Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Yesterday I bought a gun

Well, sort of.

I mean I'm not that guy (who lives just southwest of here by they way). I don't expect I'll ever own a full, human killing gun mainly because I don't really want one. I know that people can be careful with the guns they own, but I've also been on the helping end of too many incidents with people, kids really, being involved in accidents with guns. No, I'm not a real gun shooter.

But here in this big space, well there's room to do some target shooting and lets face it, I've wanted a pellet gun since I was a kid. So yesterday while we were in town I purchased one of the more powerful pellet guns you can get without a permit and a process.

Aside from the target practice, I also bought it for the rodents.
Neighbours have volunteered to come by with large real guns to help with any problems we may have with unwanted hordes of small infestations, and they will still be my backup plan, but I got a pellet gun that will take down small and mid-sized beasts of the field, if needed.

It should be enough for mice and gophers, possibly snakes but that might be challenging. And it might even help move along larger skunks, which last year were a bit of a problem in this area. We also see the occasional stray dogs that come over from Hobima, sometimes they move in packs and get a little aggressive. I doubt this will kill them, but if needed it can help move them along.

But I think mostly it will be for target practice, can on a fence post kind of thing.
I'm honestly not too sure about my ability to kill an animal.


next up, a big belt buckle??

15 comments:

  1. If you get to the point where you can hit a mouse, that would either be some big mouse or you are becoming a sharp shooter.

    I have to admit some jealousy. Leo and I spent our first Easter(before we were married) gopher hunting down south. Real 22's. Not a whole lot of other options for entertainment down there. I love the challenge of hitting a target, I must admit. It has been a long time since I've shot anything. I guess I've given up that skill to my son.

    This summer, if we drop by your field, might just challenge you to some shooting practice. Shine up that big buckle.

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  2. Now you need a grain company cap and a pickup truck (with a gun rack in the back window) to go with that big belt buckle and gun. Then you'd fit right in down here. ;)

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  3. It's only a matter of time until you wear snake boots.

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  4. You may just be on your way to becoming a redneck...whatever that means.

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  5. Leave the small animals alone,please? What fun can there be in killing, even gophers.

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  6. I still have the Crosman pellet gun that I got when I was about 10 or 11 years old, but I think the seals are gone - it barely pushes the pellets out the barrel now. I had a lot of fun putting holes in paper with it as a kid. Pumping it up 10 or so strokes produced enough power to kill small varmints. The challenge was getting the mice to sit still long enough for a shot.

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  7. Riflery was always my best skill in camp. That was with a .22.

    I always wanted a BB gun or a pellet gun. Maybe one day I, too, will live in a field and get one.

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  8. I'm pretty stoked about this coming weekend full of food & gopher hunting. I've had an itch my camera cannot scratch. My BNRO should do the trick.

    Randall, that rifle very likely wouldn't kill skunks or dogs with field (pointed) or round nosed pellets, but wad cutters (flat nosed) smack harder, hurt more (I know because we used to shoot each other) and leave a bigger welt. It might be a longer term deterrent from your vermin returning.

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  9. You know you're a redneck when.... you pastors packing heat.

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  10. When I saw your subject line I thought you were announcing your intention to move to the US.

    All I can say is, be careful or you'll shoot your eye out.

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  11. It's all fun and games 'til the pastor looses an eye...

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  12. Fear not Jean,
    after last nights attempt at target practice, I could barely hit a tree from 30 feet away.

    If you take a small, moving target who's motivated by fear?
    I don't think I'll be doing much damage to them.

    Probably have to revert to traps.

    But on the good side, no one lost an eye yet!!


    :)

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  13. My eyes are no longer good enough to shoot well, so congrats on that I guess. With enough practice your next move could be Texas, where the weather is warm all year round.

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