September 28, 2011 Outdoor Stores

Visited a couple outdoor stores in Greensboro this week.  

The first was Get: Outdoors.  Primarily a canoe and kayak retailer, it was a pretty cool place with some drool-causing boats, fishing tackle, clothing, footwear and a good supply of books and videos.  The staff was friendly and seemed knowledgeable.  This weekend they've having a demo boat sale and have a ton of inventory to get rid of.  If you're looking for a good deal on a kayak or canoe head over and check them out.

The second stop was at outdoor super store Gander Mountain.  I've been there several times but not since their recent remodel.  The store looked great. 

The staff was very helpful and polite and they had a little bit of everything.  A couple negatives:  Since the renovation, the guns are now behind a counter so you have to ask for assistance before putting your hands all over a new Benelli or Winchester.   Second, I was interested in a climbing stand they were advertising in a flyer however they had none in stock and don't issue rain checks.   I wouldn't let these two things keep me from shopping at Gander Mountain though.  It's still better than Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

September 26, 2011 Burning Powder

I spent some time at the range with my good friend, Mark, yesterday.  It's hard to beat the smell of gunpowder! 

September 20, 2011 Palmetto State Deer Chase

The sign said "Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places" as I crossed into the Palmetto State there was already a smile on my face.  Having taken the scenic route thus far on the trip to SC it wouldn't take much to persuade me regarding the beautiful places part.  I'd seen more southern fried scenery in the last hour than I had in years and it was wonderful.  There were fields full of corn and soybeans and sorghum and peanuts and cotton.  Lots and lots of cotton.  Seeing so much agriculture in action was therapeutic.  

My buddy, Rusty, had sent a message saying, "Let's meet in South Carolina in a couple days.  Rifle season is open and the weather should be right."  My better half encouraged me to go but it didn't take much convincing.  I borrowed my uncle's Ford Ranger, stuffed a bunch of gear, snacks and camo clothes into a Rubbermaid container, grabbed the A-bolt and some ammo and took off.
We arrived near Bishopville around lunch time and headed over to his farm to check things out.  All the stands were in good shape.  Some of the shooting lanes needed work but the telescoping pruner, one of the best hunting tools ever, made short work of it.  The corn field we were going to be hunting had been cut a couple days prior and there was grain strewn all over the place.  To top it off, adjacent to the stand I was going to be hunting a persimmon tree was full of fruit.  It was going to be a good hunt
We headed back to the hotel, cleaned up and donned some camouflage.  It'd been 3 years since I had my Natural Gear on and it felt good....real good.
Rusty put the truck in park and we starting packing accouterments into pockets and backpacks.  Binoculars...check, facemask and gloves...check, thermacell...check, camera...check.  I needed bigger pockets.
After a quick prayer we headed toward our stands.  I scurried up the rungs of my ladder and quickly settled in for the afternoon. Surely I was going to see some critters during my sit!  My intuition proved correct and it didn't take long to do so.  A doe and two fawns appeared out of nowhere and began feeding on corn.  Fifteen minutes later another doe and fawn came in.  And so it continued.  Deer after deer after deer.  At one point there were seventeen of them, all does and fawns, feeding in the field at once.  Add three hen turkeys and a nice mature, gobbler to the mix and it easily became one of the best evenings I've ever experienced in the woods.  I was so busy watching animals and taking pictures that I didn't even consider shooting.  I might as well had left the A-bolt at the house.

September 19, 2011 Waiting Room

I had a dentist appointment today but for once didn't mind waiting in the lobby.  Read this issue of North Carolina Game & Fish from cover to cover. 

September 15, 2011 Shooting with Mama

Me and mama with our certificates

Last weekend I got to do something that I've been wanting to do for a long time, attend a carry-conceal class.  As an added bonus I got to go with one of the finest people on earth, my Mama.

During a recent visit to the Gun Vault I noticed a flyer from Lewis Creek Shooting School describing an upcoming class.  So I called the instructor, Dick Jones, and boy am I glad I did.

The class was great.  Dick and his wife, Cherie, did a wonderful job of making the sometimes drab material fun and exciting.  The technical, or shooting, portion of the class was on their property, using their firearms and ammunition (we could have brought our own if desired).  Lunch, pheasant creole with rice, salad, bread and peach cobbler were all homemade, and nearly worth the cost of the class alone. 

Mom and I both passed the written test and shooting competency portions of the class.  I was so proud of her considering she'd never fired a gun before.  As you can tell from the photo above we had a blast....literally!

To find out more information about Lewis Creek Shooting School or to register for future classes visit the Jones' website, Off the Porch Media.