Post by Doc Barranti on May 19, 2019 11:59:34 GMT -5
The older I get, the more I understand the phrase “Life is too short”...it is far too short. Just a couple months ago, we lost our oldest brother unexpectedly, and 2 days after that another brother had open heart surgery. The surgery went fine but then his lungs weren’t functioning properly. He spent nearly a month in critical condition, part of that time in an induced coma so his body wouldn’t fight the breathing machine. After two months, he’s home now and getting better everyday. Good thing, because as the youngest of 10 siblings, I didn’t need a two-fer.
As most of you know, being a Sixgunner is a pretty special thing; not only special, but rather rare! How many of us on this forum live in close proximity to very many members? I can count the number of Sixgunners that I personally know that share the same enthusiasm as me about sixguns that live within one hour of me on one hand, and 3 of them are my boys!
We Sixgunners are a special lot, and unfortunately it isn’t often that we get or take the chance to get together. It has been 9 years since my first visit with Dick ‘Sixshot’ Thompson, and 6 years since the last time I was in Idaho to see him. While I have gotten to spend some time with him on vacation in New Mexico, I haven’t had the chance to see him in his own stomping grounds...until last week!
Dick has invited me out to hunt several times since my last hunt but I just couldn’t get away. Earlier this year, I told myself that I would take a few days to get out and enjoy the company of my good friend in his own backyard. When I finally told Dick my plan, I booked a flight, packed my bag, including my shorty Single-Six 32 mag, and was on my way!
After my plane landed in Salt Lake City, I grabbed a rental car and pointed it north to Soda Springs. After the two and a half hour drive, I turned into the familiar driveway and was greeted by a welcoming and familiar sight:
As I walked to the door, the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls hit my nose. Dick was bent over icing the rolls while wife Ruthann and daughter Laurie were busy with a pizza in the oven. What a perfect way to start this adventure!!
During the two full days I was there, we drove countless miles in search of ground squirrels, rock chucks and badgers. Early the first day, we saw some ground squirrels and managed to whack a few with my shorty 32 mag, and Dick’s scoped Buckeye in 32 mag. Then the wind picked up and the squirrels stayed underground. We then drove to an area with several lava reefs that Dick knew to be haven to rock chucks. Dick stopped the truck and glassed the first reef, and alerted me to one that was sunning on a rock. He handed me his scoped TC Contender in 25 TCU and after ranging the distance at 155ish yards, told me where to hold. Boom! My first rock chuck was down!
We moved on to another large reef that rose up 20 or 30 feet above the field we were in. Dick again glassed the rocks and bingo! We hit the jackpot! He started pointing out chucks and the fun began. The large reef was simply crawling with chucks and when the dust settled and the sun was setting behind the mountains, another 29 chucks were down to the 25 TCU, and we didn’t have to move the truck! Distances ranged from 120-155 yards. It was a grand day!
This pic shows the only ones we were able to retrieve due to the terrain...
Day two, the wind was relentless and despite our efforts, the ground squirrels and badgers didn’t cooperate. We did go back to the large reef to retrieve a sandbag that I had dropped out the window and forgot about the day before, and as we sat there, a couple more chucks came out. After a couple of misses, I whacked one more before we left four lunch. After a quick bite of burrito and tacos at El Toro, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at the range. Watching Dick shoot is a pleasure! He has such a smooth style, he looks like he was born with a sixgun in his hand! Unfortunately I didn’t think to snap pics of him while he was shooting.
It was a great trip; far too short, but definitely memorable. I can't thank Dick, Ruthann and Laurie for their friendship and hospitality. I can't wait to go back next year!
Regrets: Most folks have a few things they wish they had with done, or done differently in their life. Some folks spend their time dwelling on the things they wished they’d done in the past. We can’t do anything about those things now. All we can do is make sure we don’t add to that list as we go forward.
One other thing happened on this trip that was rather strange! Dick mentioned a couple fellow shooters were in town from West Virginia and Pennsylvania. They too were in search of rock chucks and other such varmints. Dick told them that Mike Barranti the holstermaker was visiting. One of them, a guy we will call Doctor Larry, mentioned to Dick that he knew who I was and didn’t like me! When Dick asked why, Doctor Larry said that he had met me, a holstermaker, at a hunt on a preserve in Tennessee, and that I was very arrogant and a know it all! Dick told him that I’ve never been on a hunt in Tennessee, and that if there was a room full of 50 guys, I’d be one of the nicest (he exaggerates...). He stopped by the house before I left and I shook his hand and introduced myself. He looked at me as if he didn’t want to admit he had never seen me before. I’ve been mistaken for John Bianchi before, but I have never been accused of being arrogant, and definitely not a know it all. Can’t imagine why anyone would pretend to be or let themselves be mistaken for me. I’m not John Bianchi, I’m just a Shuckmaker....
As most of you know, being a Sixgunner is a pretty special thing; not only special, but rather rare! How many of us on this forum live in close proximity to very many members? I can count the number of Sixgunners that I personally know that share the same enthusiasm as me about sixguns that live within one hour of me on one hand, and 3 of them are my boys!
We Sixgunners are a special lot, and unfortunately it isn’t often that we get or take the chance to get together. It has been 9 years since my first visit with Dick ‘Sixshot’ Thompson, and 6 years since the last time I was in Idaho to see him. While I have gotten to spend some time with him on vacation in New Mexico, I haven’t had the chance to see him in his own stomping grounds...until last week!
Dick has invited me out to hunt several times since my last hunt but I just couldn’t get away. Earlier this year, I told myself that I would take a few days to get out and enjoy the company of my good friend in his own backyard. When I finally told Dick my plan, I booked a flight, packed my bag, including my shorty Single-Six 32 mag, and was on my way!
After my plane landed in Salt Lake City, I grabbed a rental car and pointed it north to Soda Springs. After the two and a half hour drive, I turned into the familiar driveway and was greeted by a welcoming and familiar sight:
As I walked to the door, the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls hit my nose. Dick was bent over icing the rolls while wife Ruthann and daughter Laurie were busy with a pizza in the oven. What a perfect way to start this adventure!!
During the two full days I was there, we drove countless miles in search of ground squirrels, rock chucks and badgers. Early the first day, we saw some ground squirrels and managed to whack a few with my shorty 32 mag, and Dick’s scoped Buckeye in 32 mag. Then the wind picked up and the squirrels stayed underground. We then drove to an area with several lava reefs that Dick knew to be haven to rock chucks. Dick stopped the truck and glassed the first reef, and alerted me to one that was sunning on a rock. He handed me his scoped TC Contender in 25 TCU and after ranging the distance at 155ish yards, told me where to hold. Boom! My first rock chuck was down!
We moved on to another large reef that rose up 20 or 30 feet above the field we were in. Dick again glassed the rocks and bingo! We hit the jackpot! He started pointing out chucks and the fun began. The large reef was simply crawling with chucks and when the dust settled and the sun was setting behind the mountains, another 29 chucks were down to the 25 TCU, and we didn’t have to move the truck! Distances ranged from 120-155 yards. It was a grand day!
This pic shows the only ones we were able to retrieve due to the terrain...
Day two, the wind was relentless and despite our efforts, the ground squirrels and badgers didn’t cooperate. We did go back to the large reef to retrieve a sandbag that I had dropped out the window and forgot about the day before, and as we sat there, a couple more chucks came out. After a couple of misses, I whacked one more before we left four lunch. After a quick bite of burrito and tacos at El Toro, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at the range. Watching Dick shoot is a pleasure! He has such a smooth style, he looks like he was born with a sixgun in his hand! Unfortunately I didn’t think to snap pics of him while he was shooting.
It was a great trip; far too short, but definitely memorable. I can't thank Dick, Ruthann and Laurie for their friendship and hospitality. I can't wait to go back next year!
Regrets: Most folks have a few things they wish they had with done, or done differently in their life. Some folks spend their time dwelling on the things they wished they’d done in the past. We can’t do anything about those things now. All we can do is make sure we don’t add to that list as we go forward.
One other thing happened on this trip that was rather strange! Dick mentioned a couple fellow shooters were in town from West Virginia and Pennsylvania. They too were in search of rock chucks and other such varmints. Dick told them that Mike Barranti the holstermaker was visiting. One of them, a guy we will call Doctor Larry, mentioned to Dick that he knew who I was and didn’t like me! When Dick asked why, Doctor Larry said that he had met me, a holstermaker, at a hunt on a preserve in Tennessee, and that I was very arrogant and a know it all! Dick told him that I’ve never been on a hunt in Tennessee, and that if there was a room full of 50 guys, I’d be one of the nicest (he exaggerates...). He stopped by the house before I left and I shook his hand and introduced myself. He looked at me as if he didn’t want to admit he had never seen me before. I’ve been mistaken for John Bianchi before, but I have never been accused of being arrogant, and definitely not a know it all. Can’t imagine why anyone would pretend to be or let themselves be mistaken for me. I’m not John Bianchi, I’m just a Shuckmaker....