Sharing Your “Light Bulb” Moment

Whether you’ve been enjoying outdoor sports for decades, or you have just recently picked up your first pistol, bow or rod and reel, we all have something special in common.  It’s that unmistakable moment when the big light bulb went on over our heads; that moment of epiphany when we realized that we had found our true calling in one (or many) of the outdoor sports.

While our light bulb moments are very personal and sometimes hard to articulate, I’d like to encourage all of you to share these moments with others.  Our epiphanies can have a great impact and you can become an inspiration to other women by simply sharing your story.

My outdoor sports light bulb moment came in two parts.  Until 2009, I had only one experience with firearms or recreational shooting, and it was an unpleasant experience that left me convinced that I would never touch a gun again. But in March of 2009, my fiance took me to the Arizona Game and Fish Outdoor Expo, a wonderful event that gave me the opportunity to try out several firearms in a fun and non-intimidating setting.  My fears and discomfort of firearms quickly faded as I tried out several rifles and pistols, and when I knocked down 4 out of 5 metal pigs on the silhouette range with a .22 bolt-action rifle, I had my first light bulb moment.  It was an overwhelming feeling of excitement and motivation that kept burning inside me long after we left the range that day, and within a week, I was the proud owner of a Ruger 10/22 rifle.

My second light bulb moment came a few months later; I’d been practicing with the 10/22 and had some basic pistol instruction, but I still felt uncertain and a bit unsteady with both the rifle and pistol.  My (very wise) better half thought it would be a good idea for me to seek out professional instruction.  I was incredibly fortunate to find out about Babes with Bullets and their camp in Tucson (right in my backyard!), and was able to take one of the last available slots in their upcoming camp.  My light bulb went on during the first day of instruction and I knew with every fiber of my being that action shooting was the sport for me!  It’s been three years now since that first camp, and my light bulb is still burning strong.  I’ve been a regular competitor in both USPSA and IDPA for about two years, and I’m proud to say that I recently won my first High Lady title last November.

Do you have a light bulb moment that you would like to share?  Add your story in the comments section below!

Why hunting your own dinner is an ethical way to eat

Too good not to share!  Marsha

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. Editor’s Note: Lily Raff McCaulou is an award-winning journalist, Knight-Wallace Fellowship recipient and a columnist for The Bulletin in Bend, Oregon. Her first book,“Call of the Mild: Learning to Hunt My Own Dinner” was published in June. Growing up, I didn’t know anyone who hunted. Hunters, I figured, were probably just barbaric gun nuts. Then, eight years ago, I moved from Manhattan to rural Oregon, to write for a small newspaper. My perspective shifted when I began interviewing hunters for my articles and realized that although I had long considered myself an environmentalist, these hunters – most of whom scoffed at the “E” word – were more knowledgeable and thoughtful about animals and nature than I was. Eventually, I decided to buy a gun and join them. But don’t worry, I’m still an environmentalist, loud and proud. Five Reasons Why Hunting a Wild Animal Makes an Ethical Dinner: Lily Raff McCaulou 1. Hunting has a light environmental footprint No antibiotics, artificial hormones, pesticides, herbicides, or unnatural feeds were used in raising this meat. Unlike farmed animals, a wild one doesn’t contribute to soil erosion, water pollution, or the displacement of native plants in favor of a monoculture. No land is tilled to feed a wild animal, so additional carbon isn’t released into the atmosphere. 2. Wild animals aren’t subject to the misery of factory farming My venison was never confined, castrated, or branded the way most farmed steers are. My duck was never caged, de-beaked, or toe-clipped the way most domesticated poultry is. Wild animals, unlike many domesticated ones, aren’t bred, fed and medicated to achieve rapid weight gain so that they can be killed at just a few weeks of age. 3. None of the meat is wasted After I shoot an animal, I gut it and butcher it myself (or, in the case of an 800-pounds bull elk, with some help from friends). This way, I know the meat was handled safely. I don’t have to worry about listeria or trichinosis. And I’m confident that as much of the animal as possible is used. To hunt and butcher an animal is to recognize that meat is not some abstract form of protein that springs into existence tightly wrapped in cellophane and styrofoam. Meat is life. So I seek out recipes that make the most of it. I cook it with care. I share with friends and family. I make sure eat every bite gets enjoyed. 4. Hunting pays for conservation  To hunt for elk this fall, for example, I’ve already bought an Oregon hunting license for $29.50, paid $8 to enter a lottery for the right to hunt in a particular spot, and purchased a $42.50 tag. That means I’ve already paid $80 toward wildlife research and habitat protection in my home state. Bird-watchers and hikers haven’t paid anywhere near that much. With approximately 12.5 million hunters nationwide, we’re talking about real money. Proceeds from the Federal Duck Stamp – a required $15 annual purchase for migratory waterfowl hunters – have added more than five million acres to the national wildlife refuge system. And federal excise taxes on hunting equipment and ammunition garner more than $200 million a year for wildlife management and the purchase of public lands. 5. Hunting promotes conservation To hunt is to participate in the ecosystem rather than just watch from the sidelines. When I track an animal, I use all of my senses to take in my surroundings, as if I were a wild animal myself. So by the time I actually shoot something, I’ve developed a deep connection to the species and to the land. I considered myself an environmentalist before I started hunting. But back then, all of my reasons for conservation were theoretical. Now that I hunt, I have a real-life, vested interest in seeing places – and wildlife populations – preserved in the long-term. Someday, I want take my son hunting in all of my favorite spots.

NFL Hall of Famer, Former Redskin John Riggins to Host New Show on Sportsman Channel

CMG Marketing and Events announces “Riggo on the Range” treats viewers to culinary twist on sports hunting with guest celebs, airing January 2013

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2012 — Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor TV for the American sportsman, announced today that NFL Hall of Famer and former New York Jets and Washington Redskins running back John Riggins has agreed to host a new celebrity-loaded series — “Riggo on the Range” — scheduled to begin airing January 2013 on the cable network.
“Riggo on the Range” will treat viewers to a culinary twist on hunting, featuring guest celebrities from food, entertainment, music and sports worlds. Each segment will follow Riggins around the world in pursuit of extraordinary hunting, outdoor and cooking adventures.
“Growing up in the Midwest, I have always had a love of the outdoors and a passion for hunting,” said Riggins. “But I also love to mix it up in the kitchen. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to hunt all over the world. Each place I’ve visited has its own uniqueness and character, and I want to bring to our audience the flavor of places we’ll venture to each week, where people have been working and living off the land for centuries.”
“We’re pleased with Riggins’ decision to showcase his sportsman DNA to our enthusiasts. Sportsman Channel is about authenticity, and ‘Riggo on the Range’ successfully encapsulates that foundation,” said Graig Hale, Sportsman Channel VP of business development.
“Riggo on the Range” will be a unique show in the outdoor television category. It marries the “larger than life” persona of Riggins with his love of hunting, the outdoors and culinary arts to create a series that has never been done before. In an added twist to the show, Riggins will take his prizes from the field into the kitchen to show viewers how to create a round-table feast using the assortment of in-season game and fowl he and his guests will hunt. In the first segments, Riggins and his guests will be traveling to Kansas and New Mexico as well as locations in Canada.
Riggins’ film crew is led by Curtis Fleming, award-winning host and executive producer of “Fly Rod Chronicles.” The series is produced by Fly Fishing Explorations Inc., based in Winchester, Va.

About John Riggins
John Riggins is a well-known NFL Hall of Famer and former professional football player in the National Football League. Riggins received numerous awards throughout his career, including recognition as the Jets’ Most Valuable Player in 1972 and 1975, a Pro Bowl appearance, MVP in Super Bowl XVII with the Redskins, and the Bert Bell Award for the Professional American Football Player of the Year. Riggins ended his career with the Washington Redskins, playing from 1976-1979 and again from 1981-1985. Though he spent his professional life playing football, Riggins has always had a passion for the outdoors and has hunted all over the globe. His love of hunting stems from watching Harold Ensley on “The Sportsman’s Friend,” a Riggins family television favorite while growing up in Centralia, Kan. Riggins played college football at the University of Kansas, where he majored in journalism. Please visit www.riggo44.com for more information, or follow Riggins on Twitter: @Riggo44.

About Sportsman Channel
Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches more than 31.2 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Please visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com for more information, or follow us on Twitter: @SPORTSMANchnl.

Media Contact: Hilary Riedemann, Focused Image (for “Riggo on the Range”), 703-300-8544, hriedemann@focusedimage.com

For Sponsorship Opportunities: Cathy Williams, CMG Marketing & Events LLC (for “Riggo on the Range”), 703-587-7142, cathy@cmgmarketingandevents.com

How friends stay friends on a boat trip: 5 steps to success

The Wildlife for Tomorrow Banquet provided the springboard for twelve Antelope foundation members to successfully bid and win a Lake Powell House boat trip. Starting with a 5 step plan designed by the soon to be happy house boaters seemed prudent.

1. Have a planning meeting

2. Draw for sleeping quarters

3. Design a menu and food

4. Decide what gear to bring

5. Format the adult beverages needed

And the secret number six was to personally decide to stay positive and have fun no matter what.

Shane Stewart, current president of the AAF offered to bring their beautiful boat. Jim McCasland, current Board of Directors and Jim Unmacht, Board of Governors and past president, chimed in and offered up their Bass boats. The group included:

Board of Governors- past president

Jim McCasland and Debbie

Pete Cimellaro founding member and Cathy

Jim Unmacht and Tracey

Bill Keebler

Mary Keebler – Treasurer

Al Sue – Board of Directors and wife Marsha (me!)

Arriving the evening before, the soon to become boating buddies, arrived in Page and dined at The Dam Bar and Grill. Early the next morning the troop headed for the marina and began the daunting effort of loading all the gear onto the 70′ Silver Millennium luxurious houseboat. Thankfully the ‘helpers’ from the marina packed up the trailered golf carts and hauled many loads of ‘stuff’ to our floating paradise.

The planning meeting paid off – sort of. Way too much food was unpacked so there was never the thought of starving. The variety and excellence of the meals would have pleased any gourmet’s palate.

With a limit of over 200 small mouth bass and the prospect of many poles in the water we knew one of the feasts would be a fish fry. Hush puppies, French fries and coleslaw would provide another incredible meal. Layer on a dose of perfect weather for a perfect holiday.

The only issue seemed to be running low on water and we did not want to retire to the home marina only to be remembered as the dirty dozen. The plan did include coming closer to the Antelope Marina the evening before our week ended.  So departing from our anchored bay, we stopped by Dangling Rope Marina, filled our empty water tanks and of course refilled the ice chests. Showers were had by all by the end of the day!

 

All equipment seemed to work well, except for Umacht’s skiff named Betsy.  She decided to die just as the troop started back to the marina.  With a little help from their friends, and the Lake Powell rescue boats, everyone arrived safe and sound.

So here is the lesson: when attending banquets bid often with friends and win. Supporting these great conservation groups should be on every ones agenda. Help the Antelope herds and throw in a bunch of fun.

By: Marsha Petrie Sue

AAF Volunteer

President Women’s Outdoor Media Association

NRA Women’s Leadership Forum Executive Council

 

New Ladies in Camo Website

The Ladies in Camo website launched today.  I wanted to share this with some of my friends and co-workers who I thought might be interested. Those of you that know me, know that I am passionate about advocating women in the sport of hunting.

Not only does this website have some outstanding economical hunts on the Hunt/Event Calendar, but you will find some great articles, product reviews, a bi-weekly featured huntress and later this week, some pretty cool logo wear. Sign the guestbook for your chance to win a 4-day hunt with Rack Nine Outdoors or some fantastic gear from our sponsors.

The new website is not just for women, there are some great gear giveaways for men as well. Don’t forget to also visit us on Facebook, like our page there and get another entry to the giveaway.

See the website at www.ladiesincamo.com

Turkey Hunting Advice

A follower presented me with a thought today. What advice would I have for a first time lady turkey hunter?

Of course a million thoughts went through my head as I read the request. I could reply with a lot of questions to narrow down what she was specifically requesting, or I could share with all of you my personal opinions.

My advice to a first time lady turkey hunter. First and foremost:

•Safety! Do you have your hunters education certificate or card? Is it required in your state? If it is or isn’t, I HIGHLY recommend taking a course. You can visit your local department of fish and game to find out where a course may be held or you can take on-line courses such as the ones offered by huntersed.com. Safety is the single most important thing in not only turkey hunting, but all hunting. Familiarize your self with it. Learn in. Know it. Go back and refresh yourself with it.

• Rules and Regulations – You need to familiarize yourself with local laws and regulations. Know your season dates. Know whether you are able to harvest a single bird, a tom or a hen, etc. You need to know what areas you are allowed to hunt in. You need to know what methods you are legally allowed to use in taking your first turkey. To find this information, visit your local division of wildlife office. The Colorado division is on-line at http://wildlife.state.co.us/.

•Choose what method you will use to take your turkey. If you have been shooting or hunting before, this may be fairly simple for you. If you haven’t been shooting, there are ladies courses offered around the country through the NWTF and other organizations where you may try shooting various guns or bows. Read about a local ladies shoot here: Shooting Fun with Women

•Scout an area to hunt. Being a guide, I spend hours, days, weeks, months… No wait all year, looking for turkeys and where they live. Learn their habitat, routines and migration patterns.

•Learn to call. This includes attaining calls and decoys. Turkey hunting is on the top of my list and when I am asked why, I will tell you it is because calling in a strutting tom is nearly as exciting as calling in a bull elk. (Note I said “nearly”). Depending on the area of the country you live in, you may hunt from a blind, brush or you may spot and stalk a turkey. In our area it is not legal to hunt over bait. The most exciting way, in my opinion, is to call a tom in to you. Here as the season gets later and the toms cool down and don’t come in as easily to calls. This is when a spot and stalk may be necessary. Learning to call is an art and takes years to master.

•Attain appropriate gear. My best advice to ladies is to purchase Prois hunting gear. It is not at all about looking cute in the field. It is all about durability and function. When I am hiking to a hunting area I want to be as quick, silent and stealth as possible. Great gear that is not bulky will allow me to slide through the brush without making a sound. Prois gear fits a ladies curves and has hip pockets, thigh pockets, back pockets, front pockets and then some. For someone just starting out this means you have someplace to store your many calls until you decide you are in love with turkey hunting and need a hunting vest. I have used Prois since it came out and I HIGHLY recommend it. It comes in various models and depending when your hunting season is they have Extreme gear for colder temperatures to lighter gear for warmer climates. In my recommendation, gear is not about fashion. It is about durability and functionality. Prois fits both. It is truly gear for the serious huntress.

There are many other items you will eventually want to acquire for turkey hunting. There are thousands of calls, decoys, blinds, rests and stands. These are just six quick tips off the top of my head that are the basics. The other would be come hunt with me!!! Not that I know it all, but I know a lot. Just when I think I know everything, that dubious tom switches it up and reminds me that I’m always learning. Turkey hunting is a lot of fun and I would enjoy sharing your first with you.

Deal Alert! Fishing Show Special From Bay Flats Lodge

Click on image or scroll for more information on this amazing deal from Bay Flats Lodge.

Bay Flats lodge will be attending the Houston Fishing Show on February 29-March 4, 2012 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in booth #617, and they are offering an amazing special while they’re there.

The Show Special price will be available through the last day of the show, which is March 4. If you plan to attend the show and book with Bay Flats Lodge, they will arrange to have your entry tickets waiting at will call.

This offer does not apply on current reservations, and each additional person is $100.  Live bait if requested is extra, and this deal must be booked at the show or by contacting them during show time.

Single Stack Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

What fun it was to travel down to Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club to see Lisa Munson and Deb Ferns competing in the 2012 Western States Single Stack Match at Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club in Mesa, Arizona. The success was more in the camaraderie than the shooting success, and despite some technical issues, everyone had a great time.

Lisa had a rough start to the match and ended up losing “high lady” by just a few points.  Deb fought gun problems ALL day on Saturday, mainly because she had a borrowed .38 super single stack from one of her friend’s husband.  It’s hard to tweak other people’s equipment for things like a larger extended mag release,  etc.

Finally on Sunday morning, Deb and Lisa figured out that the 10 round mags would only run reliably with 9 rounds in them.  While frustration was the word of the day, overall, it is all about fun and the entire squad agrees that they had a ‘blast’ – including WOMA board member Jaci Janes and her fiance Robert! Jaci shot VERY well and saw huge improvement over her last major match, placing fourth lady overall.  Plus, they all had so much fun that their squad mate Eddie Garcia from Cameron’s Custom Guns (Lisa’s big sponsor) said he is going to donate products to the WOMA for product review and to help with our auction at the end of the year.

Happy New Year from Bay Flats Lodge

All of us here at Bay Flats Lodge wish you and yours a Happy New Year and an even better 2012 fishing season. Remember to practice CPR, “Catch, Photo, and Release”, whenever possible on trophy Trout and Reds…Guide Chris Martin, member of the WOMA, www.BayFlatsLodge.com

Can A .380 Really Protect Me?

I get emails and calls almost every day asking me “Which gun is right for me?” That would be like you asking me what foundation you should wear, or which brand of shoes will fit you best, it’s all personal preference. Do you have big hands or small hands? Do you prefer stainless or matte black? Perhaps you want duracoated pink or baby blue grips? Do you want something full sized with less recoil or something easier to conceal regardless of the recoil? All valid questions, all just PART of the process of picking out your personal concealed carry firearm.

When I, personally, decided to carry a Ruger LCP for my CC, many factors played into that choice. I have small hands, I wanted something easy to conceal, and the price fit into my budget at the time. My Cowboy; however, wasn’t exactly pleased with my decision. He did NOT want me to carry a .380 for self-defense. He argued, “That pea shooter isn’t going to do anything but piss someone off.”

I did my research, I studied videos and ballistics tests and I decided that a hole like the one in the picture above should be more than plenty to stop someone and allow me to get away. I got that picture from this video testing Hornady Critical Defense .380 ACP 90 Gr: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-H9M6cZGd18

This is the ammunition that I carry for self-defense…BUT, you cannot depend on good ammunition alone when factoring in the ability to be reliable in a self-defense situation. There are several factors to include:
First and foremost – TRAINING: Would you allow your un-trained friend to perform life-saving surgery on you for no reason other than they just happened to have a scalpel in their hand? I don’t think so.

In the same way, just because you own a firearm, doesn’t mean you know how to use it, especially in a self-defense situation. Take classes, take as many classes as you can, as often as you can. Get to the range – and often – and shoot the firearm that you will carry with the same weight ammo you will carry.

Many of you have heard me say that the LCP is not a plinking gun. It is not “fun” to shoot. I don’t take it to the range just to throw lead down range. If I am going just to shoot, I take a full sized gun with me simply because I enjoy shooting and a full sized gun is more fun with easier grip and less recoil. My CC gun, my LCP, is always there with me and I will shoot a few rounds, just to make sure it is firing correctly and to remind my body what it feels like to shoot it.

Next, CLEANING: Is your firearm clean and in proper working order? A dirty gun is an unsafe gun. And don’t depend on someone else to clean it for you. This is another place where training comes in. Attend a gun cleaning clinic, visit a local gun smith, and most importantly, check your owner’s manual for instructions on the take-down,re-assembly, cleaning schedule and recommended lubrication of your firearm, so that you can responsibly and knowingly care for your own firearm.

Also, POSSESSION: Legally and consistently carrying. If you don’t have your firearm with you, it cannot help you to protect yourself. If you are not carrying legally and you do use it, you will likely go to jail…that’s not really protecting yourself is it? Sure, you’re alive, but you’re not much good to your kids and your loved ones incarcerated, are you?

Know the laws of your city and state, as well as federal laws regarding your ability to carry, be it open or concealed, wherever you will be. Know whether you have a Castle Doctrine or not, if there is a Motorist Protection Act in your state, where it is legal and illegal to carry, and whether or not you must be licensed to be in compliance with local and federal ordinances. In order to keep our precious Second Amendment rights, unfortunately, we have to jump through some hoops to make sure that the anti-2A/anti-firearm activists don’t obtain the upper hand. Please, don’t be the one to feed them their own “ammunition”.

Finally, PRACTICE: Yes, I covered this under training, but it bears repeating. Practice with all of the tools you have available. Practice with the shoes that you normally wear. Practice with and without a coat and gloves. Practice drawing from concealed if you have a range that will allow it (check with your range, some don’t allow holster draw). Practice with any assisted devices you may have, including a laser sight or speed loader. Oh, and, just my humble little opinion here, not expert advice but I would suggest this: A Crimson Trace Laser Grip is an amazing tool and will shave precious seconds off of your draw and aim time, seconds that are valuable if you are in a self defense situation. Get one, sight it in, learn how to use it, keep the batteries fresh…BUT, with that being said, KNOW HOW TO AIM AND SHOOT WITHOUT IT FIRST! The CT is a device, run on batteries and man-made. It can MALFUNCTION….and if it does, we know, it will most likely be in that one instance when it is most crucial. So practice with it. Practice without it. With any of your tools. Know how to use them, but also know how to live, function, and fire without them.

So, all this said, can my .380 protect me? I absolutely believe so. It might not make the hole shown in the ballistics gel above every time I place a bullet, but if I can depend on my aim and I know where to aim for, I think I have a pretty good shot at protecting myself and those I love.

What caliber, what gun, what ammo should you use? That’s personal preference friends. My suggestion, find a group like A Girl and A Gun with functions like Girl’s Night Out, where you can go and try out a few different types of firearms: Semi-Automatics, Revolvers, different calibers, compact and full sized. Then decide for yourself what the right choice is for YOU.

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