What The Storm Blew In

We've had more rain here in Northern California than any other time that I can remember.

Our rivers are full, our lakes are filling to capacity, and yet I'm thinking that the State of California will limit water to the farmers this summer anyway. Instead, the State will probably send more water to Los Angeles for their swimming pools and car washes. Some folks have different priorities.

Here in Glencoe, we have had it wet, cold, white, warm, cold, wet, and now white again. But it was the winds the other night that had me concerned. The wind roared through these mountains like a runaway freight train all night long like never before. And when I say roar, I mean roar.

The last time that I'd heard such wind was almost 30 years ago and I was staying at a house on the coast in a small town called Princeton. The house faced the sea and it took the full force of the wind coming off the ocean.

During the night the storm got worse, and like an angry man bent on destruction it tore one of it's shutters loose. The wind slammed the shutter hard against the window a few time until it sprayed the living room with broken glass.

It sounded a lot like an angry wind the other night. A constant roar was only broken now and then by the sound of something being thrown around on our deck or a tree breaking in the back of our home. I didn't mind the chairs on the deck, but I'm always concerned about a tree falling into our home.

My wife has had enough of these storms that keep blowing through. The rain has gotten to her. She is tired of going through puddles and in some places ankle deep water when she goes to feed our horses in the morning. She wants it to stop. She has had enough.

For me, I want more rain. I want our lakes and water reservoirs to reach historic highs instead of the historic lows that they have been at for the last 15 to 20 years. I'm tired of the State always declaring droughts because they failed to save enough water for California.

The winds came on Friday, but on Saturday came more snow. But since I decided to open the American Legion even though we're normally closed, I was having to bartend with another local man who wanted to learn how to tend bar there so that he could volunteer more at the post.

A week ago, I opened during that storm. And it was lucky that I did, because a newcomer to the area who didn't have four wheel drive or chains got stuck and walked to the Legion. When she walked in she was cold and tired and beside herself.

Then a local gal by the name of Dorothy, who's family has been around here since the early 1900's, came in right after her.  Immediately upon finding out that she had troubles, Dorothy offered to take her home. The newcomer said she was on her way to pick up her kids who were stranded at their school.

Dorothy didn't hem and haw, and instead said, "No problem. Let's go get them," even though they were 8 miles away in another town.

Later I found out that she high-centered her truck on the way back from dropping off the other gal and her kids. It took her all night to get her truck off there and home.

There is a special place in Heaven for people like Dorothy. She is who she is and there's nothing fake about her. She helps everyone and is there when others are in need.

That was a week ago, and this Saturday another snow storm was due.

Knowing there was another storm coming in, I honestly didn't think we'd get anyone in the front door. But to my surprise, I was wrong. We had a few friends and neighbors who didn't want to sit home and instead wanted to join others while it snowed outside.

And we were sitting there laughing about something or other, when in walks a stranger.

He just appeared out of the blue. No on had ever seen him before, and the few people who were there all looked at each other as if asking one another if anyone knew him. No one did. And if you're wondering why it was so strange to see a stranger walk in, well you have to know this area a little.

Now this is a friendly place, but it was odd to say the least for someone to land in Glencoe in the middle of a heck of a snow storm. You see Highway 26 is not traveled as much as other roads in our area. It is definitely out of the way.

The stranger said he was up in these parts visiting a friend when he got lost, and he was looking for the Highway to take him to Modesto. And why he wanted to go to Modesto? Well no one asked, because the more he talked the more we became a little confused about him.

You see, sitting at the bar, he first said he was from San Diego. Then after that he said that he lived in Orange County. And at one point, he sort of lost me because I thought he said he was staying in Modesto. Yet here he was.

And in the middle of telling us where he was from, he stood up and started looking at the old military stuff that we have on the walls of our Legion Hall. He was intrigued with some of the old stuff - especially the World War II infantry gear.

At one point he called me over to ask me about a machete that the Marine Corps issued during World War II. Then he said that there was something that he wanted to show me.

And yes, he made it sound a little mysterious. No kidding.

Heck, I did not know what to think. Like I said, no one knew the man. And yes, he seemed a little disoriented to say the least.  Heck, first he said he was from one place then he said he was from another, and after that he decides that he wanted to show me something from his car. What was I to think?

When I asked what it was that he wanted me to see? He answered, "Don't worry, I wouldn't bring a gun in here!" Then he turned and left to go out to his truck.

I moved over to lean against the back of the bar by the register. I watched him through the window behind the register as he went to his truck. There are a lot of strange people that live in the big cities and you can never tell about them.

Lately it seems that more and more people from the cities are moving to this area. Some are pretty strange people. Many coming up here are not always the friendliest people. Many these days are bringing their tempers, their road rage, their surly attitudes, and their ideas of how we should be living.

Yes, a lot of city people are coming to the country. Some to stay and some to visit. Some with good intentions and others with an agenda. Those who are here visiting are usually the nicer of the lot. Many of the ones moving here to stay come with an agenda. And yes, even if they might not have had one at first - they seem to acquire one after being here a while.

Our area is changing because of new people moving in and wanting to change this area. It is something about people that has always amazed me. I saw it happen to Hawaii during the 1960s and 70s, and in Washington State during the late 1980s and early 90s. I've watched people do it over and over again in big ways and small.

First they visit somewhere and decide that they love that place. Then they decide that they love that place so much that they would love to live there one day. Then they sell out and move to that place they fell in love with.

And why did they do it? Love of course. They loved the weather, or the laid back attitude there. Maybe it was the friendly like minded people, the great schools, the lack of traffic, and the happy small town feel of the place.

But it always seems to happen, sooner or later, those very same people who moved from somewhere like say the big cities of the San Francisco Bay Area will want to change where they moved to. One day, for some unknown reason, they will wake up with a desire to try to change it into the very place that they escaped from.

And yes, it's very obvious to watch happen. They are the ones that are fairly rude in the grocery stores in Jackson. They are the ones looking down their nose at the way people live in the mountains. They don't decide to drive like everyone else or be one of those happy small town people that drew them here.

Instead they keep their city driving habits like tailgating, using their horn, cutting in front of people, and rushing around in a hurry. They do the same thing they did in the city and never really give themselves enough time to get anywhere. They're the ones that pass us on corners and can't seem to understand the concepts of rural living.

But worse, they expect us to change and accommodate their attitudes. And yes, they work to get on the school boards and local governments with a "not so hidden" agenda. Some are only here for a year before wanting to give their input on how everyone in the area should live.

And yes, they are more then willing to tell you their ideas to change things. Of course, they are surprised that others don't share their desire to turn our area into another San Jose or San Francisco.

It is a tribute to their stupidity that they don't understand that this is not a fine wine and dining area like Napa Valley. This is not the slopes of Heavenly in Lake Tahoe, and it sure isn't the trendiness of Vail Colorado. We don't have the Sundance Film Festival here. You don't see Limos or hear rap music here.

Many have a hard time believing that we like the way life is here. Some city people might see us as naive, uneducated, unsophisticated, and they can't believe that we wouldn't want to live the way they do. And we don't.

Of course there are those others who relocate to an area and blend in with the community. They assimilate and accept the life they've decided to live in the place they've decided to live it. They ease into things and leave their type "A" personalities behind them.

They are the ones that folks up here hope become our new neighbors. They've left their city ways in the past. They aren't pretentious and don't expect you, or the area, to change to suit them. Talking to them, you know if they'd fit or not. And unlike those who don't want to assimilate into the area, they fit.

Some do and some don't. My watching the stranger from the window was my way of being better safe than sorry. Did he fit or was he some sort of developer with an eye on trying to change things here?

Heck, since no one knew him, we didn't know if he was some nut from the city or harmless. He just seemed like he didn't know where he needed to be. So yes, from the register window which does overlook the parking lot, I watched him pick through the backseat of his truck looking for something.

And yes, as I was watching him, I felt everyone at the bar watch me at the window. Soon the folks sitting at the bar were curious as well and started asking me stuff like, "What's he doing now?"

I shrugged my shoulders and sort of laughed that I didn't know. But as sure as there is a morning, he sure looked determined to find whatever he was looking for. No matter how hard it snowed on him in the process.

Then I saw the man grab up some papers and finally start back toward the building. I told the folks at the bar to relax that he wasn't some crazed gunmen from the city. He was probably just bringing in some road maps so that we can show him how to get to Modesto from here.

When the stranger walked in, the first thought that I had was "you poor guy, you're freezing." And yes he was cold and it did surprise me a little that after I offered him something to warm him up that he didn't want it. I offered hot coffee, but instead he only wanted water.

Right then it seemed that he was very anxious to have me see what he had. For some reason, it was important to him that I see what he brought in. And after he handed me one, I then realized that it wasn't a map.

Instead he laid a couple of pistol targets on the bar. Targets that he shot while at his friend's property. Targets that he was obviously pretty proud of.

I looked at both of the targets and asked how far away was he, and what kind of gun was he shooting? Then I looked at the groups and asked him what caliber was he shooting?

And yes, he answered all my questions and he seemed like he had relaxed a little. It was obviously his idea of Group Therapy!

He then reached in his pocket to show me what kind of bullets he was shooting. He told me that he kept it close when on a road trip like this. He then said, "You know, people in the city would probably think that I'm strange for wanting to show you my targets. I was only keeping them to show someone."

I told him that it was great that he brought them in, although I did think he was going to freeze out there trying to find them. I also told him that I liked the groups that he shot and that he should feel good about his shooting. He smiled.

When I folded them and reached out to hand them back to him. He said that I can throw them away now. He said he only kept them to show someone who would appreciate it. And I did.

After a while he seemed to relax and we swapped a joke or two, and I made sure he had directions to Modesto. He said how much he liked our Legion Hall. Then after being there for less than an hour, he got up and left.

A few of the folks at the bar chuckled and said that I made a friend. One said that the stranger seemed a little stranger than most, but I didn't think he was that strange really. Heck, he was lost during a heavy snow and needed directions to get where he wanted to go.

Before he left, I did tell him to come back some time when he's in the area. I think if he hadn't been lost and a bit anxious, he'd probably fit in around here OK. And who knows, maybe if the stranger ever gets lost again we'll find him back here one day? Who knows?

The snow got worse right after he left, and the wind started to pick up hard again. From the window I saw the snow plow come through a few times, and I couldn't help but wonder what else the storm would blow in.

Story by Tom Correa

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?

Talking with a old friend the other day, the conversation swung around to the poor people in Japan who were hit with both an earthquake and a tsunami. We talked about them and how it was for many folks during Hurricane Katrina.

And of course, we talked about us being prepared in case of an emergency.

We talked about how I keep gas on hand for my generator to run my pumps for my wells, food on hand in our pantry, wood for my wood stove, and of course extras like lanterns and a portable camp stove.

So if there were an emergency where services like phone and power was interrupted, we'd be OK.

Then he brought up the worse case scenario of another attack like 9-11, and the even worse aspect of multiple attacks all at once in a few different cities around the country.

An attack like that would possibly throw panic across the entire country and bring our nation to a halt. But I don't know if it would happen that way. The reason I'm skeptical is because I remember that unlike the people who were directly affected by the attacks on 9-11, my family was not affected other than angered.

I think if there was some sort of a huge attack type of situation, then I can see people flooding out of the cities to try to get to higher more isolated protected ground. I can see huge problems along the way.

Look at Hawaii and take a look at what was happening while they were preparing for the tsunami to hit them. There were reports of people hoarding everything off the shelves in the super markets and fights breaking out over people trying to fill up their cars at gas stations.

The best and worse in a person's nature comes out during a crisis, real or not. In the case of Hawaii and the tsunami, it was a great drill but that was about it. And yes, there are things that people there might want to do in the future to be more prepared.

As for my family, well we live in the Sierra Mountains in a remote "town" of 189 people located at 2800 foot elevation. So all in all, I'm not worried about a tsunami or flood of any sort. And yes, really, we're not exactly the number one target for terrorist or a nuke attack.

But if something did happen down below in the cities than yes I can see this area getting a whole lot of people coming up here.

Besides not being able to accommodate everyone, the biggest problems during any crisis is the medical needs. People with chronic illness and those who need immediate care will need help. And then there are those who need medications everyday, they are dependant on medications.

Homeland Security advises everyone since 9-11 to keep at least a 30 day supply of your medications on hand just for emergencies. For me, I keep two months supply on hand. After all, better safe than sorry.

For the short term, meaning a few days to a couple of weeks, I think everyone would be fine after the initial panic. Once services are restored people have a tendency to calm down some and act more civilized.

If it were a long term situation, well then things become different don't they?

All of a sudden my short supply of gas to run my water pumps for my wells might not last. So water becomes an important issue. Luckily I have a hand pump on one well, so at least we will have water.

And yes, since 9-11, I've been thinking about this more and more. So one of the things that I've been working on lately is putting in an Off The Grid Solar/Wind Power system to run my two wells and part of my electrical needs. It would be nice to have this place as self-sufficient as possible.

Then there's food, and how long can your pantry hold you until you need more food. All of a sudden you start thinking of ways to feed your family. For me, I try to always keep at least 50 pounds of rice on hand.

My grandfather used to say, "if you have rice, you won't starve!" And he'd know, after all he endured the real hard times of the Great Depression and the strict rationing during World War II in Hawaii when a lot of things were in short supply.

But as for other food, my wife cans and bottles, and yes she gardens. We also have stock and a lot of game that comes through our property. Because our home is located on the edge of thousands of acres of forested wilderness, when I say game, I mean deer, turkey, fox, bob cats, coyotes, mountain lion, and even bear.

And yes, they all taste like chicken.

Now as for a threat from the lousier side of human nature? Well, like everyone up here, I have guns and some ammo in reserve. But more important than having truck loads of ammo, and no I'm not saying that that is a bad thing to have, is that we support each other around here.

My neighbors and I have already talked about what would happen if something big did take place and people started flooding in these parts. We figure that we'd gather up, then link up with others in the area for mutual protection and survival.

One of the nice things about living in rural America is that my neighbors are all like minded people.

Since we're in the hills, imagining that the County Sheriff and Highway Patrol would probably have their hands full, I would think most folks up here wouldn't have to travel to town until things settled down.

Other than duties relating to a Citizens Group made up of neighbors, the safest thing to do for most folks would be to bunker in and stay away from the problems as much as possible. After all, with an influx of people comes problems. Everything from traffic problems and congestion, shortages of gas and food, to tempers and thieves.

And like what some people in Hawaii just experienced, people can get nasty. 

The hope of course is that laws won't be broken. But if the law did break down to a certain extent, then a Citizens Group would be able to help maintain the peace until the proper civil authorities can get a better handle on things and regain control of the situation.

That is of course is thinking that there is a civil authority, and not like what happened in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Almost half of the entire New Orleans Police Department abandoned ship and quit just when everyone needed them.

Yup, they just walked off the job. Imagine that!

So even if that happened, we have to look at that problem as just another hurdle that we have to get over.

A fact of history is that people have been creating societies with the enforcement of laws since time immemorial.

I don't think that we can be ready for anything and everything that could possibly happen. 

Since we can't, I really believe that it comes down to the basics of preparedness geared to where we live. 

For example, where I certainly don't see a flood as a problem living on a mountain top, I do see forest fires as being a very real threat for us where we live.

Knowing this is the first step to making an honest assessment of things that I may need to worry about.  And of course, while having a realistic understanding of the threats to my home and property, I also need to keep in mind that being prepared for an emergency is my responsibility.

We have to do for ourselves.  And to see what the government recommends for all Americans, Homeland Security has published their 30 Tips for Emergency Preparedness:  http://www.dhs.gov/xcitizens/editorial_0711.shtm

We have to remember that we survive crises all the time.  In the short term for certain, but for the long term as well. Granted the long term would be tough, and it would certainly be tougher on those who are ill-prepared for an extended emergency.

The first rule of survival is to want to survive. Once that desire kicks in, then we can certainly do it without too much of a strain on civilization. Because of desire, I really believe that we can survive almost anything short of an act of God. 

The key is to want to. If you want proof, all you have to do is look to those who survived Hurricane Katrina the best they could in comparison to those who waited for the government to take care of them. 

Instead of evacuating early, some waited for help and died.

Those who use their head, keep their cool, think positive, and do for themselves have a better chance of survival than those who don't. 

How, you ask?  They adapt, they improvise, and they overcome.

Yes, I know it's the Marine way. But I also know from personal experience, that it really is the Cowboy way as well!

Story by Tom Correa

What's Obama Doing - By Doing Nothing?

I read where President Barrack Hussein Obama has selected his Final Four picks for the NCAA tournament.  He's predicting all number one seeds, Duke, Kansas, Ohio State and Pittsburgh for the men's tournament, which he's unveiling on ESPN Wednesday afternoon.

It's the third straight year the Commander-In-Chief, our Chief Executive, the President of the United States of America, has filled out a bracket with the sports channel.  And yes, it's the second year he's done so for the women's tournament.

So tune in on ESPN on Wednesday!  That's Wednesday afternoon! And yes, the President has spend many many hours on the NCAA Brackets.

WTF! NCAA Brackets? Who gives a shit about basketball?

Japan has suffered the worst earthquake in recorded history, and the tsunami that hit Japan has killed over 10,000 people. And yes, they need help!

The Libyans who are fighting for democracy are about to be wiped out.  Saudi Arabia who is the biggest financier of Muslim terrorism is now feeling the wrath of an enslaved people.  And of course, Libya and Saudi Arabia aren't the only countries over there going through the pangs of peoples in rebellion.

The Middle East is falling apart, and our Administration still refuses to uncap American Oil wells in the West or give the OK to Drill in Alaska right now.  In the meantime, our gas prices and the cost of everything including food is going through the roof.

Today it was reported that food prices in the U.S. have shot up higher this last month than it has in the last 37 years.  The report went on to say that food and fuel shortages are in our future.

Our unemployment rate is climbing, and companies are moving.  American companies would rather go overseas than deal with a Business-unfriendly Federal Government. And of course the government's answer these day is to raise more taxes, instead of cutting the money to special interests.

The American Dollar is in danger of being replaced as the world's go to currency.  Leftist special interest groups and Unions now own the White House, and the Muslim threat in America grows daily.

To add to America's problems, just recently the United States Attorney General Holder, who is black, told a Congressional hearing that he supports the Black Panthers intimidating voters at polls in 2008 because of what was done to "my people" over the years. Someone should inform him that "his people" are now "the American people," he represents all of us and not just blacks.

And yes, let's not forget that there really is a full out War going on right here on our Southern border with Mexico.  And it hasn't slowed down at all.  In fact more people are being killed there, right now, than they are in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. 

And what about protecting Americans?  It ain't happening! Everyday there are American citizens living along the Texas, Arizona, and California borders with Mexico who are being attacked by gunfire from armed bands of Mexicans drug runners and illegal alien smugglers.  The border is turning into a Demilitarized Zone no different than the DMZ that existed between North and South Vietnam. 

Folks, our farmers in that area are selling out and leaving.  They are being run off and they see staying as just a way of getting killed.  It just ain't right that they are being run off their own property.

And of course there is the fact that their leaving will also drive up the price of produce grown in our own country. It will be one more blow against our farmers trying to keep their farms.

Do you remember when America stopped drilling for our own oil in the United States?  We became dependant on other countries.  Well friends, if the environmentalist and the do nothing politicians have their way about it, that's how our food supply might be one day. All produce produced somewhere else and not in America.

And through all of this, what do we have by way of help from the White House?  Well, we have a President who would rather spend his precious time picking his final four choices for basketball. That's it!

Not much huh?  You bet it's not. Should it make people angry that Obama is spending his time on frivolous activities?  You bet it should. 

So what's Obama doing by doing nothing? 

Well, some say his failure to take action is just the same as a terrorist attack on the United States.  Some say that the executive branch of our government has essentially become disabled by way of Obama's incompetence and ineptness.

He has failed to conduct actual implemented executive policies on behalf of the American people.  He has no policies to implement, and I can't help but wonder if Obama feels any guilt about doing nothing while the world screams for action on his part?

If he is, well he's certainly not showing it.  Maybe he feels no guilt in the same way he has no shame.

Story by Tom Correa

Cowboy Action Shooting - Let's Talk!

Over the last few years, I've added my two cents here and there on a few discussion boards on the net. Most of the time, it had to do with politics, TV shows, the News, or some shooting sport or another. And usually, well, I'd just read something that didn't sit well, and I'd just have an urge to tell someone what I thought. Imagine that!

I remember the day that I first got the chance to get out to the range and shoot my first match. It was a great day. One of the other shooters lent me one of his pistols and a hundred rounds just so that I'd be able to join in on the fun and shoot that day.

After that, it was all a matter of time before I picked up what I needed to start Cowboy Action Shooting. I found out that I needed to join the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) to shoot with that club as it was a SASS affiliated club. So I looked SASS up on a Google search and found their website at SASS.

Once there, I found out what I needed to do to join. And yes, I saw on their website that they have an Internet forum called the Wire.

Actually, they have more than just one forum going at once. They have the SASS Wire, the SASS Saloon, a SASS Wire for Mounted Shooters, a SASS Wire for Classifieds, a SASS Wild Bunch Wire, and a SASS Wire for the Territorial Governors if I'm right. And all are geared to their members.

I'd have to say that the SASS Wire is their mainboard. This discussion board has many great topics and is really a great place to go if you're just starting in Cowboy Action Shooting. You can get a lot of questions answered. And yes, that was my initial reason for joining that forum.

I remember how I got bitten by the Cowboy Action Shooting bug. I was so eager to learn as much as I could about this new type of shooting. And yes, though I'd been shooting all my life, this was new to me.

I had already had a taste of the fun and the great fellowship at the range, so now I needed to know the rules and the "how comes" of the sport. The SASS Wire came in very handy.

The big reason that I liked the Wire being there at the time was that I really didn't want to be a PITA (pain in the ass) out at the range by asking people a whole lot of questions about this and that. That's why I was happy to find out that SASS had a discussion board.

Once I was on there, there was no getting off of it for the longest time. I read a lot, and I have to admit that I asked every dumb question that a new member could think of. No kidding, it was great.

I read about what members were talking about with the hopes that they were talking about some of the questions that I had and wanted to ask. And yes, I found great information. And friends, all sorts of subjects are talked about.

From shooting tips, gun talk, and good conversation to just about anything under the sun; from the advantages and history behind shooting two-handed versus one-handed shooting; to Custer's screw up at the Little Big Horn and other Old West history; from shooting sweep sequences and patterns to the pluses and minuses of using different calibers, different guns, and different powders; from talking about the latest assault from the Liberal Left on the 2nd Amendment to news about recently introduced guns; it's all there. 

Sometimes the talk gets heated. And frankly, I can do without that when it's supposedly a social forum -- but that happens anywhere -- especially when people may read what someone didn't explain what they were saying correctly when they typed out their comment. Trying to figure out what someone is saying simply reading very cryptic comments is one of the drawbacks of such forums. 

A few weeks ago, a member posted a link to another shooting forum talking about our sport of Cowboy Action Shooting. The discussion ranged from who those guys were, to why these guys talked about our sport since they have never shot with us, to let them go and talk because there may be one or two who might be interested in joining us at a match.

I took a look at the other website and thought that some of these guys would probably enjoy shooting with us. And, of course, it was obvious that some wouldn't. After all, they were just jerks who wouldn't be happy no matter what they were doing.

Sure, as with any organization, SASS has a few shooters who are not as friendly as one would hope. And yes, I can attest to meeting a few from time to time. And granted, some ranges are sort of "cliquish." But frankly, that happens in any sport, club, or organization.

If you don't think so, you obviously hadn't gone to a few VFW Posts where the cliques are so bad that a fellow veteran can feel totally unwelcome. 

As for the SASS forum, the Wire, some come off like "know-it-alls," and a few can be taken as "mean-spirited" or "forum bullies." But all in all, SASS folks are good people. And really, that's why I was surprised at that other forum?

Frankly, I have to say that I was amazed that many folks on that other forum talked about shooting in a way that made them sound as if they never shot before. It was as if they really never get out to a range much, or any range at all ever as far as that goes.

All had certainly never been to a SASS match, either a local monthly match or one of our bigger annual matches. Anyone in this sport could tell that by how they were talking. Many of those guys sounded sort of odd, almost as if reading a prepared script. It was more as if they were just reading what they knew out of a book. It didn't sound like first-hand knowledge.

I believe that shooting is sort of like a hangover. You can talk about it all you want, but unless you've actually experienced it, you're just guessing how it feels. As with many things in life, it really is that way with shooting guns of all sorts. Unless you've had a pistol, or rifle, or shotgun in your hand and actually fired it, then you're probably just going with what you've seen on TV, or the movies, or maybe read about, or something that you may have been told.

And being real honest here, that other discussion board is not alone when it comes to people who talk about shooting while not shooting very often. Some people on the SASS Wire talk a great game, yet they are the first to admit they simply don't get out to shoot as much as they would like to.

After reading some of the posts on that other forum, I was amazed at what some people were saying. They talked about things that they were just ignorant about. And yes, some people on there seem to go on and on almost relishing some crazy idea that we at SASS weren't growing as an organization or that SASS and Cowboy Shooting was a dying sport.

Well, to paraphrase someone else, the demise of SASS and Cowboy Action Shooting is greatly exaggerated. I don't know if our membership is getting older or not, but the fact is that we are also growing in number.

Want evidence? Here's some great evidence.

When joining SASS, we members pick an Alias, and we get issued a badge with a badge number on it. It is our membership number. It shows folks just how many members SASS has had, or roughly still has.

Since I'm originally from Hawaii, and I was taught to Cowboy in the old Paniolo style by my grandfather, my alias is Paniolo Cowboy. Yup, I'm him!

My badge number is 75875, and I started in 2007. SASS is now issuing badge numbers in the high 90,000 range. Friends, that's called growth.

One of the complaints that I read is that our members are aging. Well, aren't we all. And yes, it sure beats the alternative! But let's get real here and be honest, the fact is that everyone joining SASS is not only in the 60s or 70s age group. I'd say that we probably have a higher percentage of members in their 50s and 60's, but the fact is that we also have kids that shoot in SASS as well. Some aren't just "kids," as in "anyone under 70," but really are kids. Yes, they are kids.

They're called Buckaroos, and we're all really proud of them. Frankly, I have to say that watching them shoot is a kick in the pants. Those kids have a great time! So yes, I'd say that we have a pretty wide variety of ages represented.

Granted, the majority might be a little older, but that's just how life works. Especially when one considers that some of us didn't join in on the fun until after we retired and finally had the free time to get involved in something that we never had the time for before.

Another thing to think about is that our whole nation is aging, and as a result, it may be a sign of how much people enjoy SASS. Heck, no one feels like giving it up even if they are getting up there in years.

As far as the other people on that other shooting board talking about what size loads we use, our clothing requirements, or if we require hats, or if our guns are too expensive? Well, first off that all part of our sport.

We have minimum and maximum criteria for the size of acceptable loads. We also have dress requirements the same as some other sports do, and we like folks to look like they belong in the Old West if they are going to shoot Cowboy Action Shooting. 

I find it interesting that no one at the range gives a rip what the next guy is shooting, whether or not he or she is shooting light loads, or whether it goes pop instead of a boom. Although I do have to admit that someone once asked me if my loads were so heavy, they would screw up the targets because replacing or fixing targets cost clubs money. But that was only once, and I was shooting some very hot loads. So I understood his concern.

And actually thinking about it right now, I can honestly say that at the range, there is the occasional gut-busting laughter that comes from your posse as you just boomed away with a full load of BP (black powder).

And for you folks that have never seen it, well, BP makes a lot of smoke. When some of the guys and gals shoot BP, I think they actually enjoy the idea that they smoke out everyone around you. 

After those Black Powder shooters shoot, well heck, they have to wait a minute for the smoke to clear because they can't see the target to shoot again. And yes, especially if the wind hadn't swept the BP smoke away so that the counters could see if they really were hitting the targets or not.

Now, do I really care what some joker on another shooting forum says about Cowboy Action Shooting? Well, I honestly don't. For me, I take offense to some things in life but what someone says on another discussion board ain't one of the things high on my list of give-a-shit-items. As everyone knows, I do get a little steamed when misinformation is being passed around about something that may be near and dear to me.

In Cowboy Action Shooting, some of our shooters wear some pretty interesting clothing. Mostly we dress in the period that we're shooting, and just so happens we are shooting only guns from the years just before the year 1900.

The years considered the heyday of the Old West mostly. Guns from the 1860s to 1890s. Although SASS is trying out a category to allow people who want to shoot 1911 pistols, everyone still dresses Cowboy.

For some folks, they go all out, and some of the ladies look absolutely stunning.

 And then there are guys like me, who don't go so far and stick with the John Wayne School of dressing Cowboy for the matches.

Then again, I remember when one Saturday, my wife and I drove over to the range to see about joining in on the fun. It was a few weeks before my first match, and the range was clearing out. The shooters had just ended their match, and a lot of folks were already putting their stuff away and leaving.

I stopped and talked to a man about my age, in his 50s, and asked him some questions about Cowboy Action Shooting.

He was a nice guy who was soon joined by a friend, so the three of us stood there and chewed the fat for a bit about the guns that were needed when they met to shoot, and some other things like how there are all sorts of clubs that shoot there on other weekends.

Then one of the guys looks at me and says, "And hey, looks like you already have your Costume!" We all laughed, shook hands, and said goodbye.

Then once I got back in my truck, I looked at my wife and said, "Costume? They think I'm wearing a costume?" My wife and I laughed about that, really, because this was what I wear every day. I wear boots, jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and my Resistol hat in the winter. In the summer, I wear a straw "Cowboy" hat and have for more years than I'd like to owe up to.

So when some people say, "Oh, the guns and clothing are so expensive!" I couldn't help but say to myself, "Oh, come on, give me a break." My first thought is usually about my jackass ex-brother-in-law, who spent his family into a financial hole buying golf clubs and other recreational habits.

As for Cowboy Shooting? Friends, if you already dress casual "Cowboy" like most cowboys do on an everyday basis, then what's the problem?

But if you want to order $45 Wild Rags, and buy $65 special "era-correct" shirts, and go get a $300 pair of mule ear boots, along with a $250 Stetson hat, then have at it pard.

For me, well, I wasn't born rich and have never made that thing called "disposable income." In fact, while I made some pretty good money in my time, I never made enough money in my life to live extravagantly.

So for me, well I buy my shirts at Wal-Mart, and I wear jeans. I buy my boots when they're on sale. And unlike some folks, I really use my boots all the time and not "just for the matches."

As for hats, well, I have a few of them. And honestly, I've had Cowboy hats all my life. The one that I use when I'm at a match is the same one that I wear around daily. If I remember right, it ran me around $65 on sale at a Western Wear Store in Livermore, California.

As for guns, well, some sports cost more than others. Guns are not cheap unless, of course, you buy used guns. But heck, I have a nephew who owns Snow Boards that cost over $500 each. And he owned 3 of them. In fact, that's light considering my friend who bought his daughter a $2800 horse to ride once a month in a gymkhana. It cost him over $350 a month to board the horse and another $90 every 8 weeks to shoe that horse.

So let's be realistic here and agree that some things cost more than others -- as in the case of my friend buying his daughter a horse. Well, she used the horse four times and became disinterested in riding. He was going to sell the horse, but she begged her dad not to sell the horse. Imagine that. As for me, I have horses. And I thank God that I can keep them here on my property. If I had to board my horses, I wouldn't be able to own the horses that I have.

Shooting equipment can be a one-time investment if you want it to be. Or like anything else, if you can afford to go out and buy a rifle or pistol or shotgun every time you turn around -- then you just might do it. I have the guns that I need for Cowboy Shooting, and I'm happy with what I have. I actually got lucky in the respect that I had been collecting some of the guns over a long period of time. So really, when I wanted to go into Cowboy Shooting, all I had to do was buy a second Ruger Vaquero pistol -- and I was ready to go.

I had bought my first Ruger Vaquero when they first came out. Compared to my "New Model" Ruger Vaquero, I like the "Old Model" version much better -- but that's for another article later. Since I've started shooting Cowboy, I replaced the rifle that I am using after a few years.  I replaced my old Navy Arms Henry Rifle in .44-40 with a used Marlin 1895 in .45 LC to go along with my Ruger Vaqueros. And friends, I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Most of us who shoot Cowboy Action Shooting has the attitude that "you can never have enough guns!"  Luckily for me that my father-in-law Nickle Jim reloads ammo and cuts down my cost to a few dollars a match versus a lot more money a month for ammunition.

So as you can tell, it all depends on how you want to do it. There are ways of going into things without breaking the bank, whether it's shooting Cowboy Action Shooting, or Trap, or Sporting Clays.

Heck, I know two guys who are getting their gear together. They've decided to share the cost of the guns and will share their guns during a match. Since one is heavier than the other and has the waistline to prove it, they have to buy individual holsters and gun belts. When it comes to shooting a match, all they have to do is get on the same Posse and have one shoot early in the lineup. They can do it until they get their own guns.

Depending on how they go about buying their equipment, together they will spend close to $2000 for their two new single-action pistols, a side by side shotgun, and a lever-action rifle, and a gun cart. Spending is all up to how much spending you want to do. There are some excellent deals on holsters and gun belts out there. 

Remember that many of the Gun Clubs have websites with listings of guns and gear for sale, and used guns can save a Beginner a lot of money when they are just getting started.

After your gear and your guns, it's just a matter of getting ammo and going to the range to have some fun. And really, it should be all about fun. No matter what language you say it in, it should be about having fun!

Most people have a great opinion of Cowboys, and once they go to a match, they'll usually see how much fun it is. Fun is the name of the game for everyone. Fun is what it's all about. 

While some might cringe when I say this, but "fun is shooting fast and shooting slow." It is what you like to do. Fun is making a lot of smoke, trying to shoot clean with no misses, and just as it is out there booming away with heavy loads. Fun is the fact that you're among friends and pards and shooting "your game." It is the fact that you're outside soaking up the sun and fresh air. Well, OK, fun is the smell of gunpowder as well! Yes, fun is to be had in all sorts of ways.

It happens out there at the range all the time from someone like me who goes out there to strictly socialize with friends and pards who don't care if I shoot as slow as molasses, to someone who steps up to the stage firing line and shoots so fast that he or she is a blur of speed and accuracy. Everyone at the range has their own definition of fun.

I respect people, and I certainly respect folks enough to allow them to shoot their own game. I have seen more and more people coming to the range and seeing how much fun everyone is having, and then wanting to get in on the fun. Most folks really care if it looks like fun or not. And let's be honest, fun is almost always the bottom line when folks want to do things away from home.

As for the people on the other discussion boards, well, they really don't know what they're talking about. Honestly, if they went to a range and shot with any SASS Club, then they'd be welcomed and have fun. They should try it before knocking it.

I really don't like reading something when it's as plain as the nose on your face that that person writing his opinion really doesn't know what he's talking about.

As a friend once told his teenage son, who was always pretty opinionated, "You should learn to listen more and keep your mouth shut, so you never sound like an idiot, instead of opening it and erase all doubt from the minds of those around you."

Cowboy Action Shooting is a wonderful shooting sport, and the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) has members and club affiliations all over the world -- probably because it's an outstanding organization.

I can only recommend what I know is good for you and me, and I'd recommend joining the fun and shooting with the pards at any match anytime you get the chance. For me, today I'm talking about Cowboy Action Shooting on here.

But tomorrow, well, I will get to go out the range and shoot with the High Sierra Drifters, my home club. We are not as big as some clubs, but they are a great bunch of folks. In fact, I can honestly say that SASS members are some of the best people around. Everyone gets along, all are pretty much like-minded, and all are there to have fun. And why not, after all, it's the Cowboy way!

Tom Correa