Bo was always a responsible kid. We often called him the "little professor" or sometimes simply "Mr. Baggett, because he was so adult-like. When he was eight, we bought him a BB gun. I remember setting up cans on the fence in the backyard for instruction and target practice. Bo, Toby, and I all shot at the cans several times without hitting any. Jesse was five at that time. She wanted to try the new BB gun too. Toby gave her a little instruction. She swung that gun up and pointed at the cans and "PING" hit one on her first try. We all looked stunned that she hit the can when none of us could do it. She put the gun down and shrugged as if there was nothing to it and moved on.
We used to shoot quite often in NM. The kids were both in 4H shooting sports (as well as other projects like Horse, Rockets, Photography, Sheep, Pig, etc.). We were very lucky to have a shooting facility like the NRA Whittington Center right in Colfax County. Both kids participated in target shooting contests so we practiced often. Since that time, we have not really done much shooting and are sorely out of practice. Yesterday this became very apparent when a coyote walked across the yard, down to the pond, over the dam and just hung out waiting on me to take a shot at him. It was probably that same pesky coyote that woke us up the night before with his barking. He wanted my little puppies, and I wanted to shoot him. Now he was standing right in range, but I did not have a gun ready and was not sure that I could even remember how to use one if I had one. When Toby came home from work, he got out Jesse’s 22, and we had target practice and instruction. He set up some liter bottles full of water (wind was blowing) out in the pasture. I shot several times from a standing position and did not even come close to the bottles. Toby told me to try kneeling so that I could brace my arm on my knee – worked like a charm. I nailed that bottle dead on – yeha! Toby tried shooting with the pistol. He reminded me of Billy Ray in "El Diablo" when he was learning to shoot so that he could go after the bad guy. After missing and moving closer, and missing again and again, his friend says, "You need bigger bottles." That is what I told Toby while he was shooting yesterday. Then Jesse came out and wanted to try her hand at shooting. She swung that gun up, aimed, and nailed that bottle. I can’t decide if she is really good or just really lucky.
Bo called while we were shooting. I could tell he would love to have been out here shooting with us. It really brought back some great memories.
9 comments:
All of us are terrible shots! Just the other day Dad and I were shooting clay pigeons and neither of us could get one. I got to laughing so hard I could barely throw the pigeons for Dad.
And please kill lots of snakes, too!
Coyotes are bigger than bottles... but they're faster, too. ;-)
I would love to learn how to shoot. hmmm. Maybe that will be my 2010 resolution! hahah or...2nd half of 2009 resolution!
Mezzo, come on down and we will shoot some bottles:)
Skybag, I know you are just lucky.
Joyce, If I saw a snake, I would probably freak rather than shoot.
Buck, this coyote was just standing around - as if he wanted to be shot - maybe he was taunting me, but he just stood for a long time in range - it made me crazy. Of course if you don't hit them the first time, they are don't stand around for the second shot.
Sounds like fun! I haven't been shooting in such a long time. Here lately, I've been really wanting to buy myself a rifle. I never much cared for handguns, but a rifle or a shotgun, now, they are my best friend.
Shoulda called me...i've been wantin to make a pink cloud outta somethin lately...that coyote woulda worked out nicely. it mighta put the safety back on the neighbors dogs.
My two younger daughters are amazing shots. They make it look easy. I think they are just more patient at setting up the shot.
BR, I have heard that women are better shots due to their lower center of gravity - could be true.
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