BLACK POWDER
Author Mike Nesbitt displays the Top Mountain Man award he won for accuracy at a Washington muzzleloader club’s fall rendezvous, along with the TVM Fowler that he shot so well to earn it in part.
NEW FOWLER FILLS THE BILL A muzzleloader’s TVM trade gun helps him win high award for accuracy across weapons types at club’s annual fall rendezvous. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT
t
he third weekend in September is when the annual Fall Harvest Rendezvous is held by the Evergreen Muzzleloaders, and more than a few shooters look forward to it to do a variety of good shooting.
This is the Washington State Muzzleloading Association’s (WSMA) Primitive Rendezvous and the awards are referred to as the Primitive Championships. “Primitive” basically means there are no paper targets, except for the peewee class, and that rifles must have nonadjustable open sights and fire patched round balls. There are some other rules too, such
as loading must be done “from the pouch” and shooting boxes are not allowed, but the rifles are the main thing. And in addition to the rifle and pistol shooting, there are matches for knife- and tomahawk-throwing, trade gun shooting, and archery events, all of which fall into the “primitive” arena. In other words, the annual event, held at the Evergreen Sportsman’s americanshootingjournal.com 53