I tend to be a jack-of-all-crafts and hobbyist. At an early age, I learned how to fish, crochet, quilt and make something from nothing.
Around five, my grandfather lined up a string of empty beer cans along a fence, handed me his .22 revolver and said hit the cans. I hit the fence, knocked all the cans down, jumped up and down with great enthusiasm and asked, “How’d I do?” He laughed then lined up the cans again and told me to hit one at a time. Personally, I thought taking them all down at once was a much easier approach. (grin) By the time I was six I went on my first deer hunting trip. Of course, at six, I couldn’t handle the 30.06 or the 30.30 so I mostly watched (and played quietly with the dirt and rocks on the ground) while Grand-daddy laid out for a couple hours waiting for the deer to stroll by. He landed a buck which I was expected to help field dress. Returning to the camp, my grandmother gave me lessons of tanning the hide while my grand father dressed out the deer. By the time I was eight I could not only field dress a deer I could tan the hide and process the meat by myself. During that year I was also making quite the living, cleaning catfish, trout or what ever the many fisherman caught at a buck a bucket. Long days but it kept me in pin-ball machine quarters. (Another grin)
By the time I hit 30 I’d pretty much given up hunting and shooting for other sports although I never quit fishing. It wasn’t until recently my husband asked what I wanted for Christmas. For some odd reason, I asked for a new pistol. Perhaps it was because I was writing a scene which involved my heroine and her new .380… Needless to say it took hubby by surprise since he has quite the collection of firearms and I’d never asked to shoot any of them. Well I got my new pistol and that started a sting of trips to the outdoor gun club and wilderness areas. I’ve never been one who likes to shoot indoors.
Sitting back several weeks later I wonder why I ever gave it up. I love shooting and being outdoors. Yesterday was spent shooting my grandfather’s old 22 – not the one I learned to shoot with but the one I inherited, my new Ruger LC9 semi-automatic, and the old man’s 357 mag. What a day we had and it appears I’m getting better with each trip out.
So what do I want for next Christmas? ”
How about a new AR-15 honey, I’ve got one all picked out. ”
Happy shoot! Always, V