Family Fun on July 4th

I'm related to some cheese heads (that's what we call folks from Wisconsin), my brother-in-law and his family. They're not native cheese heads with all of them coming from Illinois, but they're still cheese heads. Even so, I invited them to go trap shooting out at Silver Springs State Park to celebrate the birth of our country, our freedoms and liberties, and to let his kids have an opportunity to try out a great sport for the first time.

After some safety instructions, like "Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy", we got started with everyone having a turn, shooting as much as they wanted. (Colleen fired one shot and was done. She's just a little thing and the Pardner pushed her back.) Sean and some of his kids (my nephews) are naturals and I think they should get involved in the sport. I'm sure in Wisconsin they'd have plenty of opportunity.

I thoroughly enjoy bringing people out to the range and introducing them to shooting sports for the first time. Unfortunately, nearly everyone I've invited said they would love to try it, but fail to follow through. I mean, I'm bringing the clays, thrower, ammo, three shotguns (a variety!) and even cold drinks (pop...it's pop). All they have to do is show up! I'd love to know what's the issue.

Anyway, I'd love to get more people out shooting. It's an incredibly relaxing, useful and worthwhile pastime. Kari is please to know that if she needed to she would be able to hunt for food and in case of self-defense, if she doesn't connect on the first shot, she will on the second. I'm also glad to see Sean and his family getting introduced to the sport on such a great day like July 4th. I hope they continue on.

May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather.

Awesome Margarita from Florida's Treasure Coast

This is a bit of a departure from my normal blogging topics, but I felt the need to share and preserve this on the digital frontier. I like a good margarita, especially something unique. My thanks to the Shutters bartender for sharing it with me, this is my favorite margarita recipe.

Habanero Lime Margarita
Build in mixing glass.

• Fresh lime juice - 0.5 oz
• Monin Habanero Lime Syrup - 2 pumps (0.5 oz)
• Patron Silver Tequila - 1.5 oz
• Sweet and Sour - 2 oz

Shake and strain over fresh ice.

Sometimes I use 3 pumps of the Habanero Lime for a little more spice. I've also tried using key lime juice, but I think lime is the best. The syrup also works well for dressing up a beer.

The bartender said the Habanero Lime syrup was available through Monin's website, but I picked up a case through Amazon.com.

Now, I am hoping to make it back to Vero Beach this December. I've located two nearby trap ranges I intend to visit to get in a few rounds (before enjoying my margarita of course). Now there's the tie into Shootin' Ugli!

Enjoy! Cheers!

Watch the Elbows!

I've been a student of shotgunning for a couple of years now (hoping to become an NRA instructor) and have made an informal study of body alignment and stance when shooting. What I find interesting is how high so many people raise their elbows. Many of them are raised to the horizontal and some even above!

I don't think this is good technique and may even cause injury. It's my martial arts training telling me this. The higher your elbow, the easier it is for me to pop your shoulder out of joint. (Yeow! That's gonna sting!) No doubt in my mind that this applies...to a lesser extent...to shotgunning too.

But Randy...Randy Couture (one of my favorite MMA stars) isn't going to pop my shoulder at the range. It doesn't matter. You're still setting yourself up for joint injury. Maybe it's easier for you to find the pocket for mounting your gun, but I think something else is happening:

• You're too tense (relax, relax...)
• You think this is good technique

Apart from getting your should dislocated by [insert favorite MMA star], here's what's going on. You're strength is closer in to your body. Strength in:

• Your muscles: Closer to your body provides more strength to your muscles. That means better control, better aim, more support and less fatigue.
• Your joints, specifically your shoulder socket: Many medical professionals consider the shoulder to be a crappy joint and easily injured. The lower the elbow, the stronger the joint and better the protection.

So loosen up, don't let your elbow go above the horizontal and, better yet, keep it below. Better body alignment lets you shoot from a position of strength, protects you from injury, and most importantly, it will improve your shooting.

I invite others to share their opinion on this topic and let me know what they think. There's more of this to come.

Dowagiac Conservation Club

There's nothing like shooting a round of regulation trap to humble me. At Silver Springs State Park range I have it dialed in. I shoot regulation trap so infrequently that I feel like a doofus. My rounds were 14/25 and 17/25. I think that puts me in ATA class D... and I don't think there's a class E.

Anyway, not getting discouraged, I know what the problem is. Practice, practice, practice. I need more trigger time on a regulation trap range more often that once or twice a year. I think I have the right configuration for my Benelli Nova since I've added a Trulock modified extended choke. (That was my Fathers Day gift.) I need trigger time to improve my technique. I have no doubt I can get a 25/25 and that's my goal.

Anyway, the Dowagiac Conservation Club is a great place for trap on Wednesdays starting at 6PM. You'll have a chance to shoot with some great folks. There are a number of other activities such as 3D shoots, Sunday breakfasts, fish fries, etc.

I'm heading out to Berrien Springs Sportsmen's Club for trap Sunday moring and am planning on a great time. Hopefully Kari will come with that time. Tonight she was a little shy.

Shooting's Over When I Have To Pee

There were in fact four rolls of toilet paper in the outhouse. Everyone was betting that there was either a partial roll or none at all, but there were four and one was still wrapped. I finished my business and reported my findings back to the family. This ignited an at length discussion among the ladies about who has the worst kept restrooms (commuter rail restrooms seemed to rank high) and nightmarish bathroom experiences (I heard the word "hover" used a lot).

I think it's understood that state park facilities are rustic with their share of occasional residents such as spiders, bugs, etc. They're usually (by rustic standards) clean and usable for most (men) and tolerable in an emergency for the fairer sex. (Any port in a storm?) However, shooting is usually over when there's just enough time to make it to the Circle K a few miles from the range.

Now, don't misunderstand me. Though I would prefer staying longer at the range, I am neither complaining or poking fun. This year Kari and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and I understand the effect of four kids on endurance. I also love the fact that she is good at and enjoys shooting sports. Bearing that in mind, I'd like to see more women involved in shooting sports and receiving the benefits thereof. Based on (non-scientific) family discussion, I think one key is facilities at the range with a minimal "ick" factor.

Having spent several years in an industry where "dirt" was a dirty word, I've learned that "clean" in a woman's personal space is very, very important. Our female guests judged us mainly by the cleanliness of the space in which they came in contact. So, based on personal experience (so far) there's a high likelihood that range facilities may have a strong (sub-conscience) influence on the female shooting experience. I think it needs further research (which I'm happy and able to do), but I think this may be an important factor.

So, in the interest of promoting shooting sports, let's keep the facilities clean, stocked and find some way to minimize the "ick" factor. Gotta go. ;-) See ya at the range!

Gun Rights Policy conference

Second Amendment Foundation Online

The Second Amendment Foundation's Gun Rights Policy Conference is coming to Illinois this year. Follow the link to look over the possible agenda, help set the agenda, and register to attend.