Top Industrial Dogs
Composite Repairs
.22 VS .17 Which is BETTER?
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2 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
A Shot of Texas Magazine™ January-February 2016
A Shot of Texas Magazine “Where Outdoors Meets Industry�
Our Staff
Teffany and Robert Kahn Founders/ Co-Editors
CONTENT 7. Roller Coaster Ways Of Ringnecks by Ron Wilson editor of North Dakota Outdoors 10. A Morning In November by Brandon Kelm of Dow Chemical
Kendall Rae Kahn Camo Girl Product & Ranch Reviews
Rod Daigle
18. Composite Repair Materials by Les Colter 22. Another Day At The Range by Terry Blaukamp
Senior Industrial Editor
Butch Ramirez Wildlife Photographer
Dan Verrips Wildlife Photographer
Larry Weishuhn ‘Mr Whitetail�
30. Cape Town South Africa by Barbara Giacalone 35. Rattling Ballet by Jose Palacios Jr.
Field Writer
Shamus Dartanyon Political Editor
46. .22 vs. .17 Kerry O’Day of MG Arms
Jim Miller Bow Hunting Editor
Efrain Martinez Safety Editor
Jim Sessions Huskemaw Optics/Field Writer
Russell Selle
48. Top Industrial Dogs 52. SAAM Marksmanship & FTW by Kendall Rae Kahn Camo Girl
Hunting Consultant
Scott Platzer Industry Writer
Terry Blaukamp Shooting Editor
C 2014 A Shot of Texas Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the USA. For current Media Kit, advertising or questions about our Traveling Trade Show contact Rob Kahn. Email rob@ashotoftexas.net 2IÂżFH RU &HOO
Advertisers List Issue 20 Air Logistics BlackHawk Datacom Brazos M & E Cannon Feeders Capital Farm Credit Carter’s Country Champion Ranch Critter Gitters Dale Company Double Nickle Taxidermy Grander Supply Gravely Grizzly Coolers Gulf Land & Wildlife ,Q¿QLW\ *URXS Innovative Turnaround Controls Lakewood Yacht Club Larco Industries Medical Plaza Mobile Meyer Ranch Boots Midstream Integrity Services Mobley Industrial Services Murray Custom Leather My Core Control Record Buck Ranch Red Point Solutions Roseland Oil & Gas Show Russell Selle Custom Hunts Outdoor Edge Performance Top Drives Promatic Service Radio South Coast Products Southern Komfort Catering Thunders Safaris Tubal-Cain Holdings Woods Cycle Country
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Winter Outdoor Safety at the Workplace:
E
mployees who work and drive outdoors can use these safety tips to keep you safe during this winter season. 1. Do not put your hands inside your pockets as it increases the risk of losing your body balance in case you slip or fall while walking on ice or snow. 2. Wear mittens vs. gloves as your fingers touch each other inside your mittens and generate more body heat than when they’re inside gloves. 3. Warm up: Do some Stretch exercises and march in place will warm up your muscles, thus you will work more HI¿FLHQWO\ DQG UHGXFHV WKH ULVN RI LQMXULQJ \RXUVHOI 4. No coffee or cigarettes: Before shoveling or strenuous outside work, avoid caffeine and nicotine as they increase your heart rate and may cause your blood vessels to constrict. 5. Rock salt + Kitty Litter = Safer walkways. Rock salt helps melt the ice on slippery surfaces. Kitty litter can act giving temporary traction. 6. Tin can + Matches + Candle + Paper Cup + Snow = Drinking water. Should you get stuck in the middle of the road and run short on water, you can always melt some snow with the mentioned supplies as part of your emergency kit. 4 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
7. Before going anywhere, do warm up your v vehicle, which reduces the moisture condensation s on the inside of your car windows. Do n EVER warm up your vehicle in a closed not g garage. 8. Six inches of rain or flooding water equals danger: d Be cautious of 6 inches deep or more running r water as you risk of getting swept off y your feet. 9. Report those damaged power lines or broken gas lines in your area or workplace. 10. Carry a thick blanket, battery booster cables, a chain and emergency flares in your emergency kit. Mr. Efrain Nunez Martinez has a Bachelor of Science Degree, a Master Real Estate Diploma and is a General Industry, General Construction A & M OSHA Trainer Graduate, a Maritime Industry University of South Florida OSHA Trainer Graduate and a former Chief Bi-lingual Safety Trainer for British Petroleum (BP) 2010 OilSpill for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Call Dr. Jesus Duran at 956-342-6640 or martinezemarti@aol.com for a free safety consultation on a topic of your choice. LIKE us on Facebook. Efrain Nunez Martinez Occupational Safety Academy is not affiliated with OSHA federal agency.
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Roller Coaster Ways of Ringnecks
A
s gaudy as a circus clown but as inconspicuous as a house mouse when it needs to be, the ringnecked pheasant has long been a favorite of upland game bird hunters in North Dakota.
6 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Introduced into the state in 1910 from hatchery stock, pheasants today feel as much a part of this Northern Plains landscape as barbed wire and weathered, forsaken buildings that lean a little south in surrender to never-tardy winter winds. But no matter what a generation of hunters might think, or what eight decades of hunting seasons might suggest, these birds are not indigenous, they haven’t always been here. Ring-necked pheasants are visitors with a sometimes tenuous – and sometimes not – toehold on the landscape, depending on weather, winter habitat, nesting and brooding cover, agricultural practices and so on. 7KH ¿UVW SKHDVDQW VHDVRQ LQ North Dakota was held 80 years ago in Sargent, Richland and 'LFNH\ FRXQWLHV ,W ODVWHG MXVW D day and a half. “We had no trouble getting our bag limit in the fall of 1931. Most of our hunting then was LQ FRUQ¿HOGV DQG VZHHW FORYHU patches …” reported a Ludden, North Dakota hunter in Feathers from the Prairie, published by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The number of roosters VKRW WKDW ¿UVW VHDVRQ ZDVQ¶W documented, but the estimated harvest in 1934, according to Game and Fish Department records, was 213,000 birds. By 1936, hunters were shooting ¿YH WLPHV DV PDQ\ URRVWHUV DV native grouse, and pheasants were fast becoming the bird of choice. The stars aligned for pheasants and hunters in the early 1940s. The number of birds shot during what has been called the Golden Forties will likely never be seen again during these more modern times. Harvest was estimated in the millions from 1940-46, highlighted by nearly 2.5 million birds taken in both 1944 and 1945. That’s a bunch of birds, especially when you consider shotgun shells were
WRXJK WR ÂżQG JDVROLQH ZDV UDtioned and many would-be bird KXQWHUV ZHUH ÂżJKWLQJ LQ :RUOG War II. From North Dakota OUTDOORS: “We have never seen so many upland game birds since we have been in the state ‌ With an estimated upland game bird population of 15 million, it is going to be impossible to harvest the necessary number of birds ‌ The state could stand to harvest 7.5 million birds. It is estimated that there will be about 20,000 licenses sold this fall, and therefore the Department has been making an effort to interest more nonresident hunters to come to North Dakota.â€? Department records show that the average hunter shot more than 34 pheasants per season from 1942-45. From Feathers from the Prairie: “Gunners shot pheasants practically anywhere during these years of high populations. They could easily be shot from the road and walking was unnecessary. The birds ‘boiled out’ of sweet clover patches for those who did get out and walk. The grounds in areas where the birds concentrated often had the appearance of being tramped down by cattle and was littered with droppings and feathers. There were literally millions of pheasants, and hundreds on one section or in one sweet clover patch. Nearly everyone HQMR\HG SKHDVDQWV DW WKH GLQQHU table and servicemen traveling railroads received free pheasant sandwiches served by the USO and other organizations in places like Mandan, where the troop trains stopped. Hunters followed the birds. In the banner year of 1945, 62,000 residents and 4,800 nonresidents bought licenses to hunt in North Dakota. Even still, the numbers of hunters were small compared with the numbers of SKHDVDQWV WKDW ZHUH LQ WKH ÂżHOG for the taking.â€?
Weather and landscape conditions aligned back then to create ideal conditions for an exotic bird so far from home. “There was a lot more habitat on the landscape as compared to today,â€? said Randy Kreil, Game and Fish Department wildlife division chief. “Farming practices were much different then because, in part, of the machinery they used. They didn’t have equipment like today that could pull around the space shuttle. Land farmers were unable to farm back then is farmed today.â€? 7KH LQHIÂżFLHQFLHV RI DJULFXOWXUDO SUDFWLFHV EHQHÂżWWHG birds on the ground. “It was the perfect mix because you had so many odd chunks of habitat that were simply left alone out of necessity ‌ lots and lots of grass that was idle and not being farmed,â€? said Greg Link, Department conservation and communications division chief. “These were things that the pheasants loved.â€? “Since 1937 the state has had several wet and bountiful seasons. The past three years have been rather exceptional from the moisture viewpoint. Cover in the form of grasses and other plants have come back in an amazing way. Intensive land utilization has not kept pace with the amazing development of habitat ‌ From the birds’ standpoint, habitat has kept ahead of land usage and the results of this are readily indicated. From a cover and food standpoint, especially the summer of 1943, represents the acme in North Dakota’s game history,â€? read a Department report in Feathers from the Prairie. By 1946, a landscape generously peppered with wildlycolored birds had come to an end. Not long after the echoes of shotgun blasts had faded, hunters rallied against wildlife managers and politicians alike for a return of what would be regarded today as another unfathomable run of hunting luck.
“The general effect has been to start the ‘anvil chorus’ going again, blaming everything and everybody for these conditions. All the old nostrums will be trotted out. Every other suggestion will be made before the average gunner will face the fact that a combination of destruction of habitat, poor breeding conditions, and the heavy gun pressure are the basic causes of this condition. Predators, the regulations, the weather during the hunting season and every other conceivable factor will be blamed before the average gunner will face the facts ‌ If those who are crying would stop and think for a moment they should realize that it is not now, nor never will be possible for the land which must of necessity be primarily devoted to other purposes to produce continuously the maximum crops of pheasants that have been available the past few years,â€? reported the president of the Wildlife Management Institute in the Game and Fish Department’s 1946 annual report. And other good runs did materialize – not early 1940s good, but good nonetheless. Most notably in the late 1950s to early 1960s during Soil Bank days when pheasant harvest topped a half-million birds in 1958, and within the last decade when hunters shot more than a halfmillion birds per season from 2002-10. While it’s a lengthy stretch to think pheasant numbers could someday mirror those of the Golden Forties, there are legitimate concerns about matching even those of the last decade, considering the hurdles that stand in the way. Such as the continued decline in Conservation Reserve Program acres and the increased conversion of the state’s native prairie to marginal cropland. There are roughly 2.4 million CRP acres in North Dakota today, down 1 million acres from the high in 2007. The fore-
cast doesn’t get any better as total CRP acreage in the state is expected to fall below 1 million acres by 2013. Native prairie conversion has increased to the point where North Dakota loses 80,000 acres of this critical habitat component annually. “It may never happen because of the tremendous loss of habitat that has occurred due to increased technology and size of equipment utilized by today’s agricultural producers,â€? Kreil said of returning to the ‘good old days’ of pheasant hunting RI WKH ODVW GHFDGH Âł,WÂśV GLIÂżFXOW economically for producers to farm around odd areas of habitat with the size of equipment they are using, and today’s high comPRGLW\ SULFHV PDNH LW GLIÂżFXOW for even the most conservationminded landowner to economiFDOO\ MXVWLI\ QRW SXWWLQJ DYDLOable acres into production.â€? In addition, the 2008 Farm Bill cut the number of CRP acres allowed in North Dakota, and changed some of the qualiÂżFDWLRQ IDFWRUV ,Q WKH PRVW UHcent CRP signup, less than half of the landowners who wanted to enroll or keep land in CRP in North Dakota were not accepted. If all the offers were accepted, the state would have roughly an additional 150,000 acres of CRP on the landscape this fall. Furthermore, the future of pheasants in North Dakota is also tied to the 2012 Farm Bill. “If conservation provisions are cut too deeply we are going to see an unprecedented loss of habitat that pheasants depend upon,â€? Kreil said. “With the aforementioned high commodity prices and poor condition of the federal budget, the chance of returning to pheasant populations and hunting opportunities we experienced in the last decade aren’t looking good right now.â€? RON WILSON is editor of North Dakota OUTDOORS.
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 7
8 Shot of Texas Magazine™ Jan January/February anuuaary an ry/ /FFeb ebru brruuar uaarry Issue Issssuuee 2016 201 016
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A MORNING IN NOVEMBER
I
n the cool morning hours of November 5th our guide, Keith, my wife Samantha and myself grabbed our gear and headed to a Minnesota deer blind. The morning was pretty slow so Keith decided that it was best to head out of the stand and try and spot and stalk for a shooter. The chance to sneak up on a deer in the woods is the most exciting thing you can imagine. Heart pounding, legs shaking…just getting the chance to get close and intimate with an animal you are trying to harvest is an amazing feeling.
As we approached an open field of plowed corn, we noticed a few deer off in the distance (about 350 yards) and decided to set up for a shot if they decided to come our way.As luck would have it a big symmetrical main frame 12 with a kicker on each of the G2’s was pushing another buck our way. As they approached the big boy presented a straight on, facing shot at 60 yards. My wife, Samantha, loved the deer but decided to pass as it wasn’t a great shot. As those deer made their way into the woods we continued to spot and stalk with the hopes of finding a deer we had seen a few days earlier that like to bed down in this particular area. Walking slowly through the woods can feel like an eternity, but as we walked about 50 yards from our previous spot there he ZDV EHGGHG GRZQ MXVW GRZQ D KLOO DW about 30 yards. He suddenly notices us DQG MXPSV WR KLV IHHW :H VWRRG IUR]HQ hoping he wouldn’t spook. Samantha puts the gun to her shoulder and tries to get what little we could see of him in the scope. I finally realize the scope is still on 16 power so I quickly turned the power down on the scope for her DQG DGMXVWHG WKH UDQJH NQRE WR PDNH the scope clearer. Wet weather started to move in and the rain started to fall, not hard but enough to make it a little distracting. Samantha was a trooper and a true hunter, braving the elements for a once in a life time harvest. All we had to do now was get him to come RXW RI WKH WUHHV LQWR D FOHDULQJ MXVW ORQJ
10 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
enough to get a shot. The wait seemed like it took forever, seconds went by feeling like minutes, minutes went by feeling like hours. Soon either he would make a mistake or we would make a PLVWDNH +H ZDV MXVW GRZQ D KLOO ZKHUH we could only see his antlers, he was a main frame 10 with some pretty cool extras around his left brow tine. This was the deer she wanted and had in her mind she was going to harvest. There would be no settling on this hunt. As the minutes passed, we started to get anxious and started trying to make bolder moves to get the deer to come out of the clearing for a shot. We knew we would only get one opportunity in this situation to get a shot. It was going to be a quick decision and shot placement had to be dead on. Keith walked around the hill to get a better look and try and push the deer up to us.We were posted up against the side of a tree. Suddenly the deer MXPSHG XS DQG WURWWHG DERXW \DUGV into the woods, stopping right behind a tree. I think white tailed deer are smart enough to know when someone is hunting them because more times than not a deer will stand directly behind a tree allowing only a shot at his hind end. Sure enough no shot was presented to us and the deer winded us and took off like a bolt of lightning. The evening hunt surely couldn’t top the excitement of the morning spot and stalk, but as to our surprise it was almost as exciting. We took off to the deer blind about 3:30pm, wind was blowing pretty good about 15mph with gusts up to 25mph, not the best conditions but we would certainly make the best of the hunt. I was sitting in stand up on a berm about 350 yards on the other side a corn field from where Samantha and Keith were sitting in a nature blind. I had the best seat in the house watching from a distance as they might get an opportunity to harvest an animal. About an hour went by and deer started to move out in the corn field for the nightly feedLQJ 7KHUH ZHUH VHYHUDO GHHU MXVW QRW
the one we were looking for, that had FRPH RXW MXVW JUD]LQJ -XVW DW WKH ZRRG line the deer we had tried to spot and stalk that morning. He seemed pretty nervous to make the venture out to the corn field, almost like he knew something was about to happen or someone was watching. He soon made his way into the field with the rest of the deer, I bet there were 25 deer out in the field that evening, making it very difficult to make a clean shot without wounding any of the other deer in the field. Samantha has the gun out the window ready to make a shot, another waiting game on when the deer was going to give us the opportunity. The gun, AR 10 .308cal, sweet round and an even sweeter shooting firearm. 7KLV JXQ ZDV EXLOW MXVW D IHZ ZHHNV before the hunt, this was the first time it was being used to shot an animal, it had proven itself many times at the gun range, no problem. If anyone owns an AR style rifle, you know that when you load these types of firearms, the bolt JHWV SXOOHG EDFN DQG \RX MXVW KDYH WR let it go slamming the case of the bullet, WKXV HQJDJLQJ LW SURSHUO\ ,W MXVW VR KDSpens that I myself didn’t load the rifle before Samantha entered the deer blind. Samantha has the gun out the window ready to fire the .308 round. She steadies the gun and squeezes the trigger‌‌.click‌‌.the gun miss fires. Luckily Keith brought the back up camp gun, 300 SWM with a Swarovski scope. Going back to how the gun was loaded, the bolt was pulled back and gently let down causing the bolt and case of the bullet not to engage fully leaving a space. When firing pin was engaged upon trigger being squeezed, the pin barely hit the primer of the bullet not igniting the power, thus causing it to miss fire. After the miss fire, luckily the deer
weren’t spooked, but the deer we were after was being pushed off by other deer in the corn field. $W WKLV SRLQW , ZDV MXVW VLFN ZDWFKLQJ from 350 yards away wondering what was going on when the deer we were after was sitting at 120 yards broad side giving the perfect shot. I was in contact with Keith about what had happened and it was clear to me that the bolt of the rifle didn’t engage fully. I am at a complete loss for words at this point, thinking there goes another missed opportunity. There was still about 30 to 45 minutes of daylight left (shooting time), but as I sit in the stand watching all these deer out in the field, I am thinking there is no way, it would be a miracle, if that deer came back out and gave us another shot. Well the stars must have been aligned and the good lord willing, that same deer came back out into the corn field heading in range. This time they were not taking any chances, the 300 SWM will be the rifle of choice. They get the gun out the window and get it sighted on the deer. As I am watching 350 yards away the wind is blowing from west to east allowing the sound to travel away from my deer blind. The deer is standing broad side giving her the perfect angle, I am looking through the binoculars talking out loud shoot‌..shoot‌.. shoot, but then the deer to much of my VXUSULVH MXPSV DQG WDNHV RII OLNH D EXOOHW running away. At this point (which was milliseconds) I’m thinking where is the deer going, and at that point I heard the “BANGâ€? from the rifle. Then it hit me WKDW VKH VKRW DQG LW MXVW WRRN WKDW ORQJ for the sound to get to me sitting 350 yards away. I couldn’t imagine a better feeling than seeing all your hard work finally pay off with an excellent shot. BY BRANDON KELM DOW CHEMICAL
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 11
12 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 13
CASE
STUDY
BlackHawk Delivers Smarter Security While Reducing Costs Immediately Leveraging its 35 years of oil and gas experience, BlackHawk Datacom created a smart gate access solution to help operators reduce their costs while improving their site security.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
“
On interior gate locations, GateHawk is the perfect solution for what we want to do, and it has delivered a great cost savings each month.
”
An operator needed to urgently reduce costs but maintain the integrity of their security. The South Texas and Gulf Coast Regional Security Supervisor had a challenge on his hands, and initially didn’t think he could utilize technology to solve his problems. “I felt that we needed the person to person interaction with our visitors.” However, after analyzing their operating processes, he realized that they would benefit from using technology at multiple locations. “We identified some locations where officer presence would be important and several other locations where they needed access control and documentation, but didn’t need someone standing there.w After assessing multiple options for the other gates where technology seemed to be a better alternative, the Security Supervisor turned to BlackHawk Datacom’s GateHawk solution. His decision has proved to be a good one. “On interior gate locations, GateHawk is the perfect solution for what we want to do, and it has delivered a great cost savings each month.”
BLACKHAWK DATACOM
/
CASE STUDY
www.BlackHawkDC.com
14 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
In this case study you’ll read about the details of the operator’s challenges, how GateHawk has addressed those challenges, results and actual cost savings, and the future plans that they have for their partnership with BlackHawk Datacom.
CLIENT CHALLENGES The operator was looking for ways to save money, but was reluctant to move away from gate guards at any location. “I felt we needed the person to person interaction at every gate”, claimed the Security Supervisor. After looking at alternatives to Level 3 guards, he realized that without technology it would be close to impossible to sustain their level of security and professionalism, and save money. After taking the plunge and deciding to explore technology options for securing their gates, he ran into another challenge: choosing the right technology partner.
HOW BLACKHAWK DATACOM HELPED
“
It’s been a pleasure working with BlackHawk so far. Our representative, Matt, goes out of his way to show me that he’s doing more than just trying to make a buck. He puts in the effort to walk sites even before there is a budget or commitment to a sale. The monitoring staff in the SOC do a super job. I’ve been nothing but pleased and look forward to bringing on more GateHawk systems.
”
The Security Supervisor recalls, “Most of the companies were relying on me and my staff to perform much of the legwork. We had to provide the forklift, truck, etc. BlackHawk understands our environment out here and has everything ready to roll. Once I gave the word, they took care of everything.w
RESULTS
There were three outcomes that were important to the operator: reduce costs, have knowledge and documentation of their visitors, and have the capability to review anything on video. While all three of these benefits were imperative, delivering them while upholding a professional image was also necessary. As a solution, they chose BlackHawk’s GateHawk Managed Security Solution. Not only has the technology and service provided by GateHawk delivered on the operator’s requirements, their intimate knowledge of the harsh and remote environment they were dealing with proved to be a major benefit during the implementation.
The results speak for themselves. In its current configuration, GateHawk has reduced costs on the one entrance by about $19,000 per month. Even though this particular gate location was managed by -evel 3 guards at a premium price, the customer’s analysis still shows a significant cost savings over the least expensive personnel. “. . . and an automated gate doesn’t turn the other way like some mom and pop personnel might consider doing.” On top of the cost savings, the Supervisor is quick to mention the other benefits being realized: “I have the capability of reviewing anything on video, and I know who is going in and who has gone out.” The operator is so pleased with the GateHawk Managed Security Solution that they’re planning on bringing other entrances on board soon.
BLACKHAWK DATACOM
/
CASE STUDY
www.BlackHawkDC.com
COMPOSITE REPAIR MATERIALS By John Hogshead
Introduction 6WURQJ VDIHW\ UHJXODWLRQV DQG SRWHQWLDO ¿QDQFLDO SHQDOties imposed by PHMSA in recent times has greatly heightened the need for pipeline operators to maintain adequate integrity for their systems. This has given rise for well engineered repair processes which allow these operators to meet their system requirements initiated by natural corrosion processes, third-party damage, and other events.
Background For many years, pipeline operators were faced with having to replace sections of their pipeline when they discovered integrity reducing problems on their system. In many cases some operators discovered that this approach was cost prohibited and some times impossible to apply due to the inability to take the pipeline out-of-service or the pipeline’s wall thickness would not accept repair welding necessary for a metal sleeve installation. Combined these costly repairs led various manufactures to examine alternative repair methodologies. 18 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Engineers listed the problems as they understood them and potential methods for overcoming them. It was quickly learned that most pipeline failures resulted from yield strength failures due to metal problems leading to crack propagation. These metal problems could occur internally within the pipeline structure, on the internal pipeline and external pipeline surfaces. It was obvious that these stress risers had to be eliminated to assure there would be no catastrophic failures due to crack propagation. And, this could only be achieved on external ÀDZV 7KRVH ÀDZV IRXQG RQ WKH LQQHU ZDOO RI WKH SLSHOLQH RU within the inner structure of the pipeline wall can lead to rapid propagation due to cyclic pressure loading or pipeline movement cannot be addressed by other than pipeline replacement. (QJLQHHUV EHJDQ WR WHVW YDULRXV PHGLD DWWDFKPHQWV WR ÀDZHG pipeline in order to improve the mechanical properties of the weakened steel pipeline. Using an accepted process of laminating different materials together to gain additional mechaniFDO VWUHQJWK ZDV WKHLU ¿UVW FRQVLGHUDWLRQ +RZHYHU WKH\ UHFRJQL]HG WKDW ÀDZV LQ WKH H[WHUQDO VXUIDFH FDXVHG E\ FRUURVLRQ activity and other mechanical damage along with adequate ERQGLQJ LVVXHV UHTXLUHG QHHGHG WR EH DGGUHVVHG ¿UVW 3URSHU surface preparation was easily addressed using procedure developed with many years of coating research. The corrosion ÀDZV DQG PHFKDQLFDO GDPDJH UHTXLUHG D PRUH FDUHIXO DSSURDFK since these represent stress risers which can allow energy to be accumulated to a point where the yield strength of the steel can be overcome leading to a hole which can allow product release or even worse a catastrophic crack propagation. The resulting development work led to an installation process which LQVXUHG WKDW QR ÀDZ LQ WKH SLSHOLQH FRQWDLQHG D VKDUS QRWFK in the steel and did not exceed a given depth. At the same time development work produced D ¿OOHU PDWHULDO ZKLFK ZRXOG DGHTXDWHO\ ERQG WR WKH VXUIDFH RI WKH ÀDZ DQG ZRXOG DGHTXDWHO\ transfer the stress to another bonded layer providing additional strength for the steel pipeline. Each manufacturer found that their prodXFW UHTXLUHG VLJQL¿FDQW ODE WHVWLQJ XVLQJ GLIIHUHQW ¿HOG FRQGLWLRQV WR LQVXUH WKDW WKHLU SURcess performed well by withstanding pressure and cyclic loading tests exceeding expected maximum allowed operating pressures. From these data each manufacturer developed design software from which repairs using composite materials could safely be applied. These programs addressed such parameters as applicaWLRQ WHPSHUDWXUH ÀDZ VKDSH VL]H DQG GHQVLW\ MAOP for the pipeline, pipeline wall thickness, pipeline yield strength, anticipated cyclic load-
ing, normal operating pressure, pipeline diameter, and other salient information to design adequate protection. It is worth noting that each of the composite systems, hard cast and wet-layup systems, have been tested and found to perform as designed. End user should require written evidence indicating that third party testing was perIRUPHG DQG WKH ¿QGLQJ UHVXOWV DUH VXSSRUWHG IRU WKH PDQXfacturer’s claims. However, like any repair system it is important that repair process be applied per its manufacWXUHUœV VSHFL¿FDWLRQ ,QVWDOOHUV PXVW EH SURSHUO\ WUDLQHG and continually monitored to insure the chosen system performs as advertised. When this is done, end users can realL]H D VLJQL¿FDQWO\ ORZHU UHSDLU FRVW WR WKHLU SLSHOLQH V\VWHP
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 19
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20 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
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For more information and pricing call or email Ryan Ames at 800-447-3343 ryan@outdooredge.com · www.outdooredge.com January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™
21
Terry Blaukamp
ANOTHER DAY AT THE RANGE o me a really great day at the range is being there all alone and not having to constantly stop shooting because someone needs to go down range because they don’t have a spotting scope. What is even worse is that far too often it is a safety issue that irritates me because of how other shooters handle their weapons.
T
$V LWÂśV VDLG ÂłHQMR\ LW ZKLOH LW ODVWV´ DV VXUH enough on my next trip out, I was not so lucky as I no more than got all set up when a fellow shooter drove up. He set up to the left of me and went out to put up his target at 25 yards. At least he was on the right track as he had what appeared an almost QHZ ULĂ€H DQG VFRSH WR ]HUR LQ 8QIRUWXQDWHO\ WKLV was about the last thing that was on the right track, as it was all down hill from here. Next thing I heard was an action slamming shut as he loaded his new Browning BAR, (unknown to me with a full clip). Then I heard a BANG and felt the empty case hit me in the KHDG +LV %$5 ZDV QLFHO\ HMHFWLQJ WKH EUDVV right where I was sitting. Good thing that brass did not go down my neck as they are hot when HMHFWHG +H WKHQ ÂżUHV IRXU PRUH VKRWV DERXW DV IDVW DV he can at the 25 yard target. Then he stops to look and says, “What the h‌â€?, as he had not a single shot on the target. Since a semi-auto (or pump or leaver action) is not able to be bore-sighted, it is necessary to use a “bore sighterâ€? that goes into the muzzle to align things. Obviously who ever installed that scope did not do that so the fellow was forced to shoot it and go from there. I had TXLW VKRRWLQJ E\ QRZ DQG MXVW QHHG WR JHW WKLV guy sighted in instead. So I suggested that he hold on the bottom
edge of the target and try that. “Whyâ€? he said, and I replied, “to see if you are shooting high and maybe you will hit the target this wayâ€?. If there is no hit, then we will try holding on the top and each side of the target. Somehow we must get a shot on the target and work it in from there. So he loads up the gun with a full clip again. “Stopâ€?‌.I yelled. “Shoot only one shot aiming at the bottom edge, and if that does not hit it the paper, we will try some other aiming pointsâ€?. /XFNLO\ KLV ÂżUVW VKRW GLG KLW WKH WRS HGJH RI the paper. Now we know what to do, and thank goodness his only problem was elevation, and not much windage. Not knowing what the scope he had on there ZDV FDSDEOH IRU DGMXVWPHQW ZH MXVW KDG WR JR IRU it, so I told him to give it 20 clicks down. “What does that meanâ€?, he says. So I went over to him DQG VKRZHG KLP KRZ DGMXVW LW RQ WKH GLDO Now 20 clicks is not much at 25 yards, but it’s a start. He could now aim at the center of the tarJHW DJDLQ DQG ÂżUHG DQRWKHU VKRW DQG JORU\ EH KH LV QRZ KLW MXVW DERYH WKH EXOO :H JDYH LW DQRWKHU 10 clicks, and he now it is getting close with the next shot, but till a little high. He now has a gun ZLWK PRUH VKRWV LQ WKH FOLS VR KH ÂżUHV WKHP MXVW to empty the clip. “OKâ€?, he says, “I’ll go put another target at 100 yards.â€? To which I replied, “Let’s put RQH DW \DUGV ÂżUVW MXVW WR EH VXUH RI ZKDW ZH are doingâ€?.
22 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Sure enough, he barely hit the target at the top again, so gave it 10 more clicks down. At this point I explained why we were shooting at 50 yards, and not missing the target at 100. All this elevation is complicated by the fact that his nice BAR has high-see-thru rings on it, so the center of the bore to line of sight is quite far apart as compared to normal installations. Why this gun even had see-thru rings really was confusing because the gun had no iron sights on it. When I asked him about it, he said that it’s because of the 50mm scope bell, and it needs clearance. Really I think the guy he bought if from, “saw him comingâ€?, and sold him a real bill of goods. To further complicate matters, the scope was not on straight, as the cross hairs did not appear level (to me) but then maybe it looked good to him. :HÂśUH ÂżQDOO\ DUH UHDG\ WR WU\ LW D \DUGV +H JRW DOO VHWWOHG LQ DQG ÂżUHG D VKRW WKHQ DQRWKHU and another, and another. “Hold it‌Hold itâ€?. “What are you doingâ€?? I ask him. “Seeing where it shootsâ€?, he replied. $IWHU , ÂżQLVKHG GRGJLQJ KRW EUDVV DJDLQ , ORRNHG WKUX P\ VSRWWLQJ VFRSH RQO\ ÂżQG KH GLG not have a single hole in the target. At this point I thought he was going to toss that gun into the woods. I really should have let him do so, then WRRN LW KRPH P\VHOI DQG Âż[HG LW ULJKW Finally I got him to lay the gun down for a PLQXWHV WR FRRO RII ZKLOH , ÂżUHG D IHZ VKRWV of my own. I then causally said, “Can I try a couple shotsâ€?? “Sureâ€?, he says, “I have plenty ammoâ€?. So I took his gun and promptly put three shots right in the bull. This frustrated him even more, because he had not even hit the target. With that he packed up his stuff, said “thanksâ€? and left. He had had about all the fun he could stand for the day, and I picked all that nice once fired brass that I had been dodging so far. So is there a moral to this story? Even if you have a gun that has been bore-sighted (or used one of those Laser lights) be sure and start at 25 or 50 yards for at least one or two shots to be sure you hit the paper. $OVR EH VXUH DQG OHW WKH ULĂ€H FRRO GRZQ EHtween strings, and don’t load the clip. Load one at a time, and if you insist on those see-thru rings, at least have iron sights on the gun. Oh and lastly, SOHDVH ZDWFK ZKHUH \RXU EUDVV HMHFWV VR WKDW \RX don’t hit the fellow next to you. I hope you all can relate to this story and can maybe glean something from it. Feel free to contact Terry anytime at tblauwkamp@superior-sales.com if you need help with something.
www.crittergitters.net Tel: 281-332-7912 January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 23
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24 Shot of Texas Magazineâ„¢ January/February Issue 2016
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Products We Like! At Mobley Industrial Services we always keep our ducks in a row, especially with Safety and Quality!
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26 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
DOMETIC HZB-15S PORTABLE ICE MAKER By Jeanine Johnson
F
irst off, let me just say that I am an iced tea addict. Think Duck Dynasty’s Uncle Si. . . on steroids! As RV ice production is slow, I needed a solution! Enter the Dometic Portable Ice Maker. This essential for ice lovers comes in two convenient sizes making either 26 lbs or 33 lbs per day, cycling in 15 minutes or less. I tested the HZB-15S. The unit is very simple to set up, plug in, add water and go! It is a little heavy as you are lifting a compressor, but the nicely thought out off-set handles help balance it when carrying. My first batch of ice actually dropped in just 10 minutes. Once the basket was full, I moved the ice to my freezer. A great companion item would be the Dometic CFX Refrigerator/Freezer. Watch for a review of this outstanding product in a future issue! This great little unit churned out ice all day long. A light lets you know when the water chamber is empty and you can select cube size. The unit is the perfect size to take along in your RV. Whether you are hunting, fishing, tailgating, camping, or even throwing a back yard barbecue, this great little product will keep you well stocked with ice all day long! .
A Shot of Texas Magazine Spring Turkey Hunt . Contact rob@ashotoftexas.net for details
A short Record shhortt one hour hourr drive drive westt of o San S Antonio A i lays l R d Buck Ranch. We have 20,000 acres of beautiful terrain that varies from open green pasture to a rolling brushy hill country. We hunt it all, giving you different experience with each and every hunt.
Looking for a Trophy Hunt or to set a New World Record? Some of the largest Whitetails harvested in the World? The Best Hunting in Texas Year after Year? Record Breaking Exotics?
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Phone: 830-966-2301
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 27
Thandeka Safaris is a beautiful hunting destination situated in the Kalahari, 4km from the Botswana border,
Thirty two species Plains Game Dangerous Game Wing Shooting Bow Hunters welcome
“Experience prime unspoiled savannah”. Ideally suited for first time or returning hunters or families wanting to relax and enjoy all that Africa has to offer. Contact info@thandekasafaris.co.za or rob@ashotoftexas.net for details and packages We are proud to be hosting A Shot of Texas Magazine’s Big Shot Outfitters SAFARI 2015, Contact Rob@ashotoftexas.net for details.
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TRAVELING TRADE SHOW 2016: A Shot of Texas Magazine’s 2016 Traveling Trade Show kicks off the year with a BANG! What is a Traveling Trade Show?
I
t is A Shot of Texas Magazine’s tent and booth setup at dozens of events throughout the year with YOUR product samples on display. If you are a realtor we distribute your latest listings. If you are a Machine Shop we can display a piece of equipment. If you are an organization we can promote and distribute your flyers on your behalf. Outfitters can display head mounts and so on and so forth we go. No other magazine ,and in particular TRADE MAGAZINES offer this service. If you would like us to be where you are, just contact the office and we will arrange your display.
Grizzly Coolers displays this monster cooler at all of our events and 2016 will be no different. Why not display your product of service? January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 29
CAPE TOWN – SOUTH AFRICA IN AFRIKANS - THEIR CITY IS CALLED
30 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
“KAAPSTAD” asily one of the most popular tourist attraction in South Africa, Cape Town is geographically not only located on the vast Atlantic Ocean but offers pristine mild climates year around.
E
My journey two years ago took me to this lovely city as I traveled along the Garden Route from George, South Africa through the many colorful coastal cities to Cape Town. I recall driving into Cape Town around dust thinking what a beautiful city “nestled in a bowl.” Ironically known as the City Bowl this metropolis is surrounded by extremely beautiful backdrops such as Table Mountain, Lion Mountain & Devils Peak. As we slowly drove through the city I was given the preliminary tour of many landmarks which made me anxious to further explore this bustling scenery of lights and natural uniqueness. In the days that followed we canvased many backdrops that presented incredible views in and around this city of lights. Cape Town was founded by the Dutch East India Company as a victualing (supply) station for their ships going to East Africa, India and The Far East. Historically in April of 1652 Jan van Riebeeck arrived from Europe in Table Bay to establish the first permanent settlement. The history in years to follow was a battle between the Dutch and the English fighting many wars over their occupation, and claim to fame! But as I researched history Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Diaz was mentioned in early writings in 1486 and Vasco de Gama reported a siting in 1497 at the Cape of Good Hope. But the earliest prehistoric siting, or as I have heard them referred to as “remnants”, date back 12,000 to 15,000 thousand years. Historically the years to follow recorded many fierce battles for possession of these lands, but again that’s a separate history lesson, all by itself. Geographically Cape Town, South Africa is located on the same latitude approximately with Buenos Aires in South America or Sydney, Australia. The city surrounds a body of water called False Bay. To the south of Cape Town is Cape Peninsula a mountainous spine jutting 25 miles southward into the Atlantic Ocean terminating at Cape Point. As I stood at the tip of Africa looking south from Cape Point I was mesmerized to the virtual size of the African continent that I was actually standing at the end of a continent that encompasses approximately 7,000 miles in distance tip to end. While traveling along the coast line to Cape Point make an effort to stop Simon Town to see the magnificent Penguin
Colony basking amongst the boulders to the sea. As it so states on a South African tourist maps “Stop to see the Pinguin Kolonie”…they are a truly heartwarming experience. Most queried question I receive is flight times so I will offer our readers a flight time to distance chart ... flight connections alone from Paris or Amsterdam to Cape Town, get comfortable, those flights are 13 + hours. Then one must add from your home city to a connection point the additional hours… safely its always taken in the “ballpark” of at least 24 hours. PLEASE NOTE*****The pictures in this issue are provided courtesy of Mr. John Williams a family friend/photographer from the USA currently visiting South Africa on holiday. He has recaptured the beauty of this city with surrounding tourist venues that made me nostalgic to revisit one of my “top cities” in the world. **** Please enjoy all of Mr. Williams’s incredible photographs… please add Cape Town to your bucket list of vacation “Hot Spots!” Bon Voyage & Santé…. Barbara G
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 31
32 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
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34 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
RATTLING BALLET
S
o I decided to teach Joe Boy the rattling ballet. I explained to him the premise of rattling antlers and ideally how other bucks will come around to see what the commotion is. I learned from the best, Jose A. Palacios. Dad would crack the antlers, stomp his feet and rub the antlers on a bush or tree. The more noise the better.
This is all to simulate bucks fighting. As well I told Joe Boy he needs to be in a downwind position with thick cover behind him so the bucks can’t get down wind and need to step out in front of your hidden position on the ground. Also told him it will be fast. The buck will not stay around very long and a decision needs to be made quickly to harvest or not. So we find a perfect spot down wind of a pear flat and I start the ballet. Of course Joe Boy is getting a laugh watching me pirouette in camo with antlers. During the performance I busted my hand open with the antlers and backed up into a nopal. Joe Boy all along is thinking I am crazier than I normally am. Low and behold it worked and a younger deer busted out of the brush looking for a fight. After the buck busted us and bolted, Joe Boy was impressed, but still thought my performer was funny. I mentioned to him that others animals will step out to see what is going on and he promptly told me Dad no way. I proceed with another performance and as soon as I cracked the antlers a bob cat walked out and Joe Boy from his ground position off shooting sticks places a perfect shot. Not sure if it was my performance or sheer luck that the cat stepped out, but Joe Boy was more pleased with a cat than a trophy buck. His first cat and a beautiful rug for his room. I’ll never forget our first rattling ballet because of the busted hand and the nopal in my ass and I am sure Joe Boy wont forget either. Happy New Year!
COMPREHENSIVE TRAVEL INSURANCE Led by Physicians and Special Operations Veterans In February, Redpoint evacuated two Ripcord clients on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro at 13,000 feet - not an unusual altitude for mountain hunters to reach. The climbers were part of the Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb for Valor, an event conducted by mountaineering company Tusker Trail to raise money and awareness for the families of fallen members of US Special Operations Forces. Two of the climbers developed conditions that threatened their lives but did not require hospitalization for treatment. Dr. Avi Patil, a Redpoint wilderness medical iÝ«iÀÌ > ` -Ì> v À` i` V i >vw >Ìi` physician who was participating in the climb, describes what happened: “On the second night, one climber indicated that he couldn’t breathe. The situation was clearly High Altitude Pulmonary Edema Ƃ* ® q yÕ ` Ì i Õ }ð - >vÌiÀ] another climber displayed serious facial
swelling and an allergic reaction that could easily lead to breathing problems. Both situations were immediate and lifethreatening. Both evacuations were necessary; there was no room for hesitation.” These evacuations are perfect examples of Ripcord’s rescue services. Both HAPE and allergic reactions are potentially life-threatening, but, in this case, neither required hospitalization. Both climbers were evacuated off the mountain and transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment, but neither required hospital admittance. Visit us on facebook to see the places we’ve gone and the things we have done for our clients: facebook.com/ripcordtravelprotection
CONTACT US TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION BEFORE YOUR NEXT TRIP.
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January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 35
Life Is Better at Lakewood! Experience Lakewood Yacht Club and enjoy a sanctuary tucked away from Houston’s urban setting. Lakewood is an ever-growing, newly renovated, private, member-owned club on Clear Lake with a tradition of exciting boating and social activities since 1955!
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36 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
0I F?;LH GIL? ;<ION IH? I@ NB? 0+, 0?H 5;=BN FO<M CH NB? 1HCN?> /N;N?M PCMCN F;E?QII>S;=BN=FO< =IG
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38 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
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January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine邃｢ 39
40 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Spectre of Mediocrity:
Latest Bond Flick a Tad Too Trite
A
ccording to the writers of the latest (and 24th) James Bond flick, the greatest threat to civilization right now is the centralized control of intelligence, data and undue intrusive digital surveillance by the criminal geniuses at that nefarious criminal cartel that goes by the name of “SPECTRE.”
Back in the good old days, Agent 007 was sent to save the world from nuclear blackmail, errant satellites, cornering the gold market and so on. In 2016 we’re treated to a crusade to rid the world of super computers and spy cameras. If that comes across as sounding slightly less than scintillating, that’s the point. Spectre opens in bravura Bond style with an intriguing locale, powerful pyrotechnics, astonishing heroism and awesome effects. Unfortunately, after the first half hour the movie becomes dark and dour and plods on for a total of two and a half hours which must set a running time record for the Bond franchise, which is not a good thing. The climax of the movie, when it finally arrives is really an anti-climax because the very best part of the film was in the beginning. Daniel Craig is a superb James Bond, probably the best since Sean Connery. Craig gives 110 percent to everything he does in the film. Also very good is Ralph Fiennes as the new “M,” the head of Britain’s MI-6 “Double-O” spy service, replacing Judi Dench in the role. The movie’s shortcomings don’t lie with Craig or Fiennes, it lies with the story, the writing and the directing. The writers conducted an archeological dig to unearth SPECTRE, first introduced in 1962’s Dr. No. SPECTRE is an acronym for “Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion,” lead by the scar-faced Ernst Stavro Blofeld (played by Christoph Waltz). Viewers are tasked with accepting essentially a reboot or alternate introduction of SPECTRE in 2015 as if no one had ever seen any Bond films from the 60s or 70s, which is a mighty big stretch. The producers may be thinking about young people and future generations with the SPECTRE reboot but for
Daniel Craig as James Bond Agent 007 veterans nothing about 2015’s SPECTRE seems as menacing as prior iterations. I couldn’t shake flashbacks to the Austin Powers films (major Bond parodies) and Mike Meyer’s “Dr. Evil.” One scene in particular comes to the fore – Seth Green playing Dr. Evil’s son Scott confronts his Dad about the idiocy of giving Austin Powers a tour of the facilities, explaining the master plan and keeping him alive. Scott wants to just put a bullet in him. Dr. Evil won’t hear of it. In Spectre, Blofeld proffers Champagne, shows off his impressive secret lair constructed inside a crater in the Tunisian desert and despite thousands of bad guys at his disposal manages to be defeated in a matter of minutes by a small explosive hidden in Bond’s watch and a few well aimed shots from a machine gun at some kind of a gas line. It’s like the producers just phoned it in. It seems like something right out of Austin Powers. A
parody of a parody. It should be noted that this is not the end of the film, it goes on for another 20-plus minutes. The “Bond Girls” in this film, Monica Bellucci as a not so grieving widow of a top SPECTRE leader (who succumbs to Bond’s charms in nanoseconds and spills everything) and Léa Seydoux as the main female heroine (of course she’s a doctor), while competent brings no frisson to the film. Nothing is shaken or stirred. Neither of these comely ladies possess the jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring looks of many a prior Bond babe. These two seem kind of real, which is not why guys go to Bond movies. Spectre is worth seeing, but on your home flat screen for no more than $4.95. Die-hard Bond fans will like it but it could have been vastly improved by cutting 30 to 40 minutes. The film gets a “B” rating because of Craig, the cinematography, the sets and the special effects.
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 41
42 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Youth hunter with Joe Ruple
Making A Difference A
ll of us at Ruple Properties had a great time hosting a group of youth hunters from the Trinity Oaks 2UJDQL]DWLRQ 7ULQLW\ 2DNV LV D F QRQSURÂżW RUJDQL]DWLRQ EDVHG LQ 6DQ $QWRQLR 7H[DV DQG XVHV KXQWLQJ ÂżVKLQJ DQG RXWGRRU DFWLYLWLHV WR JLYH EDFN DQG PDNH D GLIIHUHQFH LQ WKH OLYHV RI RWKHUV
Their programs are for underserved populations such as veterans, youth who lack proper men-torship, terminally ill and disabled; who benefit immensely from the outdoors, but otherwise would not be able to afford the experience. Ruple Properties hosted a hunt at Davis Switch Ranch in Charlotte, Texas for a group of boys ranging in ages from elementary to high school. Davis Switch Ranch is a private ranch owned by the Ruple Family. The trip started out with gun safety training and getting comfortable with the
rifles. Trinity Oaks provided the rifles cham-bered in 7mm-08. We were surprised to see how well the boys shot with that caliber, even the ones that had never shot a deer rifle before. The first evening hunt was a success with two of the boys shooting a mature doe each. After skinning and quartering their game we sat down to a great meal along with some guitar picking from one of the youths and Joe Ruple. The night was filled with stories and laughter by the campfire at the ranch house. The next morning’s hunt
44 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
produced a nice cull 6 point buck and another mature doe for two more hunters. After breakfast we took the boys to the ranch’s shooting range to plink with .22s and learn how to shoot clays with shotguns. All of the youth hunters were able to harvest whitetail deer with great shot placement and experience the outdoors in South Texas. We were all very proud how well the boys did harvesting their deer. For many of the youths it was their first time hunting and being able to enjoy the outdoors. Everyone here at Ruple Proper-
ties looks forward to hav-ing Trinity Oaks back out to the Davis Switch Ranch with another group of young hunters to en-joy the outdoors and fellowship. by Charlie Marshall Realtor www.SouthTexasRanches.com 830-569-3500
Shooting Lesson with Joe and Clay Ruple
Learning gun safety with Clay Ruple.
Shot placement lesson
Skinning Lesson with Charlie Marshall
e Cooking Team Adrian Alvarado and Kathy Rupl
Learning to shoot clays
Plinking with .22s
Young hunter with Joe Ruple
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 45
would say that 99.9% of shooters start out shooting a 22 caliber rifle or handgun. I know I did! The first gun I owned was a Remington bolt action, single shot chambered in 22. It shot 22 short, long, and long rifle ammunition. Now I have been around long enough to say that I have shot all three different types of ammo in 22’s. Have you ever seen a 22 long? Well, they are not made any more and I can’t tell you why they were ever made! The most common round in the world is the 22 long rifle and it is for good reason. It’s cheap to shoot, has no recoil, low noise, it is accurate and deadly. Every gun company makes a 22, whether it is a rifle, pistol, revolver, semi auto, or single shot, you can get a 22. And 22 caliber guns range in price from less than $100.00 up to several thousand dollars. s.
I
.22 vs. .17 Which is the Best? The 22 caliber was introduced in the 1850’s, first with the 22 Short followed by the 22 Long. The 22 Long Rifle didn’t come out until 1887. The 22 Long Rifle was loaded with a heavy 40 grain bullet with a charge of 5 grains of black powder; a smokeless load was available also. The Short and Long were loaded with a lighter 29 grain bullet and 4 or 5 grains of black powder. For many years the 22 Long had a higher velocity than the 22 Long Rifle. The 22 Short was first intended to be a personal protection caliber. It was built in small break open revolvers. Smith &Wesson became the first to build and chamber for this round. The Short is very quiet and shooters can shoot it without wearing hearing protection but I don’t recommend it. The Short also has no recoil and it is deadly up close. However, it does not penetrate as well as the long rifle will. The 22 Short is also used for Olympic competition and is very accurate in the custom Anschutz rifles. The Long Rifle was designed to be a rifle cartridge (dah!) and it works very well as one. The higher velocity and heavier bullet makes it a very good choice for hunting small game at close range. In the 1990’s most ammo manufacturers came out with a new hot loaded 22 round called a Stinger, Yellow Jacket, or Viper. These bullets were loaded to super high velocity with a lighter bullet. A 29 grain bullet from a CCI Stinger will do over 1500 feet per second. This makes for a deadly and destructive caliber in a 22 rifle. The 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (22WMR) is the hottest 22 on the market. The 22 WMR was introduced in 1957. It was loaded with a jacketed 40 grain bullet with a velocity of 2000 feet per second. The first guns chambered for this round were Smith & Wesson and Ruger revolvers. Strange that Winchester didn’t produce a rifle for
the 22 WMR until late in 1959. The first gun I owned in the 22WMR caliber was a Ruger single action revolver with 2 cylinders, one in 22 LR the other in 22 WMR. This was a great handgun and I nearly wore it out from shooting it. It was also the loudest gun I had ever shot. With the Magnum cylinder in the little 6 inch gun, the noise created would make you deaf before you had the 6 shots fired from it. I have also owned several rifles chambered in the 22WMR and have enjoyed them, but for me the high cost of WMR ammo makes me prefer to shoot the 22 Long Rifle. The 17 HMR and 17 Mach 2 are very new calibers. The 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire was introduced in the 90’s for the new Ruger M77-22 bolt action rifle. All Hornady did was to neck down the 22 WMR to 17 caliber. Now this is a hot little round! The 17 HMR shoots a 17 grain bullet to a velocity of over 2550 feet per second. What this means is that the 17 drops only 8 inches at 200 yards where the 22 WMR drops 19 inches at the same 200 yards. This caliber is deadly on varmints out to 200 yards. I have built several custom rifles using both bolt action and semi auto actions in this caliber. These rifles will shoot very accurate and are great for small game hunting. My daughter wanted a very small handgun to carry with her all the time. She had a small 38 Special revolver but it was too big for her pocket. After looking around we decided on a Freedom Arms mini revolver chambered in 17
46 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
HMR. After shooting the 17 HMR ammunition from this little revolver, I knew we had made a good choice for personal protection. The newest rimfire caliber to come out is the 17 Mach 2. This caliber is very new, just being introduced in 2004. Hornady took the 22 Long Rifle and necked it down to 17 caliber. This makes it very easy to convert 22 Long Rifle guns to the 17 M2 by simply having a rebarrel job. This 17 caliber shoots the same 17 grain bullet to 2100 feet per second. The 17 M2 shoots flatter than both the Long Rifle and the 22 Mag. So, for small game out to 200 yards this should be a good caliber. I have shot several coyotes and 2 small hogs with a 17 M2, the caliber works but it doesn’t have the explosive effect that the 17 HMR has. This caliber has not caught on as fast as I thought it would. The cost of the ammo might be part of the problem. I wanted to see how the 17 HMR would comp to a 22 Long Rifle round when they a fired in pare s small carry handguns. I put together 4 different pistols in 4 different small calibers. I shot all four h handguns into an old phone book at 10 feet to see h much penetration and damage they would how do. First, was a 22 Short fired from an old RG10 w a 2 inch barrel. The soft lead bullet expanded with quite well and it penetrated 680 pages or just over two inches. Next, was the 22 Long Rifle which was fired from a H&K Model 4 with a 2 ½ inch barrel. The soft lead bullet did the most damage and penetrated second best, going 1130 pages or nearly 4 inches. Third, was the 17 HMR fired from a Freedom Arms mini revolver with a 1.75 inch barrel. This bullet penetrated over 1400 pages and I found the bullet had turned backwards inside the phone book. There was almost no expansion on the jacketed bullet and the wound in the phone book was quite small. I believe the bullet tumbled on impact. Last, I fired a 25 Auto from an Astra semi-auto with a 2 inch barrel. I carry this 25 Auto often and find it very reliable and accurate. The 25 made a good hole in the phone book, but it didn’t penetrate any more than the 22 Short did. In looking at the holes in the phone book and how deep each bullet penetrated, I would say the 22 Long Rifle was the winner with the 25 Auto coming in second and the 22 Short in a close third. I’m sure the 17 would have performed better if it had been shot through a longer barreled gun. The 17 HMR was designed to be a rifle round and it works best when shot through a long rifle barrel. One thing is for sure, I would not want to be shot by any of these rounds as any of them will take the fight out of most two legged predators. I have said it many times, if I was limited to owning just one gun and had to use it for everything, it would be a 22 Long Rifle! Which one gun and caliber would you pick?.
RUSSELL SELLE CUSTOM HUNTS Since S ince 11986 986
We do the legwork, you have the fun! AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, ASIA, SOUTH PACIFIC
This is one off the bestt values in bigg game gaaame huntingg anywhere in the world. These hunts are a blast with lots of game and plenty of FUN!! This hunt is ALL-INCLUSIVE of daily rates, trophy fees for 12 trophies, taxes, pickup at airport, meals, lodging, 1x1 JXLGH GDLO\ ODXQGU\ DQG LQ ÂżHOG WUDQVSRUWDWLRQ Species included in package: Kudu, Gemsbuck, Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, Blesbuck, Springbuck, Mt. Reedbuck, Warthog, Duiker and (2) management animals. This is a 10 day 1x1 hunt for $9950. ,WÂśV KDUG WR ÂżQG D UHDOO\ JRRG TXDOLW\ HON KXQW IRU WKLV SULFH DQG here you get 12 animals!! This is a great hunt for a family, corporate groups or just friends looking to have a fantastic safari. Now booking for 2016 and 2017.
One of the most elusive species in Africa, EXW RXU RXWÂżWWHUV SURduce exceptional trophies. We offer hound hunts and traditional bail hunts. This is a great hunt to combine with a buffalo or plains game.Hunts range from $22500$35000 on 10-14 day hunts.
This is one trophy that everyone wants when they go to Africa. They say “You can never shoot enough buffaloâ€?. It’s just fun, exciting and gets the adrenaline pumping. No other trophy in Africa commands respect as much as the Cape Buffalo. He looks at you as if you owe him money!! Hunts range from $15000-$20000 depending on country and RXWÂżWWHU This is onee off thee mostt awesomee trophies in thee world. world A bigg male lion just screams AFRICA!!! There is a lot of pressure from antihunting groups and our own government to stop imports of legally taken lion trophies into the U.S. If you ever wanted one, do not GHOD\ DV RQH GD\ KXQWLQJ WKLV PDJQLÂżFHQW WURSK\ ZLOO EH D WKLQJ RI the past. GO NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!Hunts range from $20000-$100000 depending on country hunted.
CONTACT: Russell Selle 512-644-7962 cell 512-829-4689 office Russellselle@gmail.com www.rscustomhunts.com
Top Industrial Dogs
Brenner is our COVER DOG. He is a 3 1/2 old Black Lab, owned and trained by John Hogshead of Air Logistics Corporation. This photo is taken on a hunt in Garwood Texas with Blue Roan Bend Outfitters. If you need to get in touch with Brenner he has a business card!
48 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Joc is a German Shorthaired Pointer. He will point and retrieve. He has an amazing nose for Quail and is great at retrieving Ducks. Joc is only 6 months old and has a long career ahead of him. Photo sent in by Caleb Stephens with Hydra Engineering & Construction.
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 49
Meet Mia she is 3yrs old. This photo was taken down in Brazoria County with this “mottled duck”. Photo sent in by Matthew Brassell with the Dale Company – Houston Texas.
50 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
Jager is an 8 year old Drahthaar, German Wirehaired Pointer owned by Joel Swan of Champion Ranch. He blood tracks, drylands retrieves, water retrieves and points. Jager sits proud for a photo shoot after recovering this Aoudad at Champion Ranch, where he works in Colorado City and Brady Texas.
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 51
“It’s the hunter’s JOB to kill an animal instantly with the FIRST shot.� Hunters owe it to the animal to accomplish that. If not 100% certain, get closer or don’t shoot.
830-234-4366 ♌ ftwoutďŹ tters.com Our time at The F.T.W. Ranch was truly amazing! An experience of a life time, that’s for sure! Tim Fallon, the owner & operator of the F.T.W. & S.A.A.M Training courses, is a very ĂŽQH JHQWOHPDQ ZKR KDV D YHU\ ĂŽQH FUHZ , ZRUNHG ZLWK VRPH YHU\ JRRG PHQ 'RXJ 'DYLG ,]]\ 7KH\ DOO WDXJKW PH VRPH LQFUHGLEOH LQIRUPDWLRQ DQG KHOSHG play a part in creating the most informative, important, SHUIHFW PHPRULHV , QRZ KDYH DQG KROG 52 Shot of Texas Magazine™ January/February Issue 2016
0\ IDPLO\ DQG , VSHQW îYH GD\V LQ %DUNVGDOH 7H[DV DERXW PLOHV VRXWK west of Junction. :KHQ ZH DUULYHG WKH DIWHUQRRQ RI WKH îUVW GD\ ZH ZHUH JUHHWHG ZDUPO\ DQG PDGH FRPIRUWDEOH LQ RXU FDELQV 7KH URRPV ZHUH FR]\ DQG VWRFNHG ZLWK HYHU\WKLQJ ZH FRXOG KDYH QHHG RI LQFOXGLQJ WKRVH §KDQJ RQ WKH ZDOO¨ KDLU GU\HUV <HV LW ZDV SHUIHFW 7KH /RGJH ZDV WRR VSDFLRXV DQG IXOO RI FDWHJRUL]HG JDPH RQ HDFK ZDOO ,W ZDV DOVR IXOO\ HTXLSSHG ZLWK D FODVV URRP D NLWFKHQ IXOO EDU DQG “Corn Hole” games. 2Q DUULYDO GD\ ZH WRRN LW HDV\ %\ WKH WLPH ZH JRW VHWWOHG LQ ZH ZHUH HDVLQJ LQWR S P DQG WKH GDUNQHVV ZDV XSRQ XV WRR GDUN IRU DQ\ VKRRWLQJ 3OXV ZH KDG WZR KRXUV RI FODVV URRP ZRUN WKH QH[W PRUQLQJ EHIRUH DQ\ VKRRWLQJ FRXOG EHJLQ 7KH GLQQHU EHOO UDQJ DQG ZH DOO FKDWWHG DV ZH DWH , KDG WKH SOHDVXUH RI PHHWLQJ 'HH $OIUHGR 7KH\ ZHUH D ZRQGHUIXO FRXSOH $OIUHGR ZDV D JXLGH DQG 'HH D VHFUHWDU\ DVVLVWDQW RI 0U )DOlon. %HIRUH EHG ZH DOO JDWKHUHG LQ WKH FODVV URRP IRU D TXLFN EULHîQJ GLVFXVVLQJ WKH RUGHU RI WKH QH[W GD\ 7KH\ WRRN QRWH RI ZKDW GULQNV ZHªG SUHIHU LQ WKH
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PRUQLQJ DQG ZKDW WLPH ZH ZDQWHG WKHP WR ZDNH XV , VXJJHVWHG DP DQG VDLG , OLNH P\ FRǺHH EODFN %UHDNIDVW ZDV DW DQG FODVV EHJDQ DW 7KH\ ZHUH YHU\ RUJDQL]HG DQG SUHSDUHG ZLWK D VFKHGXOH DOZD\V SRVWHG XS RQ WKH GU\ HUDVH ERDUG LQ WKH GLQLQJ DUHD 'D\ RI WUDLQLQJ 7KUHH NQRFNV DW WKH GRRU , ZDV JUHHWHG ZLWK D VPLOH DQG P\ EODFN FXS RI FRǺHH $IWHU EUHDNIDVW ZH all met in the class room. There we sat IRU WZR KRXUV DQG OHDUQHG DERXW VFRSHV EDUUHOV PLOV DQG PLQXWHV W\SHV RI WXUUHWV DQG VR PXFK PRUH 7KH FODVV URRP WLPH ZHQW E\ IDVW DOO EHFDXVH LW ZDV VR LQWHUesting! After class it was time to clean our JXQV DQG KHDG RXW WR WKH UDQJH $W WKLV SRLQW ,ªP UHDOO\ H[FLWHG 7KHUH DUH IRXUWHHQ GLǺHUHQW UDQJHV RQ WKH UDQFK DOO VWUHWFKLQJ RXW WKRXVDQGV RI \DUGV ,WªV D SODFH ZKHUH \RX DQG , FDQ KDYH IXQ DQG D SODFH ZKHUH RXU $PHULFDQ VROGLHUV FDQ SDUWDNH LQ WUDLQLQJ ,Q IDFW VHYHUDO RI WKH LQVWUXFtors were former Special Ops instructors for the military. 2QFH RXW RQ WKH §ORGJH UDQJH¨ ZH OHDUQHG SURSHU ERG\ SRVLWLRQLQJ îJXULQJ RXW ZKLFK RQH ZDV DQ DSSURSULDWH îW IRU RXU ERGLHV :H WRRN WKH WLPH WR VLJKW LQ RXU ULïHV VR DV WR PDNH VXUH WKH\ªUH
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54 Shot of Texas Magazineâ„¢ January/February Issue 2016
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$ERXW WKH FTW How many guests will be at the FTW while I am there and how many students in my class? For regular (non-custom or corporate groups) SAAM classes, we normally run 5 students per instructor team and we manage two to three instructor teams at any one time. On hunts, we normally have a maximum of 10 – depending on the species being hunted. Many hunters prefer to have a guide and if you are unsure of trophy quality, we recommend it. Can the FTW be used for private corporate or family groups? Yes. We are happy to host private groups for families, corporations and writer’s groups. With a minimum of 15 folks, the ranch will be yours to hunt or to train or both. The FTW is a great place for product introductions, sales training and corporate/ family retreats! How do we get around the FTW Ranch? We will be travelling in our fleet of jeeps with nice gun racks and plenty of space for your gear as well. How many ranges and what types of target systems does the FTW Ranch have? There are over 20 active ranges and more under construction. Several are for military use only. The distances on our ranges vary from “up close and personal” for dangerous game species training to 700 yards on our “hunter proofing” ranges, to 2,500 yards on our military ranges. Our target systems are a combination of paper precision targets, steel plates in 6”, 9”, 12” and 15”, and “life-size targets” of mountain, plains game and dangerous species in both moving and static. For the SAAM Safari program there are life size elephants, buffalo, lion, leopard, hippo and croc; many are moving and charging for realistic training and situational awareness drills. What can you expect for the weather and temperatures? We average 14” to 20” of rain fall each year (we hope-) and normally we get one half to 1 inch at a time. It is almost always windy on the FTW, which makes for great wind call training! November-March; expect cold (30-45) mornings and evenings, 50-75 throughout the day…. We do get the occasional rain shower in March.
April-October; expect 60-70’s in the mornings and evenings, 80 to 100 throughout the day…. We get most of our rains in April-June. What does the schedule look like for a typical day? For SAAMTM Training, either Precision or Safari. We wake you at your requested time with the beverage of your choice (coffee, tea etc.) and breakfast at 7:00. We head to the field or first activity for the day at 7:45. Lunch is served at 12:30. We go back out for our next exercise at 1:30 and return to the lodge around 6:00 where you can relax for 30 minutes or so, the de-briefing session begins at 6:30 till dinner at 7:00. After dinner there is always TV to watch or socializing. The lodge is equipped with Wi-Fi. For SAAMTM Hunt Combos. We follow the same schedule through Day One and Day Two. On Day Three and Four we normally are up at 4:30 to hunt in the AM and back to the lodge brunch at 10:30. You will depart for the field around 11:30 to continue SAAM Training and return around 3:30 for 4:00 dinner. By 5:00 you are back out to the field for an afternoon of hunting. For Hunts Only. We normally are up at 4:30 to go hunting in the AM and back for brunch at 10:30. After a big dinner at 3:30, by 4:00 we are back out to the field for an afternoon of hunting. During the mid-day break we may continue spot and stalk hunting if the weather and game movements warrant, go shooting on the ranges, watch your favorite TV show, read a book and/or rest up. How big is the FTW Ranch and what is the terrain like? 12,000+ acres. It is very rugged terrain with many deep valleys and mountains, perfect for training and works great as a large wildlife refuge! It is so rugged that we literally can only access about half of the ranch. There are many canyons and areas we can hunt, but only on foot or on the fringes of these areas. There are many species of oak and other trees, a very diverse browsing line and some very prolific Texas native grasses as well. We do have natural water all year around in many of the spring fed creeks and we have installed stock tanks throughout the ranch for wildlife diversity.
Do Military units train on the FTW and can I shoot their targets? We do a considerable amount of Military and Law Enforcement Training. We do not allow civilians to shoot the dedicated military targets (human silhouettes), the SAAM Program is hunter training, not tactical training. There are many hunter training target systems on the FTW that will keep you well entertained! Note: We DO NOT train civilians in tactical methods, SAAM is Hunter Training! Is the FTW High Fenced? Yes. We high fence to keep animals out, not to keep them in. It is the best way to control genetics. For instance we have one of the largest semi-free ranging herds of Markhor and Nubian Ibex in the North America and it would only take a few domestic goats to be catastrophic to our genetics! We also fence the 27 mile perimeter to keep out feral hogs which, if not controlled, are a very serious problem. Is Tipping required? No, that is totally up to you! It is very appreciated if you choose to do so. The tips are pooled and each gets a share. The staff elected several years ago to do this as it makes the clients life easier and it is most fair and equitable to all as the staff works equally as hard for everyone.
January/February Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 55
201 Cobb Creek Road Georgetown, Texas 78633
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% D RV 0 ( %UD]RV 2309 Z A PATA S T R E E T , F R E E P O RT , TX 77541 T EL : 979-233-2841, F AX : 979-233-8945 EMAIL:ANDREWD@INF-GRP.COM