A Shot of Texas Magazine | September 2016

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A Shot of Texas Magazine™ September 2016 CONTENT

A Shot of Texas Magazine

“Where Outdoors Meets Industry”

Our Staff

Teffany and Robert Kahn Founders/ Co-Editors

10. Catch-and-Release: Have We Gone too Far

by Larry D. Hodge

13. Wilderness Hunt Check List

by Staff

Kendall Rae Kahn Camo Girl Product & Ranch Reviews

Rod Daigle Senior Industrial Editor

Butch Ramirez Wildlife Photographer

Dan Verrips Wildlife Photographer

Larry Weishuhn ‘Mr Whitetail” Field Writer

Shamus Dartanyon

14. All Lives Matter?

Or Do They?

by Shamus Dartanyon

16. The Race for President: I’m With No One. 18. Self Help While Shooting a Shotgun

by Remingon Mcbee US Olympic Team

21. Time Saver Utility Size Ditch Padding Attachment

by Brown Bear Corporation

Political Editor

Jim Miller Bow Hunting Editor

Efrain Martinez Safety Editor

Terry Blaukamp Shooting Editor

Jeanine Johnson Product Review Editor

22. STAR TREK

Above and Beyond

by Howard Barbanel

24. How Not to Get Lost in The Woods

by Staff

30. Big Game 2015 Pronghorn provide unique hunting challenge

by Colorado Parks & Wildlife

34. Becoming a Real Straight Shooter

by Staff

Advertisers List Issue 22 Abrasive Products Air Logistics Black Hawk Datacom Canon Feeders Capital Farm Credit Dale Company Diamond Refractory Gravely Grizzly Cooler’s HY- Bon/ EDI Innovative Turnaround Controls Knife & Fork Ranch Larco Industries Medical Plaza Mobile Meyer Ranch Boots Ohmstede Performance Top Drives Service Radio Sport Ear Triple C Project Services Tubal-Cain Holdings Woods Cycle Country

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 Office 512-746-2729 or Cell 832-922-1508

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 5

Corpus Christi Police Athletic League

and Valero Team Up for 6th Annual Dove Hunt

The Corpus Christi Police Athletic League (CC-PAL) and Valero’s Corpus Christi Refinery are proud to announce the 4th Annual Dove Hunt Fundraiser will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at the Lonesome Dove Ranch. Funds raised will benefit CC-PAL and its work with at-risk youth.

As part of the ongoing success of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Community Policing initiative, another new and wonderful program was born—CC-PAL. CC-PAL was formed in 2002 with a mission to offer athletic and educational programs to at-risk children in an ongoing effort to reduce juvenile crime, and to do so in a safe environment.

This organization has seen tremendous growth; it now offers numerous programs for more than 2000 at-risk children. CC-PAL introduces children—many for the very first time— to martial arts, baseball, softball, cheerleading, basketball, and volley-

6 Shot of Texas Magazine™

ball. Services are provided at no charge or at a minimal fee. CC-PAL operates solely on the generous donations and financial contributions from citizens and corporations.

-“We are certainly pleased to partner with the Corpus Christi Police Department in support of CC-PAL again. More than $350,000 has been raised over the last three years, but most important, these funds have helped nearly 3,000 young people in our community. This dove hunt is one example of the many ways Valero and our volunteers give back to help make our community a better place to live and work,” said Dennis Payne, VP and General Manager Valero Corpus Christi Refinery.

The sixth annual Dove Hunt will take place on Saturday, October 1, 2016. The hunt will feature dove hunting, skeet & trap shooting, raffle chance for a John Deere Gator, and food/ drink throughout the day.

Sponsorships are available from $5,000 to $1,000. Tickets are $100.

For information contact: Tickets/Sponorships- Sgt. David Morris at 361.533.5407 or Patsy Benchoff at 361.289.3104

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A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 7

8 Shot of Texas Magazineâ„¢

What’s Camo Girl up to?

David Bradshaw & Alvin Guerrero at A Shot of Texas Ranch with the new Kawasaki FXT

Whats new at the ranch?

Camo Girl - Kendall Rae Kahn is on a mission to bring hydration safety to the Petrochemical Industry. Other hydration products including water simply don’t cut it. Kendall will be representing Wilderness Athlete at dozens of industry shows in 2017. When you see A Shot of Texas Magazine at one of our many tradeshows, please stop by and say hello and don’t forget to taste a sample of the most advanced hydration product on the market.

Woods Cycle Country recently hosted The Patriot Warrior’s Foundation and Kindness Matters at A Shot of Texas Ranch in Georgetown Texas. Front and center was the new Kawasaki FXT which transported wounded veterans to and from the venue area. Woods cycle country in New Braunfels has been a long time supporter of great organizations like these as well as the petrochemical industry in Texas.

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Yes even Petrochemical KIDS love the outdoors . Meet Addison Brassell.

This beauty caught on croaker in Matagorda Bay March/April Issue 2016 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 9

Catch-and-Release: Have We Gone too Far? “Nothing in excess” applies to fishing as well as life.

atch-aand-reelease fishing—throwing back eveery single fish caaught— comes neear being a reliigion am mong bass angllers, many of whom would consider eating a larggemouth bass to be a mortal sin.

That’s a shame. Bass taste good, and research conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fisheries biologists shows that in many cases, keeping some fish does no harm to the bass population and can actually improve it.

The trick is in keeping the right fish. Only a very small percentage of the fish in a population survive to the age of five or six and become the trophy everyone dreams of catching. Those fish are also the brooders. Trophy fish are just naturally scarce, and protecting them from harvest is logical—and research supports catch and release of big fish.

John Tibbs, TPWD’s Inland Fisheries district biologist from Waco, encourages anglers to be selective about what fish they keep.

“I wouldn’t argue that releasing a 5-pound fish is a bad thing. It’s almost always a good thing,” he adds. “Those are the kind of fish that make anglers happy. Even though there’s a chance that fish may die after you put it back, at that size they are rapidly putting on weight and are more likely to become a trophy. But when you 10 Shot of Texas Magazine™

are talking about 2-pound fish, not all of them will grow to be big.

Anglers don’t need to feel guilty about eating some of them.”

Catching fish for fun rather than for eating is a fairly recent phenomenon. When George Perry caught the world record largemouth bass in Georgia in 1932, he never considered turning it loose. It wound up on the dinner table that very same day.

Catch-and-release began catching on in 1972, when the first catch-and-release bass fishing tournament was held in Florida, according to Ray Scott, founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.). Scott did not invent the catch-and-release religion, but he did evangelize it among bass anglers. … Suddenly, downstream, a guy stuck a fish…The trout was not more than eleven or twelve inches long. Lord have mercy, I thought—bass bait. The guy brought out some little tool that he had stored somewhere on his vest, wet his hands and used the tool to unhook the trout. Then he released it, very, very gently. All the other

fishermen began cheering and high-fiving each other. I couldn’t believe it.

The next day on the way home, I replayed this scene in my mind.

I thought, if they had so much fun releasing this piddlin’ little trout, what would it be like if a big, hairy-legged bass fisherman released a five-pound bass?

The biologists told us that tournaments had no impact on the fishery. And we always gave all the bass we caught to an orphan home or some charity, but there was always the grouchy old timer in the bib overalls standing by the weigh-in saying, “Thass why ah ain’t catchin’ no fish.”

At that time there was no such thing as a livewell, and many fish weighed in at tournaments were terminally unfit to be released.

Scott realized that stringers of dead fish were bad public relations, and his promotion of catch-and-release was based on sociology, not biology. Yet the practice soon became almost universal among bass anglers.

TPWD biologists look at harvest of fish by anglers as one of

By Larry D. Hodge the tools they have for managing a fish population. “Harvest regulations are designed to modify the population, and the correct regulation depends on the population dynamics of each reservoir,” says John Tibbs, district biologist from Waco. “If nobody takes any fish, the harvest regulations on all lakes will essentially be the same. The concept that releasing all the fish you catch is always the best thing to do is just wrong.”

Tibbs bases his opinion in part on a study he conducted on Lake Limestone, near Groesbeck. “In 36 creel survey days involving hundreds of anglers, we found that not one single person took a bass home,” he says. “If nobody harvests fish, lakes that are not very productive will not produce larger size fish. Most anglers throw fish back believing they will get bigger, but that is frequently not the case. We modeled the bass population on Lake Limestone using all the data we had, and even with no harvest and fairly limited tournament activity, we still had a mortality of over 50

percent per year on bass. Fish are going to die whether anglers take them out or not. I don’t know for sure, but I think statewide the figure would probably range between 30 and 60 percent.�

Tibbs arrived at his estimate of fish mortality by comparing the number of fish in each age group collected during electrofishing, a widely-accepted approach termed “catch curve analysis.� “We know electrofishing does not collect many large fish, so we looked at fish from age one to age four,� he explains. “Say each hour of electrofishing we were catching 50 age one fish, 25 age two fish, 12 age three fish and 6 age four fish. The slope of that line on a graph is the mortality rate of the population—50 percent. Half of each age group is dying each year.�

Fish in Lake Limestone essentially die from natural causes such as old age and being eaten by other fish, Tibbs says, though some die from hooking mortality and handling stresses. “From a practical standpoint, those fish that are dying could be harvested and eaten without having any detrimental effect on the population,� he says.

Lest you fall into the opposite of the catch-and-release trap and think that you should always keep some fish, remember that each lake is unique. “The thing for anglers to remember is that the harvest restrictions on a lake

Avery Brassell with her BIG Bull Red

have been carefully thought out by biologists and implemented for a reason,� Tibbs advises. “For example, catch-and-release works well on reservoirs like Purtis Creek, where you don’t have over-recruitment or overpopulation of young fish. There is a combination of physical, chemical and biological parameters that make a lake suitable for a particular regulation.�

As is generally the case when living organisms are involved, there is no easy, one-size-fits-all answer. “If anglers have any questions about why a lake is managed a particular way, I encourage them to contact the biologist in charge of that lake,� Tibbs says. “He or she will have the best handle on the population dynamics of that lake and the reasons for it being managed the way it is.�

For example, slot limits are used on lakes that have a surplus of small fish as a way of encouraging anglers to keep some of them.

On a lake with a 14- to 21-inch slot, anglers can keep fish 14 inches or less or 21 inches or greater.

When fishing such a lake, end your trip with a fish fry. However, it’s important to remember that big fish are the brooders. That’s one reason the Budweiser ShareLunker program was started, to publicize how important it is to let big fish live and reproduce. Eat more fish—but eat the small ones, and put the big ones back.

Talking to a fisheries biologist may change the way you look at the next fish unlucky enough to find itself on the end of your line. “One of the possible results of no angler harvest is reduced growth rate of all the fish in a lake because of competition for food,� Tibbs points out. “Harvesting some fish can let the ones that remain grow bigger, faster.� Instead of looking at a 2-pound fish as a future lunker, you may need to think of it as one of the reasons you aren’t catching 10-pounders.

And then you need to decide whether it will taste better with catsup or tartar sauce.

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Wilderness Hunt Check List Start NOW for the upcoming season Staff

P

reparing for a backcountry hunting trip hunting trip is a major effort.

I have been on many of these type excursions and have experienced icy cold, unexpected rain and nasty hail storms. The trick is to not get in a hurry and begin accumulating these items way in advance. I use a large storage tub and stock up and then start checking off my list as I pack. Listed below are a few common items that you will need to take along. Lots of folks take for granted the availability of items that can make the difference between success and safety while in the field.

• First aid kit (include mole skin/duct tape for blisters); • Compass and high-quality maps; • Fire starter for use in the field; • Knife sharpener; • Extra batteries; External Battery pack for charging • Rain gear; • Blaze orange vest and cap; • Wet Wipes, trash bags;

• Flashlight/lantern; • Game bags; • Sunscreen; • Toilet tissue; • Hunting license; • List of family/friends phone numbers • Collapsible water bottles

• Water purification pump or tablets; • Latex gloves for field dressing animals Here is something that works. If you’re going with a group of guys, do not overlap and take the same things. Duct tape is a good example and be sure to have one roll per two hunters.

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 13

ALL LIVES MATTER? So apparently whitey can’t say “all lives matter”. After another round of assassinations of law enforcement officers by black radicals in Baton Rouge, Shepard Smith from Fox News was interviewing former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal. During the course of the interview the governor used the phrase “all lives matter”, and Smith immediately asked him why he would use such “divisive” language. Smith went on to chide the governor again over the phrase, whereas Jindal, to his credit stood his ground. (Side Note: Bobby Jindal is actually pretty brown skinned and Shepard Smith is lily white).

What has happened to us? Now you might expect something like this from MSNBC, but FOX? Regardless however, have we really reached the point where saying “all lives matter” is divisive?

For the sake of context let’s explore some other terms common today that are not only considered not divisive, but perfectly acceptable to pop culture, the media and the entertainment industry.

“Black Lives Matter” or “BLM” (Obama praises as having done great work) I’m curious how “White Lives Matter” would go over with him.

“La Raza” (translated as “The Race”) I wonder what would happen if that was a Caucasian group promoting whiteness instead of a Latino group, hmmm.

“What do we want? “Dead Cops!”

“When do we want it?” “Now!” (Popular chant from BLM protesters) “Pigs in a blanket, fry ‘em like bacon!”

(Popular chant from BLM protesters) Or how about some popular songs from a close friend of the Obamas, recording artist Jay Z: Aint No Nigga - Song title from 1996 album “Reasonable Doubt” Real Niggaz - Song title from 1997 album “In My Lifetime Vol 1” Nigga What, Nigga Who – “Volume 2 Hard Knock Life” 1998 Jigga My Nigga –“Volume 3 Life and Times of S. Carter” 1999 Is That Yo Bitch – “Volume 3 Life and Times of S. Carter” 1999 Niggas in Paris – “Watch the Throne” 2011 with Kanye West 2011 How about we take a look at some of the company our beloved president keeps.

Let’s start with that beacon of hope for 14 Shot of Texas Magazine™

today’s disaffected youth Rick Ross, who recently paid a visit to the White House for a minority youth empowerment program. It seems that Mr. Ross’s ankle monitor went off at an awkward moment after the president’s speech.

Apparently Mr. Ross has to wear the ankle monitor as a condition of his 2015 kidnapping and assault charges. Great choice for a mentor Mr. President, let’s look to a felon who hasn’t even finished serving his sentence to inspire today’s at risk black and brown youth shall we?

Or who can forget that picture of all American virtue and patriotism the Korean rapper PSY who Obama invited to sing at a White House Christmas party.

PSY is known for his apple pie favorite that included the lyrics “Kill those f— ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives”. Or ,how about his 2004

concert protesting Korean participation in the Iraq war? Those lyrics, specifically referring to U.S. service men and women included the charming phrases “Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers”, “Kill them all slowly and painfully.” Boy I’m sure Danny Kaye and Bing were just clapping right along up in heaven.

Up is down; down is up and wrong is right. If your religion doesn’t not only condone but actively promote homosexuality then you’re a homophobic bigot (unless your Muslim of course, then you get a pass for cultural reasons). If you don’t support on demand, taxpayer funded abortion at any time prior to birth, you are a misogynist Then there are those pesky facts.

Black Lives Matter says they are protesting the supposed war on young

OR DO THEY? black men being perpetrated by our men and woman in blue. This “movement” which I personally think is a more than fitting term for this racist hate group, is the result of the “murder” of Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri by police.

You remember don’t you? “Hands up, Don’t Shoot”. Problem is, that was not the case, not even close.

Michael Brown was a thug and a criminal who robbed a convenience store and attacked a cop after being stopped by that officer. He then attempted to take the officers service weapon. After the struggle, Brown, who was significantly larger than the cop bull rushed him and was subsequently shot and killed which was ruled justified. Just to make things interesting, the autopsy proved that Brown was in fact shot from the front and not in the back as testified by his ever virtuous friend in crime. Regardless of the facts Black Live Matter was born.

After the next couple of black men (criminals) were shot by cops, the rallying cry by BLM was that there is systemic racism in our countries policing organizations and they are targeting all black men.

Here are a couple of inconvenient nuggets for the “movement”: Black people (mostly men) commit a disproportionate amount of crime vs whites. In 2012 white men made up about 38% of the total population of the U.S. and committed 4,582 murders while black men made up only 6.6% of the population committed 5,531 murders during the same time period. So black men , who as a percentage of the population were only 20% the size of their white counterparts committed almost 1,000 more murders.

Despite being only about 13% of the total U.S. population blacks have committed half of the murders every year for the last 30 years. Between 1980 and 2008 blacks committed 52% of all homicides, and most of those victims were fellow blacks.

The death toll in Chicago between 2001 and 2015 is over 7,400 killed which is only 920 less than all the armed servicemen and woman killed in

Iraq and Afghanistan during the same period. Once again most of the killers were black as were most of the victims.

Statistically young black men are ten times more likely to commit murder than whites and more likely to become victims as well.

White men have much more exposure to the police and therefore are much more likely to be shot and in fact are.

Over half of all men killed by police last year in the U.S. were white and only 25% black.

But that still begs the question from the left: “Black men make up less than 7% of the total population but are killed at a disproportionate rate vs. whites when compared to the overall population, why is that?” Well, here is the simple answer. Blacks commit more crimes.

So why is that? At this point I’m sure the left is screaming that it is racist to point out this fact, but the truth hurts, and it’s not racist to state the truth.

Blacks commit more crimes.

I don’t have all the answers as to why this is, but I’ll venture a guess that it’s not a black or white thing. It’s not a DNA thing. And it’s definitely whitey’s fault. It’s a cultural thing.

Allow me to explain. Prior to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, less than 30% of black children were born out of wedlock. Today that figure stands at almost 75%.

Triple! It’s a proven fact that a boy of any color who grows up without a father or father figure in their life is much more likely to become a criminal.

Today, I challenge anyone reading this article to turn on some rap music, or maybe a black themed or hip hop channel on Sirius. I’ll put even money that within 30 seconds you will hear one of these words: “nigga”, “bitch”, “hoe” or “motherf#@er”. Nice right? But at the same time they demand that they not be called these names and demand respect those same words are embedded in their lexicon which they call each other. Crazy right? Sounds like, someone needs to start respecting themselves before they can expect it from anyone else.

The president of the United States is promoting this trash. He associated him-

By Shamus Dartanyon

self with criminals and rappers who have no respect for themselves, each other and definitely not women. I mean have you heard the crap they “rap” about woman?

Why does the entertainment industry on one hand put out rash music and movies glorifying murder, guns, the thug lifestyle and the violent subjugation of woman which young black men emulate, and then on the other hand complain about the high number of murders by gun in the black community, the total lack of respect for woman and the disproportionate number of incarcerated young black men? Hypocrite much?

And now, we’re being told, by a white media type that it’s divisive to say “all lives matter”, but all the rest of this crap is perfectly ok, because after all we should just check our white privilege and suck it up.

I have only three words for him. ALL LIVES MATTER!

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 15

The Race for President: I’m With No One. Stuck in the Middle with You, Wondering What It is I Should Do.

A

fter having watched both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions I’m solidly convinced that the political world has been sent to a paradoxical dimension not tethered to any of the familiar signposts of the past 80-plus years.

Just as the Internet and mobile devices have disrupted traditional media, traditional shopping and even traditional dating and social mores, the brave new world created by technology seems to be having a tsunami effect on every aspect of American life up to and including presidential politics.

Millions are reached with withering tweets in nanoseconds that obviate the impact of hour-long speeches and lengthy policy analyses.

Tens of millions of dollars are raised from millions of donors almost in real time with the touch of fingers on a mobile screen that obviates the need for big money from big donors.

And we are now in the midst of a presidential campaign that would have been unimaginable even four years ago.

Hillary Clinton gave the speech of her life on Thursday night, July 28th to end the Democratic Convention. Up until that speech I harbored a solid and visceral hatred for this woman. Now, thanks to her oratory I now only have a solid ambivalence – which is progress because there are millions of Americans out there just like me.

The gradual transformation from hate to ambivalence is possible partly because the Republican standard-bearer is so utterly repugnant to me in just about every which way. Donald Trump does not represent my morals or mores. His predilection for Don Rickles-esque insult and endless pejorative politics 16 Shot of Texas Magazine™

is repugnant to my sense of civility and decency. (And, please, I don’t mean to insult Mr. Rickles who does putdowns in jest, not with intent as does Mr. Trump). He attacks people’s wives. His business practices don’t jibe with caring for the working man.

His impulsive temperament and thin skin and his complete inability to accept criticism scare me witless. He’s the first Republican since 1940 to run on an isolationist platform.

He wants to eviscerate global free trade which could cause a worldwide recession and who knows how much military tension, especially with China.

He wants to undermine NATO and he’s an enabler of Vladimir Putin’s adventurism and he goes on “ABC This Week” with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, July 31st and lies about his Putin relationship, contradicting a half dozen video clips from the past three years of him saying the opposite.

He wants to raise taxes. He has no plan to cut the deficit.

He actually takes the National Enquirer seriously. Hardly anyone of any consequence in the GOP backs him. Still.

Hillary Clinton also makes me queasy. I don’t like her

poor judgment with her emails while Secretary of State. I don’t like that she lied for a full year about the emails. I really don’t like that she went on “Fox News Sunday” with Chris Wallace on July 31st and lied about it again, to the point that The Washington Post gave her performance “Four Pinocchios.” I don’t like what she and Debbie WassermanShultz did to Berne Sanders and that Hillary hired WassermanShultz immediately on her resignation as Chair of the DNC. I don’t like that she and her husband knowingly raised tens of millions for their foundation from foreign interests while she was Secretary of State and the lush speaking fees they both got personally over the past eight years. I can only imagine how much fruit will be shaken from the trees by Bill if Hillary is elected President.

I don’t like that the worldwide radical Islamist terror epidemic is given low priority by the Democrats; that she was part and parcel of the massive pressure on Israel which went so far as to interfere in Israel’s elections on behalf of Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents. I don’t feel the Iran nuclear

deal will keep the world safe l

By Howard Barbanel because the Iranians have been flouting their violations of the agreement in the world’s face day in and day out. She also fails to take the federal deficit seriously. It’s blossomed to $19 trillion and growing.

She absolutely came across as more human and less powerhungry in her acceptance speech and made some good points but like many Americans I don’t completely trust her and the sound of her voice is like nails on a chalkboard, so the likeability factor is sorely lacking. That she is the pro-NATO anti-Putin candidate as a Democrat is the world put upside down.

I’d probably have voted for Bernie Sanders had he won the Democratic nomination even though I disagree with most of his policies, primarily because he’s likeable because of his honesty, integrity and consistency. (For me and millions of Americans character does matter).

So, like many Americans, right now I’m at “none of the above,” meaning I can’t vote for Trump and I’m not ready to vote for Hillary. This will be a wild ride over the next three months leading up until Election Day. It may be that voter turnout in November will be very low owing to so many Americans’ discomfort with either candidate and many will just sit on their hands and stay home. Right now, many of us are in limbo with nowhere to go – so I’m stuck like so many folks I know in the void for the first time since I started voting in 1980.

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 17 A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 17

W

hen shooting or practicing with a shotgun the position of your feet should be shoulder width apart so that a line extending from your rear heel to your leading foot points to where you would break the target. The position of your feet helps encourages smooth movement and swinging the gun, and good follow through. When being a competitive shotgun shooter it is possible to “call” his or her shots, meaning that the moment the shotgun fires he or she has a mental image of where the shotgun barrel is pointing.

Self Help While Shooting a Shotgun

by Remington Mcbee/ US Olympic Team

In trap shooting, the targets are launched from a single “house” or machine, generally a experienced skeet, trap, and sporting clay shooters often know they have missed even before the shot has taken place that’s because, it has time to reach the intended target. When shooting at game or wildlife the better shot who called his miss will be far more able to connect on a follow-up shot.

Practicing follow up shots is changing your position between shots.

Visualization is very important and by the way, it’s a powerful training regiment for sports, like shooting skeet, trap and sporting clays. As a Shooter visualizing your leads and motions can help strengthen your shooting ability when shooting targets at different angles and distances.

Learning the purpose of chokes: Chokes now are mostly interchangeable because the inside of the end of modern barrel shotguns is threaded, so chokes can be screwed in and out by you. Most modern chokes today: Cylinder bore, which has no restriction, and sends the shotgun pellets open but very uniform patterns. This is useful when shooting skeet because its closerange shooting. A Skeet choke is the best option for skeet competition and close target shooting. A Full choke has a lot of restriction and sends the pellets as a very tight pattern.

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the target goes my eyes go and acquire the target and pulling the trigger with trust and respect. That is what I see, and because you cannot shoot something you can’t see.

Clays vs. Trap

Shooting in extreme wind A good shooter must consider when shooting in wind to observe that the wind is blowing if that’s a concern.

It helps to better understand the direction of the wind so you can make adjustments for the wind. Paying attention and indicating the direction of the wind helps you see what direction the wind is pushing the target and direction of target. Stand in a wide open spot and observe exactly what the wind is doing out on the field. As a competitor, my strength is mental toughness. I’m always looking to be positive and fight hard. With that being said, I like to think of the wind as my friend meaning no matter where

I like to think sporting clays is like a mini golf course with several stations but without golf balls and obstacles to put that ball in the hole. Its clay target machines throughout the country throw the targets through the air.

Now on the other hand trap shooting, is when clay targets are launched from a single “house” or machine, with one machine inside throwing a left, right, and straight angle into the sky.

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A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 19

WHAT TO DO

if you make a mistake while hunting

Every year hunters make mistakes in the field. Hunters might: shoot the wrong animal, accidentally kill more than one animal.

Most of these mistakes can be avoided, although some are truly accidental.

Game wardens will and do understand that mistakes occur. If you make a mistake, your best course of action is to contact an officer as soon as possible to report the problem. While you will still be subject to penalties, they could be less severe if the officer determines that you are cooperative, that the error was not intentional, or that it was unavoidable given the circumstances.

Hunters who make errors can be penalized with fines, suspension points against license privileges, felonies and misdemean-

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ors, loss of meat, license suspension or confiscation of equipment. Penalties can be much more severe against those who purposefully attempt to hide mistakes from wildlife officers.

Many errors can be prevented by carefully reading the game loss in your area. It is the hunter’s responsibility to know the rules and regulations of hunting. Be aware and take your time before you pull the trigger.

“Ignorance of the regulations is not a defense,” says J Wenum, area wildlife manager in Gunnison. “There is a difference between a legitimate mistake and a careless error.”

Time Saver U T I L I T Y S I Z E D I TC H PA D D I N G AT TAC H M E N T

B

rown Bear Corporation, founded in 1961, began building its line of products for backfilling pipeline, utility and tile drainage trenches in 1968.

The company is currently developing a ditch padding attachment for trenches up to 24” wide as a tool for attachment to its line of tool carrier tractors available in four distinct size and horsepower classes.

The Brown Bear 4x4 tool carriers are currently available in 148, 190, 250 and 350 horse power and have various sizes of backfillers, brush mulchers, snow blowers and now ditch padding attachments available.

The company also builds several models of 4x4 and 6x6 off highway carriers for off highway transportation of drills, aerial baskets, transport bodies and more.

The ditch padding attachment is fully interchangeable with the backfilling, brush mulching and snow blowing attachments on Brown Bear tool carriers allowing the contractor to select one prime mover for multiple duties simply by changing the front attachment.

Picking the right size and type of ditch padding machine for the project can impact the rate of productivity and project cost.

Padding with screened material reduces damage to pipe and cable coatings as well as providing fine material to surround the pipe or cable. This prevents voids in the backfill which can cause sink holes requiring maintenance after the completion of the job.

Hauling screened backfill material to the job site is an expensive process. Unless the backfill is selected off site and hauled to the job site, the size of aggregate material available to pad the pipe or wire depends upon the subsoil content. The size of aggregate used to fill the trench from the available substrate is dependent upon the type of screening method used and the size of the screen openings.

The Brown Bear ditch padding attachment is a patented design utilizing a vibrating rotary drum screen that is fed by a discontinuous auger paddle design. This design pulverizes the fill before it enters the screen.

This method of loading the screen produces more fine material that will pass through the vibrating and rotating drum screen. Various

drum screening sizes will be available starting at 1” and larger.

The drum screen is powered hydraulically from the Brown Bear tool carriers’ implement hydraulic system and is fully adjustable for speed and direction from the cabin by the operator. A fluted cleaning drum that counter rotates to the direction of the screening drum is equipped with flexible cleaning blades. The blades clean the spaces between the rotating screening bars. The round screen bars are covered with UHMW plastic tubes that rotate and resist clay sticking to them.

The flexible cleaning blades clean the openings between the rotating plastic tubes allowing this screen to operate in moist clays that plug some vibrating flat bed screening systems.

The Brown Bear tool carrier with screen attachment works parallel to the trench and deposits the screened backfill in the trench while the materials greater than the screen size are

deposited on the opposite side of the trench.

The screen is controlled by the Brown Bear tool carrier operator in an enclosed, pressurized and climate controlled cabin.

The Brown Bear 4 x 4 tool carriers are fitted with R1 or R2 tires for off road work in rough and wet conditions. The transmission of the tool carriers allow the operator to select among a minimum of 4 gears, each powered hydrostatically by a second hydrostatic circuit. This allows matching the machine travel speed to the job at hand from creep speeds while working to transport speeds. Transport speeds of up to 20

Mph and higher are typical in all the Brown Bear tool carriers.

The company intends to produce larger screen attachments as their development proceeds.

Brown Bear Corporation PO Box 29 2248 Ave of Industry Corning, IA 50841 Ph 641-322-4220 Fax 641-322-3527 www.brownbearcorp.com A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 21

STAR TREK:

Above and Beyond Third Film of New Generation Delivers

By Howard Barbanel

I first started watching Star Trek in the fall of 1966 on what was our family’s only TV – a 19-inch black and white Zenith that sat on a metal rolling cart in the living room of our two bedroom apartment. (It wouldn’t be until at least 1970 that we first got a color set even though NBC was running shows in color way before ‘66.) I was eight years old during Star Trek’s first season and that my parents tolerated my fascination with this show that aired after my bedtime is something which I’m most grateful for all these years later. As a kid and then a teenager the thing I wanted most to do in this world was to pivot at warp factor two and bring all photon torpedoes to bear. So, you could call me a lifetime Trek fan.

The Starship Enterprise

Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk

Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock 22 Shot of Texas Magazine™

For the uninitiated, Star Trek is the story of the Starship Enterprise, a giant battleship in space on a peaceful five year mission to explore the galaxy and go where “no one has ever gone before.”

Getting to the outer limits of space is made possible by traveling beyond the speed of light at “warp speed.” At the helm of the Enterprise is Captain James T. Kirk, an all-American boy from Iowa.

William (“Priceline Negotiator”) Shatner originated the role of Kirk 50 years ago and played the character both in the series and a slew of movies from 1979 to 1994. Kirk’s main sidekick is an alien officer from the planet Vulcan named Mr. Spock, played from 1964 (in the very first pilot) until his recent death

by Leonard Nimoy.

In 2009 due to the graying and gradual demise of many key cast members (and also to remake the epic for a new generation) Paramount Pictures relaunched and rebooted the original Star Trek crew with a whole new cast playing the old familiar characters. Star Trek from 2009 was a huge gamble – could the

original Trek characters be replaced by new actors like the Superman, Batman and Spiderman franchises? The answer at both the box office and from fans was a resounding yes.

Which brings us to the newly released Star Trek Beyond. This is the third film in the new generation of the original reprise and it’s pretty safe to say it’s the best of the three so far. (Not that the first two were anything less than very good). Directed by “Fast & Furious” Justin Lin, Beyond moves at breakneck speed and at a breathless pace but doesn’t feel exhausting or overdone. The special effects are outstandingly creative and majestically executed so that not only are they aweinspiring but 90 percent of them have plausibility as being technologically possible – which was one of the key effects hallmarks of the original series from the ‘60s.

Starting with the 2009 reboot, producer J.J. Abrams assembled a terrific ensemble cast. Nearly everyone in the crew clicks together and feels like the children or the clones of the original cast.

Chris Pine as Kirk does an amazing job playing a 1967 William Shatner while at the same time bringing a millennial sensibility to the role, a tough combination to pull off. Zachary Quinto nails Nimoy’s Mr. Spock and truly outstanding in his cloning is Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy. You’d think they injected him with the late DeForest Kelly’s DNA. Beyond in addition to nonstop action also features full-out Trek humor with the Spock-McCoy banter as spot-on as if it were Nimoy and Kelly on the old Desilu sets in ’68.

The supporting cast of Simon Pegg as Scotty, Zoe Saldana and Uhura and the late Anton Yelchin as Chekov all hit the bullseye as well. Pegg was also the principal writer of the film. Idris Elba as the villain du jour (Krall) is suf-

ficiently mad and menacing and truly a delight is Sofia Boutella as a stranded woman warrior and Kirk ally, Jaylah.

Without being a spoiler, Beyond features a lot of derring-do, suspense and danger for the Enterprise crew but knowing full well that a sequel must certainly be in the offing, you know the galaxy and the Federation will be saved, evil will be eradicated and hope restored with a bright future for humanity, but you’ll have a great time watching the heroes from Star Fleet bring it all home.

Beyond is probably one of the three best Star Trek movies produced since 1979 and if you like Trek, science fiction or action films, this is very much well worth the price of a theater admission and absolutely should be seen either in 3-D or on a really big screen.

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A

brave 13-yearold Ladson boy fended off two hardened felons who were attempting to break into his house by using his mother’s gun to protect himself while home alone.

The boy saw the men breaking into the back of his home, “at which time he feared for his safety” and grabbed his mother’s gun, the document states. He began firing at them, and the Sheriff ’s office reported that they returned fire.

In a heated shootout, he shot Brown three times, and Bennett drove him to the hospital where he later died. The gray Chevy Sonic they were driving had bullet holes in it from the boy chasing them, the affidavit states.

Where is the media coverage of this brave young man.

Without the protection of his mothers gun the boy, and probably his mother when she got home, would both be dead.

Guns Reports: Two convicted felons intent on breaking into a Ladson, South Carolina, home last week were met with surprise when they came face to face with 13-year-old armed with a gun.

According to reports from The Post and Courier, the young boy, who is not being identified, was home alone when he grew suspicious of a car that pulled up outside around 1:30 p.m. Moments later, the two suspects went to the back of the house and attempted to break in, at such time, the boy, fearing for his safety, grabbed his mother’s handgun.

As the suspects tried to make their way into the house, the boy opened fire, but the suspects reacted by returning fire before fleeing from the scene.

The boy chased the suspects out of the home and continued to fire as they fled in their vehicle. The boy, who was uninjured, then called his mother, who instructed him to call the police.

Neighbor Debbie Griffin said she called police after hearing about six shots ring out. She added that her son was outside at the time and heard more shots and witnessed the attempted burglary. He told her he saw the suspects’ car parked behind the house.

Investigators combed the area around the boy’s home and discovered a Colt .45 pistol, which was believed to belong to the suspects.

A short time later, one of the suspects, who was later identified as Lamar Anthwan Brown, 31, was dropped off outside the emergency room of a nearby hospital. Brown, who was shot three times, died at the medical facility. The second suspect, Ira Bennett, 28, later turned himself in to authorities. He was charged with first-degree burglary and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 23

In the 1980 movie classic, “The Mountain Men”, the character Henry Frapp is questioned by a young green horn: “Haven’t you ever been lost?” Frapp scratches his whiskers and after a recollecting pause, replies, “A fearsome confused for a month or two… but I ain’t ever been lost!”

How Not to Get Lost i n T h e Wo o d s

F

or the fur trappers, wandering through a vast and unexplored country, “lost” would have been something of an oxymoron. Not knowing where you were was a necessary part of the mountain man business. The blank space on the map was as much “home” as it was wilderness, and “lost” was more a state of mind than a physical dilemma.

When the mountain men plunged headlong into the unknown, they knew that where they were going there would be no restaurants or hotels. So they planned accordingly. They learned quickly where to find food and how to get it; how to mend equipment, to make new or make do; they could sleep in a log, a cave, or just plain under the stars–and survive! How did they accomplish this incredible feat? Simply, they were prepared--mentally and physically.

Today, the same principles apply. When you head out into the woods, be prepared: for cold, rain or snow; to tend an injury; or to stay the night in the woods. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Here are a few nuggets of Mountain Man wisdom to help you survive: STAYING FOUND The old timers relied on “Dead Reckoning” for navigation: utilizing a compass to guide them in the general direction they wished to go. Sometimes in the absence of a compass, they relied only on “reckoning”: as in “I reckon camp is back that way.” The contemporary woodsman may have the handiness of a GPS, but owning one of these high-tech gizmos is not an adequate substitute for map and compass skills. Just as with other conveniences (cell phones, cameras, flash lights), the batteries will invariable go dead just when you need them the most.

Learning how to read a map is not that difficult; up is north, left is west and so on.

The closer the lines are together the steeper

24 Shot of Texas Magazine™

the country. Water is shown as blue, while man made objects are black. It is simply a two dimensional rendition of a three dimensional world. Using a map and a compass to show you which way is north, you’d be hard pressed to get seriously lost. Sure, some practice is required, but that’s all part of the preparedness thing.

Paying attention to where you’re going can also be a big help to staying found. As you pursue your quarry, notice which way the shadows are falling. Have you been mostly climbing, or descending? Look for landmarks as you go. Not stumps and rocks, but BIG landmarks that give your relative position to the valley below, or that craggy peak to the west. Turn around and look behind you, what would it look like if you were going that way – back to camp or the truck?

THE ESSENTIALS Unless your trip is taking you across the Gobi or the Brooks Range, you probably don’t need to carry 50 feet of copper wire or spare fishing line and hooks. The largest wilderness area in Colorado can be traversed in a day or two. So what are the essential essentials you need when you’re on your own hook?

- Water. Without it, you’re dead in three days. Without it for a few hours, at 9,000 feet above sea level, you’re not dead, but you may wish you were. Dehydration can lead to altitude sickness and hypothermia. But even worse, it can impair your judgment, induce panic, and result in a fatal case of Lost.

- Fire good… Fire friend… Fire number two in importance. Learn how to build one, WITHOUT toilet paper and gasoline. It’s as easy as one two three: One, you need dry tender. Scratch around under grass tussocks for the driest stuff. Get lots of it, about a volley ball sized bunch; two, kindling. You want about twice as much as the tender you gathered.

- Kindling is small stuff - matchstick sized. Three is the fuel itself. Gather up plenty if it looks like you may have to spend the night. Pick dry branches one to two inches in diameter--these burn without difficulty and make it easy to control the heat. Of course we can’t overlook the match. You don’t need to be proficient with a flint and steel, but you should have at least a couple of ways to start fire; it doesn’t matter if it’s a lighter or a fire plow, as long as you can get it lit.

- Shelter. Now don’t jump right into bivy sacks and backpacking tents. Let’s take a step back and start at the beginning.

Shelter starts with your clothing. Dress for the worst. And in a Colorado autumn, the worst can be pretty harsh. Pick synthetics - like fleece or polyester blends - but wool is best. Dress in layers: long handle union suit, light mid layer(s), and warmer outer layer. Dressing appropriately when you leave camp will find you well on your way to surviving a night in the outback even without a buffalo robe.

- Make a plan and let someone know what it is. Leave a map open on the dashboard of the truck. You don’t have to give up your secret spot with an “I AM HERE” arrow, just circle a square mile or two. When you leave camp, a plain old “I’m gonna work this ridge out and come back down the crick” is enough to give your buddies a place to start looking for you if you should become “a fearsome confused.” The important thing is to stick to your plan.

As you head into the high country this fall, see yourself as one of the Lewis & Clark Expedition; be prepared, both mentally and physically for the challenges of the unknown. Keep your powder dry and your eyes on the horizon and you’ll know that “lost” is, by and large, just a state of mind.

A Shot of Texas Magazineâ„¢ 25

INDUSTRY GUYS GO FISHING Ch k outt th Check these recentt catches. t h F Folks lk iin the petrochemical industry have an incredible bond with nature nature. You will find that the vast majority of your prospects and clients spend their spare time in the outdoors. Here are couple of our active readers and clients who have shared their memories with us.

26 Shot of Texas Magazine™

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281-470-8770 ww wAwSShot .medicalplazamobile.com of Texas Magazine™ Magazine 27

By Shamus Dartanyon

MARKETING AND POLITICS? S

o here we are 7 months away from the general election and it appears that most of the Republicans are pretty much out of the hunt. It may be a horse race between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump however it looks more like Secre-tariat versus the Budweiser Clydesdales. On the other side of the aisle, who would’ve guessed that Bernie Sanders might actually be neck and neck with Hillary Clinton. Is it possible that Hillary can be defeated a second time by an unknown? Jenny bar the door!

Trump recently made a decision not to attend the RNC televised debates and frankly I really don’t think it matters. In fact I think it’s a brilliant move.

Of course the left is saying that Megan Kelly was the real reason for his not at-tending the debates, but I doubt it.

Trump is the man who actually went on to Saturday Night Live late last year and had fun ,making fun of himself. Basically he went into the lair of his political enemies and came a smiling. Afraid of Megan Kelly? I think not.

Whether you are a Trump fan or not you would probably agree that at the very least he has the ability to “identify a market”. That market, although wellhidden to most “politicians “is clearly visible to Mr. Trump and is made up of voters from both parties and all walks

28 Shot of Texas Magazine™

of life. These are folks who have simply have given up on the system and have not cast a vote in years. From what I can see Democrats, Republicans and even Libertarians are upset to some degree and are generally disgusted with politics. If you combine these folks with your straight party ticket Republicans, you may have what you need to win. Trump knows this and he will most definitely be drawing votes from some deep dark cracks in all three parties. You may have also noticed that Donald Trump now refers to all of his opponents as “politicians”. This is brilliant from a marketing standpoint of course. That’s right politics is marketing, and marketing is politics. Marketing 101 teaches us to separate and distinguish ourselves from our competition and then sell, sell, sell. “I’m

a businessman” he says and “they are politicians” is a clear separation. Frankly I’m not sure if Mr. Trump’s ideas will actually come to fruition but I can tell you that they will gain him votes. Most sales and marketing people will tell you stories of a prospect that ask them to provide something that they clearly could not provide. However at the time of the question the salesman replied “sure no problem”. That salesman then ran back to the office and scrambled to get together what the client wanted and then made the sale. That’s not a bad thing that all. Let’s say you’re a paper salesman, and every time you going to sell paper your client asks you for some scissors. If this happens more than once I can assure you that a great salesperson will find a way to provide scissors.

Big Game 2015: Follow these rules when hunting with horses

If you plan to use horses on your hunting trip, please be aware of the following: – You must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian 30 days prior to entry into Colorado.

Include the physical address of the horse in your state and the location where the horse will be in Colorado.

– A negative equine infectious anemia test is required 12 months prior to entry. Date of the test, results, the lab and the accession number must be listed on the veterinary inspection form. For questions, contact the State Veterinarian’s Office, (303) 239-4161.

– Horses are required to have a brand inspection when transported over 75 miles totally within the boundaries of Colorado, and every time they leave the state. Contact the Brands Office at 1-303-869-9160.

– Hay, straw and mulch must be certified as “weed free.” Only the following products are allowed on national forests in Colorado: cubed and pelletized hay, steamed grain, treated/steamed mulch from tree fibers. For information, call the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture at 1-303-239-4149; or for a list of regulations and vendors, go to www.colorado.gov/ag/dpi.

– Don’t tie horses to trees in camp. This causes tree damage and vegetation around the tree to be trampled.

– Highline or picket your stock. If you use a highline, please use tree-saver straps to avoid damaging trees.

– Move horses often to keep them from trampling vegetation or overgrazing an area.

– Keep stock 100 feet or more from lakes, streams, wetlands and trails.

– Restrictions on horse travel in wilderness areas are often greater than in other areas. Be sure to read notices at trailheads.

Many wilderness areas carry maximum group size limits, which regulate the number of livestock and people that are allowed to travel together.

Contact the U.S. Forest Service or BLM in the area where you’re hunting for complete information.

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A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 29

Big Game 2015: Pronghorn provide unique hunting challenge Serious pronghorn hunters are willing to wait years for the opportunity to hunt trophy bucks in the best pronghorn units in Colorado. All Colorado pronghorn hunting tags are issued by draw.

The average buck tag requires two to three preference points, but tags for premium units can require five or more points. Doe tags are easier to draw, but most hunters still need at least one point.

The majority of pronghorns are in northwest Colorado and on the eastern plains. Small populations of Pronghorn also are found in North Park, Middle Park, South Park and the San Luis Valley.

Demand for tags in the northwest region is usually highest, so more points are required.

There are two reasons more hunters apply in the northwest: big herds with big bucks.

In eastern Colorado there are also large herds and trophy bucks. Most of the land, however, is private with the exception of some isolated pockets of public land including the Pawnee National Grasslands in the northeast and the Comanche National Grasslands in the southeast. The good news is that many ranchers and farmers in eastern Colorado are willing to 30 Shot of Texas Magazine™

grant permission to those who want to hunt pronghorn.

The best advice for a hunter to gain access to private land is to ask permission well in advance of the season. Never wait until opening day. If properly asked in advance, many landowners are willing to allow pronghorn hunting. Some will even offer directions to the best pronghorn locations, and information about watering holes and road access.

In 2014 for all manners of take, 14,600 hunters harvested about 7,500 pronghorn for a 51 percent hunter success rate. About 73,000 pronghorns exist in the state.

Stalking pronghorns Hunters lucky enough to draw a pronghorn tag in Colorado face a unique adventure that requires a different set of strategies than those used for hunting deer or elk.

Compared to deer or elk, pronghorn are easier to locate.

They roam wide-open rangeland rather than woodlands or steep mountains, they travel in large visible herds, and they do not hide in thick vegetation.

But that doesn’t mean they’re easy to hunt.

Pronghorn evolved with keen eyesight and the ability to outrun predators. The vision of a pronghorn compares to a human looking through 8X binoculars. Pronghorns’ ability to quickly burst into a sprint of over 60 miles per hour helps them to stay out of range of even expert marksmen.

So what can a hunter do to increase the odds of bagging one of these magnificent unique game animals? The three major strategies are stalking, ambush and flagging.

Stalking an animal with the vision of a pronghorn on the open range can be an exercise in frustration.

If it is said that deer and elk hunters must be patient, pronghorn hunters must

learn to be REALLY patient.

A stalk may include crawling on your belly for an hour only to have the animals spook and quickly move a half-mile away. Experts estimate that only one out of five stalks gets the hunter close enough for a shot.

A hunter who sees the animals before being seen gains a huge advantage. That means avoiding ridge tops and hills.

Pronghorn can spot objects on a ridgeline at great distances.

It is also important to consider wind direction to avoid sending a foreign odor in the direction of a pronghorn.

Winds tend to change direction less frequently on the wide-open prairie.

But for hunters, avoiding being seen by a pronghorn is most important. Sometimes it takes hours of hard work to get within range. The initial part of a stalk requires a hunter to move through draws and along the back sides of ridges to avoid detection. Then you should be

ready to crawl the final few hundred yards to get close enough for a shot.

Be prepared to crawl through yucca, sagebrush, cactus and cow pies. Some hunters sew leather patches on the knees of their pants and on the elbows of their jackets for added protection against rocks and sharp objects.

Crawling through an open field can be exhausting. If you are lucky enough to get close without being spotted, take the time to catch your breath and steady yourself before the shot.

Some hunters prefer to wait for pronghorns to come to them.

Waterholes and fence lines are the best places to wait in ambush.

But waiting also requires great patience. Pronghorns alternate between feeding grounds and watering holes at varying times of the day. But it’s unpredictable how and when pronghorns move.

Fence lines are good places to wait because although pronghorns have the ability to leap fences, they generally do not jump over unless they are really pushed. They prefer to crawl under or find a way around fences.

One reason biologists believe pronghorns don’t like to jump is because their powerful back legs have the capacity to leap, but their front knees are not suited for the impact of landing.

Searching for a place where pronghorn go under a fence can put a hunter in a great position to wait in ambush. This requires advance scouting to find crossing locations and good hiding places.

Some pronghorns can also react with curiosity to shiny things and moving objects that draw attention. “Flagging” is the technique of trying to pique a pronghorn’s curiosity and getting the animal to come to you. The concept behind flagging apparently originated when early settlers were crossing the plains and noticed that antelope readily approached covered wagons.

After you spot an animal, walk back and forth in an adjacent downwind draw while hoisting a white handkerchief on a stick.

Curious animals will approach right away. If they don’t, they probably won’t come in at all.

Some people have tried sitting still with a flag flapping in the wind above them. But stationary objects tend to go unnoticed.

Shot selection is extremely important. Pronghorn present a small target. At a weight of just over 100 pounds, the vital target area is about the size of a small plate. Shots are usually much longer for pronghorn than other big game animals, especially on windy days when the animals are more alert. The average prong-

horn hunter should know the capabilities of his or her rifle. A scope is essential.

The ideal situation for any hunter is to get a shot when the animal is standing still.

Don’t try to shoot a pronghorn that is running.

Archers and muzzleloaders face even greater challenges.

Most successful archers use blinds or decoys or both.

Blinds are best used around water holes or known crossings along fence lines. A blind should be set up at least one week before planning to hunt to give the animals a chance to become accustomed to it.

Decoys cut in the shape of a pronghorn outline have been known to attract aggressive bucks that want to chase challengers out of their territories. Some bow hunters use decoys large enough to hide behind. But decoys also attract other hunters and are not recommended for use

during rifle seasons for safety reasons.

Since the time of Lewis and Clark, early settlers called pronghorns “antelope.”

Pronghorns, however, are a unique species found only in North America. Their historic range is west of the Mississippi River from southern Canada to central Mexico.

Biologists estimate there were 30-40 million pronghorn in North America prior to European settlement. By the 1920’s, there were fewer than 40,000. Hunting laws and sound wildlife management practices helped pronghorn rebound.

In the early 60’s there were only about 15,000 pronghorn left in Colorado. That number climbed to 30,000 in the 70’s, and stands at about 73,000 today.

For more information about hunting in Colorado, see: cpw. state.co.us.

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32 Shot of Texas Magazine™

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BECOMING a Real Straight SHOOTER “Do you know how to shoot straight?”

While some people might take offense at such a question, it is one that big game hunters need to ask themselves every year. Shooting an animal with a high-powered rifle, no matter the distance, is not a natural skill. Hunters must know the capabilities of their rifles, the intricacies of their scopes, the characteristics of their ammunition, the distance of their targets and their own competence for setting up for a fast shot at an animal.

“Shooting is a perishable skill. If you haven’t done it in awhile, you’re going to get rusty,” says Rick Basagoitia, area wildlife manager in the San Luis Valley.

“There are people who believe they can go out, buy an expensive rifle and without any practice start shooting like the guys on the hunting shows on TV. Well, they can’t.”

The importance of good shooting also goes beyond just being able to harvest an animal. Developing shooting skills must be viewed as an ethical consideration by hunters.

“We don’t want animals to suffer. Preferably, hunters will get the job done with one shot,” Basagoitia said.

Shooting lots of rounds is the only way to become proficient with your rifle, explained Brian Bechaver, a district wildlife manager in the San Luis Valley and a certified firearms instructor who has hunted all his life.

But to become proficient, hunters must get out of their comfort zones at the shooting range.

“Most people can shoot off a bench and when they know the range of the target,” Bechaver said.

34 Shot of Texas Magazine™

“But a lot of things go out the window when you’re in the field and you see an animal.”

A hunter must quickly estimate distance, take a shooting position that might be awkward and be forced to shoot uphill or downhill. Various environmental and physical factors also affect shooting ability - heat, cold, fatigue and the heart-pounding influence of adrenalin coursing through the body.

Bechaver recommends forcing yourself to practice in uncertain conditions.

Shoot from the prone position, shoot sitting down using your knee for a rest, use a pack as a support, estimate distances then check with a range finder, etc.

“It’s easy to hit a target at the range, but it’s something else when you’re standing in the snow on a cold day and your breathing hard and the wind’s blowing, ” Bechaver said.

Zeroing in” As you prepare for this year’s big game seasons, give your rifle a thorough check.

Be sure the scope is attached to the barrel with the proper amount of torque. A loose scope that is not properly aligned with the barrel will cause you to miss the target.

For the right amount of torque, check the manufacturer’s specifications or take the rifle to a gunsmith.

Likewise, make sure the stock is fastened tightly. A loose stock can alter how a bullet comes out of the barrel of a gun.

Ballistics is a general term that refers to how a gun fires, the characteristics of the bullet in flight and what happens when the projectile hits the target. Volumes have been written about ballistics: how a bullet behaves according to its weight, the powder load, the caliber of the rifle, distance traveled and killing power. Hundreds of web sites

offer various explanations of the technical details. Read those if you have an interest in becoming a ballistics geek.

Your time is better spent, however, practicing with your rifle.

There are two basic ballistics concepts that are helpful to understand: 1) As soon as the bullet leaves the barrel it begins to drop; 2) point-blank range is the distance at which a target can be hit without having to adjust the sights, scope or point of aim.

The range depends on the characteristics of the firearm and the bullet. So before going to the shooting range, look up specifications for your rifle and the type of cartridge you’re using. A 300 yard point-blank range is standard for most big game hunting rifles.

The target you practice on should be the size of the vital organ area of the animal you are hunting: a circle of about 15 inches in diameter inches for an elk, and about 10 inches in diameter for a deer. The vital area is just behind and slightly below the front quarter of a big game animal. A shot placed in this area will tear through the heart and lungs and kill an animal quickly.

At the range, Basagoitia suggests that hunters practice from the prone position, either resting the rifle on shooting sticks or on a backpack.

“I don’t advocate shooting off benches. Benches are for bench-rest shooting, not hunting. People should do all their practice in situations they are likely to use in the field,” Basagoitia said.

To get a feel for your rifle - or to refresh your muscle memory - start by shooting at the middle of the target at 100 yards. Because the scope is mounted over the barrel, when you look at the target through the scope the barrel will actually be pointed

up slightly. Consequently, if the point-blank range of your rifle/cartridge combination is 300 yards, and you’re shooting at a target 100 yards away, the bullet should hit about 3.5 inches high on the target - but still within the vital target zone.

Take as many shots as needed to obtain a two-inch grouping with five bullets at that distance. At this distance it’s OK to use cheap ammo.

Scopes have different types of adjustments, so be sure to know how yours works. Many scopes provide for adjustments of one-quarter inch at 100 yards. So at 100 yards the shot should be 3.5 inches above the middle of the target if your scope is correctly set. But if your shot, for example, is two inches above that, you need to adjust the scope. If it adjusts in one-quarter inch increments, you need to adjust the scope by eight one-quarter inch turns - or clicks - in the down direction.

Thus: 8 x ¼ = 2 inches. The same goes to make adjustments to raise the shot or to go to the right or the left.

Next, set the target at 300 yards - or at the prescribed point-blank range - and use the bullets you’ll use when hunting. Even though the rifle is capable of accuracy at that distance, 300 yards is a very long shot and will truly test your ability. You’ll be feeling the effects of recoil from previous shots, and you’ll find that holding the rifle steady

on a target at that distance is challenging.

This situation provides a good simulation of conditions in the field.

You should shoot until you can get a good pattern in the target with five shots.

“You can get lucky with three shots,” Basagoitia said. “But you can’t get lucky with five shots at that distance.”

At 300 yards or more the bullet pattern will probably be larger than what you shot at 100 yards. The critical factor, however, is landing all the shots in the vital area.

Determining distance to a target is also an important skill to hone.

“Estimating range is huge,” Basagoitia said. “Most people consistently underestimate distances.”

He recommends getting a range finder and practicing with it at various distances in the field. When hunting you probably won’t have time pull out the range finder, but with practice you can develop the skill to estimate distance.

Because of the potential for animals to be wounded, wildlife officers recommend against long shots.

Bechaver won’t take a shot if the animal is more than 300 yards away.

“That’s my maximum distance, but that’s still a very long shot. I must be in the prone position and feel very comfortable and calm. Not many people can make a 300-yard shot,” he said.

Going beyond the maximum point-blank range requires adjusting your aim, something that Basagoitia doesn’t recommend.

“That takes even more practice,” he said.

“Realistically in Colorado, most shots will be well under 300 yards. It’s best to spend your time practicing at distances that are practical, from 100 to 200 yards.”

When shooting at a distance of 100 yards or more, be aware that wind also becomes a significant factor. If possible, go to the range when there is little wind -- mornings are a good bet. If you are hunting on a windy day, you can minimize the effects by getting directly upwind or downwind of your target.

“Wind is a major factor and most hunters don’t even think about it,” Basagoitia said. “If the wind is strong enough to make the smaller branches on a tree move, then restrict shots to no more than 200 yards.”

Practice, Patience, Practice A key component of good shooting is trigger control. Place only the pad of your index finger on the trigger, squeeze slowly and continue to squeeze after bullet is fired. Continuing to squeeze provides “follow through” and contributes to a steady position. Don’t pull the trigger quickly because that will cause the gun to move off the target.

“It’s a good idea to dry-fire your rifle, it’s one of the best things you can do to practice holding your gun steady while squeezing the trigger,” Basagoitia said. “As you squeeze the trigger, pay attention to the position of the scope cross-hairs and see if they move.”

After you feel good about hitting the targets from various distances, attempt more realistic shooting situations. Shoot sitting down, leaning against a pole or tree or resting on a rock. Walk quickly for 20-30 yards, then drop, calm down by taking some slow breaths and then try to hit the target. If possible, shoot uphill and downhill.

Hunters should buy shooting sticks, a simple bi-pod that attaches to the barrel of a rifle. Without those, practice using your pack as a rest from the prone position.

The more you shoot, the more confident you’ll be in the field.

“When you’re hunting you don’t want to think too much about what you have to do. By shooting a lot, you’ll reach that point called unconscious competence. That’s when you’re able to do things automatically,” Basagoitia said.

And after you’ve taken lots of practice, you should be able to confidently answer the question “Do I know how to shoot straight?”

A Shot of Texas Magazine™ 35

By Sam Stevens

s y u G & GRILLS A couple of months ago at the height of the white Bass run I had a tap on my front door. It was my neighbor slam and he was holding a bag of fillets. About an hour later those fillets were fried up and on the dinner table. So here’s to good neighbors like Sam and to the White Bass run Pan fried White Bass Directions 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Mix flour, paprika, and salt together and set aside.

In a small bowl, blend the egg and the milk.

Heat butter in a large frying pan.

Dip perch fillets in egg wash first and then into the flour mixture.

Carefully place them into the hot butter in the frying pan and brown on both sides.

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 expert and Stanford Medicine-affiliated 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 (HAPE) – fluid in the

lungs. Soon after, 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.

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ith hunting season right around the corner, we want to take the time to remind you off some social media best practices for hunters. Our anti-hunting foes aren’t stepping back from targeting our community online. Without taking the proper precautions, social media can place you in the crosshairs for privacy violations and personal attacks. d Knowing how to safeguard your information and privacy on social media is key to effectively utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. Time afterr time we hear stories of anti-hunters attacking our fellow hunters on social media. The trolling antis will stop at nothing to harass good men and women forr participating in a very legal activity - hunting. Back and forth engagement on social media is often more detrimental than helpful; before responding to any attacks reach out to our DC office and let us know what is happening so we can assist.

Always remember that anything you post on social media has the potential to live on the internet forever. Be smart when choosing what hunting photos to post online. If your photo is bloody, has the animals’ tongue hanging out, or isn’t respectful to the animal and the hunter, just don’t post it.

One important step you can take is to spend a few minutes ensuring your social media profile has the appropriate privacy settings in place.

We suggest you take the following steps with your Facebook profile: • Change your Privacy settings so that – only Friends can see your posts; – the audience for your past posts is limited to Friends; and – search engines outside of Facebook cannot link to your profile.

• Change your Timeline settings so that only Friends can post to your timeline (if you know all of your Facebook friends) or only You can post (if you have friended people you do not know well).

• Change your Followers settings so that only Friends can follow you.

By taking these steps, you make it more difficult for non-Friends (such as anti-hunters or spammers) to view your profile or contact you.

Remember that we as hunters must stick together but we must also make certain we take proper precautions to ensure that our memories are shared only with those we want them shared with.

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