Just Get Out In The Field

 

"For an LSP you sure don't get out in the field very much," the people murmur, discontentedly. And they have a point, so to put things right I RV'd with some church ranch people and off we went against the avian adversary, dove, splitting into two groups.

Our section had a good setup. Imagine a dead tree by a stock tank and then, maybe 150 yards off, another dead tree pretty much opposite the first. And there it is, mojo decoys at the tank, clipons at the further tree, wait for the birds to fly and have at it.

Fly they did, especially at the tank mojos, those things definitely work, which is awesome. But I was at the second dead tree and stupidly didn't have mojo power, only clipon. Still, plenty of fast flying, wing shooting action.

OK, I missed more than I hit but still, plenty of sound and fury and the tankers did very well, with one shooter close to limiting out. You see, practice doesn't hurt when you come to these things, especially when the birds are fast, go figure, dove, and shot-savvy, which they are at this point in the game; just watch them dodge your hurtling hail of 1400 fps BBs.

Then dusk began to fall and we regrouped in a laager of pickups to clean a tailgate of birds, tell war stories and enjoy ourselves under the bright stars of a Texan night. No small thing, they shine brightly.

What a great evening. Shotguns, pickups, birds, great people and the open air of the Lone Star State. There'll be dove poppers tomorrow. Yum.

Remember to aim,

LSP

Vicarious Duck Hunting

"I'm off to the lease early," said my philisophical pal, GWB, "So I can shoot some ducks and get back to the metrosprawl for Mass." And that's what he did, see above.

I wanted to join in, too, but couldn't because of a funeral and a wedding, to say nothing of a burned hand. Speaking of which, my old friend, VCC (Veteran Crew Chief), who once turned out a roving band of motorcycle hippies from his stock tank, asked me how the hand was doing.

EMU

"How's that hand, LSP?"

"Better, but here's my advice."

"What's that?"

"Don't pour boiling oil on your fingers. If you do, they're good for nothing."

"Hey, you can always eat them."

A Typical Motorcycle Hippy

VCC tells me he enjoyed Laos, Cambodia and helicopters but didn't much like the military, or motorcycle hippies chancing it out of Austin. Regardless, for me, the hunting's vicarious. That will change.

Get out in the field.

LSP

Spotlighting

CSM Briefs Recruits

OK, you've done your bit for King and Country by sitting in the stand while the sun sets over Texas, and it wasn't bad. Deer, turkey, hawks and all of that, but no pigs, then it was too dark to shoot. So what do you do? Wait for the Ranger to turn up from the other stand and go spotlighting.

Random Rainbow

I acted as spotter and the kids changed guns to a 12 gauge pump and a Ruger American .22. Ready to go! And remember, when shooting over the top of the vehicle your barrel is several inches lower than your scope. So don't shoot the Ranger's lighting rig off, gentlemen.

Room With a View

They didn't, but they did shoot their first coons and rabbits. Well done, boys, good snap shots on the bunnies, and I won't pretend that it wasn't neat to hear the sound and fury of the guns going off overhead and into the night. An AR added to the mix and why not? After all, you have to make sure the weapon works.

First Rabbit

Back at the Compound, the guns were unloaded, make safe!, and I showed the recruits how to skin their rabbits. That was a first for them, and a skill they're not going to learn in nanny state's rainbow hued halls of academe.

Food Isn't Grown in Supermarkets

Evening excitement over, it was time to relax. No internet, no phone service, no Hillary cavorting about like a pantsuit demon, just you, the brilliant stars overhead and the sound of the country at night.

That, just in itself, is no small thing and powerful medicine for the soul.

If you meet the Buddha on the road, shoot it.

Gun rights,

LSP

Annual Meeting

One of the great benefits of being an Anglican in North America is that you get to have Annual Parish Meetings. I have two, doubling the benefit, and at today's meeting a churchman turned up with venison sausage. Rifle to table and thank you very much.

You see, there's a lot to be said for annual meetings in the country.

God bless,

LSP