Story and photography by Tom Claycomb III

I’m thinking as soon as I am through writing this column I need to sit down, read it and apply it! Here’s why.

I’m going to first talk about practice. I know a couple of guys that shoot all of the time. I know I need too and wish I had more time to practice. As an outdoorsman it’s hard to focus on just one specie or outdoor activity not to mention other demands in life.

Here’s an example.  I kissed the little wifey goodbye and told her I’d be home in two weeks. A buddy needed some help at his meat packing plant in South Dakota. That was at 3:30 a.m. March 23.  Six and a half weeks later I finally made it home — with the Bat Eater’s Flu. That had me down for a couple of weeks.

Then crappie fishing got hot in Idaho and still is. In late July my wife, Katy and I caught 145 in about three hours Plus, I had 19 writing deadlines to meet within 15 days plus Umarex Airgun sponsored a pigeon hunt.

Of course the wife and I had to keep hitting the crappie a couple of times each week plus my daughter wanted some “ fishing time with dad” too.  So from mid-March through mid-June things were crazy.  So much for a “lock-down.”

All the while I still needed to practice and pull things together for the upcoming archery season.  However, Bill Olson and I had planned a Texas sized axis deer and hog hunt to ring-out the big .50 caliber Umarex Hammer air rifle.  That covered a full week on a beautiful low-fenced ranch west of Menard Texas loaded with free-range axis deer and wild hogs managed by AMR Properties (9403936200.com, yes that is their web address and drop the .com for the phone number).

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