[Whetstone70]

Old Ranchers, Hunters and Marksmen

While growing up I had the privilege of knowing several Old time shooter's from a variety of Fields. First across from our home in Arizona was Bob Caldwell who had a small ranch and was a real life cowboy from all definitions. In the early 1900's he broke horses for the US Cavalry at Fort Huachuca. He could Ride , Rope and Shoot. His quick Draw may not of been as fast as Bob Arganbright or Ernie Hill , But I've never seen them try their handiwork from the back of a horse either. But he never missed a rattlesnake. It seemed that in the summer all of the rattlesnakes would converge at the base of the Randolph mountains and hang out there. He always carried a gun for snakes and thieves. Rustling wasn’t a problem but he did have a couple of times where someone had killed a head or two and butchered them on the spot. As kids we would walk over to his place and if he wasn’t busy we could generally coax him into putting on a sort of wild west show for us. I have never mastered shooting a pistol off of horse back and I don’t think that I will ever be as good as he was at it.

Second Was; Wister Weeden who hunted extensively in Africa and favored his collection of Double rifles. He taught me that the quicker you have a second shot ready the safer you were; as well as more humane the kill in case of a first shot wound. To take the time and be patient and selective about hunting did you need to? And are you going to eat it? Is it causing harm to people or livelihood. These were just some of the criteria that he said a good hunter goes by. Never hunt and waste he would say. And never let off of the tracking after the shot. If you shot it you found it.

And last but not least was Mr. Ralph Peters; who was part of the USAMU Rifle team that were the National Match Champions in 1963. He shot Wimbledon matches and won the President's 100 also between 1963 and 1966.

Each of these fine gentlemen taught me everything I know. I soaked up everything they told me like a sponge. From Bob I learned that if you don’t care for leather it won't take care of you. That a fast draw isn’t about speed its about accuracy. And that it a lost art. And in the past was seldom done against another man but most commonly against animals . Hate to kill the myth but that was a fact given to me by A Cowboy whose father was a Cowboy.

Mr.Weeden taught me that animals can hunt you. Something I relearned on a Mountain Lion Hunt in Arizona. And with black powder he taught me that dry is good and caps should be sealed as well as the lead. In fact he told me that failing to keep both ends of a black powder rifle or handgun sealed is an invite to moisture. And with moisture comes misfires.

Mr. Peters taught me the art of Iron Sights; The sling and breathing and the value of them. That has saved me and my guys more than once down range.
I am not an expert nor anything close to it. And I hope that I can keep learning from all of the old timers out there. They are getting fewer they are. And me and my generation are at the apex of our lives. Soon we will be the old timers. And what we pass down will be the tips and tricks we know. I won't let what has been taught to me go to waste. I will share that information to those who want it. I remember the stories from all of those Gentleman and I am writing it down for all to read.

I have learned nothing in War either OIF or OEF that contributes positively to shooting and thus I will not write of it or those conflicts. I do hope to learn more about writing so I can retell what the old timers have told me and taught me.
When I was young I had an extensive firearms collection. And I squandered it. Oh that I could regain it I would!!

180 years of firearms history gone. Never again I hope to build my collection more carefully and with more discipline than the last time.

© 2012 Phil R. Snider