YOU, YES YOU: SECURE IT

June 29, 2018

When you are a parent, you look at the world a different way. When your toddler starts exploring, you may babyproof your house. Some parents put locks on every cabinet, door, and toilet; others target specific areas of danger and may just cover outlets and gate the stairs. For my blind child, I make sure walkways are clear of tripping hazards. Parents educate their children about dangers in the home, including hot stoves and kitchen knives, so that they learn how to stay safe. When it comes to guns, why are so many parents failing to address safety?

Today the Associated Press and USA Today published a study that says “gun accidents kill 1 kid every other day.” The article states that many children under 5 have died from self-inflicted gunshots, and teens have negligent discharges, too, when showing guns to their friends. The article admits that accidental deaths among children are a fraction of firearm deaths; however, it does highlight a tragic problem that can be minimized with education and outreach.

As a community of responsible gun owners we have to say, “YOU! Yes, you! Secure your firearm.” If you don’t have safe storage options in your home, get one today. Keep your handgun holstered on your body and in your direct control unless it is in a safe. If you want to have it off your body, but able to be accessed quickly, get a biometric safe that allows you quick entry in an emergency. If you have your gun in a travel case, put a padlock on it. If you carry your gun in your purse or range bag, immediately move your gun to a safe when it is not in your direct possession. Do not become complacent or lazy about safe storage.

Secondly, talk to your kids about firearms. If you have young children, use the Eddie Eagle program to educate them about how to run away from a gun that they may discover. If you have tweens or teens, talk to them about the 4 Rules of Gun Safety, and what to do if they come upon a gun or a friend brings one to them. Use available resources, such as the Kids & Guns DVD, to make these conversations age appropriate and meaningful.

Sandra Zettlemoyer, who is pictured above with her children, says, “Both of my kids know the 4 gun safety rules by heart at 5 and 8 years of age. We also talk to them about ‘what if’ situations. “What if you are at your friend’s house and you see a firearm and there are no adults around… what do you do?’ And we go over this very often. You can never be too safe and can never go over these types of things with them too much.”

If you can barely enjoy TV shows anymore because seeing someone teacup a pistol or seek cover behind the couch makes you cringe, then you should have the same response when seeing or hearing of an unsecured firearm. Do not allow people (yourself included) to make assumptions about if children would access a firearm — insist that gun owners take responsibility that no unauthorized persons could possibly access their firearms. Discuss safe storage options and educational resources with other gun owners that you know.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/you-yes-you-secure-it/

GUN SAFETY RULES

A Girl and a Gun

June 27, 2018

When manipulating a firearm, there are four universal safety rules that must ALWAYS be obeyed. When these four rules are followed, accidents can be minimized. Negligent discharges of a firearm can result in death or serious injury when these rules are not followed. Every shooter should know and be able to recite the 4 Rules of Gun Safety.

1. Treat all guns as if they are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything that you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to shoot.
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it.

AND — Secure your firearms so that unauthorized persons may not access them.

#knowthemlivethem

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/gun-safety-rules/

Squadding With the Old Guys

Dr LateBloomer

June 26, 2018

I met a friend for brunch the other day – the kind of friend who you don’t see for over a year and then pick up right where you left off. Over coffee and bacon we talked about all things shooting. Through the course of conversation we hit upon how some shooting matches seem less fun than they used to be. My friend shoots matches all over the country, whereas I have stuck to local stuff for the past few years. He has a few decades of experience, while I have been at it for only nine years.

It’s funny that despite that disparity in experience, we both agreed on a few important points. We agreed that shooting matches are “supposed” to be fun, and oftentimes the most fun squads are the ones full of “old guys”.

Temperamentally, neither my buddy nor I are young guns eager for glory. We shoot because we like to shoot, and matches give us an excuse to do that activity among friends.

The least fun squads in both of our estimation are the squads full of mid-level shooters who are wannabe’s or “think” they are high level shooters. These are often the guys who are “big fish in small ponds”. Sometimes they are wearing sponsor jerseys, and sometimes not. They argue with the SO’s over every point of minutiae, and make the stage walk-through absolute torture. (Pro tip: Don’t be that guy)

Then there is the old guy squad. The old guy squad is there to have fun with their buddies. They’re there to work the bugs out of the latest tweak to their rig or their ammo load. They already know that they are going to have kinks in their stage plan. And they don’t care. They give each other a hard time, but never the SO – except in jest. They are usually welcoming and supportive of the new guy or the only gal on the squad (me). The old guys have often had knee or hip replacements and aren’t in the match to win foot races or climb over obstacles. They don’t have anything to prove.

But despite having a hard time moving quickly, they will be the ones hustling to paste and reset. The old guys know that the faster you get through resetting, the faster you can be done and home having a beer and a nap. (or maybe that’s just me)

The old guy squad is where you will hear the best stories too. They might have IDPA member ID numbers in the low double digits, and have known some of the greats back in the days of the “porn star mustache” and giant aviator glasses. They won’t boast about any of that, but if you listen for long enough you might hear some gems.

Last year, I even ended up on a squad full of retired docs. There was a Nam Vet ortho, an ob/gyn, a urologist, an oral surgeon, and yours truly. The stories… I even heard about the one fellow back in the old days slipping a pocket gun into his scrubs when he knew there might be patient family drama in the hospital. You couldn’t get away with that nowadays.

So the next time you need to squad up, don’t groan if you get assigned to the “old guys”. It might end up being the most fun you’ve ever had a match. And you just may learn a thing or three from the experience.

HOW TO MANAGE RECOIL

A Girl and a Gun

June 25, 2018

Managing recoil is done with your entire body. A proper stance gives you a stable platform so that your gun can function. It is important to keep your weight forward on the balls of your feet. Even while standing practicing with static target shooting, your posture should be forward, aggressive, and ready to move.

A proper grip helps better manage recoil and muzzle rise, and helps a shooter with accuracy, speed, and retention. The hands should be as high on the gun as possible. The pistol should fit in the hand to be straight like an extension of the shooter’s arm. The support hand’s fingers should wrapped around the front of the strong hand, so that all four fingers overlay the three lower fingers of the strong hand. Engage the tendon on the support hand by pointing fingers down. While the strong hand squeezes the pistol with front-to-rear pressure, the support hand clamps pressure from the sides. This gives 360-degree pressure on the pistol providing a stable grip.

Keep your elbow joints pointing out, rather than down, to absorb the shock in the shoulders and prevent elbows from bending upward at the joint. This maximizes your stability by using your bones in addition to muscle strength to manage recoil.

Engage your pectoral muscles to press palms together instead of relying solely on hand and arm muscles. This will also help to reduce fatigue, which can cause shakiness and inaccuracy.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/how-to-manage-recoil/

Orange for Gun Violence Awareness?

Dr LateBloomer

June 24, 2018

A few weeks ago there was a campaign by Everytown for Gun-Grabbing and supported by Organized Medicine to “Wear Orange” for “Gun Violence Awareness”.

This was a sad attempt to co-opt traditional hunter orange for the Anti-2A groups’ own misguided political purposes. I actually received an email blast a day or two before the designated day from the American Academy of Pediatrics to remind me of this “important” event. I admit that I rolled my eyes so hard that I think I was left with permanent nystagmus.

Even if I agreed with their message (which obviously I don’t) I would still disagree with the campaign because it was yet another attempt to inappropriately drag politics into the medical office. The AAP seems to conveniently “forget” more and more of these boundary violations every year. They apparently don’t see their anti-2A message as inappropriate politicking. But I’ll bet if I wore an NRA hat to see patients they’d manage to proclaim THAT as inappropriate.

Granted, I don’t work in a large academic medical center. But if I were asked by higher-ups in such an institution to participate in this campaign (and we KNOW such pressure exists) I would be tempted to wear my actual hunting gear instead. I probably wouldn’t have a job for much longer afterwards, but there you are.

Of course it’s all justified as being “For the Children”. I guess that means that distortion of facts, outright lies, and working to destroy the civil rights of millions of Americans is acceptable as long as it is for a perceived “greater good”.

What is wrong with campaigning against “Gun Violence” you may ask. Isn’t that an evil which needs to be stamped out? Allow me to explain the nuances here.

Everytown, the AAP and their ilk aren’t campaigning against violence in general. Because “Violence” is a human behavior. It is exceedingly difficult to change a human behavior which has been ingrained since before Cain picked up a rock. No, they are campaigning against a very specific “type” of violence. By defining the type of violence they are against, they seek to identify an object to vilify – the firearm. It is much easier to demonize an object than it is to modify human behavior. By extension, it is then easier to demonize and socially marginalize those who possess and utilize such objects. Heard anyone call the NRA “terrorists” lately? There is a very cold and calculated reason for that.

But by singling out “guns” as their enemy of choice, they also sweep under the rug the vast amounts of violence which utilizes other means – fists, hammers, knives, baseball bats, and all of those other inconvenient and less easily-controlled objects. This is a strategy which has bitten other countries in the hindquarters. One only need look at the crime statistics from Britain to recognize this truth.

Britain has severely restricted access to firearms, yet their violent crime rates – especially knife crime – has risen. This has reached such a pitch that there are now anti-knife campaigns and moves to file the points off citizens’ kitchen knives. A British judge recently claimed that only butchers and fishmongers need pointy knives – they’re apparently too dangerous for anyone else.

Does the framing of that statement sound familiar?

The situation in Britain is evidence of human behavior at work. Humans bent on destruction can make virtually anything into a weapon. If you take away firearms, they’ll use knives. If you take away knives, they’ll make their own – or use pointed sticks for spears. They will use anything and everything up to and including a rock. (Remember Cain?) Look online for photos of prison weapons if you don’t believe me.

But with all these gun control schemes, you know who gets to retain the use of firearms? The government. If that prospect doesn’t scare you, it should. Of course the gun-grabbers trust the government because they think they’ll be the ones in charge. Do another web search for the cause of greatest number of civilian deaths in the 20th century. Then look up the term Democide.

Ok, let’s say I’m just being alarmist with the above. Let’s back up to the term “gun violence” again. Let’s look at a statement from the AAP’s own published study.

“Firearm homicides of older children [defined by them as age 13-17] were significantly more likely to be precipitated by another crime, to be gang-related, to have drug involvement, and/or to involve weapon use also on the part of the victim.”

Here is a link to my own “review” of that study, in case you’re interested.

So by the pediatricians’ own published research, teenage criminal, drug, and gang activity drive a large majority of “child deaths” by firearm? Here is my shocked face. But oops -there’s all that nasty inconvenient human behavior business again. Human behavior is the hardest thing for the control freaks to control. So they ignore it, and go after the rights and reputations of lawful citizens instead. As if it were the law-abiding who are responsible for the actions of criminals – even that very compliant and biddable group – the adolescent criminals.

But never being ones to let their own research and pesky social issues like crime and drugs ruin a good narrative, the gun grabbers continued on with their object-shaming, and trotted out yet another silly campaign for “awareness”. Except they don’t really want awareness.

I’M “aware”. YOU’RE “aware”. What they really want are nice obedient sheep … wearing orange T-shirts.

INGENUITY AND FRUGALITY: MONEY-SAVING CHEATS

A Girl and a Gun

June 23, 2018

So, I admit it – I’m kind of cheap. It’s hard to shake decades worth of frugality. Raising three children while putting my former husband through graduate school, and then going back to school myself as a divorced mom set a pattern. I don’t fit the “rich doctor” mold. I drive a Subaru and my house doesn’t even have a master bathroom. I’ve had some splurges here and there, but for the most part I live pretty small.

I’m not a cheapskate per se. I don’t mind spending the dollars that it takes to get a good quality shotgun, or holster, or belt for instance – because I have very little patience and a low frustration threshold. I just do not deal well with malfunctions and equipment failures. But when it comes to shooting-specific clothing and gear, I definitely aim to cut corners where I can.

I have short legs and short arms, but the rest of me is size 16-18. I’m not exactly a Hobbit, but I missed the svelte proportions side of the genetics buffet table. So, sewing and alterations skills are a must for me, and that’s where it becomes easiest for me to cut expenses.

Blog readers may recall the two IDPA vests that I sewed for myself out of scraps the other year. I was totally NOT going to cough up the cash for a “tacticool” vest, when I could make one (or two) myself and personalize them. One of those has now become my shotgun vest, because I realized that the pockets are large enough to hold an entire box of shells. Yay – one less thing I had to buy for learning sporting clays.

One of my multiuse personalized shooting vests:

I’m all about finding new uses for stuff I already have. I repurposed one of my kids’ old school backpacks for a travel range bag when I went to Gunsite, and then used the same bag when a friend took me dove hunting. My regular range bag was too bulky to fit in the suitcase, and this daypack was just lying in the basement, so why not? Things don’t have to say “tactical” on the label to be useful – and you often pay extra for that special designation.

A trip through the washing machine cleaned this right up:

Look for alternatives that aren’t in the shooting department – or are already in your basement, or the back of your closet. I’m still wearing the silk and polypropylene base layers that I bought for skiing back in 2004. (Yes, I have twelve-year old underwear- don’t judge me LOL) I don’t ski any more, but those old base layers still work great for November/December deer season. They are basic black, not licensed camo, but the baselayer is covered by fleeces and outerwear anyway. The deer don’t have X-ray vision, so who cares? Or maybe they do, since I haven’t bagged my first deer yet after a few seasons. Yeah, that’s what I’ll blame it on – X-ray vision :-)

I admit that I shop in the men’s department a good bit for outdoor clothes. I’m sorry, but there is still a dearth of rugged clothing, proportioned for women, that comes in my size, which doesn’t also cost an arm and a leg. While I have gradually acquired a few pairs of actual “tactical” pants, the pants I wore when I started shooting matches were Carharts or Wranglers from Walmart. The cost savings was tremendous ($40-50 per pair difference), as long as you know how to dart-in a waistband, and do basic hemming. And with men’s pants, they will often come in a 29-30 inch inseam already, so you may not even have to hem.

The same goes for shooting shirts. If you are are not a sponsored shooter with a pretty jersey to wear (yeah, me neither – LOL), plain T-shirts are fine. If you want to go all “wicking sportswear”, the Danskins line at Walmart works very well. They are even marked down frequently. I stocked up the other year when some stretchy T’s that I use for base layer undershirts (helps keep the brass out of the boobage) were marked down to five bucks each. Five-bucks vs gawd-knows-how-much for UnderArmour? Yeah I’ll shop Walmart, thanks. I did the same with the Danskins long-sleeve 3/4 zip shirts and fleeces. They layer well for March or October matches. I shoot a lot in Southwest PA, and those months can be freezing or barely above. I need multiple layers plus hand warmers in order to even function at matches in those temps.

You can also find some deals at Sierra Trading Post if you look carefully and frequently. That is where I got my “now ancient” silk base layers. They do a lot of close-outs and factory seconds, so stuff tends to be much cheaper than usual retail prices. They don’t always have my size, but it’s always worth a look before I spend big bucks for a similar thing somewhere else. I’m addicted to Smartwool socks, for instance, and that’s mostly where I get them.

Then there is camo. With starting the learning curve of crossbow and upland hunting last fall, I had some more shopping to do. I did finally find some women’s camo shell pants at Dunham’s (discount sporting goods) on pre-season sale, for which I also had a 20% off coupon. But I had to figure out a way to hem them up several inches without losing the drawstring bottom cuff. I suppose with the drawstring, I could have left them alone, but the MC hammer look just doesn’t flatter me. I also found a shell jacket that matched those pants, and had a 20% coupon for that as well, (thanks to a helpful clerk who had a stash of them – it pays to ask, especially if they keep flyers at the register).

I mentioned the cold, and to that end I found a camo fleece – again at Walmart – for cheap. It was generic woodland camo, and it was in the men’s dept, but it was only nine dollars. In contrast, the licensed camo pattern women’s fleece in the sporting goods dept was twenty. Yes, the sleeves on the generic men’s version were too long, but putting elastic in the cuffs solved that problem. And yes, it wasn’t Cool Licensed Camo TM, but if I’m going to layer a shell over it anyway, who cares? This elastic sleeve trick also works well for the Danskins fleeces that I mentioned above. You don’t need to have a sewing machine to do that either – that can be a simple needle and thread project.

Despite my affinity for off-brands, I did find an incredible name-brand deal in an unlikely place last fall – At Prois. I love the fact that Prois has top quality stuff designed for women. The problem is that it also carries a top quality price tag. I have been just too “cheap” to spring for it before now, especially since I am still on the hunting learning curve, and unwilling to spring for top of the line gear for an activity that I do only infrequently.

But, cruising their site last fall, I noticed that Prois had their Pro-edition jacket marked as a factory second — because the cuff trim wasn’t sewn on properly. That made the price $100 instead of $240, and then I had a $25 visa gift card lying around that I never used. A 200-plus dollar jacket for 75 bucks plus shipping? Yes please. Five minutes of sewing later, I was a winner :-) I wish Prois’ factory supplier would make a bunch more mistakes like that.

The $140 “flaw” and 5-minute fix:

Recently, I started another sewing project that is saving me big bucks. I wanted some camo fleece pants for a ladies duck hunt I am attending in November. Cabela’s had camo fleece elastic waist pants for fifty dollars. That was a “no” – because I realized that my favorite fabric store chain was running a fifty percent off fleece sale that same weekend. The fabric sale, combined with a pattern for pajama bottoms that I already had, and – Ta daah! – camo fleece pants. I even had enough left over to combine with other scraps I had, to make a pullover jacket. I’m not exactly a “hoarder”, but a fabric scrap has to be pretty small for me throw it out. That mentality has saved me a load of money over the years.

My “bonus” jacket from leftover fleece:

All of these little savings don’t sound like much, but they can add up to hundreds of dollars over the course of a season. If you aren’t a sponsored shooter and are playing on your own dime, or you are just getting started on a limited budget, every little bit helps. This may even be a make-or-break proposition for a mom who is trying to squeeze a new hobby out of an already stretched family budget. The possibilities and savings are endless – if you pay attention and use a little ingenuity.

Happy Shooting!

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/ingenuity-frugality-money-saving-cheats/

Side Effects of Being a Gun-Nut

Dr LateBloomer

June 23, 2018

We’ve all noticed how being firearms enthusiasts impacts other areas of our lives, right? Do you maintain trigger discipline on spray bottles? Do you tend to sit with your back to the wall, facing the door of restaurants? Do you disassemble pens at boring meetings as if they were your AR? We’ve all been there.

When you really think about it, the Gun-life takes you beyond even those things. Have you ever considered how many times being a “gun girl” (or guy) has saved your bacon in little non-gun “emergencies”? Think about it – sometimes having the the right gear and a little ingenuity is all it takes to save the day.

That time when you ran out of Q-tips in the bathroom, and your eyeshadow for the big event was only half done. Did you run down to the gun-cleaning box and grab some spares from there? I did.

That time you were coloring your hair and one flimsy glove ripped while the other one refused to separate to allow your hand inside. Did you pillage your gun-cleaning nitrile glove stash? I did.

How about that time you were on a road trip and sliced your hand. Did you remember your range first aid kit in your car? Yup. Me too.

What about that time that the bathroom door was squeaky and you were already in your pajamas for the night. Did you grab the Rem oil? (The Lucas line works well too.)

Then there was that time you needed to get that odd shaped screw out of the cupboard. Did you remember that bit driver set you bought for upgrading your AR?

Remember that time when your friend forgot to bring her hat to the beach. Did you toss her one of your eleventy-hundred range ballcaps?

Speaking of the beach, have you ever dug through your range bag to find your LAST bottle of sunscreen? Or wore your ballistic sunglasses at the pool? Yup that too.

I even remember the time when I bought super-fine steel wool to work on some rust on a pawn shop shotgun. Months later, guess what I grabbed when there was some stubborn crud on my cast iron skillet?

There are all kinds of ways that being a firearms enthusiast can equip you for other situations in your life – without even involving the actual gun. From having the proper gear to having the proper mindset, being prepared, flexible, and thinking outside the box can solve many of life’s little emergencies.

How to Grip a Handgun

A Girl and a Gun

June 22, 2018

A proper grip helps better manage recoil and muzzle rise, and helps a shooter with accuracy, speed, and retention. The hands should be as high on the gun as possible. The handgun should fit in the hand to be straight like an extension of the shooter’s arm. The support hand’s fingers should wrapped around the front of the strong hand, so that all four fingers overlay the three lower fingers of the strong hand. While the strong hand squeezes the pistol with front-to-rear pressure, the support hand clamps pressure from the sides. This gives 360-degree pressure on the pistol providing a stable grip.

Gripping a semiautomatic pistol with thumbs behind the slide is extremely dangerous and can result in serious injury. The movement of the slide across the hand can have devastating and permanent effects.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/how-to-grip-handgun/

Michigan Second Amendment March 2018

Andy Grossman

June 21, 2018

This years Second Amendment March was the largest one yet. Roughly 400-500 firearms enthusiasts gathered right on the front lawn and steps of the Michigan State Capital building. Most of the attendees proudly open carried everything from relics and handguns to rifles and shotguns making the capital building the safest place in the state of Michigan at the time.

Walking from the parking garage to the capital building with a group of 10 other people, most of which had never met before, we encountered local residents who all seemed very supportive and comfortable having 11 people with I believe 17 guns between us walking through their town. The march was full of second amendment supporters from all walks of life, age groups, and races. On my way to the march I prepared myself for hateful protesters but to my surprise, I did not encounter a single one.

Upon arriving on the lawn of the Capitol building I immediately checked out the vendor tent. I found a wide variety of local companies selling merchandise and handing out information. Michigan Open Carry and Michigan Gun Owners were definitely making a very big statement inside the tent as well. This was a very well-organized event with a great lineup of speakers. Joel Fulton with Freedom Firearms was this year’s host and did a wonderful job pumping up the crowd and keeping the special guest speakers on schedule.

The event kicked off in true American fashion with the playing of the National Anthem. A crowd of hundreds of legally armed citizens standing proud and tall to honor our country is one hell of a sight by the way. Skip Coryell, the Founder of the second amendment march, spoke about the importance of the second amendment, why he started the march, and how far it has come since starting it. As the speeches went on I noticed the crowd was getting much thicker.

I honestly couldn’t stop checking out everyone’s guns. It became kind of a game for me. It was incredible. About an hour into the speeches Tom Lambert, President of Michigan Open Carry stepped up to the platform. To start his speech, he asked that anyone involved with a firearms company or contributor to the second amendment march please come to join him on the steps. It was a very powerful moment as the steps filled up with these men and woman. Tom delivered a very patriotic and heartfelt speech. Asking for all gun owners to join together in an effort to educate those who oppose the second amendment and guns in general.

Tom was followed up by social media personality and police officer Mike the Cop. Mike added some humor into the mix by making everyone turn to the person next to them and repeat after him, “my gun, is better than yours.” No fights broke out and everyone got a good chuckle. Mike gave a different perspective on gun rights and guns in general. He wore a shirt that stated, “I will not infringe.” He spoke of not infringing on any citizens rights and if he was ever told he had to go confiscate anyone’s guns he would turn in his badge and quit.

Mike was followed by Madison Rising, the most patriotic band in the country. Madison Rising is a hard-hitting rock band from New York. The band is led by Air Force Veteran Rio Hiett with support from Samuel Fishman, AJ Larsen, and Tom DiPietro. Madison Rising rocked the capitol for a little over an hour. Followed by the firearm law Panel of Dean Greenblatt, Terry Johnson, and Jim Makowski. The law panel answered legal questions from the crowd.

The day was starting to wind down and you could feel the crowd was beginning to fizzle out. It was definitely time to wrap up the march. To close out the day, Rob Cortis, owner of The Trump Unity Bridge got the crowd to head over to his 50 ft long, over 13 feet tall, and approximately 9,000-pound motorcycle trailer converted into a President Trump tribute. It features American flags, signage including six-foot-tall letters spelling “Trump”, a carved wooden eagle, and a replica of the Statue of Liberty.

The now smaller but still heavily armed crowd gathered around the Trump Unity Bridge to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the National Anthem together. The crowd was then organized by Phil Robinson from the Michigan Liberty Militia for a March around the capitol building. The day went perfectly without one single hitch. No one got shot. No guns attacked anyone. And not one anti-gunner showed up to try and cause issues. It really was great to see so many second amendment supporters show up on a rainy day to come together in our fight to protect the second amendment.

10:00 AM Joel Fulton, Freedom Firearms

10:05 AM National Anthem

10:10 AM Skip Coryell, Second Amendment March

10:20 AM Patrick Colbeck, Michigan Senate

10:30 AM Dylan Pescarolo, Dearborn High School Young Republicans Club

10:40 AM Jim Makowski, Michigan Gun Owners

10:50 AM Trek, Michigan Defensive Firearms Instituton

11:00 AM Brian Calley, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan

11:10 AM Tom Lambert, Michigan Open Carry

11:20 AM Mike the Cop

11:30 AM Bill Schuette, Attorney General Michigan

12:00 PM MADISON RISING PERFORMS

1:10 PM Firearm law Panel- Dean Greenblatt, Terry Johnson and Jim Makowski

1:30 PM Wrap-Up

GEAR REVIEW: VOODOO TACTICAL MINI TOBAGO BACKPACK

A Girl and a Gun

June 21, 2018

For our 2nd Quarter Member Appreciation Giveaway, we gave an AG & AG member this backpack from our friends at Voodoo Tactical. In this article, Dr. Kathy gives it her review:

I have been eyeing this bag ever since I saw it at SHOT Show in January. I finally got my hands on one, and wanted to give you a review, so here we go. I ordered this backpack from GunGoddess. The checkout process was easy and painless – I even used some of my rewards points, so I got it for 20% off and free shipping! The box arrived on my front porch in two days, and boy was I excited!

I first have to say that there is nothing “Mini” about the Mini Tobago. This is not a tiny bag. It’s still definitely a daypack, and not a weekend pack, but there are plentiful pockets, and zippered compartments to keep all kinds of gear organized.

I ordered the version that was gray with pink stitching, and it is much prettier in person than the photos online. I have a Voodoo Tactical bright pink range bag, and although I love that bag and have gotten lots of use from it, this backpack is beautiful in a more subdued and subtle way. It’s still a little feminine, but it just doesn’t scream about it, like the hot pink bag does.

This bag does have plenty of features that scream “badass” though – LOL – like accommodating a hydration system (which I don’t currently have, but have been meaning to investigate). The bag itself is made of heavy pack cloth (unlike the stinky vinyl type cheapo bags out there). There are heavy duty zippers with paracord pulls, multiple exterior pockets, and the pack is covered all over with webbing so you can attach exterior accessory pockets/bags if you wish. I may eventually do that with my trauma kit to make it more easily accessible.

There are mesh zippered interior pockets, and two of what I call “administrative panels”, (I’m not sure what you really call them.) You know – the place that has all the pen sleeves, and mini flapped or zipper pockets so you don’t lose your chapstick and your cough drops and your keys? Yeah that. There’s TWO of them. There is no dedicated key clip, but my keys are on a carabiner, so they were easily clipped to one of the several paracord interior zipper pulls, for ease of access. The exterior pockets and main compartment also have drain grommets at the bottom of each. I HOPE I don’t ever need those, but for those who do – this bag is prepared.

I hadn’t originally planned on using this backpack as a range bag, but since I had an IDPA match the day after the pack arrived, I thought I would give it a test run that way anyhow, just to see.

Pictured is the gear I took to the match. As you can see in the photos, just the bottom front pocket compartments held 4 magazines and 200 rounds of 9mm ammo. Granted, it was those little compact boxes of Sellier & Bellot, but 200 rounds is 200 rounds. The upper front compartment was roomy enough for my knife, a pen, my Surefire flashlight, sunscreen, hand wipes, a rain poncho, plus unused space. The main compartment held my pistol case, trauma kit, eye and ear pro, holster, and mag pouches. There was a still some room to spare there as well. The side pockets held my belt, snacks, and a water bottle. Actually, after I took the photo, I decided that since I was going to wear the belt anyway, I’d replace it in the side pouch with a second water bottle.

Though as I mentioned before, I was not originally planning to use this pack as a range bag, it nonetheless proved its storage capacity and weight-bearing capacity for me during this test. I usually struggle a bit with managing the weight and awkwardness of my heavy range bag – even with a shoulder strap. With this pack, between the top handle and the shoulder straps, lugging my gear around turned out not to be “lugging” at all. My shoulder didn’t hurt, and I didn’t have to hold my hip at an odd angle to balance the load, like I do for my regular range bag. The weight rested easily on my shoulders via the heavily padded shoulder straps. The area of the pack that rests against one’s lower back was also heavily padded. I had zero discomfort handling this pack all day. I’m even thinking this might become my new SHOT Show bag.

For a second test, I decided to take this bag for a day outing on a tour boat. The pack accommodated a soft insulated cooler – containing my shrimp, pasta salad, homemade bread, and wine slushie (I was treating myself for Independence Day), a shemaugh and bandana (for tablecloth and napkin), and extra water bottles, with room to spare.

For a third test, I took this pack for a state park trail hike, and then a lake beach stop. The pack easily held two water bottles, my lunch, park maps, beach blanket, etc. As well as the knife, flashlight, hand wipes and other miscellaneous “be prepared” supplies that I left in the pack from the last range trip. The padded shoulder straps were quite comfortable during my hike, and the adjustable chest strap/buckle ensured that the straps didn’t slip around.

My final analysis is that the Voodoo Tactical Mini Tobago Pack has proven itself to be a great all-around, multi-purpose day pack. It is sturdy and roomy, without being so oversized as to be unwieldy for grab-and-go use. But it also has the features of a much larger “tactical” pack, making it capable and organized where other daypacks fail. I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/gear-review-voodoo-tactical-mini-tobago-backpack/

TOP 10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF SHOOTING

A Girl and a Gun

June 21, 2018

The benefits of participating in shooting activities have measurable health benefits, both physical and mental. Shooting different platforms of firearms builds physical discipline, as well as increased strength, stamina, hand/eye coordination, and fine and gross motor skills. Here are some benefits of shooting that not only make you better athlete, but enjoy a healthier life:

Core Strength: Finding your center, adjusting your body weight to the balls of your feet, and remaining still in your shooting stance is great exercise for your core muscles, which supports proper posture. When the abdominal muscles are weak, the lower back holds additional pressure and weight from simple daily tasks like walking. Strengthening the abdominal muscles allows the weight of the upper body to be evenly distributed over the front and back, improving balance.

Arm Strength: Shooting a gun requires strong, sturdy arms and hands. In order to aim and shoot your target, you must hold your upper body steady. Often new shooters do not realize the arm muscles needed to hold the gun in the proper stance to shoot accurately. Experienced shooters will frequently take advantage of programs, such as the AG & AG Push-Up Challenge to improve your upper body strength for shooting sports.

Mental Processing: Efficient problem solving is a major component of shooting. It encompasses logic (the best way to make the shot), mathematics (target distance and how to adjust point of aim as well as managing the number of rounds in the magazine for targets requiring a hit), and creative thinking (“outside the box”). An old adage says that shooting is 90% mental and 10% ability. To be successful in shooting sports, an athlete must be able to first address the mental tasks at hand, and then perform the physical skills.

Adrenaline: Holding a firearm, let alone firing it or competing with it, can be an exhilarating experience. Adrenaline not only temporarily boosts your immune system, it signals your liver to break down glycogen, the substance that provides your muscles with glucose, the primary source of fuel in your body. It also tells smooth muscles in the body, like bronchioles in the lungs, to relax, which can make respiration easier.

Mental Focus: Keeping your eyes on focused on the front sight, while keeping the rear sight and target blurry, requires a lot of concentration. You also have to be aware of your trigger finger. The press and reset, managing recoil and following your sights allows you to call your shots. Focusing your mind from any other activities or distractions results in peak performance.

Stamina: Running through stages, carrying your ammunition around your waist and chest, and in some cases slinging a rifle while holding a shotgun is intense weight training. Athletes that compete in the “run and gun” shooting sports train with vigorous workouts. Not only are you preparing to compete with heavy gear, often you must navigate over uneven terrain and challenging props. Practical shooting requires fitness and stamina to run between arrays, focus on your front sight, think about your trigger press, and control your breathing.

Stress Relief: Shooting allows a person to get away from the worries of the day. You have to put aside other thoughts while you have a gun in your hand and concentrate on safety, mental processing, and physical skills. This time at the range allows an athlete to temporarily forget problems or plans and live solely in the moment. It works as a reset button to manage stress.

Vision: Exercising your eyes is very important, so that you can focus in on a front sight quickly. This a fine motor skill that can be lost if not practiced frequently. Give your eyes a break from the stress of staring at computer and phone screens all day, and do simple exercises each day to focus your eyes on objects near and far.

Mindset: Shooting can feel very scary and dangerous to some people; however, once you have taken the time to be trained properly, your sense of power is elevated and fear is reduced. You develop the mindset that you control the gun, and the gun does not control you. Learning to shoot is a great way to build confidence and courage, which will spill over to many areas of your life. The winning mindset believes that if you can accomplish shooting, you can do anything!

Discipline: Behaving responsibly is a core value of gun owners. The 4 Rules of Gun Safety are always followed on and off the range. Gun owners also cultivate a mindset of personal protection and the moral/legal responsibilities that come with it. Gun safety is a lifestyle.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/top-10-health-benefits-of-shooting/

Non-hunting Things You Learn While Hunting

Dr LateBloomer

June 20, 2018

I admit that I haven’t been a very successful hunter yet – with the exception of released hunts for pheasant and duck. Despite several seasons of effort, I have yet to bring home a deer or turkey for my freezer. Fortunately, the taking of the game isn’t the ONLY thing that happens on a hunt.

What follows is what will hopefully be the beginning of a multi-part series. I’ve been learning a great many things while planning for hunting and scouting for hunting – but which aren’t actually “hunting”. I have learned so much new information that I thought I should break it into chunks for easier digestion.

Part One – The Edibles

I think I am the world’s most impatient person. I’m also a fidgeter. Sitting quietly while waiting for game that may or may not show up – either in five seconds or five hours – is a true test of my personal self-control. I am learning to find little tricks to distract myself while I’m waiting (that do not involve playing games on my phone). One of the distractions I’m attempting is to try to identify the plants around me.

Taking photos of plants and trees I don’t recognize – for later identification – is also something that I hope will eventually help me better understand the feeding patterns and cover requirements of the game I’m interested in.

For instance, the evening before my first Spring Gobbler hunt in early May, the “weeds” were ankle-high as my mentor and I were preparing a hiding spot under a pine tree. By the next morning after a night of heavy rain, those weeds were shin-high and sprouting flowers. I took a photo of the curious fast-growing plant and looked it up when I got home. I was able to identify this as an invasive species called Garlic Mustard.

The really interesting factoid is that although game won’t eat Garlic Mustard, people CAN. I found all kinds of fascinating information – from how to rip out and dispose of the tenacious interloper, to recipes for how prepare it so you can EAT it out of existence! Now that I have this valuable ecological information, I want to plan a work-party trip to the property this summer to start ripping up this alien to allow more room for native species.

Another invasive species that I ran into on the property was Autumn Olive. My forestry-major daughter informed me that this too has been labeled invasive. It is curious to me that this is now so designated, because when I was a grade-schooler in the 1970’s I distinctly remember that state conservation agencies handed out free bundles of seedlings for wildlife forage and erosion control. I even helped my dad plant some back in the day! But, ecological theories and practices change, so now it’s an “invasive”. Sigh.

When I looked up Autumn Olive at home, I discovered that it too is edible by humans – the berries at least. So, I will be keeping close watch in the late summer/fall to see if I can collect enough berries to make jam. Apparently the process of boiling the berries to make the jam kills the seeds, so they can then be safely put in the compost. More eating the invasives out of existence – and keeping the birds from pooping out the seeds everywhere.

Other wild edibles I found while I was hunting but which were native and NOT invasive include:

Dandelion – Yep, the backyard “weed”. My grandmother used to make dandelion salad with hot bacon dressing in the spring. I’ve eaten the early leaves mixed in my regular salad greens, and one of these days I’m going to try to make dandelion jelly and dandelion wine.

Wild onion – Yep. I’ve used this too. Pulled it right out of the ground in the spring, and put it in the salad bowl.

Cattails –This is a “haven’t tried it but should sometime” just to say I did.

Black cherry – There are a ton of black cherry trees on the property – pointed out by the forestry daughter. I’ll be keeping an eye on those to go along with the Autumn Olive berries.

Wild grapes – I saw these vines along several of the deer trails, so I’ll just let these go and let the deer do their thing with them.

Wild Strawberries – These were an interesting find but it would take a bajillion to be worthwhile as more than just an interesting snack. There weren’t a bajillion, so maybe I’ll just let them multiply for a few years.

Acorns – Believe it or not, though you can’t eat them raw/green, with some processing acorns can be people food too. This is also on my list of “ought to try so I can say I did”. Apparently the pioneers used acorns quite a bit. I just haven’t been hungry enough to try.

That’s just a few entries in the wild edible olympics. I’m learning more every day. Not that I would necessarily want to dine daily on such foraged finds, but it has certainly been entertaining to learn, and helped pass the time while waiting for game animals to show up. Give them a try if you feel adventurous. It’s all interesting knowledge to have. After all, you never know when you might have to hide out in the woods for a few years – in case of, you know, zombies or something.

HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN TO USE FORCE OR DEADLY FORCE?

A Girl and a Gun

June 19, 2018

There is a very fine line on when to use force and deadly force to protect person and property. If you read the Penal Codes of your state you will see that they are as clear as mud. It is paragraph after paragraph of what is reasonable, if this happens then you do this, or if you think this will happen you can do this. Unfortunately the Penal Codes are written in such a way we can’t really live within the rules they give us word for word, but we will be judged how we acted within their guidelines.

The most important question you can ever ask is, how will I know when it is time to use deadly force? If and when you ever find yourself in that moment of truth, here is a checklist that will run through your head. Your fight-or-flight will do a quick inventory of your options and depending on your circumstances will determine your permissible level of force.

There are two instructors that brought about a renaissance for me not only as a gun owner, but as an instructor and activist for firearms education especially dealing with the law. Massad Ayoob and Tom Givens offer powerful, truthful teachings of what is waiting for you on the other side of the law. If you have the opportunity to take a class with either of them, preferably both, DO IT.

The information used in this article is from Tom Givens, Rangemaster.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/will-know-use-force-deadly-force/

Are We Gunslinger Super Heroes?

Mike Westra

June 19, 2018

Every student that takes my concealed carry class hears these two questions at the beginning of the class.

“Why are you here? and “What motivated you to take this course?”

The usual answer is ” So I can protect my family”, however not last week. The only answer that I heard was “To kill the next active shooter.”

This student’s cause is noble, however is the concealed carry class enough for someone to do what he thinks he is capable of doing? If you’re like me the news of an active shooter randomly killing helpless victims makes your blood boil. Maybe you go a step further and imagine yourself using the latest John Wick moves to end the horror and save numerous lives. But is it that easy?

Take a good hard look at yourself. How do you act under stress? When someone pulls a knife and starts charging at you, how will your brain and body react?

Your brain and body are hardwired to respond in one of five ways. You subconsciously spring into fight mode. The adrenaline ramps up, your focus becomes more intense and your brain attempts to work out your plan of attack.

Many people will subconsciously respond by running away. We call this the flight response. Other possible responses are freezing, posturing, and submission.

Do you know which is your natural response? If it’s anything but the fight response your going to be behind the curve in any fight. You may have to overcome your bodies natural instinct just to get into the fight.

The second thing to think about is how well you make decisions on the fly. Can you make a quick educated decision and be equally quick enough to know when it’s time to abandon that decision? How well do you shoot? How often do you train? At what distance can you make a precision shot with your carry gun? I know that beyond 10 yards under a little stress my groups open to 5″ to 7″.

Beyond 25 yards my group under stress is about 10″. What is acceptable, remembering we are responsible for 100% of the bullets that are fired from our firearm? What is your carry gun? How much ammo do you carry? Why does all this matter?

No matter how you imagined it in your head the gunfight is never going to happen the way you have it planned.

Enjoying a great meal with your family at the local Mexican restaurant. You asked the hostess for a seat far away from the bar area so you could enjoy a quiet meal. You hear a few screams followed by pop,pop,pop, your startle response causes you to duck down, it takes you a few moments to focus and realize its not fireworks. You see a young man with what appears to be a rifle methodically taking down the employees and patrons by the bar area. This is not the time to develop plan “A” this is the time when you tweak plan “c” and execute it. I brought this scenario up to the student to give him something to think about.

Could he be the guy to stop the next mass killing? The student was asked a few more questions. What training have you done to improve your shooting skills? Do you have any tactical skills training or background? His answer was” no, none, I plan on learning everything I need to know in this concealed carry class”.

That brings up the question, are concealed carry classes even adequate for training individuals to carry on the street? I personally do not think so. I think concealed carry classes do an okay job of assisting you in getting yourself and your family away from harm but one needs a different mindset and set of skills to run towards an attack.

Ultimately it depends on your priorities. Ten years ago I would have ducked low, and quickly made my way closer to the threat utilizing cover along the way only exposing myself as little as necessary to fire the rounds needed to stop the threat. Today I have other priorities, I am a new dad and husband. My family comes first. I am going to do my best to keep everyone in my family safe and free from harm. This means instantly upon realizing what is going on, I put my escape plan into action. If I am not seated close to a door, well I guess I throw a chair through a window and escape through the hole. If we cant escape that easily we move from cover to cover engaging the threat if necessary until we arrive at an exit point. If exit is not an option then hiding my family in a backroom or closet and protecting access to the area until help arrives. I have a clear plan. It is not specific, but an easy flowchart in my head that I can follow. My family is aware of this plan. We hope we never have to put it into action.

So if your going to be the gunslinger superhero you need to have your priorities in order. Do you get your friends and family to safety then go in and fight or do you escape with them and live to fight another day?

You need to know your strengths and weaknesses. As I stated earlier from 10 yards and closer I can put bullets accurately in the area needed but beyond 10 yards under stress my groups open up quickly.

If your plan is to be a superhero you need to start improving on your weaknesses. I know I am not as good at distance so that is where I work. Training and knowing your capabilities and weaknesses will help you build confidence when putting your plan to action. Speed is also crucial. How quickly can you get to the threat to deliver the incapacitating blow?

If you’re in a crowded place numerous individuals will most likely be fleeing and screaming towards exits and hiding places. Some may think you are the shooter. That’s right not only could you be killed by the active shooter but you risk being beaten, kicked, stabbed, or shot by those trying to escape thinking you are also a threat. You will need to act quickly and decisively before the first wave of responding police enter the room and see you holding a gun. Keep in mind the officers may specifically be looking for you. One or several of the escaping victims may have called 911 and described you as the shooter.

Stopping a mass killing is not as easy as this one may think. There needs to be clear discussion between you and your family. You should seek high quality training from well known top tier instructors. Know your capabilities and work to expand within them.

Next we need to talk about your equipment. What gun do you choose for your noble endeavor? One can’t just go into a store and ask for the terrorist killing multi-shot day saver. You actually have to put some thought into it. The little .380 you keep in your front pocket may work when your confronted in a one on one situation but we’re talking about a public place against someone who may have a rifle.

First thing I look for in a handgun is functional reliability. I want what the police, the FBI, or what our military carries. If these guns work for them they will work for me. Secondly I want a handgun that is comfortable to shoot, one that fits my hands. I look at how easily can it be concealed. If its difficult to conceal or does not fit well then I am likely to not wear it when I need it. I am also unlikely to shoot well with it. The gun needs to feel like an extension of my arm. How about caliber? Ask this question in any gun forum and you will likely get hundreds of responses. Some will tell you it needs to be a .45ACP, others will tell you a 9mm. There is not a perfect answer. These days I tend to lean more towards the 9mm as it has less recoil, allowing faster more accurate followup shots, and greater ammo capacity. In a gunfight I want my bullets to be fast, accurate, and enough of them to quickly stop the threat.

If you were to ask me how I would prepare to stop an active shooter, I would recommend carrying a rifle and body armor. Unfortunately my state does not allow for easily carrying a rifle and that’s before the social sideways glances.

Before you venture out in public with your blaster at your side you should at least have a simple plan of action in case the unimaginable happens. Have your priorities set, know your capabilities, carry good equipment, have plenty of ammo, and pray that speed, agility and luck are on your side

The Turkey Hunt that Wasn’t

Dr LateBloomer

June 18, 2018

I want to tell you a story about my second turkey hunt. Not the first one – which was a great experience with a mentor this spring, and unique in it’s own way – but the SECOND experience. Because the second experience is a better story. I’m telling you a story, because I didn’t shoot a turkey to brag about. A story is all I’ve got.

First, I have to make a bunch of excuses. Sometimes life just gets in the way. This spring was my very first attempt at a turkey season of any kind. But I also had three numb fingers due to carpal tunnel issues and had to have hand surgery because I was getting progressive nerve damage. The opening day of Spring Gobbler Season found me still with sutures in place from surgery earlier in the month. Though it was my left hand and not my trigger hand, I didn’t think that the tender sutured palm was going to hold up to supporting a shotgun in the field. Not to mention that I had very little grip strength in that hand. So that screwed the first weekend of the season, and I stayed home.

The following weekend, with the sutures removed, I WAS able to get out with my mentor and friend for a morning hunt to at least get a taste of things. We heard a few distant gobbles, but were not able to convince any Toms to come closer. The experience DID whet my appetite though, I learned a lot, and it was a fun first experience.

The weekend after that my Mother was ill, so that Saturday was spent visiting her for Mother’s Day instead of afield. I was also on-call.

The next available weekday forecast promised severe thunderstorms and quarter-size hail, so I stayed home yet again as I anxiously watched the season tick by. I contented myself with making cosmetic modifications to my shotgun, so that did help my attitude a little.

The NEXT available Saturday forecast promised heavy rain. There was due to be a few hour break in between storms, so I invited my adult daughter to come with me to check how the camera and blind had fared in the hail storm. Naturally, because I had not brought hunting gear, the weather cleared in late morning and stayed clear. Figures.

We did flush a turkey on the path through the woods though. I was armed with only a .357 and not a 12 gauge, so I simply watched as the turkey noisily broke cover and ascended on heavy wings up over the tree tops, and out of sight. I did yell “BANG” at it though, just to make myself feel better.

The following weekend was Memorial Day Weekend and my LAST opportunity to act as if I really were a turkey hunter. There is no Sunday hunting in that state, so Saturday was my big opportunity, and is where my second hunt story begins.

The property is over two hours away. It takes a bit of pre-planning to hunt up there, especially if you want to be there before dawn. When I got home from work that Friday evening, I was exhausted. I was also on-call again, but it was the last weekend of the season, so I thought I’d chance it. I didn’t want to overpay for a hotel up there on a holiday weekend just so that I could already be there in the morning. But I was too tired to load up the gear and sleep overnight in the car. So I packed a cooler-ready picnic lunch, pre-loaded the Subaru, and went to bed early.

The alarm went off at 3:30 AM. Yeah, that was my reaction too. I did manage to slowly drag my sorry butt out of bed, but it was ugly. To say I was moving slowly would be an understatement. I think I felt every joint in my body creak. Despite my best intentions and a cooperative coffee pot, I didn’t leave the house until after 5 AM – which got me to the property gate about 7:30 AM. Obviously well after dawn. Not an auspicious beginning.

On the road to the gate I met a ruffed grouse. While it was in fact a grouse, it did its best imitation of a squirrel, as it darted into the road, stopped in the middle, feinted as if to go right, then took a few steps left, and stopped in the middle again. I was forced to bring the car to a full stop while the bird made up its mind. In retrospect, this little tableau was a foreshadowing of my whole morning.

After Mr or Ms Grouse made it safely to the side of the road, I unlocked the gate, pulled the car into the clearing and popped the back hatch. I decided to walk the half-mile or so through the woods to the spot I wanted to go, so I hitched on my Walmart Turkey vest, made sure I had calls and shells and a water bottle (the temp was already over 70 degrees), shouldered the gun and away I went. Except a couple hundred yards down into the woods I realized that I had forgotten Henrietta the Decoy.

Heaving a sigh, I trudged back up to the car, flung the bag containing Henrietta over my shoulder and started back again. I was already breaking a sweat in my full body camo and I hadn’t even gotten started. When I closed the hatch I could have sworn I heard a gobble in the far distance behind me, but “behind me” was way off the property. It turns out that was the only gobble I heard all day.

I took my time quietly working my way down the path through the trees, noting with annoyance that there were new ATV tire tracks in the mud since the previous week. A pox on teenagers with ATVs. I understand that the machines are useful as farm equipment and as often necessary transportation when setting up a blind or hauling out a harvested deer. But I absolutely cannot abide trespassing joyriders tearing up the landscape.

It had rained overnight. In truth it had barely stopped raining all month – there were literally tadpoles in the mud puddles for crying out loud. My trip down the path was accompanied by the sound of water dropping off the leaves of the trees, and the the “Bung-glung” of a bullfrog over in the marsh. The birds were busy with their morning jabber while the mist started rising into the sunshine. If nothing else, it was a beautiful morning.

As I approached the meadow along the muddy access road, I heard a noise I hadn’t heard up there before. There was a whooshing noise coming from the gas well across the meadow. Approaching cautiously, I ascertained that the noise was indeed coming from the well equipment, and decided that I’d better call the gas company guy.

That was phone call number one. I left a voice mail, but decided not to stick around too close, in case there was really something seriously wrong. I worked my way back down the road to a spot under a pine tree that looked promising, and seemed a safe enough distance away from the well. About ten minutes later my phone buzzed on my belt. It was the well guy calling back. He said he’d be there in about 20 minutes. That was phone call number two.

I had tried my slate call a few times during all of this, but had gotten no response. While I peeked over the weeds and wondered whether this day was going to get any better, I heard engines revving in the distance. The sound got closer until I saw two ATV’s emerging from the trees on the access road coming toward me. Now I was mad. I stood up from my hiding place and strode over to the dirt road – still in full body camo, with my 12 ga in the crook of my arm – and stood there waiting for them. I pointed to the spot in front of me, indicating that I wanted them to stop.

“This is private property, guys”, I announced to the two young men, over the noise of their infernal machines.

“Oh, we’re sorry ma’am, we didn’t see any signs.” Which I knew was a lie, because I’d been posting for two months, but I let it slide. “You won’t see us back here again” they assured me.

They were polite, but I’ll believe it when I don’t see them again. I advised them to turn around and go back the way they came, as I didn’t have a key to the upper gate. At least they did as I requested. By the time I sat back down under my tree, I was all stirred up. Hopefully word will gradually get around that this isn’t an absentee owner property anymore, and the signs mean what they say.

Ten minutes after that little episode, the gas well guy arrived in his pick-up. He grabbed a big wrench and made some adjustments which made the whooshing stop. It turns out that I wasn’t just being paranoid after all – there was a legit pressure problem – and he thanked me for calling.

Five minutes after the well guy left, my phone buzzed on my belt again. I was being paged with a baby formula question. That was phone call number three. *Sigh* – Three strikes and you’re out. I gave up on getting any hunting done that day. I figured no self-respecting turkey would be within miles of my location after all of that activity, and I might as well just pack it in. What a cluster.

I was pretty disgusted with myself and the situation by that point and was not at all quiet or careful on my walk back to the car, so naturally I kicked out a hen on my way back through the woods.

That has been the really frustrating thing. There ARE turkeys there. The tracks are all over the place in the mud puddles in the road, and I caught several of them on trail cam. I just didn’t manage to have a gobbler show up when I had a shotgun in my hands. And honestly, I really don’t have enough experience to know what I’m doing yet.

When I got back to the car I was in a pretty foul mood. I stripped off my gear, hopped up into the back and tucked into my lunch from the cooler. As I was chewing, a THIRD ATV trespasser showed up. He saw me hop down from my tailgate, and probably saw the .357 on my hip, because he didn’t even have the courtesy to stop and talk to me. He just turned around and headed back out to the main road. There IS a locked gate, but the damned ATVers have created their own off-road entrances, so it’s not like they don’t know this is private property – they just don’t care. That’s the part that really bunches my bloomers.

So, my first attempt at a solo turkey hunt without a mentor was a complete cluster. With all of that drama, I was both cranked-up and let-down all at the same time. I just felt defeated. My season – that I had worked so hard for and so eagerly anticipated – was over.

I brooded over it for awhile, but I finally realized that I was looking at the situation all wrong. When viewed in a different light, although my game bag was empty, I was still a fair badass.

I did months-worth of turkey learning, cam scouting, and property hiking on my own. Then with only one day of working with a mentor under my belt, and dealing with a post-op gimp hand, I was willing to at least TRY to venture out by myself. I got my own sorry butt out of bed at an ungodly hour and drove my own durn self two-plus hours to a different state. I humped my own gear to the hunt location, found a problem when I got there, addressed that problem, and still continued to try to hunt. I dealt with each new issue as it arose, and even handled not just one, not just two, but three trespassers all by my own self as a frumpy middle-aged woman alone. And to top it off, I had packed my own homemade lunch with homemade bread, homemade beef jerky and homemade fruit leather. If all that doesn’t earn me at least a self-sufficiency badge and a modicum of self-pride, I don’t know what would.

So, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. I’m disappointed but I’ll get over it. I’ve got the whole summer now to camp-out and pattern deer (I already found a bunch of trails and caught a young buck in velvet on cam), and I hear there’s such a thing as Fall Turkey Season. Hmmm, I wonder what THAT’s like …

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