shortly after getting my new lever action marlin rifle i decided I'd put a red-dot aiming device on it.
after mounting it and make a preliminary sight in using a bore sighting laser i headed out to the desert to where my son lived at the time in order to do a live fire sight in. where he lived at the time, we could just drive down the road a half mile and shoot, legally.
we loaded up the rifles and some soft drinks on that day and headed out to begin sighting in mid-morning. we took the marlin and his 10/22...he was going to "plink" while i sighted in the red dot.
the area is ideal for shooting. it's a dry river bed with banks that are fifteen to twenty feet high and composed of sand cliffs nearly perfectly vertical; a perfect back stop for ANY kind of fire arm. the area is accessible via dirt road that gives way to a ramp that leads down into the riverbed.
this area is laced with history. we located carvings in rocks dated 1849 and 1870. there was native American activity here long before the advent of the white man. there is the ruins of a native American settlement within sight of where we were shooting that i knew of and discussed with an archeologist that was also familiar with it, who says they (archeologists) believe to date back nearly ten thousand years; I've taken numerous pictures of the site. the Mormon battalion came thru this area in 1849/50 (?) on their famous infantry march from Ohio to California. the Butterfield stage route of 1849 passes thru here also and has several stage stops in the area.in all...very humbling at times.
after we arrived at the site and got comfortable and got things going, i began by firing one shot at a time at a target I'd set at fifty (50) yards. after a number of rounds, the carbine was "laying them right in there". my son was happy with the results of his 10/22 and all was well. after a while and a number more rounds we decided it was time to go.
while we were there, we'd noticed the sound of a vehicle that sounded as though it was going back and forth on the paved road we had entered between shots. we mused that it was probably the game warden looking for the source of the shots being fired.
on the way out, we discovered that was true. it was indeed a game warden.
he roared down the road towards us as we approached the paved road throwing on his red lights.
oh, boy...this is gonna be fun i said out loud. we had legally owned firearms that were properly secured and unloaded as per California state law, NO game in our possession or in our vehicle and current hunting licenses and proper ID. no deer or big game tags for bobcat or turkey, though. the fact of the matter is quite simply, we were not hunting. we nothing to worry about or to hide.
he approached our vehicle after i stopped and DEMANDED to know if we'd seen any deer to which i responded, correctly so, "no sir, we have not. we're not looking for deer. we're not hunting." he was obviously very nervous about the whole scene. "got any guns in your truck?" he asked "yes sir, i do." to which he responded "may i see them?" to which i replied "do you have a search warrant?"...silence..."no i don't but since you told me you do i have the right to search"...he was very obviously getting more nervous. i told him i would open the rear of my truck and stepped out of the truck and opened the tailgate of my truck. the two rifles were encased. i will remove them i told him and got the keys to open the cases.
"are they unloaded?" he asked "yes, they are" i answered.
when i opened the case for the carbine, he looked sort of puzzled as i picked up the the already open, action, carbine and presented it to him. he cycled the action twice to ensure it was not loaded and asked "what is this?" pointing to the Tasco, Pro-point, red dot. i told him what it was. "how does it work?" he asked.
we walked to the side of the truck and i turned it on and showed him and explained the settings of it. he took the carbine, shouldering it and looking thru the scope and scanned the surrounding area. he open the action, handed it back to me and said "that's pretty cool. i might like to have one of those. you guys have a nice day."
i suspect we had been stopped by a 'rookie' game warden. he grinned and waved as he drove away.
we had a really good dinner that evening of BBQ burgers 'n' corona's chuckling about a game warden who had never seen a red dot aiming device. we believe he may have believed it was a nite vision scope at first.
well...we all gotta start somewhere...i hope his job is easier and better now and he got his red dot.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
guns, guns and more guns
since i was a young soldier on the firing line at Ft Ord, California i have had contact with firearms. oh, i had some exposure while growing up, too.
I'm an army brat and grew up on the likes of Ft Sill Okla, Ft Riley ks, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Ft Jackson SC, Ft Hood, Texas (where i was stationed, as a soldier, with the 2d armored division after returning from SE Asia; also, we were there with dad right after WWII. so, i was there twice) and others that are long since dim memories. there were always armed soldiers around and i also got my first .22 rifle while at Ft Sill as a kid ( i still have it to this day, too. a sears roebuck, single shot, bolt action that has accounted for more rodents than i could possibly remember.)
i trained with the venerable M-1 Garand, M-1 Carbine and was issued an M-14 just before leaving the army; weapons we took into the fracas in Vietnam. i was, and still am, partial to them as being the best, all around combat weapons, ever.
yes, i know..."the m-16 is better"...not in my opinion. the M-16 is a great varmint rifle but too many fine soldiers have got into dire straights depending on them. actually i should clarify that the M-16 platform itself is refined enough now to be quite reliable but the 5.56 leaves much to be desired as a COMBAT cartridge as is being evidenced now by the military going to the 6.8/6.9 and back to the M-14/7.62x51/.308. the average "kill" in Vietnam by an infantryman was from forty yards at that range, even a .22 rimfire might have done as well. and one last point: general Petreaus himself, was shot, point blank, in the chest, in a training accident at Ft Bragg with a 5.56; obviously, it did not kill him. had that been the 7.62 it would be different outcome. luckily, most of our adversaries cannot afford the modern body armor we have and the 5.56 is still marginal at even modest ranges when used against unarmored personnel. I've read of many soldiers complaining about not being able to "knock down" an enemy and i read a report by a marine major on snipercountry.com witnessing the 5.56 bullets sticking IN the targets from 500 yds...NOT penetrating the target all the way. (but in all fairness that was penned during the very early days of Vietnam/M-16 and was on Okinawa at a training range.)
I've spoken to active duty marines who were not really that fond of the 5.56. especially if they've done a combat tour.
anyway, this is not a debate about "which is better?" and, it's up for replacement. i think there's enough to convince me, and many others, it's time the 5.56 is retired as a combat cartridge.
since then I've gone thru such an assortment of firearms it's almost staggering. one of my all time favorites happens to be related to the M-1 Carbine; the Ruger P9 9mm, semi-automatic, carbine. it's powerful (within limited parameters, of course...after all, it is ONLY a 9mm) accurate and like it's cousin, the M-1 carbine, unbelievably reliable. it's nearly as much fun to plink away with as the Ruger 10/22. the cost of the ammo is about the only down side when compared to the .22 rimfire but, never the less, the ammo is relatively inexpensive and available everywhere. to hand load it is no issue at all. if it weren't illegal here, I'd make a pistol grip stock for it. (here in California, that would make it an "assault" weapon.)
where the 9x19, may be, the most popular handgun round ever, it certainly is not the most powerful but from a 16" tube, it is capable of some respectable velocities. in the speer #11 loading manual, they list speeds for a 90 grain hollow point bullet at well over 1000 fps from a 3" tube...I'm certain it would probably approach the 1500 fps level from the 16" carbine tube. (I'm not certain of the numbers, but that's what i recall at the moment...I'll check them and post them later)
another reason I'm particularly fond of this carbine is the fact that i also have a "companion" P95DC auto-loader; they share magazines and ammo. they're my SHTF (Stuff Hitting The Fan) firearms.
and last but not least, we have a Rottweiler puppy that we're very fond of...his name? Von Ruger...
I'm an army brat and grew up on the likes of Ft Sill Okla, Ft Riley ks, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Ft Jackson SC, Ft Hood, Texas (where i was stationed, as a soldier, with the 2d armored division after returning from SE Asia; also, we were there with dad right after WWII. so, i was there twice) and others that are long since dim memories. there were always armed soldiers around and i also got my first .22 rifle while at Ft Sill as a kid ( i still have it to this day, too. a sears roebuck, single shot, bolt action that has accounted for more rodents than i could possibly remember.)
i trained with the venerable M-1 Garand, M-1 Carbine and was issued an M-14 just before leaving the army; weapons we took into the fracas in Vietnam. i was, and still am, partial to them as being the best, all around combat weapons, ever.
yes, i know..."the m-16 is better"...not in my opinion. the M-16 is a great varmint rifle but too many fine soldiers have got into dire straights depending on them. actually i should clarify that the M-16 platform itself is refined enough now to be quite reliable but the 5.56 leaves much to be desired as a COMBAT cartridge as is being evidenced now by the military going to the 6.8/6.9 and back to the M-14/7.62x51/.308. the average "kill" in Vietnam by an infantryman was from forty yards at that range, even a .22 rimfire might have done as well. and one last point: general Petreaus himself, was shot, point blank, in the chest, in a training accident at Ft Bragg with a 5.56; obviously, it did not kill him. had that been the 7.62 it would be different outcome. luckily, most of our adversaries cannot afford the modern body armor we have and the 5.56 is still marginal at even modest ranges when used against unarmored personnel. I've read of many soldiers complaining about not being able to "knock down" an enemy and i read a report by a marine major on snipercountry.com witnessing the 5.56 bullets sticking IN the targets from 500 yds...NOT penetrating the target all the way. (but in all fairness that was penned during the very early days of Vietnam/M-16 and was on Okinawa at a training range.)
I've spoken to active duty marines who were not really that fond of the 5.56. especially if they've done a combat tour.
anyway, this is not a debate about "which is better?" and, it's up for replacement. i think there's enough to convince me, and many others, it's time the 5.56 is retired as a combat cartridge.
since then I've gone thru such an assortment of firearms it's almost staggering. one of my all time favorites happens to be related to the M-1 Carbine; the Ruger P9 9mm, semi-automatic, carbine. it's powerful (within limited parameters, of course...after all, it is ONLY a 9mm) accurate and like it's cousin, the M-1 carbine, unbelievably reliable. it's nearly as much fun to plink away with as the Ruger 10/22. the cost of the ammo is about the only down side when compared to the .22 rimfire but, never the less, the ammo is relatively inexpensive and available everywhere. to hand load it is no issue at all. if it weren't illegal here, I'd make a pistol grip stock for it. (here in California, that would make it an "assault" weapon.)
where the 9x19, may be, the most popular handgun round ever, it certainly is not the most powerful but from a 16" tube, it is capable of some respectable velocities. in the speer #11 loading manual, they list speeds for a 90 grain hollow point bullet at well over 1000 fps from a 3" tube...I'm certain it would probably approach the 1500 fps level from the 16" carbine tube. (I'm not certain of the numbers, but that's what i recall at the moment...I'll check them and post them later)
another reason I'm particularly fond of this carbine is the fact that i also have a "companion" P95DC auto-loader; they share magazines and ammo. they're my SHTF (Stuff Hitting The Fan) firearms.
and last but not least, we have a Rottweiler puppy that we're very fond of...his name? Von Ruger...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
some thoughts and reflections
i am not, nor have i ever been, a great hunter. in fact, you might say I'm at best, a below average hunter. I've never, in all my years in the field, taken a deer.
i have, indeed, hunted the deer on many occasions, and have had opportunities to legally harvest one. but it seems every time I've had the opportunity, i, in some dumb fashion, goof it up...
probably the most notable time was on one cold morning in the high desert about 90 miles east of the city of San Diego, California.
my youngest son and i were on a deer hunt, with our bows on this occasion, and we were anticipating success of some sort; i had a doe tag and he was in quest of the rabbits in the area.
conditions were great for the mornings hunt. there was a thin layer of snow on the ground, there was a very slight breeze blowing in our favor and the sun was lighting everything just perfectly. we were able to stalk about like true professional hunters and seemingly, were making no mistakes...not bad for me and for an antsy 10 year old boy, i must say.
as the day progressed, it became even better as the snow layer melted away causing small rivulets and streams to flow that in turn allowed us even more latitude in making errors and to observe better; it was becoming very calm, too. then it happened...i spotted a deer.
one single deer. standing alone calmly grazing in an opening that invited a shot.
after looking at the deer thru binos and determining it was indeed a doe, with no fawns or buck accompanying it, i decided to move in closer to take the shot. my son was to stay right with me. we had only forty to forty-five yards to cover to get within shooting range of my 56# draw weight recurve. (range finders were not readily available during these days, i might add)
the deer continued to calmly graze while we slowly covered the distance doing our level best to remain undetected by the calm animal, to a selected clump of creosote brush where i determined i could make the shot from.
once we were in place, still undetected by the unsuspecting deer, i slowly began the process of extracting an arrow from my bow mounted quiver and quietly nocking it on the string while both of us were in the prone position; all the while my heart was about to burst. i thought for sure, the deer would hear my heart beat. after all...this was to be my first deer.
after taking another last second check of equipment, the heavy cedar shaft with the large white feathers, tipped with a deadly efficient Zwickey, razor sharp, broadhead, was clearly in place ready to be delivered, i slowly rose to my knees assuming the classic "shooting from the knees" position after selecting a shooting lane and determining the distance at being thirty to thirty-three yards; the deer remained calm.
once i was firmly in position, i began my draw and reached anchor...began my aim while firmly anchored only to be horrified by a "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP" sound that just suddenly occurred!
the deer went to high alert and looked directly at me! that deer went from perfectly calm to turbo-drive panic and accelerated away like it was a fur covered rocket ship! all in two milliseconds!
after recomposing myself, i wondered what, where, did that come from? then it happened again..."BEEP-BEEP-BEEP"...I'd forgotten to shut off my wrist watch alarm...
my kid started giggling uncontrollably while i was licking my wounds over that one...the great white hunter had struck again.
live and learn, huh?
i have, indeed, hunted the deer on many occasions, and have had opportunities to legally harvest one. but it seems every time I've had the opportunity, i, in some dumb fashion, goof it up...
probably the most notable time was on one cold morning in the high desert about 90 miles east of the city of San Diego, California.
my youngest son and i were on a deer hunt, with our bows on this occasion, and we were anticipating success of some sort; i had a doe tag and he was in quest of the rabbits in the area.
conditions were great for the mornings hunt. there was a thin layer of snow on the ground, there was a very slight breeze blowing in our favor and the sun was lighting everything just perfectly. we were able to stalk about like true professional hunters and seemingly, were making no mistakes...not bad for me and for an antsy 10 year old boy, i must say.
as the day progressed, it became even better as the snow layer melted away causing small rivulets and streams to flow that in turn allowed us even more latitude in making errors and to observe better; it was becoming very calm, too. then it happened...i spotted a deer.
one single deer. standing alone calmly grazing in an opening that invited a shot.
after looking at the deer thru binos and determining it was indeed a doe, with no fawns or buck accompanying it, i decided to move in closer to take the shot. my son was to stay right with me. we had only forty to forty-five yards to cover to get within shooting range of my 56# draw weight recurve. (range finders were not readily available during these days, i might add)
the deer continued to calmly graze while we slowly covered the distance doing our level best to remain undetected by the calm animal, to a selected clump of creosote brush where i determined i could make the shot from.
once we were in place, still undetected by the unsuspecting deer, i slowly began the process of extracting an arrow from my bow mounted quiver and quietly nocking it on the string while both of us were in the prone position; all the while my heart was about to burst. i thought for sure, the deer would hear my heart beat. after all...this was to be my first deer.
after taking another last second check of equipment, the heavy cedar shaft with the large white feathers, tipped with a deadly efficient Zwickey, razor sharp, broadhead, was clearly in place ready to be delivered, i slowly rose to my knees assuming the classic "shooting from the knees" position after selecting a shooting lane and determining the distance at being thirty to thirty-three yards; the deer remained calm.
once i was firmly in position, i began my draw and reached anchor...began my aim while firmly anchored only to be horrified by a "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP" sound that just suddenly occurred!
the deer went to high alert and looked directly at me! that deer went from perfectly calm to turbo-drive panic and accelerated away like it was a fur covered rocket ship! all in two milliseconds!
after recomposing myself, i wondered what, where, did that come from? then it happened again..."BEEP-BEEP-BEEP"...I'd forgotten to shut off my wrist watch alarm...
my kid started giggling uncontrollably while i was licking my wounds over that one...the great white hunter had struck again.
live and learn, huh?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
'twas a good day for the bow today
the weather cleared up nicely this morning so i decided to go out and launch some aeroz.
I've been having some tough times with my archery and bow hunting lately.
ya see...I've shot a bow (recurve, mostly) for so many years SANS sights it's become second nature to me and I've had the thought that using sights would help my accuracy and hence, help prevent losing and breaking arrows...that's the main issue at the moment.
where i live has many manzanita and ribbon wood trees (not to mention granite boulders strewn about) that also contribute to arrow life thru attrition, loss and breakage; they're tough as an anvil and live just as long...woe be unto those who have an errant arrow contact one of them...odds are, they'll find nothing but carbon or wood splinters or a piece of aluminum that looks like a metal flower in full bloom...so, i got it into my head that using sights would minimize my misses, ergo, minimize my arrow loss/damage. i once made the mistake in taking an axe to cut a manzanita stump for firewood...YIKES!!! my hands stung for a week and the axe didn't even make a dent in the stump.
putting sights onto my bow, physically, was NOT an issue, or challenge of any sort...it was using them that became an issue almost immediately. after all, i do use sights on my compound bow with a great deal of success. but...the issue comes in using the sights on my recurve bow...it just don't seem right...
i seldom ever shoot my compound...in fact, my last compound was purchased in 1999 and i doubt I've shot more than a hundred arrows thru it since; too much gadgetry and technology for this country kid. (this is not meant as a 'bash' of compounds either.)
i think the biggest 'pitfall' about using the sights on the recurve bow (as far as MY application is concerned) is i must use them in an, almost, perfectly vertical orientation in order to use them properly and accurately. oh, it can be done...no doubt about it, but, i have a difficult time doing so; i cant my bow. a canted bow means a change in the dynamics of aiming using sights.
anyway...
earlier this morning, i grabbed one of my favorite recurves and headed out to shoot a few arrows.
the soil was wonderfully damp, the trees and vegetation seem to be sighing with relief and satisfaction from the last rains and the smell was wonderful...you guys who hit the woods and farmers/ranchers will know what i mean. a wonderful day to shoot some arrows.
i was going to try a 'new' way of arrow loss prevention. (or at least one that I'd long forgotten until my hunting partner reminded me of.)simply the installation of a metal washer behind the field point larger than the diameter of the point/shaft.
it works wonderfully.
since i switched to a mechanical release aid and went to lower draw weight poundage, I've also had to switch to carbon arrows to enhance the performance of the lighter draw weight poundage. carbon arrows tend to be on the costly side so loss prevention is prudent, hence the 'washer' modification.
the washer does not interfere with the flight of the arrow nor operating the bow. in fact it aids in draw length when drawing the bow. it comes up against the shelf and come to a stop insuring the same draw length each time. that in turn insures the same poundage output each shot. as most of you who shoot bows are aware of...the farther you draw the bow, the more the poundage.
with that in mind, i should be able to resume a 'normal' shooting pattern; i 'normally' shot at least once a day. maybe not more than a few arrows, just enough to keep up the form.
it seems that "what goes around, comes around." i find m myself right back to where i started from many times...but, it usually turns out good...
I've been having some tough times with my archery and bow hunting lately.
ya see...I've shot a bow (recurve, mostly) for so many years SANS sights it's become second nature to me and I've had the thought that using sights would help my accuracy and hence, help prevent losing and breaking arrows...that's the main issue at the moment.
where i live has many manzanita and ribbon wood trees (not to mention granite boulders strewn about) that also contribute to arrow life thru attrition, loss and breakage; they're tough as an anvil and live just as long...woe be unto those who have an errant arrow contact one of them...odds are, they'll find nothing but carbon or wood splinters or a piece of aluminum that looks like a metal flower in full bloom...so, i got it into my head that using sights would minimize my misses, ergo, minimize my arrow loss/damage. i once made the mistake in taking an axe to cut a manzanita stump for firewood...YIKES!!! my hands stung for a week and the axe didn't even make a dent in the stump.
putting sights onto my bow, physically, was NOT an issue, or challenge of any sort...it was using them that became an issue almost immediately. after all, i do use sights on my compound bow with a great deal of success. but...the issue comes in using the sights on my recurve bow...it just don't seem right...
i seldom ever shoot my compound...in fact, my last compound was purchased in 1999 and i doubt I've shot more than a hundred arrows thru it since; too much gadgetry and technology for this country kid. (this is not meant as a 'bash' of compounds either.)
i think the biggest 'pitfall' about using the sights on the recurve bow (as far as MY application is concerned) is i must use them in an, almost, perfectly vertical orientation in order to use them properly and accurately. oh, it can be done...no doubt about it, but, i have a difficult time doing so; i cant my bow. a canted bow means a change in the dynamics of aiming using sights.
anyway...
earlier this morning, i grabbed one of my favorite recurves and headed out to shoot a few arrows.
the soil was wonderfully damp, the trees and vegetation seem to be sighing with relief and satisfaction from the last rains and the smell was wonderful...you guys who hit the woods and farmers/ranchers will know what i mean. a wonderful day to shoot some arrows.
i was going to try a 'new' way of arrow loss prevention. (or at least one that I'd long forgotten until my hunting partner reminded me of.)simply the installation of a metal washer behind the field point larger than the diameter of the point/shaft.
it works wonderfully.
since i switched to a mechanical release aid and went to lower draw weight poundage, I've also had to switch to carbon arrows to enhance the performance of the lighter draw weight poundage. carbon arrows tend to be on the costly side so loss prevention is prudent, hence the 'washer' modification.
the washer does not interfere with the flight of the arrow nor operating the bow. in fact it aids in draw length when drawing the bow. it comes up against the shelf and come to a stop insuring the same draw length each time. that in turn insures the same poundage output each shot. as most of you who shoot bows are aware of...the farther you draw the bow, the more the poundage.
with that in mind, i should be able to resume a 'normal' shooting pattern; i 'normally' shot at least once a day. maybe not more than a few arrows, just enough to keep up the form.
it seems that "what goes around, comes around." i find m myself right back to where i started from many times...but, it usually turns out good...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
cold/wet weather days
I've had some really good experiences while hunting in cold/wet weather (mostly rainy, i must admit...I'm not one much to go out in the snow.)
we've been experiencing some rainy/wet/cold/snow as of late and it kinda triggered some thoughts and memories good to recall when sitting around the fireplace with a touch of 'snake bite' (southern comfort)
my wife asked me why i like to go in the rain. "well hon...i feel i have an extra advantage over the critters at that time as they're normally "hunkered down" and what i have to do is locate the area i think they'll be in and cover every inch with binos or good ole 'eye-ball'. the rain washes away smell, fast, it usually makes noise enough to cover any mistakes i make while stalking. it sometimes makes them make mistakes they would not normally make, too."
whether with bow, air gun or firearm it is an enlightening experience.
i recall a bowhunt in Arizona with a friend once a while back that was somewhat reminiscence of experiences overseas in monsoon rains. the biggest difference was that we were carrying bows instead of rifles.
we had walked out of camp at daybreak looking for the "ghost of the desert"; the javelina. we had spent all day stalking and glassing, glassing and stalking, but to no avail...no animals on our meat pole at the camp.
oh, sure, we had seen some and managed to get within a reasonable rifle shots distance, but made serious errors that spooked the elusive little buggers. with a bow, you gotta get within that 'magical' distance to stick 'em with an aero.
after a not-so-successful day we started our trudge back to camp. it began to rain lightly at first and then like turning on your lawn watering system, IT BEGAN TO POUR.
my friend had been a LRRP with the 196 light inf in VN and i had spent a lot of time in that part of the world, too...we just pulled our ponchos on and kept on walking to arrive back at camp just in time to light the lanterns to see with.
while neither of us had scored, it was nevertheless, a good hunt and added to memorable experiences of my life.
we had to cross a number of streams that were rising as a result of the rains and actually had to walk quite a ways in a stream to get to suitable place to get across and it was astonishing to see how much "stuff" was in the stream bed. i was actually enjoying walking along, looking and wondering, what would turn up next. among other things, i found a skull of a javelina that was already for mounting and toted it back to camp with me. there were old shards of colored glass, pieces of whiskey bottles, pieces of ceramic porcelain, old tin cans with soldered seams...keeping in mind we were many, many, miles from the nearest town, San Manuel.
(all are indicative of prior to the turn of the 20th century activity i also collect old bottles and have knowledge of bottle/glass making processes and how to date them.)
the part of Arizona, the San Pedro river valley, north of Benson and Wilcox, we were in at that time was once the haunt of the likes of Geronimo, Cochise and other notable Apache Indians and it was not uncommon for us to believe we were walking in the footsteps of one of the likes them or of a "yellow-leg" Calvary troop in search of the ever elusive Geronimo. it also happens to be the route of the Spanish conquistadors when they came thru there in the 16th century. sitting around the campfire at nite, one could almost hear the sound of Spanish armor and arms of the conquistadors winding their way thru the valley on their horses or see the warriors of a long gone war party hunkering down around a fire keeping warm
one of my friends found the remnants of an old, leather, dispatch bag with "US CAVALRY" embossed in it on a previous hunting trip there and i found an old, 45-70 brass shell casing. those things set our imaginations on fire with speculation and wonder about what had happen to cause those things to be there where we found them.
on another occasion, i found a really strange object that still defies my imagination on what it is and how it got there.
i had stopped, in the "middle of no where" and removed my canteen for a drink of water and was in the process of replacing it and was looking at the surrounding ground and a small object caught my eye. it was brightly colored and "out of place". i picked up an looked closer. it was shaped like a Hershey chocolate kiss. perfectly formed and shaped...a perfect stone, cone...obviously, man-made...interesting. i dropped it into my pocket and i still have it to this day.
my long time friend and fellow hunter has suggested it was a 'spike' that the native Americans frequently lashed onto war clubs to penetrate the skull of their enemies. of that I'm not sure...but it would certainly fit the role. how did it get there? who made it? where was it made? how old is it? was it indeed a "spike" for a war club? I'll probably never know.
one thing is certain, it is a "conversation starter"
these are but a few things that have occurred with me during wet/rainy days while out seeking adventure. it's been quite a while since I've trod the soil of the places i haunted for many years in search of the javelina and of a taste of lost history and what it could tell me, but it's still not far away in my minds eye.
i still plan on a return trip in the not to distant future to hunt once again, but this time i will probably use a firearm; probably a .44 cal single shot rifle or lever action 38/357 carbine. i think my chances to harvest an animal will be better.
while bow hunting has been a passion with me for quite a while, i still like, use, and keep up with firearms and have had for even more years than the bow.
like the saying goes..."i ain't getting older, I'm getting better"...
we've been experiencing some rainy/wet/cold/snow as of late and it kinda triggered some thoughts and memories good to recall when sitting around the fireplace with a touch of 'snake bite' (southern comfort)
my wife asked me why i like to go in the rain. "well hon...i feel i have an extra advantage over the critters at that time as they're normally "hunkered down" and what i have to do is locate the area i think they'll be in and cover every inch with binos or good ole 'eye-ball'. the rain washes away smell, fast, it usually makes noise enough to cover any mistakes i make while stalking. it sometimes makes them make mistakes they would not normally make, too."
whether with bow, air gun or firearm it is an enlightening experience.
i recall a bowhunt in Arizona with a friend once a while back that was somewhat reminiscence of experiences overseas in monsoon rains. the biggest difference was that we were carrying bows instead of rifles.
we had walked out of camp at daybreak looking for the "ghost of the desert"; the javelina. we had spent all day stalking and glassing, glassing and stalking, but to no avail...no animals on our meat pole at the camp.
oh, sure, we had seen some and managed to get within a reasonable rifle shots distance, but made serious errors that spooked the elusive little buggers. with a bow, you gotta get within that 'magical' distance to stick 'em with an aero.
after a not-so-successful day we started our trudge back to camp. it began to rain lightly at first and then like turning on your lawn watering system, IT BEGAN TO POUR.
my friend had been a LRRP with the 196 light inf in VN and i had spent a lot of time in that part of the world, too...we just pulled our ponchos on and kept on walking to arrive back at camp just in time to light the lanterns to see with.
while neither of us had scored, it was nevertheless, a good hunt and added to memorable experiences of my life.
we had to cross a number of streams that were rising as a result of the rains and actually had to walk quite a ways in a stream to get to suitable place to get across and it was astonishing to see how much "stuff" was in the stream bed. i was actually enjoying walking along, looking and wondering, what would turn up next. among other things, i found a skull of a javelina that was already for mounting and toted it back to camp with me. there were old shards of colored glass, pieces of whiskey bottles, pieces of ceramic porcelain, old tin cans with soldered seams...keeping in mind we were many, many, miles from the nearest town, San Manuel.
(all are indicative of prior to the turn of the 20th century activity i also collect old bottles and have knowledge of bottle/glass making processes and how to date them.)
the part of Arizona, the San Pedro river valley, north of Benson and Wilcox, we were in at that time was once the haunt of the likes of Geronimo, Cochise and other notable Apache Indians and it was not uncommon for us to believe we were walking in the footsteps of one of the likes them or of a "yellow-leg" Calvary troop in search of the ever elusive Geronimo. it also happens to be the route of the Spanish conquistadors when they came thru there in the 16th century. sitting around the campfire at nite, one could almost hear the sound of Spanish armor and arms of the conquistadors winding their way thru the valley on their horses or see the warriors of a long gone war party hunkering down around a fire keeping warm
one of my friends found the remnants of an old, leather, dispatch bag with "US CAVALRY" embossed in it on a previous hunting trip there and i found an old, 45-70 brass shell casing. those things set our imaginations on fire with speculation and wonder about what had happen to cause those things to be there where we found them.
on another occasion, i found a really strange object that still defies my imagination on what it is and how it got there.
i had stopped, in the "middle of no where" and removed my canteen for a drink of water and was in the process of replacing it and was looking at the surrounding ground and a small object caught my eye. it was brightly colored and "out of place". i picked up an looked closer. it was shaped like a Hershey chocolate kiss. perfectly formed and shaped...a perfect stone, cone...obviously, man-made...interesting. i dropped it into my pocket and i still have it to this day.
my long time friend and fellow hunter has suggested it was a 'spike' that the native Americans frequently lashed onto war clubs to penetrate the skull of their enemies. of that I'm not sure...but it would certainly fit the role. how did it get there? who made it? where was it made? how old is it? was it indeed a "spike" for a war club? I'll probably never know.
one thing is certain, it is a "conversation starter"
these are but a few things that have occurred with me during wet/rainy days while out seeking adventure. it's been quite a while since I've trod the soil of the places i haunted for many years in search of the javelina and of a taste of lost history and what it could tell me, but it's still not far away in my minds eye.
i still plan on a return trip in the not to distant future to hunt once again, but this time i will probably use a firearm; probably a .44 cal single shot rifle or lever action 38/357 carbine. i think my chances to harvest an animal will be better.
while bow hunting has been a passion with me for quite a while, i still like, use, and keep up with firearms and have had for even more years than the bow.
like the saying goes..."i ain't getting older, I'm getting better"...
Saturday, January 16, 2010
another day, another 'shot'
once again my hunting partner and long time friend came thru providing me with the awe (and the mirth) of a long shot with his black widow recurve that fringed on the "no...you can't...can you? will you?" brink.
we'd been bowhunt in the Cleveland national forest about 80 miles east of San Diego that day and were hunting/stumps shooting out ways back to the truck.
of course, those of you out there that are bowhunters know the drill of stump shooting your way back to your truck so i needn't explain that.
the accompanying banter that normally goes along with a day's bowhunt is an integral part of that activity... "hey john, if you miss this shot, you buy lunch"..."geeeeeeee...tom, my gramma kin shoot better 'n' that."..."good grief charlie, if you'd take the suction cups offa yer aeros, they'd probably stick..."
anyway...we were nearly back to out truck when i spotted a soccer ball sized rock very near the truck and having had a pretty good day with our bows, i challenged my pal to hit the rock. now mind you, he had a new black widow recurve and was shooting new aluminum arrows that at the time were "state of the art".
i really didn't think he'd do it, but, he withdrew and arrow from his quiver, clicked it onto the bowstring drew to anchor, released the arrow; we watched it streak towards the 'target'...sure enough..."BLANG" it hit the rock! wow...i couldn't believe it...of course it totally destroyed the arrow and didn't even chip the rock.
we measured the distance...65 yards! not bad for a recurve bow with no sights. that's a good shot even for a compound bow WITH sights.
to this day, my friend continues to amaze me with his accuracy with the recurve bow without sights. I've shot many years without sights on my bows, too...but with no where near the accuracy he has.
well someday, i may be able to hit what i wish to without sights but until then i know why it's said that one "practices" archery.
we'd been bowhunt in the Cleveland national forest about 80 miles east of San Diego that day and were hunting/stumps shooting out ways back to the truck.
of course, those of you out there that are bowhunters know the drill of stump shooting your way back to your truck so i needn't explain that.
the accompanying banter that normally goes along with a day's bowhunt is an integral part of that activity... "hey john, if you miss this shot, you buy lunch"..."geeeeeeee...tom, my gramma kin shoot better 'n' that."..."good grief charlie, if you'd take the suction cups offa yer aeros, they'd probably stick..."
anyway...we were nearly back to out truck when i spotted a soccer ball sized rock very near the truck and having had a pretty good day with our bows, i challenged my pal to hit the rock. now mind you, he had a new black widow recurve and was shooting new aluminum arrows that at the time were "state of the art".
i really didn't think he'd do it, but, he withdrew and arrow from his quiver, clicked it onto the bowstring drew to anchor, released the arrow; we watched it streak towards the 'target'...sure enough..."BLANG" it hit the rock! wow...i couldn't believe it...of course it totally destroyed the arrow and didn't even chip the rock.
we measured the distance...65 yards! not bad for a recurve bow with no sights. that's a good shot even for a compound bow WITH sights.
to this day, my friend continues to amaze me with his accuracy with the recurve bow without sights. I've shot many years without sights on my bows, too...but with no where near the accuracy he has.
well someday, i may be able to hit what i wish to without sights but until then i know why it's said that one "practices" archery.
Friday, January 15, 2010
bow madness
in all my years in archery, I've seen, some spectacular shots.
two of them were made by a good friend and fellow bow hunter near the place i made an earlier post about.
we had finished a day's bow hunt, packed and secured out bows and equipment and were heading back to the paved hiway and home bound.
we were in my, at the time, Mitsubishi truck with a cab-over, six-pak camper (which is where we had stowed our gear). the camper was accessible thru the cab by way of a "boot" between them. at the time, my kids were not grown and when we traveled, access to the camper was frequent and needed...hence, the "boot". i (and those similar to me in size) could make it thru the boot to/from the cab/camper.
as we bounced our way down the access road back to paved road, we noticed what i though was a "cow patty", after all, it was cow country and there were free ranging cattle in the area.
when we were nearly on top of the "Patty" we now could plainly see it was a HUGE coiled up rattlesnake! one of the common Mohave green ones, but nevertheless...HUGE! and with an attitude, to boot.
we all know that the rattlesnake is a pit viper and utilizes its heat sensing glands to locate it's prey, make it's strike, follow the victim, then swallow it whole by way of it's detachable jaw. we surmised the heat from the vehicle had it in a "sensory overload" during the course of an already blazing hot day. who knows for sure? we certainly had no intentions of asking the reptile.
we didn't want to run over the creature...that's not really very "fair" is it? to knowingly run over a snake..to run over one unintentionally is another matter...at least in my opinion.
the very hostile serpent had no intentions of allowing us anywhere near it, even though we remained in the truck and began rattling it's warnings and striking with an alarming vengeance that would make anyone think twice about approaching this critter; one of the sounds that will remain permanently embedded in your memory.
since neither of us wanted to get out of the truck to look closer, it was determined i would slowly drive OVER the hostile rattler while my friend would crawl thru the boot, into the camper, assemble and string his take down recurve bow and try a shot at it from the back door of the camper once it had cleared the snake.
i clutched the truck into first gear and slowly let out the clutch so as to move ever so slowly over the venomous reptile without actually "running over" it wqhile waiting to hear the OK to stop from my now ready friend.
i heard him say "OK, stop" then i head the "thunk" of his recurve bow on release.
"OK...pull forward...i think i got it..." was what i heard next.
i slowly pulled approximately 10 yards away from the now writhing snake, stopped, set the emergency brake, shut off the engine, then we both dismounted.
i don't know how many of you have taken snakes during the course of a hunt, but they seem to be very hard to kill. they seem to have a life-after-death feature that is very uncanny. they will continue to writhe and respond to outside stimuli even after the head has been totally severed. it can be quite a spectacle.
I've touched rattlers, whose heads i personally severed, so i KNOW they were of NO threat, and they responded to touch just as though they still felt the touch...very unsettling experience, to say the least. it's almost a if the body didn't know it was dead.
we watched for a few minutes until it was safe to move in and remove the head and dispose of it so it would no longer be a threat. the glands and fangs may still be a threat if handled carelessly.
we could plainly see a circle the size of a quarter in the snakes head where my friends rubber blunt tipped arrow had cleanly struck the head. (the blunt point was coated with dust so it transferred to the head of the snake upon impact)
it was without a doubt, one of the best shots I've ever witnessed. my friend shot the arrow from the open back door of a camper in a nearly perfect, perpendicular angle, his body bent at nearly, a 90 degree angle at the waist, to execute the shot, dead center of the snakes head...the impact from the 56# bow at that range, no doubt,pulverized the inside of the head turning everything inside to mush and shutting down the command and control center of the snake.
doesn't sound too difficult? try it sometime...
the statistics on the snake are 52" in length AFTER removal of the head, 12 buttons and quite healthy...weighed in at an estimated 8-10 lbs.
these predators command my respect at ALL times when I'm out and about hunting, cutting weeds or just wandering around my property. they go from docile to VERY hostile in 15 milliseconds when encountered, intentionally or not. they are equipped very well to defend themselves in any situation you can imagine.
to this day, my friend has that hide mounted in his den, a reminder of days and places long gone, remaining only in our fading memories.
we still talk about that day...
that was one shot...I'll tell about the other in another blog posting
two of them were made by a good friend and fellow bow hunter near the place i made an earlier post about.
we had finished a day's bow hunt, packed and secured out bows and equipment and were heading back to the paved hiway and home bound.
we were in my, at the time, Mitsubishi truck with a cab-over, six-pak camper (which is where we had stowed our gear). the camper was accessible thru the cab by way of a "boot" between them. at the time, my kids were not grown and when we traveled, access to the camper was frequent and needed...hence, the "boot". i (and those similar to me in size) could make it thru the boot to/from the cab/camper.
as we bounced our way down the access road back to paved road, we noticed what i though was a "cow patty", after all, it was cow country and there were free ranging cattle in the area.
when we were nearly on top of the "Patty" we now could plainly see it was a HUGE coiled up rattlesnake! one of the common Mohave green ones, but nevertheless...HUGE! and with an attitude, to boot.
we all know that the rattlesnake is a pit viper and utilizes its heat sensing glands to locate it's prey, make it's strike, follow the victim, then swallow it whole by way of it's detachable jaw. we surmised the heat from the vehicle had it in a "sensory overload" during the course of an already blazing hot day. who knows for sure? we certainly had no intentions of asking the reptile.
we didn't want to run over the creature...that's not really very "fair" is it? to knowingly run over a snake..to run over one unintentionally is another matter...at least in my opinion.
the very hostile serpent had no intentions of allowing us anywhere near it, even though we remained in the truck and began rattling it's warnings and striking with an alarming vengeance that would make anyone think twice about approaching this critter; one of the sounds that will remain permanently embedded in your memory.
since neither of us wanted to get out of the truck to look closer, it was determined i would slowly drive OVER the hostile rattler while my friend would crawl thru the boot, into the camper, assemble and string his take down recurve bow and try a shot at it from the back door of the camper once it had cleared the snake.
i clutched the truck into first gear and slowly let out the clutch so as to move ever so slowly over the venomous reptile without actually "running over" it wqhile waiting to hear the OK to stop from my now ready friend.
i heard him say "OK, stop" then i head the "thunk" of his recurve bow on release.
"OK...pull forward...i think i got it..." was what i heard next.
i slowly pulled approximately 10 yards away from the now writhing snake, stopped, set the emergency brake, shut off the engine, then we both dismounted.
i don't know how many of you have taken snakes during the course of a hunt, but they seem to be very hard to kill. they seem to have a life-after-death feature that is very uncanny. they will continue to writhe and respond to outside stimuli even after the head has been totally severed. it can be quite a spectacle.
I've touched rattlers, whose heads i personally severed, so i KNOW they were of NO threat, and they responded to touch just as though they still felt the touch...very unsettling experience, to say the least. it's almost a if the body didn't know it was dead.
we watched for a few minutes until it was safe to move in and remove the head and dispose of it so it would no longer be a threat. the glands and fangs may still be a threat if handled carelessly.
we could plainly see a circle the size of a quarter in the snakes head where my friends rubber blunt tipped arrow had cleanly struck the head. (the blunt point was coated with dust so it transferred to the head of the snake upon impact)
it was without a doubt, one of the best shots I've ever witnessed. my friend shot the arrow from the open back door of a camper in a nearly perfect, perpendicular angle, his body bent at nearly, a 90 degree angle at the waist, to execute the shot, dead center of the snakes head...the impact from the 56# bow at that range, no doubt,pulverized the inside of the head turning everything inside to mush and shutting down the command and control center of the snake.
doesn't sound too difficult? try it sometime...
the statistics on the snake are 52" in length AFTER removal of the head, 12 buttons and quite healthy...weighed in at an estimated 8-10 lbs.
these predators command my respect at ALL times when I'm out and about hunting, cutting weeds or just wandering around my property. they go from docile to VERY hostile in 15 milliseconds when encountered, intentionally or not. they are equipped very well to defend themselves in any situation you can imagine.
to this day, my friend has that hide mounted in his den, a reminder of days and places long gone, remaining only in our fading memories.
we still talk about that day...
that was one shot...I'll tell about the other in another blog posting
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
rainy day things
the weather was pretty abominable today so i did some "projects" on air rifles I've been wanting to do: make some bushing for the front mounting screws.
they allow very secure tightening of the forward mounting screws without crushing the wooden stock.
the project took approximately three hours to complete for two rifles.
it was not really difficult, just time consuming as it involved taking measurements and fitting them by hand.
i did purchase new Allen head metric screws to replace the slot head screws that exist, but...i got too short of screws so i had to reuse the old screws for now. I'll get new ones soon. they cost only $0.28 each; it's just the trip to get them is 25 miles one way...
i noticed that i may have to pump the pressure back up on one of the rifles as it seems like it's not as difficult to cock now. that particular rifle is normally difficult to cock as it is high pressure air (HPA)
well, that's a project for another day...i have to disassemble the rifle to pump the pressure back up...oh, well...gotta do what i gotta do.
i did manage to shoot one of my bows after the weather cleared enough for me to go outside.
i find that even though I've been shooting bows for many, many, years, it does require "practice" on a continual basis or you lose the proper form. i try to shoot daily but that's not always possible.
where i favor the 'traditional' recurve bows over the compound bow, i still own compound i bought in 1999 to replace one that was stolen from me and i occasionally shoot it.
when i was younger, i could easily shoot a fifty pound draw weight recurve bow...now...it's more like 40 to 45 pounds...and occasionally...the fifty pounds.
never the less...with today's technology, we have carbon arrows that have enhanced performance of what some would consider as 'anemic' at 40-45 pounds. i find it to be very adequate for most of my needs in the field of archery. you'd be amazed at how for a 40 pound bow will send a carbon arrow. California state law says a bow to legally hunt with must be able to cast a legal hunting arrow at least 135 yards, horizontally. many deer have been taken with a 40 pound bow. not to mention other big game here in north America.
time to go ... cya later
they allow very secure tightening of the forward mounting screws without crushing the wooden stock.
the project took approximately three hours to complete for two rifles.
it was not really difficult, just time consuming as it involved taking measurements and fitting them by hand.
i did purchase new Allen head metric screws to replace the slot head screws that exist, but...i got too short of screws so i had to reuse the old screws for now. I'll get new ones soon. they cost only $0.28 each; it's just the trip to get them is 25 miles one way...
i noticed that i may have to pump the pressure back up on one of the rifles as it seems like it's not as difficult to cock now. that particular rifle is normally difficult to cock as it is high pressure air (HPA)
well, that's a project for another day...i have to disassemble the rifle to pump the pressure back up...oh, well...gotta do what i gotta do.
i did manage to shoot one of my bows after the weather cleared enough for me to go outside.
i find that even though I've been shooting bows for many, many, years, it does require "practice" on a continual basis or you lose the proper form. i try to shoot daily but that's not always possible.
where i favor the 'traditional' recurve bows over the compound bow, i still own compound i bought in 1999 to replace one that was stolen from me and i occasionally shoot it.
when i was younger, i could easily shoot a fifty pound draw weight recurve bow...now...it's more like 40 to 45 pounds...and occasionally...the fifty pounds.
never the less...with today's technology, we have carbon arrows that have enhanced performance of what some would consider as 'anemic' at 40-45 pounds. i find it to be very adequate for most of my needs in the field of archery. you'd be amazed at how for a 40 pound bow will send a carbon arrow. California state law says a bow to legally hunt with must be able to cast a legal hunting arrow at least 135 yards, horizontally. many deer have been taken with a 40 pound bow. not to mention other big game here in north America.
time to go ... cya later
Friday, January 8, 2010
when is "too much" just right?
it's been said that Samuel Colt, inventor and innovator of Colt firearms, said that "God created man, Colt equalized them". (or something similar, anyway...)
i wonder about that...
many times while afoot and seeking to stuff a fur bearing creature into my game bag after harvesting it, I've come on these fur bearing, four footed rockets on feet and have been left with my mouth hanging agape at the speed they have when in full flight!
now, it's true, that there are no known creatures on this planet, that can out run a bullet, an arrow or even an airgun pellet...that's supposed to be "the equalizer" in our case...where man, the predator, does not have the ability to out run, for the biggest part, ANY of the quarry he seeks, he must make it up...or go hungry (rhetorically speaking, of course)
think I'm kidding? just watch quail run...their legs are moving so fast they're not visible; they run as fast as they fly, if not faster. around here, we have a species of lizards that don't grow over 2", maybe 3", in overall length yet when threatened or in danger, they are so fast you cannot see them...they appear to be a blur traveling along the ground...even the prehistoric appearing horny toads can travel at near supersonic speeds (it seems like) and some of the snakes, including the sometimes dangerous, rattlesnake, can move with startling speed that has and will, continue to, astound me. how can anything that doesn't have legs travel so fast??
now, i will NOT pursue and catch rattlesnakes, by hand, but i have pursued and caught many other snakes and lizards and again, (ya gotta watch 'em and sneak up on 'em when they're 'still') I'm totally awed by these cold blooded creatures and their survival mechanisms.
ever see a deer speed off? or watch an antelope (also know by many speed related nicknames) speed along the prairie? even elephants can outrun man on foot.
it's very evident to me, that God, did indeed, endow these creatures with benefits to survive he DID NOT give us, but he did give us the mind to "equalize" with.
with that in mind, it's no wonder man has devised other methods to hunt with other than foot pursuit. the firearm being the principle method now days.
whether or not you agree with firearms and hunting or not, you have to admit...there's a lot you may, or may not like, that influence us in our pursuits.
when you reach the age i am and still want to pursue the critters...you gotta do something...even if means getting a bigger gun or heavier draw weight bow...
i wonder about that...
many times while afoot and seeking to stuff a fur bearing creature into my game bag after harvesting it, I've come on these fur bearing, four footed rockets on feet and have been left with my mouth hanging agape at the speed they have when in full flight!
now, it's true, that there are no known creatures on this planet, that can out run a bullet, an arrow or even an airgun pellet...that's supposed to be "the equalizer" in our case...where man, the predator, does not have the ability to out run, for the biggest part, ANY of the quarry he seeks, he must make it up...or go hungry (rhetorically speaking, of course)
think I'm kidding? just watch quail run...their legs are moving so fast they're not visible; they run as fast as they fly, if not faster. around here, we have a species of lizards that don't grow over 2", maybe 3", in overall length yet when threatened or in danger, they are so fast you cannot see them...they appear to be a blur traveling along the ground...even the prehistoric appearing horny toads can travel at near supersonic speeds (it seems like) and some of the snakes, including the sometimes dangerous, rattlesnake, can move with startling speed that has and will, continue to, astound me. how can anything that doesn't have legs travel so fast??
now, i will NOT pursue and catch rattlesnakes, by hand, but i have pursued and caught many other snakes and lizards and again, (ya gotta watch 'em and sneak up on 'em when they're 'still') I'm totally awed by these cold blooded creatures and their survival mechanisms.
ever see a deer speed off? or watch an antelope (also know by many speed related nicknames) speed along the prairie? even elephants can outrun man on foot.
it's very evident to me, that God, did indeed, endow these creatures with benefits to survive he DID NOT give us, but he did give us the mind to "equalize" with.
with that in mind, it's no wonder man has devised other methods to hunt with other than foot pursuit. the firearm being the principle method now days.
whether or not you agree with firearms and hunting or not, you have to admit...there's a lot you may, or may not like, that influence us in our pursuits.
when you reach the age i am and still want to pursue the critters...you gotta do something...even if means getting a bigger gun or heavier draw weight bow...
Thursday, January 7, 2010
why airguns and archery more than firearms?
it's all really very simple where i have a modest selection of firearms with which to hunt, plink, or seriously shoot target, i am seldom able to shoot them.
you see it involves figuring out which activity I'm going to partake in, select the pertinent firearm for it, gather all the surrounding logistics to utilize it, pack it, and usually drive for quite a distance. by driving, i mean terms of at least 50 miles.
now to some, that's well worth the effort...to me...it's questionable at times. you see, where i live, i am fortunate enough to be able to shoot on my own property. (it's still not "legal" per-se, but I'm far enough out where the neighbors say nothing...in fact, it's not uncommon to hear gunfire at all, and i SELDOM ever touch off a fire arm shot, i shoot air guns and archery almost daily. (when and if i do, it's usually a .22 rimfire, though)
this is where this blog turns political...i don't like it to, but it all ties in together.
you see, we, meaning the American people, have allowed out so called "legislators" to bully us into being suppressed by all sorts of laws THEY want in place. in all arenas of our lives, not just in firearms, hunting and shooting...but it goes so deeply into our lives i doubt we'd be able to function if we had some restrictions lifted.
personally, i doubt we'd see much of a change at all if many restrictions were lifted.
as an example, the infamous Klinton gun ban...there's no supporting studies or evidence that say it reduced crime in ANY way. yet it was forced on the American people and there are those who are trying their level best to re-initiate it!
at this time, the AR (Automatic Rifle) is the most popular, and one of the mostly widely made, firearms in American history, violent crime is at an all time LOW, the SCOTUS (Supreme Court Of The United States) Heller decision re-affirmed the right of the American Citizen to OWN FIREARMS as per the second amendment to the constitution of the U.S., yet the moron, Erik Holder, appointed by the current occupant of the white house says it doesn't...yet another example of our so called legislators try to force something on us we don't want.
in almost every piece of legislation proposed (and existing, for that matter) in the California state legislation regarding firearms, law enforcement is exempted. in my opinion, for what it's worth, i don't believe the police should be armed like the military...it gives lower governmental agencies/entities the idea they are invulnerable and empowered to do anything they wish...including imposing their will, right or wrong, on you and i.
they, the government(s) FEAR you and i...that's right...FEAR...why else would they not want us to own firearms? they do not want to be confronted with ARMED citizens who realize we're being UNFAIRLY and UNREASONABLY taxed to reward undeserving causes. such as supporting of illegal immigrants...oooooppppps...sorry..."undocumented immigrants" for you of the politically correct genre. that's why my automobile registration increases every year by at least 20%!
it occurs because we are dumb enough to allow legislators to walk roughshod over us...it's that simple, folks.
use your vote...or lose it...it will happen if we're not careful. after all...look what's in the White house now...an overt socialist who is openly defying the national interest of "health care" by trying to force another system on us AGAINST THE NATION"S WILL and overthrowing the second amendment is lurking there underneath the surface..
you see it involves figuring out which activity I'm going to partake in, select the pertinent firearm for it, gather all the surrounding logistics to utilize it, pack it, and usually drive for quite a distance. by driving, i mean terms of at least 50 miles.
now to some, that's well worth the effort...to me...it's questionable at times. you see, where i live, i am fortunate enough to be able to shoot on my own property. (it's still not "legal" per-se, but I'm far enough out where the neighbors say nothing...in fact, it's not uncommon to hear gunfire at all, and i SELDOM ever touch off a fire arm shot, i shoot air guns and archery almost daily. (when and if i do, it's usually a .22 rimfire, though)
this is where this blog turns political...i don't like it to, but it all ties in together.
you see, we, meaning the American people, have allowed out so called "legislators" to bully us into being suppressed by all sorts of laws THEY want in place. in all arenas of our lives, not just in firearms, hunting and shooting...but it goes so deeply into our lives i doubt we'd be able to function if we had some restrictions lifted.
personally, i doubt we'd see much of a change at all if many restrictions were lifted.
as an example, the infamous Klinton gun ban...there's no supporting studies or evidence that say it reduced crime in ANY way. yet it was forced on the American people and there are those who are trying their level best to re-initiate it!
at this time, the AR (Automatic Rifle) is the most popular, and one of the mostly widely made, firearms in American history, violent crime is at an all time LOW, the SCOTUS (Supreme Court Of The United States) Heller decision re-affirmed the right of the American Citizen to OWN FIREARMS as per the second amendment to the constitution of the U.S., yet the moron, Erik Holder, appointed by the current occupant of the white house says it doesn't...yet another example of our so called legislators try to force something on us we don't want.
in almost every piece of legislation proposed (and existing, for that matter) in the California state legislation regarding firearms, law enforcement is exempted. in my opinion, for what it's worth, i don't believe the police should be armed like the military...it gives lower governmental agencies/entities the idea they are invulnerable and empowered to do anything they wish...including imposing their will, right or wrong, on you and i.
they, the government(s) FEAR you and i...that's right...FEAR...why else would they not want us to own firearms? they do not want to be confronted with ARMED citizens who realize we're being UNFAIRLY and UNREASONABLY taxed to reward undeserving causes. such as supporting of illegal immigrants...oooooppppps...sorry..."undocumented immigrants" for you of the politically correct genre. that's why my automobile registration increases every year by at least 20%!
it occurs because we are dumb enough to allow legislators to walk roughshod over us...it's that simple, folks.
use your vote...or lose it...it will happen if we're not careful. after all...look what's in the White house now...an overt socialist who is openly defying the national interest of "health care" by trying to force another system on us AGAINST THE NATION"S WILL and overthrowing the second amendment is lurking there underneath the surface..
Monday, January 4, 2010
more things going on
right now there's a lot going on that demands a great deal of attention on my part but i still manage to get in 'play' time.
i have an Air Force Talon in .22, to say the least it's a very well designed, but yet simple piece of air gun technology that has a great deal more "power" than my springer magnums have. I've made no changes to it from "stock" insofar as the valving goes and it has more than enough power for the average air gunner, yet I'm going to do some modification to increase that power in the very near future.
right now, i have open sights on this fine rifle. i know that in order to exploit it's potential, i should employ a scope; which i did purchase with the rifle when it was new. however...like bow hunting, air gun hunting is a 'close in' sport. seldom is a shot taken over 40-50 yards. most of the airguns used are NOT capable of taking game beyond those ranges...oh, there are those available that will, but the average air rifle, even the magnum springers, are dubious at ranges beyond that.
if a person is pursuing game larger than fox, he should go to a "powder burner" or a big-bore air rifle, OR undertake modification to one (air rifle) that will be capable. IMO. the Air Force is one such air rifle that will take to being modified for the taking of coyote and similar size game.
keeping in mind that air gun hunting is a close in sport, i feel that the accuracy afforded by decent open sights is more than adequate for game the size of fox all the way down to the average wood rat in this area at ranges out to 40-50 yards. i, normally, have no difficulty hitting a 2" target within 50 yards with the sights i now use. when you consider the damage done to a body cavity of a creature the size of a rat by the introduction of a .22 caliber size, 14 grain or heavier, projectile traveling at near supersonic speed, it's no wonder that "pinpoint" accuracy is not really a "must"...it's quite desirable, but not a "must". the damage is usually massive and lethal within seconds or instantaneous, especially with some of the newer hunting pellets; for smaller game and target shooting, a good scope is just the ticket.
all to often, IMO, airgunners underrate the power of the 'magnum' air guns and want more. not that I'm against that you understand, it's just that if what you have will accomplish the task at hand, why bother with all the upgrades and such for what sometimes is not measurable anyway. i can't see spending hundreds of dollars for what would amount to a negligible change in performance.
it's been my experience that most factories do produce an adequate product in more cases than not...if you wish to 'upgrade' then that's up to you. and...conversely, if a minor 'adjustment/modification will net you a big gain...why not?
that's where this particular rifle comes into it's own. it has enough factory adjustment to make it very versatile and yet enough to whack most fur balls around here with a great deal of authority. all i have to do is to find that level of peformace that will put it over the top.
i have an Air Force Talon in .22, to say the least it's a very well designed, but yet simple piece of air gun technology that has a great deal more "power" than my springer magnums have. I've made no changes to it from "stock" insofar as the valving goes and it has more than enough power for the average air gunner, yet I'm going to do some modification to increase that power in the very near future.
right now, i have open sights on this fine rifle. i know that in order to exploit it's potential, i should employ a scope; which i did purchase with the rifle when it was new. however...like bow hunting, air gun hunting is a 'close in' sport. seldom is a shot taken over 40-50 yards. most of the airguns used are NOT capable of taking game beyond those ranges...oh, there are those available that will, but the average air rifle, even the magnum springers, are dubious at ranges beyond that.
if a person is pursuing game larger than fox, he should go to a "powder burner" or a big-bore air rifle, OR undertake modification to one (air rifle) that will be capable. IMO. the Air Force is one such air rifle that will take to being modified for the taking of coyote and similar size game.
keeping in mind that air gun hunting is a close in sport, i feel that the accuracy afforded by decent open sights is more than adequate for game the size of fox all the way down to the average wood rat in this area at ranges out to 40-50 yards. i, normally, have no difficulty hitting a 2" target within 50 yards with the sights i now use. when you consider the damage done to a body cavity of a creature the size of a rat by the introduction of a .22 caliber size, 14 grain or heavier, projectile traveling at near supersonic speed, it's no wonder that "pinpoint" accuracy is not really a "must"...it's quite desirable, but not a "must". the damage is usually massive and lethal within seconds or instantaneous, especially with some of the newer hunting pellets; for smaller game and target shooting, a good scope is just the ticket.
all to often, IMO, airgunners underrate the power of the 'magnum' air guns and want more. not that I'm against that you understand, it's just that if what you have will accomplish the task at hand, why bother with all the upgrades and such for what sometimes is not measurable anyway. i can't see spending hundreds of dollars for what would amount to a negligible change in performance.
it's been my experience that most factories do produce an adequate product in more cases than not...if you wish to 'upgrade' then that's up to you. and...conversely, if a minor 'adjustment/modification will net you a big gain...why not?
that's where this particular rifle comes into it's own. it has enough factory adjustment to make it very versatile and yet enough to whack most fur balls around here with a great deal of authority. all i have to do is to find that level of peformace that will put it over the top.
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