AAR: Bonfield, IL April 9-10

[Wurstmacher]

Rain and lightning accompanied us on the predawn drive north to the Illinois State Rifle Association Range near Bonfield, Illinois Saturday morning.  Sprinkles continued while we set up the target line and had a preshoot Instructor's meeting.  By 9 o'clock the rain had stopped and 13 Appleseeders were being greeted by Gumballhead, who was doing his third SBIT event.

At the end of the day on Saturday, we were able to squeeze in an AQT.  The result?  Two new Riflemen!!!  Low hanging fruit.  They were both Appleseed veterans, who persisted and persevered.  Way to go Kenneth and Graham! 

Kenneth Miller (Tornado245 on the forum) expressed an interest in taking an Orange Hat.  Having attended five Appleseeds, some with his wife and children, shot a Rifleman's score on Saturday, and received the coveted Patch, he was ready to make the commitment.  On Sunday afternoon, Garand 69 , our State Coordinator and Pappy, our Promotions Coordinator showed up, so I grabbed them and Kenneth and we had a little meeting.  After getting to know Garand 69, Kenneth was still interested in the Orange Hat.  Welcome, Kenneth!!  The Orange Hat looks good on you. 

I may be missing someone, but I believe that makes 4 Shoot Bosses and 6 Orange Hats that reside in Champaign County, IL!

Having worked with Gumballhead before, I was pretty confident in his abilities.  So, for his third SBIT shoot, I told him that I would plan on taking an advisory or janitorial role as needed.  We completed the administrative training early Sunday morning, he ran a good shoot, so he was awarded the Green Hat just before he did Benediction on Sunday afternoon.

Two Rifleman, one Orange Hat, one Green Hat and three Rifleman Opportunity Cards issued.  Wow, what a shoot 

Pictures to follow.  Please feel free to chime in with your experiences from this weekend.

[AuntieBellum]

Another great Appleseed!  Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to border raid!  I always enjoy checking out new venues and working with instructors I haven't worked with before.  The great thing about border raiding is that I get to confirm that there are good, true Americans all across this country.  Doesn't matter which state I go to, Appleseed tends to bring out the best and it shows - everyone was attentive to all that was being taught, and everyone was happy to be there.  There were great attitudes on the line this weekend, and I certainly looking forward to meeting you all again at another Appleseed.  Tornado245, know that you're always welcome to border raid my direction, as are the rest of you.  Sorry I missed Sunday, but I look forward to seeing all of the pictures!

And congratulations to our new Riflemen, our new IIT, and our new Shoot Boss - and congratulations to all of you who persevered and worked hard throughout the weekend.  I know those red coats on Saturday afternoon proved you all learned something, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.   

[Kenobi_fan]

Thanks to all the instructors and everyone who made this event happen.  It was a great weekend.  And best of all I shot RIFLEMAN!
Thanks,
Graham

[Gumballhead]

Wow!  This is a shoot I will never forget for so many reasons.  This was the first shoot where I was driving the bus, we had such excellent students, and the instructors were top notch!    I once heard someone say the job gets easier as you progress up the ladder of Appleseed.  While I'm not sure that's true for me yet (running a shoot is HARD work), I can see how that impression is given.  When you have a staff of quality instructors, the work of a shoot boss is made easier.  I did not have to worry about the quality of instruction, or the impact of the history given.

What a new experience this was...and a rewarding one at that.  I want to thank our shooters again, without whom; I would not have had such a good time.  As I said before, YOU are the reason I do this every weekend.  Thank you for getting off the couch, and learning some new skills, and hopefully a new perspective on our heritage.  I hope you all took back a new perspective on the roles we play in our communities and that you remember the sacrifices and choices made 236 years ago by those brave men and women.

On to the shoot!  As mentioned, the starts of the day Saturday looked to be a bit on the wet side, but shortly after the opening welcomes and introductions were made, the sun out, and dried us out.  We learned there would be 4 questions we could answer by the end of the weekend, and soon we were off and running with our first set of redcoats in no time.  I did my best to control the fire hose of Appleseed, and soon we were sending down ever decreasing group sizes.  Before I knew it time for lunch, and the tale of Paul Revere, and his little known ride.     After lunch, we worked in pairs carding sights, in search of our NPOA, and before I knew it, time for 1st strike!  AuntieBellum gave us a stirring recounting of the events on Lexington Green, and the somber aftermath.  We wrapped the day with seated and standing, then  testing our new found knowledge on an AQT,  Then lo and behold, not one, but TWO riflemen!!!  To make it even better, we were able to present a couple of Luther Blanchard youth patches to our younger shooters.  Billy and Jon, I'm glad you came out to shoot with us, and I hope this is something you want to come do again.  Great job sticking through the weekend, and I saw a lot of improvement on your shooting!  Good way to end day one.
   

Sunday, we saw almost everyone return to the line, after a good night's rest, and some much needed Advil, we got things off to an enthusiastic start.  Our 1st recoats fared much worse than their predecessors the morning before.  We were forging some riflemen for sure!  Quickly moving to ball and dummy, we improved our steady hold factors, and watched each other for any minor mistakes.  We broke for lunch and the events of Concord.  Renewed with energy after hearing of the events at the North Bridge and the fate of Isaac Davis, we posted up AQT's, and began the grind.  After a few AQT's, 2clicks Low enthralled us with stories of some Dangerous Old Men, and we enthusiastically got back to the line to post some more AQT's.  We have many sharp shooters and marksmen in our midst.  Several people knocking hard on the door of rifleman.  Unfortunately the day was winding to a close, and we took a vote.  After all, this is a democracy, right?    We voted for a fun team, shoot.  With as many rounds as possible, our two teams attacked their targets with gusto.  A shot 90 seconds later, we had two targets with many, many holes in them!  Upon closer inspection, and a quick group vote, we determined team 2 shot our more of their star.  Way to go!!

As we gathered for the third strike of the match, we listened to Wurstmacher described the arduous march home, all 18 miles back to Boston, that the regulars endured.   We heard of Parker's Revenge, and the effectiveness of the marksmanship our colonial forefathers possessed.  Now we had come full circle.  Understanding the role marksmanship had in the founding of our country.  We could now answer the 4 questions posed to the group on Saturday.  We knew when the Revolutionary War started, we could answer who fired the shot heard around the world, we knew what made the most well trained army of the time turn tail and flee, and most importantly, when the American Revolution Ended.

I was sure sad to see it end, but one of the benefits of Appleseed is before you know it, you'll be back at another one.  Thank you again to all of our great students, fellow instructors, and also to ISRA for letting us hold such an important event.

Until I see you again, take care!

[Tornado]

This was a great shoot!  It was my 5th Appleseed (Ottawa, Waterman 300, Clinton, Danville).  The instructors were great.  The history was excellent. 

I started out missing every redcoat.  Made an adjustment with my sites and shot 4 MOA (center square).  Something I couldn't even begin to do a year ago until Appleseed instructors taught me the skills.  The instructors (Wurstmacher, Gumballhead, Antiebellum, 2 cl low, Stonn(?)) really gave me some great tips and boosted my confidence.  It felt great to shoot Rifleman! Having Pappy (first Shoot Boss-Ottawa) & Gumballhead (Instructor at first shoot) there was really rewarding and made it even better.  Congratulations Gumballhead on the Green Hat!  Can't thank you all enough.  I'm humbled to have the Orange Hat.  Can't wait to get going.  Wish my family had been there but there are more Rifleman in our future.

It was great to meet Garand 69 & little Garand  .  Special thanks to Pappy for the instruction & support.  I met a lot of good people at the shoot.  Hope to see all of you again soon.

Thanks again for a great time and a great shoot.
   
     Ken

[Wurstmacher]

First of several pictures from Bonfield.

1. Aaron, our most colorful shooter of the weekend.
2. A.R. our Designated Dummy
3-4. Father and Daughter Team Bob and Becca Day 1 and Day 2

[Wurstmacher]

More Pictures:

1. Father and Son Team Glen and Billy
2. Focus on that front sight, George
3. Tornado245 carding Sights
4. Standing room only!

[Wurstmacher]

More Pictures:

1. 40 rounds of .22 ammo-$2
    5 appleseeds-$350
    218 on the AQT-Priceless

2. Rifleman-So easy a lefty can do it!
3. Stonn wowwing the crowd with IMC
4. Billy and Jon, is there also a Rifleman's Patch in your future?

[Wurstmacher]

Final Photos

1. Gumballhead's first Benediction as a Green Hat.

2. You know what we do to Interlopers?     

[2 clicks low]

 Perfect Seed.

What can I say, we had the best students, eager to learn and advancing at light speed. On the "read coat scale" an improvement of 300%. WOW!

AND 2 NEW RIFLEMEN! Kenobi_Fan, you did great. Tornado245 knew you were there with the first squares. Took the hat too.

GBH, congrats. You can be my SB anytime. Worstmacher thanks for the instruction, always proud to learn from the best. Auntie love your strike and enthusiasm. Always great working with you. Stonn, I have much to learn from your "geterdone" attitude.

The only downside was the wind Sunday afternoon.  It kept blowing mats down range. Even ones with rifles on it. Gonna add a bunch of stakes to my shoot box.

Thanks all

2cl

[Garand69]

On Sunday afternoon, Garand 69 , our State Coordinator and Pappy, our Promotions Coordinator showed up, so I grabbed them and Kenneth and we had a little meeting.  After getting to know Garand 69, Kenneth was still interested in the Orange Hat.  Welcome, Kenneth!! 

Why I Outta   

Great shoot Team Wurstmacher/Gumballhead 

You have it cold Gumby Thanks for stepping upin... to SB!!!

Congrats go out to the Latest Rifleman Forged in Illinois!!!!!! Great job Shooters 

Then there is that new Orange Hat WELCOME ABOARD!!!! You have not only been to 5 Appleseeds and acheived Rifleman..... You managed to camp out at ISRA with Pappy and I pretending to snore all night (it's that initiation stuff ya know ) 

see you all on the Trail Soon

[TheEditor]

Congratulations and Welcome Aboard to Tornado 245.  I saw your persistance at Danville, and I had no doubt at all that you would make it.  I was pretty confident you would take an Orange Hat as well.  Way to go!

Congrats, also, to our other new Rifleman and to Gumballhead on SB status.  Now if we can just find more shoots to keep all these SB's busy...

TE

[EEL]

Wurstmacher,
In spite of talking with G69 and Pappy he STILL took the hat??      

Sounds like another great shoot at ISRA.  Congratulations to all.

EEL

[Pappy]

Hello Group; The ISRA shoot was in full bloom by the time I arrived, had not signed up to work the shoot just came to be with the crew and shoot the High Power Match on Sunday with the G Man and Wet foot on another part of the ISRA ranges... It was great to see returning shooters and some new faces... Spent some time talking targets with a few shooters. Advise a sight adjustment or twotree..
A well run shoot with enough time for a AQT    on Saturday, seems like it payed off well
Congrats to Tornado 245- Ken, on the Riflemans score and stepping up to take the Orange hat.  I like the way you wear that hat. 
Congrats to Kenobi_fan- Graham on shooting a Riflemans score...
The List of Illinois Riflemen grows longer and Team Illinois grows richer in the spirit of the Rifleman.

Gumby
It is hard to express in words the feeling when you put on your new hat.. Well done Sir...

Pappy

[Stonn]

It was a great weekend with two new riflemen, a new orange hat and a new shoot boss.

Here are some photos of the weekend.
1. and 2. Carding the sights.
3. Ball and dummy.
4. Taking out squares.

[Stonn]

Another batch.

1. Sunday afternoon's firing line.
2. Tornado245 (Ken) taking the orange hat from Gumballhead.
3. Gumballhead taking the green hat from Wurstmacher.
4. Gumballhead showing off the new hat with Pappy, Garand69, and Wurstmacher.