The Historic Shooting Range

The Historic Shooting Range. . , Africa, Alaska, Montana, The Yukon and other destinations were the hunting grounds of Tyler Berry, Jr. during his lifetime quest for adventure and hunting trophies. In preparation for each hunt, he would prepare and zero in his rifle at 150 yard rifle range running from south to north parallel to I-65 on the Reams Fleming Place., While his favorite rifle was the pre-1964 Winchester .270 (used on various big horn sheep and mountain goats), he also used his .458 Griffin and Howe Winchester Magnum (used on African lion and water buffalo), Griffin and Howe 22-250 Winchester. 300 Magnum Winchester (caribou, moose, wild boar, wildebeest, antelope) as well as various varmint rifles to dispatch ground hogs. wild dogs, coyotes, pole cats, squirrels and rabbits., “Berry's Folly” was constructed to the rear of the Home Place to serve as headquarters for reloading and display of his various hunting trophies., During World War II he and a fellow Tennessee sharpshooter were credited with extricating an Infantry Battalion from a roadblock by firing a 155 “Long Tom” howitzer direct fire at distant tanks blocking the advance and destroying them., After returning home from service, he purchased 10,000 rounds of surplus ammunition for his 1911 .45 Colt and shot the entire supply within months., His well-earned reputation of being a crack shot was tested one night at Rural Plains when he heard some trespassers trying to shoot a treed squirrel. He picked up his rifle and walked down the lane and asked them what they were doing, and they explained their frustration of being unable to hit the squirrel high in the tree. He aimed, shot and hit the squirrel on his first and only shot. The trespassers never returned.