It's the Tri-State time of year....anyone remember?

Once upon a time, there was a shoot called the Tri-State.

It was back when the handicap system worked. It was the great calcutta. There were two banks. Worse and just as bad.

I do not remember the name of the club, but it was within an old stripper cut in on the edge of Steubenville, OH, and just across the river from WV. Closest village was Wintersville.

You could have bought a nice house if you played the options and bought yourself. Three days of gambling, partying, and shooting. And then it was gone......

Am I the only person that misses that place?

 

The club was the Jefferson Sportsman Club. I remember it had 6 traps and we shot a westy hogans style. I remember being there in 1975 for the first time and shooting not very well. The traps set in the side of an old strip mine and the background was bad, the targets were bad and the money was great if you hit it. The shoot was on labor day weekend. The singles were 150 not 200 because of the 6 traps. They had too many shooters to shoot a 200 birder.

I did poorly that first year but better in the years after. One of the things I remember is playing roulett with the Jefferson County Sheriff standing beside me and betting away, the first trap was right in front of the club house and the 27 yard line was up against a cement porch and the people on it could reach in and take your shells right out of your bag you were so close.

I also remember the club ladies cooking and the great pies they made. Oh yea they gave away gold coin trophies too. I'm sure I'll think of other things later. Lots of beer, lots of gambling, lots of money, LOTS of fun.

 

"Oh yea they gave away gold coin trophies too"

Late 70's, Gold Peso's in Silver buckles for doubles. We broke 98's, shoot off with fellow member, and best man at my wedding, Shamus, for winner and runner up. I missed 3, which was 2 too many. I gave my RU buckle to my Grandson.

We all remember the good scores. Most of us can tell you which targets we missed in shoot offs. The thing I remember most about that day was the way it started.

I didn't think we were going to shoot doubles, just the caps so I only brought the TM1, and left the 3200 at home. When I got there, he had his 3200 in his hand. WTH?
No cell phones so he could tell me he decided to shoot the dubs. He said, no problem, we can get you a gun.

Shamus got a guy from back home to loan me his 3200
Didn't have enough shells with me.
Shamus got a different guy to give me some reloads.
Didn't bring enough money
Shamus loaned me the money
Then I tied him with the 98.
Showed up with no gun, no shells, not enough money.
Probably karma that I lost the shoot off.