56 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. 13, 1912. 
If you want your shoot to be announced here 
send a notice like the following: 
Fixtures. 
REGISTERED TOURNAMENTS. 
Tan. 12.—Columbus (O.) G. C. L. Fisher, Sec’y- 
Jan. 24-27.—Pinehurst (N. C.) Country Club. Leonard 
Tufts Mgr. 
Feb. 16-11—Mobile (Ala.) G. C. J. L. Suttle, Mgr. 
Feb. 22-23.—Columbus (O.) G. C. L. Fisher, Sec’y. 
March 14-15.—Holmesburg Junction, Pa.—Keystone S. L. 
of Philadelphia. H. L. David, Mgr. 
March 21.—Columbus (O.) G. C. L. Fisher, Sec’y. 
April 9-10.—Moberly (Mo.) G. C. L. R. Hulen, Sec’y. 
April 11.—.Atglen (Pa.) G. C. L. R. Lewis, Mgr. 
April 17-19.—Wichita, Kans.—Kansas State tournament, 
under the auspices of the Interurban G. C. C. W. 
Jones, Sec’y, 209 N. Main St., Wichita, Kans. 
April 18.—Columbus (O.) G. C. L. Fisher, Sec’y. 
May 14-16.—Fairmont, W. Va.—West Virginia State tour¬ 
nament, under the auspices of the Fairmont G. C. 
Ed. H. Taylor, Sec’y. 
May 15-16.—Columbus (O.) G. C. L. Fisher, Sec’y. 
May 29-30.—Wilmington, Del.—Delaware State tourna¬ 
ment, under the auspices of the Du Pont G. C. 
"T. E. Doremus, Sec’y. 
June 4-6.—Mexico, Mo.—Fifth annual State tournament 
of the Missouri State Trapshooters’ Association, 
under the auspices of the Audrain Country Gun Club, 
of Farber, Mo. Russell Glynn, Sec’y. 
June 5-6.—Aurelia (la.) G. C. Frank R. Welch, Sec’y. 
DRIVERS AND TWISTERS. 
Owing to lateness in receiving scores, many New 
Year’s shoot reports appear in this issue. 
K 
Frank Butler and wife (Annie Oakley) are having all 
kinds of luck on a shooting trip in Florida. When last 
heard from they were browsing around Leesburg, whence 
came a Happy New Year card, much appreciated. 
The Salt Lake Gun Club will hold a tournament the 
last week in May. At a meeting Dec. 28, the following 
officers were elected: President, John Cowan; Vice- 
President, A. W. Cowan; Secretary-Treasurer, E. J. 
Miller. 
K 
Looks as though Louis Colquitt was about to launch 
into the poultry business. At Newtown, N. J., on New 
Year’s Day he won twelve chickens, one turkey, one 
goose and a duck. Brother Brickner characterizes him 
as the “Main Coop Cleaner.” 
Secretary Elmer E. Shaner, of Interstate Association, 
announces registered tournaments: Feb. 16-17, Mobile 
Gun Club, Mobile, Ala.; May 14-16, West Virginia State 
tournament, under auspices of Fairmont Gun Club, 
Fairmont, W. Va.; May 29-30, Delaware State tournament, 
under auspices Du Pont Gun Club, Wilmington, Del.; 
June 5-6, Aurelia Gun Club, Aurelia, la. 
Just had a letter from J. A. R. Elliott—everybody 
knows who he is—to the effect that he has deserted the 
ranks of the noise-makers to advance the cause of the 
anti-noise society. Pie left the Winchester Repeating 
Arms Co. after nineteen years’ service, to manufacture 
ear protector. Plis new firm is J. A. R. Elliott Ear 
Protector Co., of New York City. With this protector 
J. A. R. Elliott declares that, if there was no recoil 
and the target didn’t smash, you never would know you 
were shooting. Be that as it may, Elliott will be missed 
from the firing line. 
at 
So many gun clubs have written asking what the re¬ 
quirements are to become recognized by the Interstate As¬ 
sociation that we print in full a comprehensive circular 
just issued by Elmer E. Shaner, that it will be well for 
every trapshooter to give time to. The Interstate Asso¬ 
ciation has assumed the burden of merchants in towns 
where tournaments are given, and cut off the rake-down 
of the promoter by barring all advertising from the 
pages of the tournament programs. It has placed gun 
club events on' a business basis and created a uni¬ 
formity in registered events. It has done a world of 
good, without compensation. It behooves every gun 
club contemplating a tournament to apply for recognition 
by the Interstate Association. 
On Jan. 15, in the Seventy-first Regiment Armory in 
New York city, the twelfth annual meeting of the 
United States Revolver Association will be held. Dur¬ 
ing its twelve years of existence the United States Re¬ 
volver Association has done untold good in the develop¬ 
ment of pistol and revolver shooting in this country. It 
is one of the few genuine amateur organizations in which 
politics figure not at all. It has no professionals in its' 
ranks, and no amateur athletic union to control its 
policies. The dues are only one dollar a year, and yet 
it has met all its heavy expenses without assessments 
and “minus-dividends.” Three international contests 
have been won by the United States Revolver Associa¬ 
tion, and a strong team will be sent to the Olympic 
games this year. The present series of intercity and 
interclub matches being shot and the scores returned 
show to what extent this organization has developed the 
art of revolver shooting, as well as indicating the keen 
interest being taken in this educational recreation. The 
man or woman who never has taken up revolver shooting 
has no idea of the joy that comes with ability to hit a 
bullseye, and how enthusiasm grows with practice, nor 
of the feeling of security that comes with knowledge of 
the use of the little weapon of self-defense. It is a 
clean, inexpensive sport, a nerve tonic, a developer 
of grace, keenness of eye and quickness of mind. Sec¬ 
retary-Treasurer J. B. Crabtree has made much toward 
the popularity of the U. S. R. A. through his courtesy 
in explaining to inquirers the meaning of the Associa¬ 
tion, its purpose and requirements. He will send you 
full information if you address him at Springfield, Mass. 
Beecroft. 
The Interstate Association. 
The Interstate Association, at its annual meeting in 
1910, materially changed and improved the conditions 
governing registered tournaments. These changes were 
necessary for the best interest of trapshooting. 
Like every radical move mad'e by the Association in 
the twenty years of its existence, doubt was cast upon 
this change of policy, which was considered by many 
persons to be the greatest innovation in the history of 
trapshooting. It is worthy of note that among the many 
original departures made by the Interstate Association, 
with a view to the betterment of trapshooting, none haye 
reached such a pinnacle of success as that introduced in 
1911. A summarized report of the operations during the 
year shows that 199 tournaments were registered, of which 
number 170 were conducted in accordance with the Asso¬ 
ciation’s new policy; that $16,750 was contributed by the 
Association to gun clubs. State associations and leagues 
of gun clubs; that $19,753.89 was paid back to amateurs 
to cover their losses, and that $22,448.86 in average money 
was divided among amateurs after all of said losses were 
paid back. Of the 170 tournaments conducted under the 
new plan, only two failed to make good. One of these 
tournaments fell short $10.70, and the other $5.85. Ap¬ 
proximately $30,000 was divided among amateurs at these 
170 tournaments, which, under the old conditions, would 
have gone to promoters and to gun clubs in the way of 
excessive profits. 
The registered tournament plan of 1911 was so success¬ 
ful in its working that the directors of the Interstate As¬ 
sociation at their annual meeting unanimously decided to 
continue it in force during the year 1912. 
The Interstate Association’s primary object in the 
encouragement of trapshooting is to encourage State As¬ 
sociations, leagues of gun clubs and special organiza¬ 
tions; therefore, it is the Association’s present intention 
to do all in its power to urge and foster the formation 
of State associations and leagues of gun clubs in those 
States where none now exist. The Association antici¬ 
pates that in 1913 or 1914 it shall probably be in a position 
to contribute more generously to State and similar 
organizations. 
A broad experience has demonstrated that the registra¬ 
tion of tournaments confers many important advantages 
to trapshooting activities, but that, if not safeguarded 
and controlled by proper restrictions, it is subject to 
many abuses, petty and serious. The promoter, actuated 
by purely business reasons, is the chief offender. For 
the sport or its advancement, he cares nothing; for the 
profits he hungers greatly. Under the old conditions 
each succeeding year the mushroom club and the hun¬ 
gry promoter were becoming more numerous, and ac¬ 
cordingly, the Interstate Association was expending 
money for which no return was given in the way of pro¬ 
moting legitimate trapshooting. Yet many legitimate 
attempts at holding tournaments resulted in failure, be¬ 
cause the sum total of so much gun club effort exceeded 
the demand for competition. The rnajority of shooters 
have limitations to their purses, besides having a limit 
to their craving for competition. There is such a thing 
as too much shooting, with its harmful reactions. 
Again, under the old. conditions, a strong club hold¬ 
ing a successful tournament often made excessive profits, 
wMch were out of all proportions as compared to the 
effort and expense of holding the tournament. Of course 
the excessive profits came out of the shooters’ pockets. 
The new conditions eliminate the undesirable features 
while developing the sport on lines that are broad. 
wholesome and permanent. The matter of good sports¬ 
manship is given full consideration. 
Referring more in detail to the changes made at the 
annual meeting in 1910, the Interstate Association de¬ 
cided that gun club nrogram advertising by its members 
shall cease from Jan. 1, 1911. In place of program ad¬ 
vertising the Interstate Association has substituted a 
j’early contribution of $20,000. 
In the apportionment of the $20,000 contributed by the 
Interstate Association, the States are divided into three 
classes—A, B and C. 
Class A includes States with a population of 3,000,000 
or over. To each State association tournament of this 
class the Interstate Association will contribute $300, to 
be applied to the Squier money-back system. Class B 
includes States with a population of under 3,000,000 to 
ov*er 1,000,000. To each State association tournament of 
this class the Interstate Association will contribute 
$200, to be applied to the Squier money-back system. 
Class C includes States with a population of under 1,000,- 
COO. To each State association tournament of this class 
the Interstate Association will contribute $100, to be ap¬ 
plied to the Squier money-back system. The matter ot 
population will be determined by the census of 1910. 
A State association in a Class A or Class B State must 
have a membership of ten or more bonafide gun clubs 
located in ten or more different cities or towns. A 
State Association in Class C State must have a mem¬ 
bership of five or more bona fide gun clubs located in 
five or more different cities or towns. 
The Interstate Association, at its discretion, may exact 
proof of the proper organization of any State Association 
which applies for a registered tournament. 
The foregoing applies to State associations, or to a 
league of gun clubs in a State which has no State asso¬ 
ciation. 
The following applies to individual gun clubs: 
Any gun club, a member in good standing of a State 
association or of a league of gun clubs, may apply for 
registration. Applications from gun clubs not members 
of a State association or of a league of gun clubs will 
not be considered. 
To each two-day approved tournament, the Interstate 
Association will contribute $100, to be applied to the 
Squier money-back system. 
To each one-day approved tournament, the Interstate 
Association will contribute $50, to be applied to the 
Squier money-back system. 
When a gun club applies for a two-day tournament, the 
granting of such application shall depend on the attend¬ 
ance at, and success of, previous registered tournaments 
of said club, if any were held. The determination of 
whether it shall be a one-day or two-day tournament is 
at the discretion of the Interstate Association. 
The records of the Interstate Association show that the 
most successful tournaments held during the past few 
years were those of one-day duration, and that many two- 
day tournaments which had a good attendance the first 
day were failures in point of attendance the second day. 
Therefore, applications for one-day registered tournaments 
will be given the preference in 1912. 
Any application for a registered tournament must be 
made not less than ninety days in advance of the tourna¬ 
ment opening date. 
The program each day at any registered tournament 
shall consist of ten 15-target events, entrance each event, 
$1.40; optional sweepstakes, $1 extra; extra entrance tor 
Squier money-back system, $1. Brice of targets (2 cents 
each) included in all entrances of the regular program. 
Division of Moneys.—Regular program. Rose system, 
ratio points 5, 3, 2, 1. 
To be eligible for the Squier money-back system a 
contestant must compete in all regular program events. 
Optional Sweepstakes.—The optional sweepstakes may 
be conducted under the percentage system, jack Rabbit 
system, -high gun system, or any other system, and the 
number of moneys may be arranged as desired. In 
addition, the amount of entrance in the optional sweep- 
stakes may be changed to meet the wishes of the gun 
club giving the tournament. 
The Interstate Association suggests that when the 
percentage system, class shooting, is used, two moneys 
be made for ten entries and under, and that when the 
high gun system is used, three high guns win the money 
for ten entries and under. 
The optional sweepstakes are separate from the regu¬ 
lar program, and it is optional with the contestant whether 
or not he makes entry for them. The Squier money-back 
system does not apply to the optional sweepstakes. 
There shall be no deviation from the regular program, 
as it relates to the Interstate Association, but special 
events such as championship events, cup events, team 
events, merchandise events, and extra events of any 
nature, may be scheduled and shot in connection with 
the regular pro'gram. 
Gun clubs located in sections where freight rates are 
excessively high, thus making targets cost considerably 
more than they do in the East, may charge 21/2 cents or, 
3 cents per target, if it is customary to make such charge 
at tournaments. The Interstate Association suggests, 
however, that, when more than 2 cents per target is 
charged, the entrance in' the regular program events be 
increased to $1.50 per event. 
Any gun club holding a registered tournament shall 
give one page of its program, of which the copy shall 
be furnished by the Interstate Association, for purposes 
of announcing the amount of money contributed by the 
Interstate Association, and for purposes of publicity. 
The Interstate Association’s contribution will not be 
paid to any club until such time as such club, holding a 
registered tournament, shall have sent in the requisite re¬ 
port of the tournament to the Interstate Association. 
'The Squier money-back system shall be a part of the 
■program. It was originated by Mr. L. J. Squier, of 
Pittsburgh, Pa. It designates a special, fund created for 
the purpose of paying back the losses, or a share of the 
losses, of those amateur contestants who compete in all 
regular program events of a tournament and fail to win 
the amount of their entrance fees, less the price of tar¬ 
gets. All contestants must shoot through the entire 
regular program to gain an interest in this fund. This 
special fund is made up from the added money contrib- 
