Legacies Lost and Found: The Ithaca 20 Gauge

Legacies Lost and Found: The Ithaca 20 Gauge

The lost Ithaca 20 gauge of his boyhood would be the only thing he could leave to his daughter to pass on the legacy…or so he thought. Michael wiped the sweat from his brow with an old grease towel from his grandfather’s workbench and slumped to the floor. He...
Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 1

Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 1

Yesterday I’d never shot more than a sporting clay. Today I shot a metal target from 700 yards away in the heart of Texas hill country as a student of the FTW Ranch SAAM Course.  Yep, 700 yards away. And that’s only part of what I learned how to do in my first day as...
Dove-Hunting Doodle

Dove-Hunting Doodle

If you’re looking for a family-loving, energetic, highly trainable pet that can also be helpful in the field, a Doodle may be right up your alley. These days, when we hear of the poodle breeds, we may imagine tall, slim, pampered pups with questionable...
Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 4

Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 4

Every single person I met at FTW Ranch was kind, supportive, helpful and enjoyable, and I am leaving here not just with new knowledge, but a lot of new friends. Fredo and I met at 6 a.m. to hunt for hogs again this morning. It had just finished raining and was still...
Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 3

Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 3

Today I went hunting for the very first time and it’s safe to say I’m hooked. Instead of beginning our day in the classroom, we rode out to one of the ranges to practice shooting in different positions. Our instructor, Dave, spent some time showing us how...
Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 2

Dispatch from FTW Ranch SAAM Course: Day 2

I wasn’t sure how my second day here could top my first, which was full of accomplishments, but then I remembered I’m at FTW and that’s how things work around here. We spent the morning with another hour-long class session where our instructor went into more detail...