CARRABASSETT VALLEY — The public is invited to join members of the Carrabassett
Valley Outdoor Association at an open house at the organization’s
shooting range, Route 27, on Sunday, Oct. 11.

Members and guests will be able to observe and participate free of
charge in most demonstrations at the trap, pistol and rifle ranges
throughout the day, starting at 9 a.m.

Range Committee Chairman Neal Trask and range Secretary John McCatherin are the co-chairmen of the open house.

The pistol and trap ranges will open at 9 a.m. with retired Marine Corps Officer and qualified pistol marksman John Clements serving as pistol range officer. Veteran upland bird hunters Harvey and Sherie Packard will serve as trap range officers. From 9 a.m. to noon, there will be a demonstration of black powder firearms.

There will be no general admission charge. Shotguns will be available for anyone interested in trying out trap shooting, with up to five rounds free of charge and a .22 caliber pistol for use at the pistol range free of charge.

The day’s events will include a cookout starting at noon with former restaurant owner/chef Jim Wilson supervising the food line and manning the barbecue grills. There will be a charge for the luncheon. Firearms use will cease from noon to 1 p.m. for the start of the barbecue, then trap and pistol shooting will resume.

Association member Bill Hardt of the U.S. Border Patrol will signal the start of lunch by firing a homemade version of a Howitzer cannon.

Those trying their hand at regulation trap shooting will have to purchase or provide their own shells and pay $5 for a round of 25 clay pigeons at the range’s automated clay thrower, capable of putting out over 500 clays without reloading.

From 1 p.m. on, the rifle range with targets at both 50- and 100-yard distances will be available for practice and for sighting in hunting rifles. It will be staffed by CVOA member and range safety officer Bob Verhoeven, who will demonstrate the use of his chronograph, a device that measures the velocity and drop of a bullet to provide accurate information for sighting in firearms.

For further information on the range open house, contact John McCatherin at johnmccatherin@tds.net or call 235-2121.