First Barred Owl chick standing in the door.

   Biggest and oldest chick.  The biggest tend to get even MORE food and get bigger.  The last-born can starve to death or get eaten by the others.

500mm Nikon mirror lens.  Old film cam lens I bought in perfect shape.  Great time to try it out.  Had to run the ISO up to 3200 and it wasn't enough.

Mom standing by waiting for the tourists to clear out.  Might be the mate behind her.

I figured we would see the first-born chick sooner or later....and there he was.  Barred Owls.  Very common in this ecosystem.

  Last few years we have followed the Screech Owls as they hatched out and dispersed.  Missing them this year- they picked another knothole, but these guys have been in evidence all Spring.

Gulf Wooden Ship.

More boat stuff.  Pretty amazing.

And MORE boat stuff from the Gulf.

Oil companies finding everything.  Photos and a history here.  A ship named the SS Robert E. Lee would be...um...insensitive these days.  But not then.

More stuff underwater.  The Gulf is just now beginning to be explored.  We don't really know much about it at all.

Happy 100th Birthday to the Battleship Texas!

She was built for WWII, reconditioned and fought in WWII in the Atlantic, took part in supporting D-Day in Normandy, then steamed to the Pacific and fired cover for the Marines at Iwo Jima.  Quite a storied ship.

WWII Fighter found in Desert

Pretty amazing.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18038650

Panola Leg Match: Relay 3 in the pits.

Ken Stracner.

Robert Langham.

Kyle.

Clay Hefner.

Tony Miller.

Lauren LeCren.

David Keys.

Alan Wilson.

Mark McFadin.

Brandy.

James Pennington.

Rick Tanner.

Michael McCabe.

Panola NRA Regional Weekend.

Jim Booker's rifle.  Booker is our token cannibal as we celebrate diverse peoples.  Clay says he will eat Jim's famous hat if Obama is re-elected.

James Pennington becomes the undisputed winner of the Big-Ass Hat contest.

Kyle gets his game face on.

Emily Hogg keeps her game face on.

  Doug Girard/Em Hogg rifles.  Doug got LEG points today, sits at 28.

Jesus sandals make a rare appearance on the firing line.

Everything cropped out of this photo is David Keys.

James Pennington in his normal-ass hat.

Our favorite Roger Lankford....first leather in the leg match.  Again.  He's having a coat made with the hair inside.

Match Director Ken Gaby surveys the scene.  Big crowds all days.  Five relays on the Regional day.

Morely Obed from New Mexico.

One of the heavily-armed Cagel children.

Buffalo John Zuback ready for prone rapid.

Nez Rongero stretched out with his M1A.  Nez went distinguished long ago with three consecutive LEG Match wins.  His badge number is 1234.

DO NOT attempt this at home: These are professionals on a closed course:  Bailey Fairchild watusi-ed up for prone rapid.  Bailey was the TOP non-Distinguished.  28 points.  At 600 she shot a seven, three nines....and cleaned it the rest of the way.

Feats of Strength:  Some young whippersnappers challenged Dave Wilson to a pull-up contest and the best they could manage was a weak draw.  Advantage: Dave @ 21 pull-ups.

James can almost do as many pull ups as someone twice his age.  Plus a little more.  That's the pistol LEG match, (29 non-distingushed shooters, three legs), in the background.

Can you believe they didn't put THESE GUYS on Top Shot? 

The employable Mitchell Hogg.

Conrad Myrick and Izzy.

Lauren Lecren.  Shooting a little better every match.

Alan Wilson scoring.

Rare view of Roger Sepaugh from the International Space Station.

Range time with The Sneed

The Good Doctor drove up so we could shoot his new elk-killing 7mm Mag, (Rem 700), work on his stick positions, et.  We went out to 31 West which is in better shape than ever.

Sneed focusing his bank account.

  I boresighted his 7mm.  He's got a scopoliscious 8-25 or so Swarowski on it.  First shot went in right over the 10 ring at 100 yards. (First round ever through the rifle.)  As the bore got a little bullet grease it came down into the X-ring.  Never touched it for even a quarter-minute click.  Pretty close bore-sighting.

Justin Burn's baby.  I'm all for folks loaning firearms, I do it myself, often.

Next we bore-sighted Justin Burn's baby, a 1903 A4 built for the Vintage Sniper Match at Camp Perry.  Justin is going to London.  I'm babysitting.  Alan Long had donated a little match 30-06.  Had to move the rear sight base but got it very close on first shot.  Have to decide if I am using the top of the post for the aiming point, or the crosshairs under the post.  Got it zeroed and shot 10 rounds including some prone.  Going to require a cheek piece to get comfortable head position.

Sneed on the A4.

  Sneed kept shooting and I fired 10 rounds offhand with my AR.

Offhand.  94X3.  Shot an 8.

  Fired my .45 at 100 yards at a silhouette I had patched up and had 15 hits for 15 shots.  Video.

100 yards with a Les Baer .45.

If the Okies have open carry and we don't....it's time to dig up the Spitfires.

How long must your people suffer, oh Lord?  How long?  The Okies are going to be packing iron in the sunlight and we have to skulk around like.....tab-drinking yankees?  The descendants of San Jacinto can't wear their pistols and go armed to the terror of the public like God intended?  Where's Leo Berman?  Where's Rick Perry?  No more wrapping my roscoe in swaddling clothes and scuffling about like a miser hiding his wallet.  Let's go TSRA!  I want a real tie-downgunbelt with 10 lbs of cartidges in loops around the outside!

  I'd buy a LeMat, just to strap it on and go have coffee!