“Major Lee Wild”

 

There are a lot of fantastic shooting sports with which we can exercise our 2^nd Amendment rights while we enjoy the company of like minded shooters. One shooting sport that has seen an explosion in popularity is the old school multi gun sport of Cowboy Action Shooting. There are some really interesting folks participating in the sport and they are as passionate about their sport as anyone can be. I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine, a great American and an enthusiastic member of the Single Action Shooting Society, Major Lee Wild (his S.A.S.S. alias)

MOG: Major Lee Wild, please tell us a bit about your background.

Major: I joined the US Navy at the age of 17, Nov 66'- Oct 72', US Army Nov 73' - Oct 92'. I spent the first 2 1/2 years in the Army as a MP, went on to OCS. After OCS I was an Infantry Officer (light) with the 7th Infantry Division. I left the 7^th ID to attend Flight School at Ft. Rucker. After I got my wings I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, 1/17th Air CAV where I split my time between my "Blues" (Air CAV INF) and the flight line.  After retiring from the Army I continued training soldiers for another 18 years before final retirement.

MOG: Thank you for your service and for all you’ve done for our Nation. How did you become interested in Cowboy Action Shooting?

Major: I have always been a shooter even in the Navy where I shot pistol on a Navy team and again on a MP pistol team. I have also shot NRA Long Range High Power, Service Rifle class. In 1999 I met a fella at a shoot in Kansas who informed me he was shooting in another sport known as Cowboy Action. I have always had a fascination for the Old West, so when he started explaining the sport to me I just had to go watch a Cowboy shoot. I was hooked after watching that match. The folks there even had me come up and try out a few of their firearms. A month later I had all the guns and equipment needed. I read all the material and had been thoroughly briefed by my new found friend. I shot the very next monthly shoot. What a hoot! I was in for a penny, in for a pound.

 

MOG: I know the passion that you have for Cowboy Action Shooting and I know it covers the breadth of the events; but if you had to pick one aspect of Cowboy Action Shooting as an example of why someone might be interested in this sport, what would that one thing be?

Major: My number one aspect would have to be sharing this sport with my wife, followed by the folks that play the game. Great folks willing to help out a partner when in need. The picture below is the wife dealing with the Outlaws in Texas at the State Championship.

 

MOG: Can you give us an example about the folks that play the game as it relates to bringing/welcoming someone new to the sport?

Major: One great example was in the Cowboy long range big bore at the Nationals in Arizona. One of our folks who had just gotten into the long range shooting had a major malfunction with his rifle just as he got to the line. The previous year's National Champion came up and offered his rifle and ammo. The shooter tried to decline the offer, but the Champ insisted. The shooter shot the match with the National Champ coaching him on using his rifle and that shooter won the National Championship, beating the current National Champion by one shot. The current National Champ slapped the new guy on the back and said "Hell of a job. Great shooting. You deserve that Championship". Now that was above and beyond the call of good sportsmanship. What we call in the sport "The Cowboy Way".

MOG Note: I'm hoping to do a Part II to this posting at some point in the near future. I'm very interested in this sport and the unique people that participate in it. Unique people never bore me.

Hooah.

For more information about joining the Single Action Shooting Society, see the link below.

 http://sassnet.com/