(Match Report by Tyler Patner)
After a long night of rain, the woods course at the Twin Oaks Air Rifle Range was wet and muddy. Even with the new wood chip walkway to the course, the course itself was quite tough to traverse in many spots due to standing water. With temps in the mid 60s, and overcast skies, the course was cool and dark.
We had 24 shooters brave the mud and take on the tough course. With a Troyer of 32, and 15 targets over 40 yards, the course was very tricky. With a subtle wind coming through the lanes towards the end of the day, and the darkness making ranging harder than normal, the course shot more like a 34T. Shooters at both power levels definitely made note of the tricky winds that seemed to be invisible to us all as many commented that they had a few shots that took turns out of nowhere. And with many targets on the long side, it definitely made you pay close attention to each shot.
Despite the conditions, most shooters seemed to enjoy themselves, and thankfully, everyone made it out relatively clean. As scores came in, it was clear that there was a lot of competition in the Hunter PCP division. With Tom and Dennis Himes in attendance, Jeff Little shooting on form, and Bill Rabbitt making a return to Hunter with his new Thomas rifle, scores were sure to be tight. They did not disappoint, as Dennis turned in an impressive 53, edged out by Bill with a 54. Not to be outdone, Jeff shot a 55. But sure enough Tom dominated the course with a 57/60, for the overall high score for the day.
In Hunter Piston, Eric Jones and his Diana 54 turned in a solid 31 to take top honors in the class. Keith Walters continues his winning ways in Open PCP, posting a 50. And Tyler Patner delivered a 52, coming in just one point ahead of Jeff Paddock.
Sandwiches, mac n’ cheese and green beans were on hand for lunch at the conclusion of the match thanks to Kristen Coss. As we left the course, the sun started to peak out and it turned out to be a really beautiful afternoon. After the awards were handed out, the course was torn down with plenty of help. A big thank you to all who stuck around and assisted with that. And thanks to everyone who came out and shot this match, we know the weather forecast was iffy and the course itself was in less than desirable condition, but the shooting and camaraderie were great! We appreciate the support and look forward to our next match, which is scheduled for July 21st. For those attending the Crosman match at the end of the month, good luck and shoot straight!
