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RED HAT ENCAMPMENT A SUCCESS

TWO CUSTOM GUNS GIVEN TO HOT SHOTS

About 20 of the faithful showed up October 19, 20, & 21 for the 1990 Red Hat Encampment. A lot of stories were told, a lot of various forms of alcohol consumed and much food was eaten. Many different contests were thought up on the spot by Lizard who was heard to often say "This is my rendezvous and I'll do what I want when I want to.".

The rifle shooting took from 10:30 til 2:30 on Saturday to get through. Lizard had his usual impossible targets, with the new addition of having the targets in the dark and the shooters in the bright light. It seems Digger and Lizard checked the targets several days in a row when it was overcast and they were very easy to see. However dawns the day of the shoot perfectly clear and the sun was in our eyes all day. Often the targets were not much more than a blue blur in the shade. Most of us had so much trouble seeing the targets that some targets were only hit 2 or 3 times total. After the rifle shooting we all took a break and then grabbed the smoothbores and went back for another 5 or 6 shots. We could have shot more, but Lizard was getting tired of hauling his fat body around.

On Sunday we threw Hawk & Knife, Shot Bow and Arrow and had a "special match". Lizard lined us all up on the hill and then slowly backed down the hill. When he was halfway down the hill he announce a 5 token prize for the first person to start a fire with flint and steel.× We all started running for our camps except for Everett Webster and Rodney Ellis. Rodney didn't have any Tinder so he went after Lizard. Lizard was gaining speed running down hill, but it was like watching a Quarter Horse run down down a Longhorn. Rodney caught Lizard in about 20 steps and gave Lizard a push, Lizard was already going as fast as his legs would carry him so he went down. Meanwhile Everett ran past Lizard and started rummaging in Lizards tent for Lizards own Flint and Steel. As Everett said "You didn't say with whose Flint and Steel". By the time Lizard arrived at his own camp Everett had a flame going.

By the end of the contesting the results were: Everett Webster winner of the new custom Smoothbore "Princess Esther" & Jenny Rosemeyer (Jeremiah Jane) Winner of a new 36 Caliber Estes rifle.e

SPECIAL PRIZES

Fred Martin Leather lungs award for out talking Lizard until the sun came up.

Toni Ellis for shooting at her first clay bird ever with a flintlock and powdering it.

Ellen Bryan (Mrs. Lizard) for bringing enough food, pies, and goodies to feed the entire camp.

Lizard for putting on a fine shoot and putting up with all the cheap shit.

Jenny Rosemeyer (Jeremiah Jane) for beating the Editor in Chief in the pistol duel.

NEXT ENCAMPMENT ANNOUNCED

The next Red Hat Encampment will be over Memorial weekend 1991. We are looking for some help on laying out a new course for the rifle shoot. We would also like a volunteer to furnish a first prize rifle for next year. Next years Encampment rules will be standard NMLRA except that you can lose tokens if anyone sees anything non‑primitive at any time either in your camp on your person. Watch out for plastic tips on shoelaces and pouring beer into a cup outside of your tent. We will allow machine stitching of clothes, non‑leather bootsoles (no tread allowed), and screw top bottles if a cork has replaced the top.««Shoot rules will include the new Primitive Rifle Range rules requiring traditional ramrods and no "loading rods" on the range.

RED HAT MEMBER HELP REQUESTED

As you can imagine the list of the members of the Red Hat, Chigger Head, Blood Brigade, Illinois Corps of Long Riflemen, Black Horse Brigade etc. is rather chaotic. Through the years members names have been misplaced, lost, forgotten, or never gotten in the first place. Please pass a copy of this newsletter on to any "Red Hat" that you know of & have them send their name, address, phone number, camp name, and Lizard camp name to LIZARD, RR5, Box 354, Danville, IL 61832 We will try to send out this newsletter once or twice a year to all interested Red Hats.

1991 EASTERN RED HAT RENDEZVOUS

It has been a couple of years since the Red Hats showed up at the Eastern and 1991 will be the year we show up again. It's not a secret that we will be there, but if you don't want this years Booshway to come up with special rules or targets, we suggest that only other Red Hats know that we are coming. At Swatara in '89, the Booshway came up with a special paper target and a paper shootin' ringer so that "A custom Pennsylvania rifle would go to a Pennsylvania shooter". So please mark your calendars for the Eastern tell all the Red Hats you know, and let's have a great time at a rendezvous.

If you've won one custom gun or have won several let us know, we will list you in Red Hat Counting Coup. Also let us know if you have won any matches worth listing.«

««««FINAL NOTES«««LIZARD has been making some very big shooters Red Hats. They can shoot pretty good, but their main duty is to make sure that the Red Hat is worn at a rendezvous. If "Sir Roger" is at your rendezvous make sure your hat is on your head not in the lodge.««