New Mexico Birding snake.

Probably a Bull Snake, my friend says. After Thrashers. Around Hagerman, NM. I bet there are less Thrashers than there were.

Pig beginning to show.

He is getting more reliable. Looks like a young male finding a new range.

Bad cam pulled-won't fire flash at night, another never has anything on card. Hard to keep these guys going! Haven't checked or corned cams in a month. Deer Corn has nearly doubled in price thanks to pandering elected folks and the Iowa caucus.

Two ticks just walking through brush with rubber boots on.

TSRA Calendar for 2012

Dr. Sneed and I were in the Saunders Collection at the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets center with curator Lisa Kalmus for a day of shooting. Nice guns and we moved along, though I certainly would be in trouble without the Good Doctor. I'd hustled lots of backgrounds and used them all, plus some from the collection. Just finished photo editing and selection, though I am going to look it over tomorrow and send them Monday.
Nikon 300 and Dynalight flash. Lots of reflectors, white cards, diffusion box, museum wax, et.

Thanks to our hosts at A&M, Lisa Kalmus and Dr. Lane who helped her pick Texas Guns.

Rick Crawford gravesite this afternoon.

He's in a nice spot. Just after lunch today on my way back from a photo shoot I dropped by. I wish I had conspired to get a decent rifle in there with him.

Monthly Panola Shoot.

Strange to be there without Rick Crawford. Dave Wilson ran a good match and handled the results and money. 27 shooters. We tried to keep folks out of the heat but it is getting to be serious summertime here in Texas. Shot the AR and was encouraged. 768 but could see the target much better with my Knobloks, used for the first time ever all the way across the course. Two 8s offhand and two 8s at 600 ruined my score along with a high group at 300. Had two cases crack and had to shoot an alibi round in the rapids. The second one I had to clear and go on, since you only get one alibi string. All the same headstamp brass out of a little pile of WCC 08 I picked up at the range. I'm sure it was once-fired, but so much for WCC brass.

Much behind-the-sceneswork being done to keep the Texas Highpower program on the rails and moving down the tracks.

Rick Crawford Funeral and graveside.

Distinguished people. Most of these badges have Rick Crawford's fingerprints all over them.


Service Rifle Team wreath.


L-R: David Keys, David Guthry, Daniel Miller, Brandon Jacobs, Gregg Foster, unknown, Katye Foster, Will Foster, unknown, Emily Hogg, Mont Bartling, Alan Wilson, Rusty Hogg, Becky Wilson, Gary Shannon, Karl Schultz, Mitchell Hogg, Mrs Shannon, Ken Gaby, Alan Long, Nez Rongero, Mrs Rongero, Wallace McDaniel, Mark Turner, Tony Miller, Justin Utley, Rol Coggins, Robert Langham, Michael Carter, Keith Stephens, Dave Wilson, Jeff Lin, Ron Chatelein, Tommy Laing, Dick Curry, Ray Diaz, Blake Smith, John Dunaway, unknown, Gregg Troxell, Charlie Wallis, John Izlhoefer, Michael Wilson, Dan Gilmer.

Very impressive to see his shooting family at the church. More Distinguished Rifleman Badges in one place than ever before in Texas. We counted 34. Since there aren't 2000 Civilian DR badges yet, this was over 1 1/2% of all badges given since 1876.

Nice service. Heard stories I hadn't ever heard. Old faces showed up. Wonderful to see his other families.

Laid Rick to rest in a very good spot just inside the Smith County line. Problem is: Rick hates to rest. He likes to drive. He likes to work. He likes to DO things. Big plan and small detail kind of guy. Very rare. From the pallbearer line I saw grown men crying behind their sunglasses. Bitter to leave him there. We want Rick with us. We want to be with him.

My friend.

He's in heaven. I'm glad for that but as a matter of fact I've been with Rick in heaven. Lots of times. In Heaven with a blank scorecard and a full bullet box as the targets come up in the dawn at Camp Swift. In Paradise picking up the last few pieces of brass and policing the line at Bayou Rifles as they put the targets away. In Nirvana nodding off to the hum of the truck engine as we drove the last few miles of Kentucky on the way to Elizabethtown. Rick coached us through heaven dozens of times in team matches sitting behind the scope at 600 and calling the wind....3:00 Ten. 3:00 Ten. 3:00 X. Straightaway.

So heaven must be very, very, very good. Better than being bunked up in a hut at Camp Perry after lights out listening to Rick and Ivy cellphone chat like two teenagers. Better than sitting back at Mon Ami with a margarita mixed by a yankee. Better than Camp Perry NRA week after the crowd has gone home. It must smell like burnt Varget and Hoppe's #9 and have good range flags. The target carriers must run smoother than Panola. LaBerge must run the pits. The brass never stretches and your barrel throat doesn't erode. You don't have to struggle with your own government for human rights. You must be able to see the front sight AND the aiming black. Probably everyone has good hair.

Rick will get it straightened out. This good-dying-young nonsense seems like a policy developed by folks who have lost touch with the common folks. Corporate blindness. With Rick in charge, the Evil won't make puberty and the Good will be hale and hearty at 140.

We are going on. To Camp Perry and beyond. We are going to stand up a VERY competitive team on Viale range. Panola will shoot. Swift will shoot. If you are working on Distinguished or just getting started you will have your opportunity. Thank God we had him as much as we did. But when I get to Heaven there better be a most excellent explanation of why this was a good idea or flaming angels will be falling from the sky like the old days.

Update: Sunday spent emailing and phoning to make a list of what we need to do to support Highpower Rifle in Texas. Four of us will probably do badly what Rick accomplished effortlessly.

Crawford Visitation Tonight.

6:00 at Rader Funeral Home in downtown Kilgore. Called the florist this morning to order a spray from the Service Rifle Team, (144.00). First shop couldn't build it. They said they were nearly out of everything.

Spray will have "TSRA Service Rifle Team" on it. Also banners that say "Camp Perry, Camp Swift and Panola."

Wearing team shirt and Distinguished Badge. If you have ANY CMP medal, tonight and tomorrow at the funeral would be a good time to pin it on your shirt or coat pocket.

Update: Great crowd full of the best people. Crawford Trophy on the sign in table. Wonderful slide show of Rick from childhood, young man, young married man, dad, husband, grand-dad, along with many shooting photos. Quite a tribute. Got to talk with his sister and brother and others, see the grandkids and the rest.

Daunting to see Rick.

In a bit, he'll get Heaven straightened out. No more of this good dying young nonsense. The EVIL won't make puberty and the Good live until a hale and hearty 140.

Rick Crawford

Richard “Rick” Crawford

Services for Rick Crawford, 57, of Kilgore, will be 2 pm Saturday, June 4, 2011, at First Baptist Church in Kilgore with Reverend David Hampton officiating. Burial will follow in the Kilgore Memorial Gardens. Mr. Crawford passed away in Longview Wednesday morning after a brief illness.

He was born December 27, 1953 in Ulysses, Kansas.  Mr. Crawford worked for TXU/Luminant starting as a Chemist and culminating his career as the Laboratory Supervisor.  Rick was a member of the First Baptist Church in Kilgore where he was a Deacon and Audio/Visual technical director.   Mr. Crawford was a Life NRA member and Director in the Texas State Rifle Association.  He lead 29 Texas teams to the National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio.  He was a very successful competitor with TSRA with numerous range records, State Team Championships, NRA Regional Medals and National Match wins including the 2009 Soldier of Marathon trophy and individual honors.  He is the only Texan to win two Elihu Root trophies at the National Matches and was named to the National Rifle Team.  He was awarded the Distinguished Rifleman's Badge.  Rick was director for many matches including the Panola County Gun Club.  Texas competitors recently commissioned the Rick Crawford Service Rifle Championship Trophy in his honor.  He was a mentor to many.

Rick is survived by his wife Ivy Crawford of Kilgore; mother, Faye Crawford of Kilgore; sons, Kevin Crawford and his wife Amy of Shreveport, Louisiana, Matt Crawford and his wife Jessi of Whitehouse; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Kaitlyn, Joseph, Andrew and Samantha all of Shreveport, Cayce and A.J. both of Whitehouse; brother, Jody Crawford and wife Patty of Huntsville; sister, Cathy Richter and husband Buddy of Austin; mother-in-law, Dolores Tucker of Kilgore and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Crawford.

The family will receive friends at Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m

Memorial contributions may be made to, TSRA Foundation, Rick Crawford Memorial Fund, 314 E. Highland Mall Blvd Suite 300, Austin, TX 78752


Rick Crawford Services posted.

Funeral at 2pm Saturday at First Baptist Church, Kilgore. Burial at Kilgore Memorial Gardens. Visitiation Friday night at 6:00 at Rader funeral Home, Kilgore.

Please wear your Distinguished Badge to the funeral.

Donations in lieu of flowers as requested by family to:

TSRA Foundation, Rick Crawford Memorial Fund
314 E. Highland Mall Blvd.
Suite 300
Austin, Texas

Rick Crawford

With Justin Utley this year after Utley won the Crawford Trophy.


Watching the wind at the 1000 yard line on Viale during the year Evan Hess, Rick and I stayed from CMP week through Long Range.


Firing Long Range Championship at Camp Perry.


Golden Triangle Gun Club NRA regional in Beaumont.


Scoring Justin Utley during the President's 100 final top 20 shootoff last year.


Winning part of the Bayou Rifles NRA Regional.


Getting his game face on during the TSRA Highpower Championship at Swift last year.


Hugging Katye Foster after she and her dad legged out last year at the Panola NRA regional Match.


TSRA Convention in Mesquite this year with Manual Daniels and Steve.


On the computer in the back of his truck compiling stats during the TSRA Highpower Championship this year.


Giving Tommy Laing his Distinguished hatpin and decals after Tommy Legged out at Bayou Rifles in 2010. Many Distinguished Rifleman badges have Rick's fingerprints on them. Many.


Firing my K31 at the Vintage Rifle match last year at Camp Perry.


Suffering through a group photo before the awards ceremony last year at Camp Perry.


With Wallace McDaniel at Mon Ami during the Texas Dinner at Camp Perry.


Pair firing with Gregg Foster last year on team day at Camp Perry.


Fixing a room full of triggers at the Mar-Lu Cabins at Port Clinton during the CMP week.


Keeping Dick Curry in line during the Panola LEG match a few weeks ago.


Rick was very touched and pleased over the Crawford Trophy. Thank goodness we got this done for this good man.

Rick Crawford and Justin Utley at the 2010 President's 100 shootoff.

Nice video of Rick in action scoring Justin as the 20 top P-100 finishers fire.

Rick Crawford, 1954-2011.

Devoted family man. Leader, guru and friend to Texas Highpower Rifle Community. Services pending. Keeping his family in thoughts and prayers.