Wingshooting

We like Precise Naturals Endurance, which we used to buy locally from our Brittany breeder for $20 a bag.  It's now costly at $60 for a 40 pound bag.  Purina Pro Plan SPORT All Life Stages Performance 30/20 protein to fat Formula Dry Dog Food, which comes at $48 from Amazon and used to be $38 for a 37.5 pound bag.  Both are 30/20 ratios, which is great for active sporting dogs.  I have a friend who is a nutritionist and scientist for Purina and other dog food manufacturers and he suggests that any medium end dog food from a major manufacturer is going to be adequate, but he thought both of these mixes were very good. The hunt uses Diamond Hi Energy Sport Dog 50# at $26 a bag, which is a 24/20 ratio.

From the legendary great showman shooter, Herb Parsons, which helped form some of the basis for our instinctive shotgunning method featured in Buz Fawcett's book. https://youtu.be/Nu9-D9KqR4k

Another unexpected find on the internet today.  This video on trapshooting from the godfather of trap shooting, D. Lee Braun.  His book is still worth having in your arsenal as well, if you are a serious shot gunner or just getting started. https://youtu.be/_u_SdV_7phY

We recently went on an antelope hunt in Wyoming and we have to say the antelope meat tastes great.  We saved the backstraps and tenderloins for steaks.  We took in the four antelope quarters for processing at Steve's Meat Market www.stevesmeatmarket.com.  The four quarters weighed 38 pounds in on the bone, 28 pounds after they trimmed it, which resulted in 42 pounds out with pork added for a great special deal which was advertised as $95.00, but with all the extra hamburger and other fees resulted in a total bill of $138 after all was done, which was very fair.   We got the Jumbo Sampler: 1-1/2 lb. JBC Burger, 1-1/2 lb. Breakfast Bulk, 1-1/2 lb. Italian Bulk, 1-1/2 lb. Chorizo Bulk, 2 lb. Italian Link, 2 lb. Polish Link, 2 lb. Salami, 2 lb. Summer,  2 lb. Jalapeno Cheese Log, 2 lb. Cheddar Dogs, 2 lb. Old Style Franks, 2 lb. Bratwurst, 2 lb. Smoked German, 2 lb. Chorizo Link, 2 lb. Jalapeno Cheddar Link, 1 lb. Jerky, 1 lb. Stix The only thing that wasn't worth ordering again was the Breakfast Bulk sausage, not because it isn't good, it's just my family doesn't like any breakfast sausages.  It helped that this antelope was grass fed on the ranch lands, not sage brush fed on the plains.  But we have to rave about Steve's Meat Market, as it is simply the best game meat processing and quality sausages we have ever tasted, at a fair price.  Even the hamburger is awesome.  The franks and brats have a relatively tough skin and for that reason, we do not think they are great when used as hot dogs.  However, cut into Argentine choripan sliced sandwiches, and

The Associated Press is reporting that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper says he is urging the federal government not to list the greater sage grouse as an endangered species.  We couldn't agree more, as this is a blanket move by anti-development folks that have gotten a few animal rights activists groups behind them for a sweeping change that would harm local energy, commercial and agricultural development in Colorado.  These proposals are overly strict measures being sold as a story to protect the bird, but in fact they are intended to prevent development and restrict hunting and ranching operations.  The story reports that: Hickenlooper said he has urged federal officials to consider the region's economy and "look at the public-private partnerships that have been so successful in Colorado as a model on how to get things done."  "Given the unique landscapes and natural resources in Colorado, a Colorado-based solution is more practical than one handed down by the federal government," Hickenlooper said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency is under court mandate to determine by 2015 if sage grouse deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management wants to finalize plans to designate protected habitat by October 2014. Colorado, like other states, is looking for provisions that would protect the species while not infringing on business or community development of the land.  The bird's habitat is on land that is also used for grazing, oil and gas production and community development.  Stringent management for the bird "will kill us" economically, Mesa County CommissionerRose Pugliese said.  Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said the amount of energy development that could be placed off-limits would be devastating. Resources such as natural gas and other minerals worth $34 billion might no longer be accessible

From the Santa Barbara Independent: A bill that would ban all lead ammunition for hunting statewide by 2019 — making California the first state to do so — has passed the State Legislature and is sitting on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. The bill, officially known as AB 711 and cosponsored by Assemblymember Das Williams of Santa Barbara, would see the state’s Fish and Game Commission set regulations by July 1, 2015, that phase in the use of non-lead bullets for all hunting. The requirements would be implemented by July 1, 2019.   Better stock up on Hevi-Shot in preparation for this ludicrous bill, as there will certainly be a rush for lead free ammunition for shotgunners.  We like the Hevi-shot #6 for sage grouse, sharptails and prairie chickens on federal wildlife refuges, and the #4 for ducks, which are already outrageously priced, in 2013, at over $4 a shell after shipping.  At that price, you better not miss any birds, as they were just $2 some five years ago, which was over 20 times the price of lead shot even back then and is worse at the time of this post.  Giving up the side-by-sides and switching to steel is becoming more appealing all the time, which is part of the motivation behind these badly thought out bills promoted by animal rights activists who are attempting to ban hunting by behind the scenes legislation such as this one.   Lead shot has no affect on birds except waterfowl, which is nominal at best, according to all of the scientific studies on waterfowl accidentally feeding on the shot at the bottom of wetlands.  It's not to late for reason to prevail and if you are a California voter, please let

Bodhi was my first bird dog.  My first bird dog, not my dad's that is. As a Bodhisattva should do, he graciously gave up his path to enlightenment so that others may attain it, mostly so that I may strive to attain enlightenment.  We returned to Bodhi's favorite spot for blue grouse this year, to find many others already hunting his hallowed grounds.  Being one who doesn't like change, this had me reeling wondering what to do.  We quickly found change and decided, with considerable trepidation to hunt a spot down the road to his and my favorite spot, a spot which we  had never been to before, but was at least free from other hunters.  After all, this is public land, they had as much right to be there as did we, and they had beat us to the spot on Opening Day of Grouse Season, so it was all done fair and square.  Remy, Bodhi's grandson, didn't seem to mind, as he is still a pup himself, he didn't know any better, or at least he tried to persuade me so.  I, on the other hand, knew better---that this spot could not be as good as our favorite spot which we had enjoyed for so many years.  We headed off up the mountain, but at least it was the same mountain as Bodhi's Spot was on, so who knew what might await us. To our surprise, we found grouse.  A lot of grouse.  Dusky grouse (formerly known as Blue Grouse) here and dusky grouse there.  And we made a new spot our own, it would never be Bodhi's Spot, but this one became Remy's spot.  Perhaps Remy will lay there some day in