24th Tennessee Classic

[Paul/KS]

Just got home after 11 hours on the road from the weekend at The Classic.
It was our first time ever after years of reading about it here and all I can say is WOW! 
What a great course,great ranges,great people and what an amazing event. 

[Pat B]

I just got back about 4pm today. I took lots of pics but I'll have to sleep for a few days before I can post any. I am pooped!
 I think Pappy said 674(+_) just slightly less than last year but more people there. Hardly any parking places after Friday. It was a great success.

[Killdeer]

Paul, it was such a treat to meet you and your lovely wife Susan in camp. Not only are the both of you witty and fun, you are excellent mates on the target trail. Congrats on doing so well with your selfbow on the course.

The target setups were amazing, obviously set up by astute observers of nature. Everybody seems to have taken pics of my favorite, the impalas gazing at a would-be predator. I guess if the lion had been female, the antelope would have been running! Another that I liked was the three foxes squabbling over a cowering bunny. Go ahead and fight, boys… I gotta run!


Killdeer

[woodchucker]

Hello my dear Sister!!!

A fellow here much smarter then me...
Told me that it happens because you hold your "smart phone" sideways when you take the picture.... 

(Anyway, I went back to a dummy phone)

[Paul/KS]

Killdeer it was a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Walking the ranges with you was fun and educational for Sue and I.
(BTW all, that's her arrow in the 11 ring there..  )

[Killdeer]

I forgot to mention, aside from the practice course, which I shot with My Centaur, the comp course was shot with Bernie Dunn’s bow, “Someone Special”. It is an ACS, which I purchased from him many years ago at ATAR at Lake Stephens, WV.

It was a special experience for me, sort of having Bernie along at a shoot that he never got to attend, though we had talked about it. Although I missed a few, Bernie shot very well.



Killdeer

[soap creek]

It was a great time. Shot with some complete strangers and now they are my friends. Very well ran shoot. The Twin Oak bunch do a fantastic job. 

[SlowBowKing]

Killdeer, I recognize you from these pics as someone I saw out on the range. Always a bummer to know I missed an opportunity to chat with a fellow Tradganger.

I saw Scott Sanders on a few occasions, but never got a chance to chat.

[Killdeer]

Sorry you didn’t chat up the dumpy old lady on the course! Will be at Baltimore next week, another great shoot.

I want to say a loud, clear, sincere THANK YOU! to the wonderful members of Twin Oaks Bowhunters for their seemingly tireless efforts, their patience in answering the same questions over and over, smiling as they performed grunt work, and making this shoot the smoothest-running, funnest event that I have ever attended. You make every attendee feel like an honored member of the family, something that cannot be attained by mere professionalism.

Y’all are awesome, in the common, but not adequate vernacular.

Friend, I missed seeing you.
PatB, always an honor and a pleasure.
If some guy who looks kinda like Columbo is cooking up walleye, do not eat it! Notify me and I will dispose of it in a safe and proper manner.

Incredible trip this spring, new tent, new friends, parenthesized by fishing in the National Forest and many hours of firegazing and listening to birds and frogs. Saw the prettiest Northern Water Snake ever, and a Louisiana Water thrush which seemed to look wistfully over its shoulder at me as it made its busy way upstream. Almost like a friend’s longing gaze as its life briefly touched mine.. again.

Killdeer

[Pat B]

Kathy, always a pleasure seeing you and talking wildflowers. Outback Bob talked about all the fried walleyes. Sorry I missed it.
 I will post some of my pics soon. Most are around the the bow shop and knapping pit.

[Pat B]

Here are a few of the pics I took...

 Greg Bagwell cutting out a stave for a Selfbow Challenge contestant.


 Davie checking tiller for a contestant.


 Steve checking early tiller on the tiller stick.


 Weylan working into the night.


Pappy taking a well earned break, something you don't often see during the Classic

[Pat B]

...and from the knapping pit...

Jesse with a large hammer stone with James Parker steadily holding the target stone.


Jesse reducing the spall.


Jesse working with a dogwood billet.


tools of the trade


even the kids like the knapping pit. Safety glasses available and required for everyone.

[Pat B]

now the toilet bowl knap off (Thunder Chert, Johnstone).


contestants hard at it


the results from all contestants


#1, #2 and #3


and the winner, Scott Stanberry with his point and the trophy


Scott signing the trophy


points from previous years

[Pat B]

some of the other stuff


Becca Parker's quillwork on brain tanned leather


James Parker's Hummingbird bows. James now makes Hummingbird bows


Weylan's beautiful selfbows






don't forget the Saturday evening potluck



waiting to eat

[Pat B]

and the music


around the campfire


under the food pavillion


Jesse with his Native American flute. He also played a pan flute



Will Harris and some of his friends from Nashville

[Pat B]

a large deer rawhide waiting to be brain tanned


the wood pile for the non stop campfire and any camper who wanted some for their camp.


over Pappy's workbench


Mickie Lotz drawknife


Pappy's cool stuff everywhere

[Pat B]

and finally, the bow that was given to me by Will Harris. This bow was built from a 100 year old osage fence post. The full story is on "Bowyers Bench".

[Killdeer]

Wonderful pictography, Pat! You showed me a lot of stuff I missed.
Your bow looks like a “snake-in-the-grass”! 

Killdeer

[Bowwild]

Great accounts and pictures!

My daughter lived down the road from this event in Clarksville, TN for a few years. I never attempted this event, I had no idea it was so elaborate.  I even had a meeting during the event once but didn't shoot.

My bad, for sure.

[Paul/KS]

That bow is really something Pat. 
And the rest of the pictures prove that I need to return again and participate in all the other fun there.