The Pemi Valley Peacemakers is a group of Pemi Fish and Game Club members who never grew up, who "rode" with The Duke, Roy Rogers, Hopalong and the Lone Ranger, and enjoy recreating the "Sprit of the Old West" — factual and fantasy. We enjoy and promote the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) at its finest and are affiliated with the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), the parent organization which governs the sport. We are a group of men, women and youth from all walks of life who enjoy the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting and share a love of history and folk lore and have a common interest and respect for the weapons of the Old West.
We held our first Cowboy Shoot on June 22, 1997 with 64 cowpokes helping defend the territory. Our second 1997 shoot drew 74 shooters and we've never looked back. We have held four or five shoots a year since with one being our three-day Pemi Peacemakers Championship Shoot (The Fracas at Pemi Gulch) which includes a Saturday night BBQ or Shindig. We hosted the SASS-sanctioned NH State Championship in 2002 , 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 at the Fracas.
We take seriously our duty to protect Pemi Gulch from assorted ne'er -do-wells, rustlers, your bro'-in-law, bank robers, claim jumpers and the likes. We shoot "scenarios" representing a time period of the 1840's through 1899 utilizing a variety of "props" such as old west building facades, mine tunnels, trusty steeds, jail houses etc and the participants shoot over, under, through, and from behind and around these props. We shoot reactive steel and cardboard targets using a mix of period (or reproduction) single action revolvers, lever action rifles and shotguns. There are usually 8 to 10 scenarios ("stages") at a given shoot. The participants adopt a unigue shooting "alias" or name and develop a character or profession of the late 19th century or a Hollywood B-Western and develop a costume accordingly.
This is a game of fantasy gunfighting during the wild and wooly days of Wild Bill Hickock, Wyatt Erp, The Wild Bunch, Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane, etc. Many colorful characters of the past can be seen in Pemi Gulch having the time of their lives! Socializing, comaraderie and having fun — with emphasis on safe fun — shooting these scenarios is considered more important by many than the final score. (The scores are based on the time to shoot a scenario with seconds added for misses and for "proceedurals" — failure to follow the scenario script). Commonly heard is, "It's the costume, not how well we shot, it's about having fun and how good our costume looked".
In view of the importance of keeping would-be troublemakers out of the Valley and specifically out of Pemi Gulch (and occasionally we play the role of the troublemaker!), any assistance from the territories is appreciated. Most shoots see participants for all over New England and freguently from the northeast and the rest of the country. We welcome mountain men, gold miners, silver screen heros, soiled doves and dance hall gals, saloon dandies, US Cavalry, and even that occasional ne'er-do-well — and those who have not yet found an identity.
Newcomers are always warmly welcome - you'll find this to be a most friendly bunch! We reguest that those 15 years of age and younger be accompanied by and adult and that those under 12 not participate (yet!).
Visitors are welcome at all matches. Eye and ear protection are reguired in the range and loaners are available. Western attire is encouraged but not reguired. Questions are encouraged — just ask any cowpoke. Preschool visitors are discouraged but supervised school age children are welcome. We are family oriented and spectator friendly!
The Single Action Shooting Society is an international organization created to preserve and promote the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting. SASS endorses regional and state championship matches conducted by affiliated clubs, stage the World Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting known as End of Trail, promulgates the rules and procedures to ensure the safety and consistancy of Cowboy Action Shooting matches and seeks to protect its member's 2nd amendment rights.
SASS members share a common interest in preserving the history of the Old West. Individual membership in SASS is highly encouraged and is a reguirement for participation in the SASS NH State Championship.