WV Six-Shooters

      Gun smoke drifts through the air and assails your nostrils. You hear the repeated loud bangs from a .45 caliber revolver and watch as the rider and horse work their way through a pattern, the rider doing his best to shoot all ten balloons for a clean ride. It is one of the fastest-growing sports in the equestrian industry: Cowboy Mounted Shooting. Exciting, fast-paced, and down-right fun, after just watching this for a few minutes, you are likely to fall in love with it. If you have never heard of mounted shooting, I will give a short explanation.

      Cowboy Mounted Shooting is a timed event. It requires you to have two .45 caliber single-action revolvers and a horse. Though there are numerous courses, each one consists of ten balloons arranged in various ways. Starting with one gun in hand, you shoot the first five balloons, holster the gun, and draw your other revolver. You then continue to shoot the remaining balloons. Shooting all ten balloons means a clean ride; however, for each balloon missed or a barrel knocked over, you receive a five-second penalty. The fastest time wins.

      On November 15th of 2008, a group of horsemen and women gathered at the Blue Bird Farm near Talcott, West Virginia to discuss starting a mounted shooting club. Larry Moorman, owner of the Blue Bird Farm, and Bobby Knight were the two mainly responsible for this meeting. Both had previously competed in mounted shooting in other states, but thought that it was time West Virginia shared in the excitement. After they demonstrated the sport, everyone accumulated to consider starting a club. The meeting was a success; the WV Six-Shooters were born. While there, club officers were selected. They are as follows:

  President- Larry Moorman

  Vice President- Bobby Knight

   Secretary and Treasurer- Danielle Bratsis

   Range Master- Mike Butcher

   Board of Directors- Scott Calhoun, James Kieth Hartsog, Jim Morrison, Johnny Walker, and Matt McMicken

 

      Since November, a couple of meetings and events have been held. At these meetings, by-laws and the club logo decided upon, among other things. A couple of sessions have been held where folks were offered a chance to bring their horses and try the sport for themselves. If they did not have their own guns, someone who did offered them the use of theirs. This seemed to help generate interest for the club. No competitions have been held thus far, but tentative plans are being made for where these competitions could take place. The Raleigh County Horsemen’s Association and Blue Bird Farm are possible locations.

      It is still a relatively small club, but has gained some support. There are even a few members from other states. A demonstration at the West Virginia Horse Expo gained it some publicity. The WV Six-Shooters is the first and only CMSA club in West Virginia. Hopes run high that it will be a huge success. The WV Six-Shooters are always open to new members. Even if you never plan on competing, you can still join as a way to support it. If you would like more information, you can visit the WV Six-Shooters website (wvsixshooters.club.officelive.net) or the CMSA website. http://cowboymountedshooting.com

Turkey Hunting with Pop

     I rise from bed in the early hours of the morning. I pull on my camouflage, grab my gear and gun, and head into the mountains. Whether I am in a car, truck, or on a fourwheeler, my eyes scan the landscape in searh of any movement. My ears are tuned for the clucking of a hen and a gobbler’s answer. When I set up in my spot, I begin to use the various calls in my possesion, hoping to locate a turkey. When I receive an answer from a gobbler, my heart starts to race in excited anticipation. The turkey comes into view and struts towards me, with his feathers fanned out and his red and white head standing out against the background of nature’s green grasses and trees. When he pauses, I squeeze the trigger and watch him fall to the ground. The adrenaline begins to course through me and I recieve a feeling of pride and satisfaction. If you have eve been hunting before, you know the feeling you get after a successful hunt.

     Turkey hunting only comes around once a year here in West Virginia. I personally look forward to it all year. I started hunting just four years ago, but it only took going one time to come to love it. For me, hunting is fun even if I don’t kill anything. It is a chance to escape from the rest of the world for a while and take in the beauty of West Virginia’s nature and wildlife. There is a simple joy and peace to be had from just witnessing nature’s beauty. My grandfather takes me hunting and always answers any questions I have about it. So, hunting also giives me an opportunity to spend time with my grandfather. I would not even be hunting if it were not for Pop. It would not be as enjoyable without him; Pop has taught me how to enjoy hunting, nature, and wildlife.

     Hunting can mean many things to different people. It provides an opportunity to enjoy the country-side, see wild animals, and spend time with family members. Lessons learned from hunting can teach respect for the animals you hunts, patience, and values. These lessons can be applied to everyday life. What are some of your experiences hunting? What does it mean to you? You can post your stories freely here at The Here’s How!

Simple Rules Help Ensure Successful Spring Turkey Hunting

There are a few simple steps hunters can to make the story of 2009 spring turkey hunting a safe and happy one.

Keeping one simple fact in mind should help prevent accidents: be sure of the target you shoot. Only bearded turkeys may be taken in the spring, so positive identification is the key. In addition, take only clear shots, never walk through the words calling, and never gobble. Another good tip is to wear hunter orange while moving.

• If you wear camouflage, cover your entire body, including face and hands, and never wear red, white or blue, which appears on the turkey’s head;
• Always set up to call in a fairly open with visibility in every direction, with your back against a tree or other object that is wider than your shoulder;
• When hunting with companions, be sure of everyone’s location;
• Attempting to sneak up on a turkey can lead to accidents;
• Never assume that you are alone in the woods, even if you are the only one with permission to hunt the land;
• Assume that every sound you hear is made by another hunter;
• You must see the whole bird to determine wheter it is safe and legal to shoot; and
• If you see another hunter approaching, remain still and yell or whistle. Never wave, use a turkey call, or stand up.

Regular season runs April 8-May 31 (all permits valid and shotguns or bows allowed).

Outdoors News

My name is Megan Runyon. I’m going to be writing on things of nature, hunting and fishing news. I will be telling what is in season and some of the animals caught or killed this year.