Columnist Barb Henderson: Cowboy Shooters rekindle spirit of the Old West

Barb Henderson

Friday, Aug. 16, 2002 | 9:28 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Many of us are able to quickly recall our favorite western movie and most of us probably have a favorite western hero. Mine are Annie Oakley and Roy Rogers.

With a little imagination, I can envision an old western town, complete with saloon, horses and a sheriff with a full posse. I love the Old West (doesn't everybody?) so this imaginary scenario warms my heart.

Many cow folk don't need an imagination to mosey on back to the late 19th century, as a group of Old West enthusiasts known asCowboy Action Shooters continue to illustrate. Men and women all over Nevada are slipping into western garb, sliding their feet down in their boots, putting on their cowboy hats and shooting firearms typical of those used to tame the Old West single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles and side-by-side double-barreled or lever-action shotguns.

These Cowboy Action Shooters (CAS) shoot at silhouette metal targets. It's apparent that safety and proper handling of firearms play an important role with these experienced shooters, and their marksmanship is impressive.

Each member of the group adopts a character and a shooting alias. There's Hick, Oklahoma, Blind Bill, Buffalo Sam, Desert Rat, Marshal Roy Nichols, Charming, Sassy Sadie, Mima, Bull Moose, Quick Cal, Six-Gun Shorty, Ole Doc Reno, Ole Belle, Judge Roy Bean, Cactus, English Andy, Cactus Concha, Penny Pepperbox, Reno Slim and Smokey.

The Nevada CAS has nicknamed me Annie-Barb-Oakley. With a name like that, I'll have to mosey out to the gun club and give Cowboy Action Shooting a try.

CAS clubs in Nevada include:

For information on Cowboy Action Shooting, visit www.nevadacas.com on the Internet.

Outdoors Digest

Until next week, enjoy the great outdoors.