Light night I called the home of my friend Les Hanson who has been fighting cancer for a while.  I hadn't talked with him for a few weeks as I've been so busy preparing for a big long range match.  I found that he'd passed away not too long after we last spoke.

There are a lot of guys who knew him better than I did, but I am proud to have been considered a friend for the few years I knew him.   

He was a very knowledgeable shooter particularly with respect to single shot rifles and muzzleloaders.  He was also a talented gunsmith, and all around great guy.  He was a no B.S. sort of fellow, but also one of the funniest people I've ever met.   

I remember the first time I hung out with him.  It was at my first silhouette match and it was a little after 5 in the morning.  The entire camp ground was quiet, everyone asleep, except one camp that was filled with howling laughter.  I walked over and was welcomed into camp by Les the groups ringleader  .   I think I laughed more times just that morning than in the whole year before. 

That was the first of a lot of good times at his camp or just talking about schuetzen, silhouette, black powder target shooting, and any number of other topics.

Our Kamloops matches just won't be the same without him.   

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Chris.

It was a good place to hang out for sure.  Even if we never got around to shooting I would have more than got my value for the match fees just hanging out.  Dave it's good that you got to meet him.  He was a heck of a guy.

Chris.