The Damascus Wildlife Rangers are the oldest operating Cowboy Action Shooting™ Club in Md.
2025 is our 28th Year!
All proceeds, from the Cowboy Action Shoots, are donated to the Wildlife Achievement Chapter, Inc.,
of the Izaak Walton League of America, to help support their conservation and community projects in the Damascus area.

Last Update For This Page Was 12-19-2024 @ 1:53 PM

Cowboy Action Shooting™ is a shooting sport created in 1982 by a few gentlemen now know as the Wild Bunch. In 1987 they officially formed the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS). Originally based in Yorba Linda, California, SASS eventually moved their operation to Founders Ranch in New Mexico. SASS is the largest and most widely accepted organization for western style shooting. The Damascus Wildlife Rangers are SASS affiliated and we use SASS rules. We are sponsored by the Wildlife Achievement Chapter  Inc. of the Izaak Walton League of America. All of our proceeds are donated to the Izaak Walton League.

The sport recreates life in the old west through shooting courses of fire (called stages) designed to depict a movie scene, an old west historical shootout or just someone's idea of how it may have been in the late 1800's. For obvious safety reasons, it is highly recommended that shooters a have previous shooting experience and be familiar with the safe operation of single action revolvers, rifles and shotguns. A Cowboy Action Shooting competition is not the venue to receive your initial firearms training.

To add to the "fantasy" experience, all shooters are required to wear some form of period dress.  Typically, long pants (or dresses for the ladies), boots, cowboy hat and shirts with long sleeves. No shorts, ball caps or advertising is permitted on any clothing. For firearms, you will need two single action pistols, a lever action rifle (in a pistol caliber) and a side by side shotgun (without ejectors) or a Winchester model 1897 pump shotgun (or reproduction) with an exposed hammer.  Guns generally must be designed prior to 1900 but modern versions like the Ruger Blackhawk & Vaquero or Colt clones are acceptable. You will need holsters and a carrier for shotshells. All bullets are lead only and have feet per second requirements.

But, most importantly, you will need and Alias!  Pick a name that fits your personality, job, chosen western character or one that just sounds good.  If you join SASS (we highly recommend that you do), they will issue you a badge (with your personal SASS member number) and register your alias.  Your alias is unique to you and is never duplicated. Be prepared to change your original choice for an alias, it may have already been taken. Joining SASS or the Damascus Wildlife Rangers is not a requirement to shoot in our monthly matches. However, SASS membership is required for SASS sanctioned, state level and above, matches.

As you participate in the sport you will learn there is a rule called "The Spirit Of The Game.  This rule is the foundation of Cowboy Action Shooting.  "The Spirit Of The Game" signifies that we are participating for FUN. Because there are no prizes for winning a match, the incentive to play is FUN.  If you are willing to sacrifice FUN for a victory, then this is not the game for you.  The only prize is to have bragging rights over your pardners until the next match.

Complete SASS Rules are available in one of their SASS Handbooks. If you are interested in participating, the best way to learn more is by visiting the SASS web site and going to watch a Cowboy Action Shooting monthly match or two.  All clubs welcome visitors and are eager to explain what is involved. Bring eye and ear protection.

You will find that Cowboy Action Shooters are the friendliest folks on the planet.  Because we all share a fondness for the old west and the firearms of the time, we have an immediate bond that expands into long term friendships. For additional information contact the Single Action Shooting Society 1-877-411-7277 or Maryland Territorial Governor Chuck Crooks AKA Chuckaroo 301-831-9666.

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New Cowboy Shooter Clinics

The next new cowboy shooter clinic, at Damascus, will be on April 6th, 2025.  Class size is limited to 15 shooting students and seats are on a first come, first serve basis. Pre-registration is required, no walk ins. 

This class sells out often and class size is limited. Applications must be mailed with class registration fee in order to guarantee your reservation. If, after registering, you cannot make the class, please let us know so we can make your seat available. 

You can fill out the application while viewing it on your PC and then print it. You can make yourself a copy and I will be able to read the one you send me! APPLICATION HERE

The purpose of the clinics is to introduce the sport to potential enthusiasts who'd like to give it a try without "the whole world watching." Though playing the game under the watchful eye of the Range Officer and their timer is part of the fun, that can be a little intimidating if you're new at it. SAFETY and fun are the real focus of the sport, and we'd like to be sure everyone gets off to the right start. Students will learn how the game is played, hear the SASS rules, see the equipment and accessories that are required, and get a chance to try out the range of firearms that are appropriate to the sport. A history of the sport is included in the classroom portion. You can look at the Clinic Outline to see what's covered.  Atlantic Guns and the Damascus Wildlife Rangers provide all equipment and ammo, if students do not have their own yet.  Each person will get the chance to shoot real cowboy hoglegs, a scatter gun and lever action rifle! You will feel the fear of that dang buzzer and learn what real brain fade is like!

The clinics are not meant to be initial firearms training. Students must already be familiar with the safe use and unassisted loading of revolvers, rifles and shotguns. If you do not have experience, you can take the classroom portion but, you can only observe the live fire portion.  For additional information contact Chuckaroo 301-831-9666. You will be required to complete a waiver that includes your experience competency in order to participate in the shooting portion.  Having fired a gun sometime in your life, is not sufficient experience with firearms in order to participate in the live fire portion of the class.

Many thanks to Atlantic Guns for again providing all of the clinic ammo! Clinic volunteers on September 8, 2024 made it happen!, JR Gomez, Annie Jean Oakley, Tom Toben, Snapshot Sandy, Mt. Airy Undertaker, Lightning Rider, Short Toed Steve, old Baldy, Maureen Holland and Chuckaroo.

Scores For All DWR Matches Are Archived
Our Match Scores section now has every score from every match we have ever had with the Damascus Wildlife Rangers. That includes scores from our very first match in March 1998, to present. It is interesting to see how the categories have increased, and how many more ladies and youngsters are participating.  

The Damascus Wildlife Rangers Stages Are On The Web!
If the weather cooperates in March, these are our stages for November 2024 and the questions for the trivia test when the scores will be read.

E-Mail List
The Damascus Wildlife Rangers has a large, optional, e-mail list that is used to inform its members and participating non-members about Cowboy Action Shooting news for our club and other clubs in the area.

Information about Cowboy Action in the Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania areas will be sent out weekly, as reminders of upcoming events and activities. The subject title will be in ALL CAPS and it will be obvious that it is from us. The weekly reminders will be titled, "COWBOY THIS WEEK."

All addresses are hidden, except for the recipient, and the list is not used for any other purpose.  It is not used to broadcast junk mail or items not associated with the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting™.  If you would like to be added or deleted from the list, please e-mail Chuckaroo and request to be "Added or deleted" from the "Cowboy E-mail" list.  Care is taken to enter the e-mail address that the shooters place on their match registration forms.  Unfortunately, some addresses are incorrect, or unreadable.  

If an address is returned, as undeliverable two times, it will be deleted from the list. This includes "full" mailboxes more than three times.  If you are not getting weekly reminders about upcoming shoots and events, please submit your address again via e-mail.

Many corporate and government servers do not allow incoming bulk bail, (like our mailing list) and they will block them. If you are not getting mail from us, at least one a week, the odds are it is being blocked by your employer. You are better off using a home E-mail address for uninterrupted service.

Some Spam Blockers will return E-mail to us. If this happens two times in a month, your address will be deleted from the list. Other Spam controls will place bulk mail in your Spam folder, so check for re-routed E-mails and, if possible, add IzaakWaltonWAC@iwlwac.org to your accepted E-mail listings. All group e-mails will be sent from IzaakWaltonWAC@iwlwac.org  - Chuckaroo

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Important

The Wildlife Achievement Chapter Inc., of the Izaak Walton League of America, in Damascus Md., is the host club for the Cowboy Action Shoots. Being a member of this Izaak Walton League is not a requirement for participation in the regular shoots however, we are open for new members. SASS Rules (Single Action Shooting Society) apply to all shoots and new Cowboy shooters are welcome to join in on the fun! You must be in costume! No Sneakers or ball caps allowed.  We will maintain the "Spirit of the Game."  The undeniable attraction to the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting is participating in a group shootin' activity where winning  is not the main goal. Having fun, shootin' old time shootin' irons and razzin' your fellow pardners is really what it's all about.  If you are the type that is willing to sacrifice fun for a victory, then you haven't embraced the "Spirit of the Game" and should consider a different form of shooting competition.
   
Remember the motto " No target is too close or so large that it can't be missed " and the slogan " It's not how good you shoot, it's how good you look shootin'. "

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Our shoot schedule is the 2nd Saturday of the month from March thru November
June is our "Thunder Valley Days" annual match & the
SASS MD State Championship of Cowboy Action Shooting™
This match is by pre registration only and requires that all shooters are current SASS members.

All other regular monthly matches are the second Saturday (March thru November). Registration starts at 8:00 AM and closes at 9:15 AM (promptly), the mandatory safety meeting is at 9:45 AM and the shoot begins at 10:00 AM.  You do not have to be a member of the Izaak Walton League or SASS to participate in a monthly match. (The State Championship requires SASS Membership). Members of the Wildlife Achievement Club Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America are automatically members of the "Damascus Wildlife Rangers". The monthly match cost to members is $5.00 and non-members $10.00. For vendors, we have free outdoor vendors spaces on a first come first serve basis. Vendors, contact  Dogmeat Dad for additional information.   Lunch, for a nominal fee, will be available on Saturday and prepared by our Boy Scout Troop 945. Set up will be the Friday before each match at 1:00 PM, please help with set up if you can. The IWLA-WAC rifle and pistol ranges will be closed from set up on Friday at 1:00 PM through clean up of the match on Saturday around 4:00 PM.  

Visitors are welcome at all matches at no charge. You do need to bring ear and eye protection. No visitor pets are allowed.

All shooters and spectators are required to use ear and eye protection.

If you are not sure of the rules, contact Dogmeat Dad BEFORE the match date! Participants must have cowboy hat, boots, long sleeve shirt, long pants, proper firearms, holsters and an Alias to be able to shoot.  No sneakers, ball caps or clothing logos!!! All matches are held Rain or Shine. We follow SASS Rules and their "Spirit of the Game." All SASS Rules are in the SASS Handbooks available on line.

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It is a good idea to verify shoot information with the club contacts provided, or by checking their web site.
Most clubs have directions on their web site. Visitors are welcome at all events at no charge,
please bring ear and eye protection. Some clubs have rules against visitor pets.
Please check with the club contact before bringing your pet to a match.
All matches are rain or shine, unless noted.
LISTINGS ARE UPDATED AT CLUBS REQUEST ONLY
 

If you would like to change your clubs listing or have your club added to the above list, contact Chuckaroo.

SASS Listing of Worldwide Affiliated Cowboy Action Shoots.

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We offer memberships in the "Damascus Wildlife Rangers" for cowboy shooters. These memberships will be outside of the Izaak Walton memberships and do not provide the benefits that a regular IWLA Membership does.  However, for people that live a distance away, it is an opportunity to join the club without the expense of a full IWLA club membership. "Damascus Wildlife Rangers" single memberships will be $35, with spouse an additional $20. Young Guns and Buckaroos' (16 and under) are free when added to a parents membership. Members get to shoot the matches at half price ($5 instead of $10) and can order the club badge. All members must be current SASS members. Applications are available at club matches or you can download the Damascus Wildlife Rangers Application, you can fill out the application, while viewing it, and then print it. To view the application, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe is available free here .

For additional information, contact Chuckaroo. Members of the Damascus Izaak Walton (Wildlife Achievement Chapter Inc.) automatically become members if the Damascus Wildlife Rangers once they have participated in one of our matches and joined SASS.  For full Izaak Walton League membership information, click on Izaak Walton League Membership Information located on the IWLA main page. Membership is on a calendar year.