Just Why Do i Do This?

[Grenadier1758]

This is the time of the Fort de Chartres Trade Faire. This event is a juried event so it is much more involved with traditional muzzleloading than just shooting. It is the immersion into the experience if history. Sure it is sometimes difficult to get the material culture correct. I have to leave most cast iron home and cook my meals in a small iron skillet. My cot is replaced by a straw filled tick in the ground. Shooting is all done from the pouch, offhand, and using the ramrod under the barrel. All firearms are flintlocks.

The rewards are worth it. The event is wonderful. The shooting competitive. And the sights astounding. At the tavern, in the evening, you are in the 18th century. Unfortunately, Illinois won't allow serving of drinks but we have to make Do.

The shooting is competitive. I shot my best target there with my smoothbored fowling gun. It's a TVM by Jack Garner (just before it became Matt Avance's) in 20 gauge. I'm in the middle of the scoring.

Then this morning I woke up to this view instead of the expected rain.

So, I think I'll stay with traditional muzzleloading and the reenactments a bit longer.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Is that rifle rack arc welded together?

 

[Beaverman2]

No Alcohol!!!!!!????????? why bother going?

 

[Rifleman1776]

I always avoided juried events. There is no way anyone can know what is really 'pc' or not. I did not want to drive five or ten hours to an event only to be turned away because some trivial item was not considered 'pc' by someone who considered themselves to be 'expert'. Enuf said without going into a rant.

 

[Grenadier1758]

No Alcohol!!!!!!????????? why bother going?

You would have to be there.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I always avoided juried events. There is no way anyone can know what is really 'pc' or not. I did not want to drive five or ten hours to an event only to be turned away because some trivial item was not considered 'pc' by someone who considered themselves to be 'expert'. Enuf said without going into a rant.

This event is not juried at the site. You are provided a list of the juried requirements. You submit a photo of your outfit and your camp. There are a few questions. You won't be driving 5 to ten hours to be turned down. I have seen mountain men turned away who didn't want to be prejuried. I have seen reenactors who would pass the jury requirements come in civilian clothes.

The major focus of the Fort de Chartres Yrade Faire is that of someone living in the Illinois country in that time frame between 1750 and 1780. An 1830's mountain man wouldn't pass the jury's review, but that is covered in the event requirements. You don't see any plastic, reenactors smoking cigarettes or reenactors using cell phones or cameras. I took the dawn photo from inside my tent and my target and fouling gun after the event was,starting to shut down. By the way, my target was good for 9th of 23 shooters.

Here you don't see teepees, baker tents or modern tents. You do see lots of wedges, marquis, diamond flies, and wall tents.

Each individual must determine if they want to participate in such an event. There's room for all to participate at the level they choose.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

This event is not juried at the site. You are provided a list of the juried requirements. You submit a photo of your outfit and your camp. There are a few questions. You won't be driving 5 to ten hours to be turned down. I have seen mountain men turned away who didn't want to be prejuried. I have seen reenactors who would pass the jury requirements come in civilian clothes.

The major focus of the Fort de Chartres Yrade Faire is that of someone living in the Illinois country in that time frame between 1750 and 1780. An 1830's mountain man wouldn't pass the jury's review, but that is covered in the event requirements. You don't see any plastic, reenactors smoking cigarettes or reenactors using cell phones or cameras. I took the dawn photo from inside my tent and my target and fouling gun after the event was,starting to shut down. By the way, my target was good for 9th of 23 shooters.

Here you don't see teepees, baker tents or modern tents. You do see lots of wedges, marquis, diamond flies, and wall tents.

Each individual must determine if they want to participate in such an event. There's room for all to participate at the level they choose.

Im trying to get all my gear ready for juried events myself. I understand the desire. Its a ton of work to be honest. But I'll get there.

 

[French Colonial]

Im trying to get all my gear ready for juried events myself. I understand the desire. Its a ton of work to be honest. But I'll get there.

Do not be intimidated! Read the requirements, know the time frame, don't shoot for perfect it is the enemy of the good. Submit your pictures early and ask if there is any thing you need to change. The judges that I know personally are not bad people and will help you on your journey if you are willing to work with them.

Edit, if you get a chance, go during the day and do a walk through as a civilian and look at the people and camps.
If that is not possible go to Face...book and look at the ton of pictures of different individuals at the different Fort de Chartres sites (or whatever event you plan to attend) and pay attention to details, you will find your way.

Editing again, As mentioned previously, I am friends with some of the judges and I guarantee that they want MORE people to attend these events than fewer. If you are serious about wanting to attend make a good faith effort and take some pictures of you in your kit and send them in, you may be surprised.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Here's a link to some photos of the April Colonial Faire at Fort de Chartres. The photographer did a good job of capturing the detail of this juried event.

Look up Thang Ho Photography Fort de Chartres on Facebook.

Here I am shooting the smoothbore board shoot. I am on the left. This is from another collection of photos from the colonial faire.

 

[Brokennock]

There is no way anyone can know what is really 'pc' or not

This is complete and total bull

 

[azmntman]

Not my thang but if it was I would have same fun as you. I kinda stopped at the gun itself. Still using a Walmart bag hanging on the mirror of the Corolla for most my shooting. I have bought some PC stuff and carry my goodies while hunting in a traditional pouch I bought here though. Thats way cooler than a fanny pack which is reserved for tnon-immediate shootables like the cell phone, electric torch lighter (and back up matches), pills, small bottle of Crown, license tag etc etc. But it looks FUN. I just can't get into the clothing style etc. I do love playing with flint n steel fire making though, at camp.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@azmntman, I belong to a traditional muzzleloading gun club. Most of the members are there for the shooting of traditional muzzleloaders and participating in historically correct events is not necessary for enjoyment of the sport. I have fun at the shots put on by my club and there is no need to wear the period correct clothes and load out of the pouch. I truly enjoy the chunk gun matches. One thing for sure, we do need to enjoy our smoke belching firearms in the manner that we enjoy.

 

[azmntman]

Wish we had one. When I retire I may try starting one

 

[flconch53]

This is complete and total bull

You can certainly no what is. There are tons of extant drawings and descriptions out there. Trying to justify the unusual is usually a mistake. When my former wife was selling 18th century clothing she carried a 200 plus page book of documentation around to all events.

 

[waksupi]

Juried events, then you see the wooden 20th century furniture! Chairs in particular.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Some juried events do better than others.

 

[Freedom]

How far away was your plank target? Does it have to be a smooth bore without a rear sight? Or can you use a period replica rifle like a Kolonial?

Your pictures of the fort wall look awesome!.... love the cannon ports located between all the rifle slots.

 

[andy52]

No Alcohol!!!!!!????????? why bother going?

It can't be served but you can bring your own, I've gotten into trouble in the tavern a time or two due to some smooth moonshine.

 

[andy52]

Juried events, then you see the wooden 20th century furniture! Chairs in particular.

My chairs were the only thing at the Fort Fair that ever got questioned they had exposed modern screw heads so I counter-sank the hole and filled them. However, looking at @Grenadier1758 photos I don't see any out-of-place furniture.

 

[Grenadier1758]

How far away was your plank target? Does it have to be a smooth bore without a rear sight? Or can you use a period replica rifle like a Kolonial?

Your pictures of the fort wall look awesome!.... love the cannon ports located between all the rifle slots.

The plank for the smoothbore was about 35 to 40 yards. The range changes every year at the discretion of the team running the shooting range. They do allow short starters for those of us who patch the round ball, you do use the rod under the barrel. No metal unless that is the pattern of the musket being used. No rear sights are used.

A similar plank is used for the rifle competition. It is about 60 yards out. You could use a Kibler Colonial. I'm not going to put my 1809 Deringer replica to the test as the time period is 1765ish. No flint lock Hawken Plains Rifles were seen.

All shooting is done offhand. Loading is from the pouch. We have about 5 to 6 minutes to shoot 5 rounds starting with a loaded firearm as measured by a sand filled minute glass.