Project Appleseed

Another outstanding Winterseed weekend in the White Mountains is in the books. Cool mountain air, light flurries drifting through the trees, shooting mats on the ground, rifles in hand, and rounds downrange made for classic New England winter conditions and the perfect backdrop for teaching Rifleman marksmanship and sharing the stories of our American heritage.

Despite steady snowfall throughout much of Saturday, the event ran smoothly and on schedule. The weather added challenge without detracting from safety or instruction, and students stayed engaged and motivated throughout the weekend. Sunday brought continued cold temperatures with improved visibility, allowing us to complete the full course of fire as planned.

Safety was emphasized from the outset and remained the top priority throughout the event. The line was well managed, and students were attentive and receptive to coaching throughout the weekend.

Six instructors were on hand to share their experience, tell the stories of American heritage, and provide individualized marksmanship instruction on the line. Brent kicked things off with the First Strike, followed by Matt with the Second Strike, and Milo brought it home with the Third Strike, all delivered on Saturday. As snow accumulated on shooting mats and conditions became more demanding, students persevered and stayed focused on the task at hand, doing exactly what they came to do.

Students arrived with a wide range of experience and equipment, and all made noticeable progress over the course of the weekend. Instruction focused on the fundamentals—steady position, natural point of aim, sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control—and their application during the course of fire. Questions were thoughtful, coaching was well received, and many students left with plenty of "homework," which is always a good sign.

Marksmanship results reflected the hard work put in on the line. Three shooters successfully requalified as Riflemen with scores of 223, 218, and 227. One of those shooters was particularly well dialed in and actively chasing a 250, finishing the weekend with an impressive 243, well within striking distance.

A sincere thank-you to Alder Brook Sportsman's Association for hosting Project Appleseed once again, and to the club leadership for their continued support. Thank you as well to the instructors and volunteers who braved true Winterseed conditions to make the weekend a success.

We look forward to returning to Alder Brook for future events later this year and continuing a strong partnership with the club. Photos from the event will be added to this thread as they are sorted.

  You folks have my respect. Getting in position with Carhart's on with layers underneath takes a little bit of doing...

  Greetings from Southeastern Lower Michigan.