Shooting "Over the Log" at the Wes Hartley Memorial Muzzleloading Chunk Shoot | Muzzle Blasts

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0:00 - Match starts
4:35 - Awards Ceremony
Special thanks to Swiss Black Powder for their sponsorship of this event
The 2020 “Wes Hartley Memorial Match” is in the books for over the log, or “chunk”, shooting enthusiasts of Vallonia, Indiana. Started 52 years ago by a group the line calls the “old-timers”, the match was kept alive in a year where many annual shoots were canceled. “Colton Fleetwood is who we have to thank for putting on this match.” says Don Neal, a veteran chunk shooter in the area, “It’s a lot for someone old like me to organize something like this, so it’s nice to see someone young pick it up and make sure it keeps going”.
In a normal year, the Wes Hartley match would be held in conjunction with “Fort Vallonia Days”, a celebration of the history of the town of Vallonia, and it’s start as a fort on the outskirts of the early frontier. Fort Vallonia days brings over 50,000 people into the area each year. Where you’ll find yard sales, vendors, and food trucks aplenty during the autumn festival. During 2020 however, like many town celebrations around the country, Fort Vallonia days were canceled due to concerns over the COVID 19 pandemic. Match director Fleetwood stepped in early after the cancellation of the festival to announce he was trying to see if the match could continue. The nature of chunk shooting lends itself quite well to social distancing, just about everyone loads out of a set up near the back of their personal vehicle, and it is common courtesy to give each other space on the line to focus. After checking with the church where the match is held, Colton got the go-ahead to continue with the match.
At the crack of dawn on October 17, Colton wakes up to finish preparations for the match. He’s slept in a small tent after spending Friday evening setting up for the match. A large tarp is laid out for shooters to stay off the frosty grass. Soon Colton’s father, Mason, arrives at the range, truck packed with a propane griddle and dutch oven to feed the hungry shooters on this crisp fall morning. Around 8 in the morning, shooters began arriving and setting up their loading and shooting positions. Shooters continue to roll in until 9:30, when the range opens for practice.
Chunk shooting is different from other forms of competitive shooting, you don’t see the bullseye to aim at. Chunk matches are won by the most consistent of shooters, and this starts during the practice relay. Shooters post their “Sighter”, a piece of paper or poster board with a design of the shooters’ preference to aim at.
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[@flinttim]

Great video Ethan. You have become a great asset to the Association

[@johnnyholland8765]

I have owned both a mule ear and underhammer rifle. Liked them both. The mule ear got the most comments. That match looked like fun bad groups and all...

[@kowalski363]

Great video.

[@havensphotography]

This looks like a lot of fun! What's the distance they shoot at?

[@homeboyteddyisaliar]

Where do they get the sight hoods?

[@neddenier2924]

Is it an open shoot , when is your 2021 shoot ? I'm out of Valparaiso,In and shoot a flint chunk