered trap and skeet shoots at the old Jack King Clay Target Club and the early shoots at the Carolina Clay Target Club, up until he retired. Of course, he covered tournaments at the Grand, Piedmont Gun Club, Pinehurst GC, Tarheel GC, Durham WC, and many more. Sadly, like Bodie, most of the old clubs are but pleasant memories. Rest well, Bodie, and thanks!
That is it for this week folks and hopefully the weather will stay nice this week. I really enjoyed going out to shoot Thursday and Saturday and hope to get out this weekend also. Hello to Scott, Ronnie, Cowboy, Tim, Bobby, Phil, Mac, John, Thea and Anne and until next week……smokem