STOP THE THREAT™

I recently got back from a personal defense event in Illinois, co-sponsored by Taurus International and Winchester Ammunition where we tested a variety of guns and ammunition at Winchester's handgun range.

We started the day with a couple of product seminars and then dove right into several gelatin demonstrations that really showed how well the two companies products perform together.

The Bonded PDX1 line uses the same technology the Federal Bureau of Investigation uses as its primary service round. It's engineered to maximize terminal ballistics, as defined by the demanding FBI test protocol, which simulates real-world threats.

During the gelatin demonstration we shot seven different PDX1 loads, including the highly talked about

PDX1 410. We tested it out of The Judge at several different distances and the results were lethal every time.

If you haven't kept up with this new product, it features a distinctive black hull and black oxide high-base head and combines three plated Defense Disc™ projectiles and 12 pellets of plated BB shot. It's the ideal personal protection load for short range engagement with the performance needed to stop threats. Another

cool feature about this load is that it's also suitable for varmint hunting and pest control.

After learning about the products and watching the

gelatin demonstrations, it was time for everyone else to test out the guns and ammo themselves. Check out Kristin Hunt at the range. She'll take out anything that gets in her way...paper targets, watermelons, steel plates, water bottles, you name it....she'll shoot it.

And I can assure you that she would be fine, if she was ever put into a threatening situation, due to the knowledge and experience she's gained while shooting and spending time at the range.

Turkey Time

Spring is here in the SC upstate but you wouldn't know it by the way the turkeys are acting. It looks like I'm gonna have one of "those" seasons unless I make some last minute plans to head out of state. It's tearing me up as I was really looking forward to trying out the new TurkeyPro scope on the best target available....an actual turkey head!

At least good friend Wade Middleton sent me a photo of a nice tom taken with the scope.

2010 Springer Report

It is that time of year...boats are launched before the sun comes up on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, people call in sick to work, smiling faces and shiny chrome piggies are what it is all about. Springer season is in full swing here in the Pacific Northwest!

I woke up to my alarm at 5am on Friday morning. By 5:30 I was in line at a Portland Starbucks in my Realtree jacket and boots. I stuck out like a sore thumb, but I didn’t care because in a half hour I would be in an undisclosed location hoping for a fight, with some chrome as my prize.

We had five headless herrings with no bling spinning as our guide Darin trolled on the calm water. The day before there was a lot of wind and rain, but bipolar Portland weather seemed to be in a good mood. I settled into my Springer ritual; cake for breakfast, sitting diagonal from my rod and a game of Bejewled on the iPod.

Before I could get too comfortable I saw my rod bounce a few times and then get buried instantly…..FISH ON! My heart was racing as I lept onto my rod. I kept telling myself, keep the line tight, stay square with the rod and breathe!

Darin was coaching me as I reeled. After what seemed like an eternity, I had my “moment.” I don’t have a creative name for it, but it is that moment when your Springer surfaces and you get a good look at your trophy.

I will never forget my first “moment” four years ago when I thought Springers were the size of Trout. Imagine my surprise in that moment when I saw how big Springers really were! For the record, I froze like a deer in headlights, I let my line go slack and I lost the fish.

Anyways, back to the story. With Darin’s coaching I won my fight and smiled with my shiny chrome pig! By 1pm this was the result: 4 rods and 5 fish, all keepers!

Swinging Beards and Swinging Clubs

Spring has definitely arrived. Turkeys are gobbling and golfers are talking about the Masters. Sure Tiger Woods stating that he will be competing this year after his latest issue with his wife, has been one of the main topics, but the fact is…it’s the Masters…with or without him.

And did you know that the National Wild Turkey Federation’s headquarters is located only 30 minutes from the Augusta National Golf Club?

If you happen to be in the area for the tournament or traveling through while heading to a hunt camp, I strongly recommend stopping by and visiting the Winchester Museum, located inside of the NWTF’s facilities.

The Winchester Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the restoration, management and hunting of the wild turkey.

The Museum features interactive exhibits, such as the world's largest turkey call, which visitors can actually step into and learn how to operate different types of wild turkey calls. Other exhibits include a retired USDA Forest Service helicopter, a wildlife oddities display and many other unique attractions.

While on a recent turkey hunt we took a couple of outdoor writers on a tour and as we

turned the corner, an animated, life-like, old-time storyteller sitting in his rocking chair on the front porch of his cabin began telling stories about the history of the NWTF, turkey hunting and conservation.

It was discussed among our group to grab “grandpa” and bring him on our hunt for entertainment.

The Winchester Museum is truly a phenomenal place to visit. It also provides a section that showcases a variety of historic turkey calls donated by master turkey call makers Neil Cost and M.L. Lynch, as well as many other award winning call makers. Through these exhibits, visitors can easily view the evolution of turkey calls spanning more than a century.

And before you exit, you have to go and sit in The Dave Harrelson Memorial Theater. Once inside, you’ll find yourself deep in a spring forest at the break of dawn, mixing the sounds of nature with early morning calls of wild turkeys flying down from their roosts.

After visiting the Winchester Museum, you’ll be pumped up to go hunt a few longbeards. And be sure to use Winchester’s Xtended Range shells when turning those birds into jellyheads!

Museum images are courtesy of the NWTF. Gobbling turkey image is provided by Stephen Bauer/NWTF.

I finally did it

Well, I couldn't hold out any longer........I'm now on Facebook. Thanks to Megan, Shannon and Kristin for pushing me to finally do it. Its hard enough keeping up with email, LinkedIn and voice mail so I was not really expecting this to be much fun. Shocked me when I realized I actually like it.

Now if I could just figure out how to access it from my iPhone.......