As an instructor and mentor to new shooters I notice things shooters are doing. One thing that I notice on every firing line, video, television show and movie is where the shooters trigger finger is.
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your target is acquired.
Finger off the trigger.
Finger off the trigger.
Finger off the trigger.
Be safe and we’ll all have fun for years to come!!!
What a summer vacation/make-up spring break! They may have missed their spring break, but this family made up for it later. Mia Anstine describes two cross-country pig hunts and other outdoor adventures that she recently took with the LIttle Gal and Hubby Hank.
…Read more of this post at the Women’s Outdoor News http://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2012/06/mia-the-little-gal-summer-vakay-the-outdoor-way/
It is of the highest importance to teach the kids properly. Before you shoot, please refresh yourself with the safety rules and/or take a firearms safety course:
It is early on in the way of summer time, but I know eventually we will hear “I’m bored.” Do you have a ton of ideas of fun things to do with your kids? Hopefully some of them include getting outside. Oh yes. I hear the excuses, “It’s hot outside.” No worries. You can wait until the evening when it cools down and you are unwound from work. This is an idea for the entire family to have fun.
Get outside and shoot targets with the rifle or pistol. You can spend time exercising your Second amendment right as well as teach your children important things.
There are so many fun targets on the market these days. You of course can use the old-fashioned pop can or bottle, but there are lots of other paper and plinker targets out that will leave you with no glass shards to clean up.
One type I saw at the supply store the other day was a series of mutant targets. There are also zombies which are very popular. I am not sure if they will frighten the kids or if the kids can imagine they are “offing” the monsters from their nightmares. Regardless, they do look like lots of fun! 
If the monster looking mutants aren’t what you want to aim at with your children, there are always the traditional bulls-eye targets. I do tend to stear clear of them with a very novice shooter. It sometimes makes them try too hard and discourages some if they are not on the dot with every shot.
Once the basics are covered and safety is taught you can have fun as you work on accuracy. One target that provides a contest for the family is the VisiColor Dartboard target by Champion. It provides a type of dart board game with bright colors appearing as the shooter hits a mark. Varied colors represent a shooters points. The shooters can also play “C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N” which is similar to the game of horse or pig played in basketball and other sports. One shooter hits a mark and the next is supposed to follow up with the same shot. They make other sizes and shapes for shooting fun and sighting in as you prepare for fall hunting season. The high visibility paper targets allow seeing the point of penetration with ease.
A “rewarding” target for many kids and adults is the plinker. The traditional plinker makes a sound as each shot hits. The kids gain confidence as they hear a reassuring sound with their shot. Some plinkers will re-set themselves when the shooter hits, spinning them one direction and then hit again spinning them back. The great thing is they last a long time and most basic ones we have found retail under $20.00. Be sure to check the caliber for use indicated with your plinker before you start shooting.
Regardless of the type of shooting you do, we hope you will get out there. Be safe. Have fun. Most of all, spend time as a family.
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Don’t forget to read about Mia & the Little Gal’s adventures at the Women’s Outdoor News
Visit Prois Hunting for hunting and field apparel for women.
Visit TenPoint Crossbows for “the mark of perfection” in crossbows
We’ve all got one. Some of you are one. Some have lost one. I find myself in the latter this year. I can not say it has been easy to find myself with out someone to make a plan with this year, but I do have lots of memories of the years past and of course all the good times in between the designated day.
In memory, or as my friends say, in my “therapy”, I have been on the lake a lot. Dad took us all to the lake often as kids. We would load up in our friends boat and make the 24 mile drive down the dirt road to the lake. Yep. I said “in” the boat. That was way back when, and way back when we lived on a dirt road and road in the back of the pick up truck, in the boat and even with out seat belts. It’s amazing we survived huh?! Well. I’m not saying that’s how we should do it now. I’m saying we did it then and boy did we have fun!
We would meet several of our friends and families and spend the day in the sun on the lake. Oh man! Those were good times. Dad would make sure I didn’t drown and then mom would try to untangle the rat’s nest of long hair that was not only wind-blown, but wet and of course full of briars from hiking the surrounding hills.
Haha! All of that brings a huge smile to my face and leads me to where and who I am today.
I am a lover of all things Mother Nature has to offer. Because I love her so much and know how much of a healer she is, I’ve been spending as much time as I can enjoying what she has to offer. Because of the fond memories I have of playing, camping and a little fishing, I’ve been spending a lot of time on the water.
One day this past week I caught quite a few fish. None of them record breakers, unless we’re going for world record smallest, but all fun regardless. I brought them in and tossed them back. They made my day a lot of fun and brought a smile with each little challenge of casting into the hole. I smiled with each one I moved. Smiled with each one I gently brought aboard and gently tossed back.
Thanks Dad for teaching me about the lake. It’s been good “therapy” to be there. Happy Father’s Day!!!
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Don’t forget to read about Mia & the Little Gal’s adventures at the Women’s Outdoor News
Visit Prois Hunting for hunting and field apparel for women.
Visit TenPoint Crossbows for “the mark of perfection” in crossbows
