CAS CITY - COWBOY & WESTERN ACTION SHOOTING WORLDWIDE

I. Will Ketchum

Location:

* Madison * Wisconsin *
* United States of America *

Age:

Homepage:

Real life Occupation:

Retired

Clubs:

Taychopata Muzzleloading Club
Deerfield Rod & Gun Club
Hickory Hills Regulators
Western Wisconsin Wild Bunch
La Cross Muzzle Loaders

Organizations:

NRA Life
SASS 4222
NCOWS LIFE 133
WASA 105

Recent News About Me:

My Chosen Alias (The story behind and how I picked it):

Isaac Ketchum was born in Vermont in 1844. He migrated, with his parents to Wisconsin in the late 1850s. With the start of the Civil War he ran away to join the Union Army at 17. During a cavalry charge, in a skirmish with rebel forces, his mount was shot out from under him and he ruined his knee. While on invalid leave in Washington, he chanced upon an assassination attempt on President Lincoln. He was able to foil the attempt, and came under the notice of Alan Pinkerton, who recruited him to his service. After the war he continued with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, head quartered in Chicago, Illinois. As a Pinkerton operative he pursued train & bank robbers, rustlers and kidnappers. He had a falling out with Alan Pinkerton's son over participating in strike braking, and left the employ of the agency for a period with Wells Fargo. He later took employment as United States Marshal. His story continues.

How I picked my Alias -- When I was about 12 my Dad wouldn't let me have a .22 rifle, but my Mother, who was born in South Dakota, and raised on a northern Wisconsin farm, was more sympathetic. She gave me a small .22 pistol that a neighbor had given her for protection during the war when my Dad was gone. I became a pretty good shot with that old gun, and in those less PC days carried it just about every place I went during the summer months. My friends called me "Pistol Pete", which became my CB handle. When I joined SASS I wanted "Pistol Pete" as my alias, but it was taken. So I became "Pistolero Pete" for a time. I wasn't very comfortable with that for my alias, heck, half the time I wasn't sure how to spell it! So after some thought and having just read Charlie Siringo's "A Cowboy Detective" I developed my persona by using actual dates and events from my own life. (No I didn't really foil an attempt on a Presidents life)

My current guns & gear:

Clothing -- My wife of 38 years makes most of my clothes. I have some from River Junction, and some more from The Fort. I had a sack suit custom made a Terry's Sewing in Viroqua Wisconsin. I was wearting it when I won the "Best Dressed Town Dude during The Fandango 2004.

Leather -- Belt custom made from River Junction, holsters by Jack Swanson's "Culpepper Cattle Co." I aslo have some San Pedro Leather that I really like.

Guns -- my main competition battery consists of:

Pistols: Two 45 caliber, stainless steel, 4 3/4 barreled, Ruger Vaqueros. With Ajax stag grips. They have been fitted with Bunkhouse spring kits from Har Trigger. They shoot very well.
For NCOWS matches I shoot original Smith & Wesson New Model number 3s in 44 Russian. The leather for them is from San Pedro Saddlery.

Rifles : My SASS rifle is a Model 73 with 30" bbl. Additionally, I have a Henry in 44-40 and a 66 in 44 spl. The Yellowboy is altered to feed 44 Russians and I use it as my companion rifle with the Smith & Wesson's

Shotgun : TTN hammered.

Other information I would like to share:

Research -- As most long time readers of cas-l are aware I have an extensive Western Library. I was a History major in college, and an long time love affair with the Old West. So, other than the Siringo book I really didn't do any research dedicated to developing my alias.

All pictures taken in Springfield, MS.
Picure at the bottom: I'm having a chat with Marshal Halloway.

Send an Email to I. Will Ketchum: