I seem to remember a number of people wearing the same hat that year, including a number of the range officers. I guess we will never know for sure. Another great myth & mystery of Winnsboro, so many people around and no one ever saw it move, there is was gone....
The little story that sticks in my mind is, Pat driving onto the range about the 3 day and upon seeing his tent 200 yds from were it was left, dropping his head to the steering wheel uttering the words "again", and 'E" saying "never mind dad we will help you get it back"...
Not too long.. and the fun and games will start again..

Jason, I would stay at the Embers before I would stay at the Best Western in Winnsboro if you do not decide to camp at the Range. I do like the Mexican food(especially the steak fajitas) at the Best Western just not the Hotel itself. Just my opinion. The Rayville Ramada will probably be too noisy and not as close as you would like to be to the range. If the dates fall the same there is a well attended ATV ride the same weekend and a lot of the ATV riders work on their bikes all night in the Ramada Parking Lot. Been there, done that. I would prefer the Embers if not camping. You will get more sleep. Better book it now.

On your approach into the Jackson, MS. airport which is really in Pearl, MS. not Jackson you will usually pass over my house and backyard range(too small probably to really see) first then a sub division, a nice size prison, and to the East across from the prison a large Law Enforcement Range if you have a window seat.

Walmart Supercenter on the main street through Winnsboro for any items you might need on the drive in. Plan on walking around a lot at the range, sit with different groups and visit. Bring money. You will see something you will want to buy. If whatever you win or buy is too big to fly back home with, you can always ship it. Ask Innocent Mary. I think she has done this several times. You are going to enjoy yourself.

Bobby R. Huddleston

Thanks, Bobby. I booked my flight yesterday and will be flying into Jackson on Thursday afternoon and flying out on Monday morning. I am going to ask those also going to the Southern Nationals about sharing a rental car or room at our smallbore silhouette match on Sunday. I guess once I'm down to Jackson it doesn't really matter, so I'd be up for sharing car/room with folks from other places, too. I hope to be booking both early next week.

I just booked my room at Embers today. I stayed there last year. It's not bad - no frills. When I called Best Western and Chase they said that they only had 30 rooms each, so only the "elite" are going to get those rooms and Embers is a hell of a lot closer than the Day's Inn in Rayville.

Jason
I stayed at the Embers several years, not fancy, but clean and quiet, about ten minutes to the range, and any restaurants, better hurry up and make your reservation.

Jason,

Maybe I can answer your questions regarding logistics, etc.

Flying into Jackson, Mississippi may be a little less expensive than flying into Monroe, Louisiana. Jackson is 1 1/2 hours from Winnsboro and an easy drive West on I-20 and then south on LA Hwy 17 at Delhi. The Monroe airport is only 45 minutes from Winnsboro. Go East on I-20 and then south at Rayville.

Rayville is 22 minutes from the range on all four-lane highway with only two speed traps (Mangham and Baskin) between. Delhi is about the same distance but a two-lane road. Neither road is as winding as the road to PeEll.

The Best Western and the Chase Suites have been sold out for several years so do not count on getting on a short waiting list. Check with Evelio McDonald and maybe a few other shooters that have stayed at the Embers. I personally would stay at Rayville due to the four-lane. I would suggest getting a reservation NOW as even Rayville and Delhi sold out last year due to some type of baseball or softball tournament.

Maybe LImey can give you some pointers on how to speak "Southern"! I will also tell you that we do have some camping spots and the Sheriff lets us use his two buildings at the range as sort of a "motel". You would have to bring a blow-up mattress and bedding, but the cost is right - FREE! It is usually pretty crowded, but Mary can give you a better idea. We do have one shower at the range for the small amount of campers.

We will furnish breakfast and lunch at the range each day for the competitors. The meals are included in your entry fee. We will also have a few for sell to guests. We will not run out of Budweiser products!

We like for everyone to go out and eat at one of our local restaurants on Saturday night. If you are staying Sunday night, the club will have a ribeye steak dinner for a nominal charge.

The match is secondary to all the BS and fun at the Club!

If anyone needs more information, please email me or PM me.

Sgt ODucky and Jason,
The sheriff building is interesting, and all of us that live on hopefully air tight materess' there are expected to help clean up and maintain the buildings and other minor things that go on behind the scenes....or in some cases in front of the cameras. There is one shower, and we tend to start getting them around 4 am, and are likely to be going until well after midnight, due to the number of users so if you are a light sleeper be prepared to deal with someone moving around at all hours of the day/night.

Limey...you were the only one seen wearing that hat on that day!
Innocent M

Inno,

Thank you for the clarification. I have only been to the Sheriff's building during daylight as I am not sure I would ever leave if I got over there. Too much fun!

duckgumbo wrote: The match is secondary to all the BS and fun at the Club!

Oh yeah! I almost forgot about the match. I need to get my entry in the mail!

i just get a room at the Daysinn at Rayville
they told me there is 2 room more

see you there

Gabriel V

Bringing this back up.. Got a room at the Embers for June 3-7 today. I'll see all you folks Thursday night.

Good, Jason. Now even if you decide to camp at the range you got the option of showering at the Embers. I treat the Southern Nationals the way Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer would treat it. I wander around. Have my cooking stuff in one place, shooting stuff in another place, sleeping stuff in another place. I think others do the same. Winnsboro is not a rigid place except for Safety and Firing line discipline. It is a place where you can relax and not worry about anything except for that 2 and 1/2 minutes every once in awhile. I have seen people there who are not really into relaxing. They just do not get the Southern Nationals experience.

I hate that Robert Massey will not be there this year. It would have been an opportunity to watch one of the really great spotters of our time but there will be many other great spotter/shooter teams there this year. I have not been able to shoot the local matches there this year but I think there has been some new construction on the property in front of the range on the left side. This may make some of the switching tail winds harder to read this year on banks 1 though 6. It should make that left side even more fun. What size and type vehicle was parked on that side of the parking lot also affected reading the tailwinds also.

Bobby R. Huddleston

Bobby,

You are just jealous that Massey can sleep at the firing online until the ready command! I would venture to say that he is the most laid back of anyone that attends! However, Charlie McClure has a sign in their trailer that they just come for the door prizes!

I just finished working our Shrine Circus last weekend and it was a little like our match! We just have more clowns! Right Limey?

Since Massey is not going to be there I guess we should have a Robert Massey look alike contest. Since Massey is Master class he does not have to turn in a Classification book. We can find a Marlin Lever action and the winner of the look alike contest can actually shoot and turn in a score for him. Sounds kind of like a mixture of an Elvis sighting and "O Brother Where Art Thou". Now, where did I put my cowboy hat, overalls, cowboy boots and beard?

Bobby R. Huddleston
(true to the form of this forum Jason's thread has been hijacked in a friendly manner)

So is camping the thing to do? I'm 99% decided to attend. Just trying to figure out the sleeping arrangement. Sounds like alot of nice people to meet. Any experienced campers? What do I need to bring?

Thanks.