Arriving at this 900 acre Hunting and Fishing Preserve is a leisurely drive back in New England's history along an oak and pine lined road from the freeway. Old farm houses, traditional brick homes and small "filling stations"--->humm...a term that may be returning to our vocabulary. But here it is a small one garage one pump gas station still working. How exciting life must of been in those days teetering on edge between the past and the future....even the street names cry out with history lessons, Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington. One can hear the clip-clop of hooves as driven carriages with men wearing long white wigs stop to talk and barter with people in their community....you must be here.
But today's is Geoff Gaebe. He moved to this location following his own dreams of having a Hunting & Fishing Preserve for himself and his hunting buddies. Addieville East has matured into a world class stop for any hunter/shooter who wants a true New England experience. There are 14 fields studded with patches of corn and surrounded by brush thickets and trees, comfortable small lodge, 2 trout ponds PLUS a mile and a half of native trout stream AND a bass lake! But wait...how about 2 world class sporting clay courses and a top quality dog training facility. 
If that is not enough how about Robin Hollow Outfitters. Which to most of us means one of the best sources for fine guns and sporting accessories!!.....and when you thought I have told you everything add this-----> a helicopter landing area!
Yes the Rich & Famous have discovered this hid away...but right now it's still not too late for you to get-in! www.Addieville.com
After checking with Sally Hayter in Registration. She quickly informed me that the limit of 360 shooters had been reached for this event. No more entries were being accepted at this time, no matter who you might be......so shooters the lesson here is simple. Mr. Gaebe knows his limitations and has enough respect for YOU not to let $$$$ or politics get in the way of good service! HURRAY!! HURRAY!! Three cheers for you Geoff we don't see that very often. So sig
n up early shooters...BE HERE! This year the Headliner for the event will be Mr. George Digweed himself, 15 times world champion and many of our own home grown champions such as Jon Kruger, Andy Duffy and the Jack Concannon! I'm excited to be here...and you should have seen the lobsters!
Fresh off some instructions from Bill McGuire in Knoxville I was looking forward to becoming a threat to Digweeds next championship....ahhh ok maybe not, but I made you smile!...and as luck would have it, well more than luck actually, a little help from my friend Phillip Pilla, who invited Mr. Digweed. He did sit down and talk with me on the radio. We hit it off quit well discussing aspects of the Sport we agreed upon and friends we had in common. Bill McGuire had asked me to deliver a message to George stating Bill had recently shot a 77. George smiled back and said he was ready for him! But what a guy... just the kind of man that easily sets a good example for shooters working their way up in classes. Decent kind of fellow that doesn't mind admitting when he is wrong AND admits he misses targets too!
Hey remember shooters just click on any photo and it will go full screen--> its yours FREE!
Anyway I did have a quick chat with fast moving Jack O'Brian. It is his job....and has been his job for the last 9 yrs. to set the traps for this event. He was very friendly...nice Irish boy. He informed me that he did plan to have a total of over 120 trap machines in place by the
time the Event started. Both he and Chuck Frasier, better known as the owner of "Hunters Point" in North Carolina, were working with a good team of young trappers to make the shoot memorial and challenging.
Geoff Gabe was the radio interview I was looking for and I found him to be a wealth of experience and information. Don't miss this interview on the radio. Geoff had tons of information and background to tell us about setting up a good shoot.
Prelim Day:
What is it about the Prelim and rain....time after time ---> this time it was really really raining! Started out slow and just increased until on the last station you were soaked! This was the first shoot I had attended where ALL the shooting carts came without a cover...guess what folks....that will guarantee you a wet ^%$&*! Eventually even the towel you borrowed from the hotel at the last minute that you have been using to dry the seat becomes soaked. So now your not only wiping your gun down between stations your wringing out a towel to wipe the seat! At what point you just give up? Right after your third station! Hey I'm from Kalifornia---whats rain anyway??? But did th
is rattle Andy Duffy----->NOPE. Neither he nor his new pup, JOE were the least bit upset. Andy just shook out the rain jacket and headed for the 5-stand for a little practice.
But the targets were fun and everyone just adjusted their attitude to accept the rain and the COLD..yes, did I mention this is AUGUST the tem
perature dropped to around 50*.... But hey the only true disappointment was we were not taking DUCKS home at the end of the day to eat. However if you looked at some shooters you had to ask yourself....."How did they know?" New fashionable rain suits fresh out of the box. There is some nice stuff on t
he market for just days like this! Why didn't I have some?? But New Englanders being New Englanders they lived up to their reputation for being able handle to diversity. The locals persevered with dignity! The shoot went on.....as the rounds were made and the Prelim came to the end only a few remained to count up their scores. They would be posted for all to see tomorrow on the "Whining Board" anyway---->and the rain was increasing! On the drive back to the hotel I saw more rain than Southern Kalifornia see's in a year.
Flooding streets and drainage sewers were backing up everywhere as I neared Providence. Fortunately there were no accidents. I was the ONLY vehicle slowly picking his way down the freeway. Others....the LOCALS again were blowing by looking at me as if I had car problems!..lol..lol..hey I was just being careful because I have my best friend with me...so there!
But there was a shoot-off at the end of the day between three E Class shooters with exactly the same score! But only two of the shooters showed up and they came together to the shoot as friends anyway, so they waited and waited for the third guy but he never showed up ... by agreement they decided who would take 1st place and who would take 2d place. The third shooter came in....guess what 3d! Now for a free lunch guess who the third shooter was.....I'll include a desert if you can guess WHERE he was!
Main Event Day 1:
First lets begin with getting up at 4am...an hour earlier than I had planned because the hotel clock was off and hour? I usually use the Blackberry alarm feature on my phone but the hotel clock was closer last night when I went to bed. I admit It does take me a little longer to get my internal clock and body engine running than most in the morning when I am traveling but this was ridiculous...but I was up so I just went to work earlier writing and reviewing radio interviews on the digital recorder. However BENGA was not as enthusiastic....he said OK you want to get me up this early...I want out! So we walked around in the dark together for awhile. Upside---->stars! Yes the weather had cleared. No excuses for not shooting well today.
It was a good day
of shooting. Everyone on the squad shot well. I left thinking I had done a pretty good job. Aced a couple of stations back to back....didn't blow any. But the best part of the day came when I recorded George Digween giving his
pre dinner exhibition. You have to hear this on the radio to appreciate it but basically George shot a few targets to get warmed up then began shooting at a teal... rising target. Every time he hit it he paced off another 10 yards...finally at 115 yards he missed. Amazing performance by the top gunner in the world. Afterwords he sat with me and discussed how each of us can help move the sport forward....great interview. Catch it on the radio!
Event Day 2:
Weather was beautiful...my shooting was not. At the end of the day I was 4 targets out of a shoot-off for first place...5 targets away from a clean win. I completely blew one station today and just plain couldn't get on targets I should have shot. No excuses..just poor shooting. The sign should have said," CAUTION FALLING SCORES!"
Below just keep scrolling, you will see pics of the many many folks I had a chance to spend a few minutes with and enjoyed the time we spent together...click on the pic..its yours! ThanX!
Before I leave I would like to say ThanX to the Pilla family---> these very hard working people have not only re-invented what shooting glasses SHOULD be they have kept it in the family! HYDEFSPEX is a product of research and experimentation by people who SHOOT! Just look at the list of "top guns" that wear them---> www.hidefspecs.com ---->then get some!
Well on to the Hardy Classic in Pennsylvania! C ya there!
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