Black powder shoot brings the past to life

The smell of wood smoke wafted across the fields and the boom of black powder firearms could be heard all over Nevada Saturday as the annual black powder shoot and rendezvous was held at Marmaduke Park. There were 47 shooters who signed in to participate in the shoot, Johnny Preston, said. Preston is a member of the Missouri Osage Territory Muzzle Loaders, which along with the Nevada Parks Department, sponsors the annual event. Participants had an opportunity to shoot at targets shaped like various animals with their black powder rifles as well to shoot skeet with their shotguns. "Some came from Berryville, Ark., to shoot and went back today to shoot in an event there," Preston said. This black powder shoot is one of 21 held throughout Missouri in places like Jefferson City, Columbia and Lamar. "It's getting to be a big sport," he said. "Some guys go to every one of them," he said, adding that one year, he and his wife Joy went to all of them. Preston said that last spring the couple went to Indiana for the national competition where he finished in 12th place. Some of the people attending the event, like Brian and Connie Wallace, Harwood, dressed in period clothing and set up primitive camps and cooked their meals over an open fire. Others camp in modern recreation vehicles. Preston said that in addition to providing local people an opportunity to attend the event it also brings some money to the community, since some of the participants stay in local motels and many of the women went shopping in Nevada.