Good afternoon my name is Camp Mate

by campmate 19/11/2021, 11:55 am

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I have had the name "Camp Mate" because of guys I ran with. They tell me they started calling me this because: I was usually last to leave camp when we were hunting, always had something cooking when in camp and really watched what was going on. When you camped with some of these guys you had to keep an eye out for what was going on, tend the fire, take care of gotten meat, etc. So I guess I was given a good name for what my chores became.

Have hunted since I was 12 years old with my family (modern weapons). It wasn't until I was in my late 40's early 50's that I started using black powder, first rifle was a TC .50 cal. Hawken from Target in Loveland CO. They had a good selection of complete rifles and kits, really priced right. But they had nothing to make the muzzleloaders work, no powder, primers, balls, but they had lots of patches, that was it.

I bought an assembled rifle with nice wood and finish and was heading out the door and met a guy coming in. We stopped and talked and he told me about a muzzle-loading shop just down the road that I had never heard of. Heck it's only a few miles out of my way going home so I stopped. Wow, what a neat place, like walking back into history. I hear a guy behind the counter greet me - it's the guy I talked to in Target "Capt. Hook". Meet several others - became good friends with, was offered coffee and a bowl of chili (how neat is that). I took them up on the offerings and within a few minutes had hot baked bread right out of a six burner wood stove sitting off to one side of the main room. Finished by bread and chili and started going from one display case to another (crap I'm in trouble, everything I look at I want).

This place had everything I needed and more, I told the Capt. I was sorry I didn't buy my rifle here. He laughed and told me he hears that at least several times a week. I spent several hours shopping, spent more than needed and could see this is the place to hang out at (everyone - employees and customers were great). Sounds like I'm trying to sell you guys on this place, I'm not.

Anyway within a few months of collecting goods from this store (even got period mountain-man clothes). I was asked if I would be interested in joining the local club that had monthly shoots at this location. My answer was a big YES. And the rest is history, kept my old nick name of "Camp Mate" joined and shoot monthly at their range.

I'm now 78 years old this year and have been shooting muzzleloaders for at least 25 plus years, still live in Estes Park CO.

I called and was talking to a good friend Buck Conner (he owned the place mentioned "Buckhorn Rendezvous"). He mentioned that I need to take a look at this site, neat see "Uffda", "Bent", "Francisco' and a few others are here (knew several of them from the store mentioned).

Thank you for the invite.

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