If you wear glasses, I’m sure that every time you buy a new pair the optometrist cautions you to only clean them with a soft lens rag. I always brushed aside their cautions. When you’re out four-wheeling, hunting or backpacking who has time for all of that detailed kind of work? For years I’d spit on my glasses and rub them clean with toilet paper, paper towel or whatever. I’d also brushed aside the cautions of only cleaning my optics with a soft rag. I’d clean them the same way.
Then one year (not that many years ago) I bought a new pair of glasses and of course received the same cleaning instructions. For some reason, I made the decision to actually commit to religiously cleaning my glasses with a lens rag or at worst a cotton cloth.
I cleaned my glasses properly for six to eight months and suddenly one day it struck me. Wow! This really works. I didn’t have one scratch on my lenses. Maybe there really was something to this old wives’ tale.
Then the next year I went on Pro-staff with Leica and right before I was about to conduct a “Glassing for Big Game” seminar in Dallas at the Dallas Safari Club Convention, I dropped by the Leica booth to get some optics to demo in the seminar (this saved me from flying down with a suitcase full of optics).
While at their booth, I was talking to Hamilton Boykin about various glassing techniques, and the topic of properly cleaning your glass popped up. His advice carried my cleaning knowledge to a new level. I’ll share with you some of his insights.
I’m going to describe how to properly clean the lenses on your binoculars, but the same principles apply to cleaning your scopes, spotting scopes and, yes, even your glasses. He said the first thing to do is to hold your binoculars upside down and blow any loose sand and dust off.
Next pour water on the lenses and again turn them upside down and hopefully more of the dirt pours off. I used to worry about pouring water on my binoculars. What if they leaked and I got moisture into them? Well, if they leak, they’re not very good binoculars anyway. Good ones shouldn’t leak.
I think most of us, even if we use a lens rag, rub the lenses to clean them. Because the lenses are small and circular, we end up rubbing them clean in a circular motion. He cautions against this. If we do this, he says we are grinding the sand into the lenses. He says we should use a brushing motion to brush off the dirt.
I then repeat this process once or twice before actually trying to rub the lenses clean. I don’t think you can be too gentle.
A few other tips. I have a buddy that carries a lens rag attached to his binoculars, but it is hanging out of the cover. This means that it is always full of dust and acts like a piece of sandpaper. Not good. I understand, if it isn’t attached to your binoculars then you’ll probably forget to carry it while hunting, but at least leave it tucked up in the small carrying bag and rinse it clean periodically.
If you’re out hunting and forget a lens rag what do you do? At worst, you can pull out the tail of your T-shirt and use it. The upper part of your T-shirt will be dusty, but hopefully the lower part will be dust-free.
I know, many of you are saying that most glass comes with lenses covers and, yes, that is true, but I have lost all of the million trillion lens covers I have ever owned within a hot second of getting out of the truck. Either I am not lens-cover compatible, or they just aren’t that functional in the real world.
I just went on Pro-staff with Riton Optics, and while typing I thought I’d check. Sure enough, I’ve already lost the top covers on my binoculars but the bottom ones are still on. I think I’ll call Riton and get another set and tie them on with a string so I don’t lose them. No doubt, covers help minimize your lenses getting dirty, especially on top.
As we close, if you buy a good set of optics like from Riton Optics and clean properly, the coating on the lenses should remain undamaged and you’ll be using them hopefully the rest of your life. Take care of your lenses. There is a lot of beauty out there to be seen if you have a pair of unscratched lenses!
Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana.
BUHL — Idaho Fish and Game officers suspect a mountain lion may have killed two goats on the west end of Buhl this week.
The officers investigated the deaths on Tuesday after citizens initially reached out to the Buhl Police Department, Regional Conservation Officer Josh Royse said.
The goats had wounds consistent with a mountain lion attack, he said, but officers had no definitive confirmation such as tracks or sightings. There have also not been any recent sightings reported in the area, though mountain lions are not uncommon, Royse said.
The animals tend to follow mule deer, which seek lower forage in the foothills and near the canyon in the winter, he said.
“We have no reason to believe there is any threat to public safety,” Royse said.
However, Idaho Fish and Game reminds residents to use extra caution with small pets and children, especially at twilight hours in the early morning and late evening. The house where the goats lived was in an area with a higher likelihood of mountain lion presence due to its proximity to open space.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved spring Chinook fishing on the Clearwater, Salmon and Little Salmon rivers during their meeting on March 13 in Boise.
Fishing will open on April 27, with a two-day-a-week season on the Clearwater River and a four-day-a-week season on the Salmon and Little Salmon rivers. The season will run until sport anglers’ shares of the harvest are met (which varies by river) or Aug. 11 — whichever comes sooner.
Because of very low projected returns the Upper Snake River in Hells Canyon, fisheries managers did not propose to open a spring Chinook season for the fishery this year.
Chinook have just started entering the Columbia River and a small portion of them are working their way through Columbia/Snake river systems.
Fisheries managers are forecasting a run of about 32,000 spring Chinook through Lower Granite Dam, which is about 25 miles downstream from Lewiston and the last of the eight dams that returning salmon cross on their way back to Idaho. The forecast is similar to last year’s actual return of 39,000, and below the 10-year average return of 75,000.
Included in the forecast are about 26,000 hatchery Chinook and 6,000 wild Chinook. The 2018 returns were 32,000 and 7,000, respectively, and the 10-year averages are 58,000 and 17,000. Forecasts are a starting point for managing Chinook returns, and they will be adjusted as fish migrate through the river systems.
The number of days open to fishing are set according to the projected sport anglers’ share for each fishery.
Because the forecasted Chinook return for the Salmon River basin is about 8,700 fish, and the sport anglers’ share would be 1,430 fish this year, fishing will be open Thursday through Sunday, with a daily limit of four total fish, only two of which may be adults.
For the Clearwater River basin, the projected return is about 9,400 adult fish, and the sport anglers’ harvest share would be 470. Fishing will be open on Saturday and Sunday, with a daily limit of four total fish, only one of which may be an adult.
Just 123 adult fish are projected to return the Upper Snake River in Hells Canyon, where fisheries managers do not expect a sport angler harvest share at all.
“Due to extremely high flows at Hells Canyon in 2017, we had high total dissolved gasses, which are potentially lethal to fish,” said Jim Fredericks, Fish and Game’s Fisheries Bureau Chief. “In 2017, we chose to release the fish allocated for Hells Canyon at Rapid River instead, to ensure that they survived. For that reason, we have hardly any two-year-old fish coming back to Hells Canyon this year.”
Only hatchery Chinook with a clipped adipose fin may be kept by anglers, and all others must be released unharmed. Chinook anglers are restricted to barbless hooks.
Anglers should refer to the 2019 spring Chinook salmon seasons and rules brochure for other rules and special restrictions, which will be available online in early April, and in paper form prior to the spring Chinook season at Fish and Game offices and license vendors.
The Fish and Game Commission is scheduled to decide on summer Chinook salmon fisheries on the Lochsa River, South Fork Salmon River and upper Salmon River at its May meeting. Fish return to those areas later than to the Clearwater River and Rapid River hatcheries, allowing fishery managers more time to develop season proposals.
Waters open to fishing:
Clearwater River drainage — open Saturday and Sunday
Mainstream Clearwater River: Camas Prairie Bridge to Highway 12 Bridge; Pink House Boat Ramp to Greer Bridge
North Fork: Open, no boats
Middle Fork: Open
South Fork: Harpster Grade to Mount Idaho Grade Bridge.
Salmon River drainage — open Thursday through Sunday
Idaho Fish and Game is seeking public comment on proposed changes to the upcoming migratory game bird seasons, including waterfowl, mourning dove, American crow and sandhill crane.
People can review proposals and comment online at Fish and Game’s public involvement page. Hunters can also visit regional offices for copies of the proposed seasons and comment forms.
Open houses have also been scheduled at most Fish and Game regional offices. Hunters are invited to attend these open houses to speak with local biologists about the 2019-20 migratory game bird season proposals.
Here are the regional Migratory Game Bird open houses:
Pocatello: Monday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Southeast Regional Office, 1345 Barton Road.
Idaho Falls: Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Upper Snake Regional Office, 4279 Commerce Court
Idaho Fish and Game has completed wolf control actions in northern Idaho’s Lolo Elk Zone to improve elk survival in the area. Seven wolves were taken during the operation, which started in late February. The operation is consistent with Fish and Game’s…
I suppose that I am no different than any other outdoorsman in that I count a flashlight as a vital part of my gear. And, like you, I am always looking for a more powerful, compact, rechargeable flashlight. At the SHOT Show this year I discovered the ASP XT DF flashlight (Armament Systems & Procedures XT Duel Fuel), which is going to become my go-to flashlight. Having a dysfunctional flashlight in a crisis can be life threatening, whether you have a bear come into camp at night, are packing out in the dark or broke down and working on your truck.
I remember once my buddy Shawn Lee had packed our elk camp into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area on his pack string. I couldn’t make it until a day later so I took off after work and got to the trail head after dark, loaded the rest of my gear in my backpack and took off down the narrow trail.
Not far down the trail, my main flashlight broke and I ended up hiking the last three miles with the aid of only a little rinky-dink light. Not fun in bear, wolf, cougar and moose country. Much less while trying to not tumble off the trail into the river below. The year before, we’d had two horses and a mule roll off in this same stretch.
As I’ve gotten older, I only use good flashlights. I could give a million more examples of disasters like above due to dysfunctional flashlights, but you get my drift, which is why I was excited to meet the ASP crew at the SHOT Show this year and get to test the ASP XT DF flashlight.
There are a few things I look for in a flashlight. Anymore, I like rechargeable lights. The better flashlights all seem to use expensive batteries nowadays, so you’ll go broke buying batteries if you use your flashlight much. Buy rechargeable ones. The ASP XT DF flashlight comes with four attachments that allow you charge it in your truck or at home in a wall socket. One is especially unique in that it is a retractable cord that helps keep it compact and prevents it from being a tangled mess like most of my cords become. And on top of this, the ASP XT DF flashlight comes with a canvas carrying case.
The ASP XT DF flashlight has five settings: max, high, medium, low and strobe. It runs on one 18650 battery or it can also run on two C1234A rechargeable batteries. It has two O-ring seals so it is water resistant.
It is the perfect-sized light for my standards. Not too big to be uncomfortable to carry but also not too small to be able to meet all of my needs.
If you’re like me and spend a lot of time in the backcountry, then I’d recommend buying a double set of the rechargeable C1234A batteries for backup. Or another option is to get a solar charging panel and carry it along. And, with the solar panel, you can also charge your GPS, camera and other electronic gear.
And one last feature that might interest a lot of you is that it also has a reversible pocket clip. In the ASP XT DF flashlight, you get a lot of quality and options packed into a small package for the MSRP of $160. Or you can go the cheap route like Indiana Jones and carry a torch and pray that the wind doesn’t kick up and blow it out.
Tom Claycomb lives in Idaho and has outdoors columns in newspapers in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Louisiana.
People who have long been critical of a plan to put more cell towers in Grand Teton National Park are getting the opportunity to officially weigh in on the project.
Grand Teton National Park in western Wyoming seeks thoughts from the public on plans for a new network of cell towers amid questions about how the National Park Service balances public safety with the experience of wilderness.
The park currently has two cell towers as part of a system built piecemeal-fashion, with some fiber-optic lines buried without conduit and poorly mapped. The lines are vulnerable to damage, according to a Park Service analysis and proposal for nine additional towers and related equipment.
“The current equipment and services that we’ve got are outdated, they’re inadequate and they don’t serve us well, nor do they serve park visitors or our partners well,” Grand Teton spokeswoman Denise Germann said Wednesday.
Outages lasting several days have been known, Germann said.
The new towers would be built in already developed areas not far from the park’s main roads. Benefits would include boosting the range where people could call for help, directing visitors to park services and helping retain seasonal workers by keeping them in touch with friends and family, according to the Park Service.
Grand Teton plans two public meetings and will take comments from the public on its proposal by April 10. With approval, construction of the new system could begin as soon as this fall, according to Germann.
One group questions whether the Park Service gives sufficient consideration to the implications of cell service in the backcountry.
“Part of the point of wilderness is the ability to be disconnected and feel alone, but if somebody on the same trail can order a pizza, or sell stock, or chase Pokemon, that takes away from the visitor experience,” said Jeff Ruch with the group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
This isn’t the first time PEER has questioned cell towers in Grand Teton. In 2018, the group obtained Park Service documents outlining the proposal and raised concern the park might put up the towers with little public involvement.
The Park Service lacks a comprehensive policy for cell facilities, Ruch said.
“Do they want to wire the wilderness?” Ruch said. “They say, ‘No, no, we don’t intend to do that, but we’re not taking any steps to prevent it.’”
Cell coverage still wouldn’t reach much of the park, Germann said.
Unlike some other national parks, Grand Teton does not have any designated wilderness, where machinery such as cars, trucks and even chain saws are prohibited by law. However, Grand Teton has over 190 square miles of recommended wilderness that includes the main summits of the Teton Range in the western half of the park.
Cell phones are already common in those areas and signs encouraging people to practice courtesy would help address any unintentional increase in cell-phone use, according to the Park Service proposal.
Park officials could require companies installing cell towers to direct coverage from backcountry areas, Ruch suggested.
The Park Service encourages people with ideas to improve the cell tower proposal to submit comments, said Germann.
About 60 years ago, a climber was someone who climbed most any kind of rock or mountain — outside. In today’s world of climbing, specialization has taken hold and someone can legitimately claim to be a climber and never scale anything higher than a one-story house — inside.
Boulderers are sometimes called pebble pinchers. With little more than a pair of sticky-rubber shoes, a chalk bag and a crash pad, they spend hours working a few uber-hard moves on a rock wall — in or out of doors — no taller than your ceiling, falling over and over again, until they reach the top. Their forearms are big, their grip is like pliers and chalk dust is on everything.
The popularity of bouldering is evident, with some new climbing gyms devoted only to the sport, ignoring ropes and tall walls.
In 2020, bouldering will be one of the disciplines to win a medal at the Summer Olympics. We asked three local boulderers about the sport:
When did you start bouldering? I have been climbing my whole life, but I didn’t really get into bouldering until about 2 years ago.
What attracted you to it? I really liked the idea of not being connected to anything while I’m climbing and it was a great way to become a stronger climber.
Where is your favorite place to boulder? I think my favorite place to boulder would have to be The Edge (Climbing and Fitness in Idaho Falls). They always have cool new routes, and the setters do a great job.
What kinds of injuries have you had because of bouldering? How did it happen? Luckily, I haven’t had any bad injuries, just a bunch of flappers (torn skin) and a few sprung ankles from falling.
What do you like about competitive climbing? I have always been a very competitive person, so I love competitions. Climbing competitions are always different from other competitions because everyone is friendly and willing to offer beta (route information) and help you with problems you are struggling with, even if you are competing against them.
Bouldering is one of the three disciplines of the upcoming 2020 Olympics along with lead climbing and speed climbing. How do you think the Olympics will affect rock climbing in general and bouldering specifically? The climbing community will grow greatly. I think bouldering will become a much more popular sport and the world will be opened to how impressive and amazing this sport is to watch and do.
What advice would you give a beginning boulderer? Don’t be afraid to fail or fall. Not everything is going to work so just keep trying and don’t be afraid to try new beta.
When did you start bouldering? I believe it was around 2002 when I first went to the climbing gym with my dad and brothers.
What attracted you to it? Oddly, I didn’t like climbing at first. I literally cried my way up a 5.6 top rope. It was only after a few years and with the examples of my older brothers that I began to like bouldering.
Where is your favorite place to boulder? My favorite places to boulder in the gym are the Momentum gyms in Salt Lake City and of course The Edge Climbing Gym.
Do you have a favorite place to boulder outside? Outside, my three favorite places are Joe’s Valley, Yosemite and the Buttermilks in Bishop, Calif.
What kinds of injuries have you had because of bouldering? Where do I even start? I’ve injured both middle fingers and both ring fingers multiple times. I’ve also had elbow tendonitis and shoulder impingements. I’m starting to get old now so I always feel injured! Just kidding. I feel like with more injuries it gets easier to listen to my body and know where to draw the line instead of pushing it until I injure myself again. All of my injuries have been from overtraining and bouldering when I should have been resting. Eat healthy, drink lots of water and make sure you’re getting enough sleep and training when you are fresh, and you will avoid most injuries.
Bouldering often is tied to competitions. What competitions have you done? I used to do youth competitions. When I was 15, I won Youth B Bouldering Nationals in Baltimore, Maryland, and I won again at 17 at the Spot bouldering gym in Colorado. I also made Open Finals at nationals when I was 16 and since then a few local comps, but nothing big.
What do you like about competitive climbing? I like the feeling I get in comps where I feel like the crowd is behind me. It makes me feel light and I think the pressure helps. My worst nightmare though is slabs in comps!
Bouldering is one of the three disciplines of the upcoming 2020 summer Olympics along with lead climbing and speed climbing. How do you think the Olympics will affect rock climbing in general and bouldering specifically? I think the Olympics is great and there will be a lot more serious kids getting strong in the gym because if it. Climbing is going to grow a lot in the next few years.
What advice would you give a beginning boulderer? I would say you should be disciplined. Don’t climb too much. Climbers never have the issue of not being psyched. Controlling your psych and calling it quits when you feel too fatigued is important to avoid injuries that will keep you out. Also, learn good technique before you get too strong.
When did you start bouldering? I spent well over a decade in Pocatello. I would occasionally boulder outside at Ross Park in Pocatello when I first started climbing over 15 years ago. It was an easy way to get in a quick workout after class or work, especially when I couldn’t round up a partner to climb routes. I attended Idaho State University, and once the climbing wall opened on campus, I would boulder regularly as a warmup before roped climbing.
What attracted you to it? What attracts me to bouldering is the process of figuring out beta and solving problems that require the mastery of different techniques and movements. Bouldering can force a climber to perform powerful and acrobatic moves that may be less common on routes within their range of ability. While bouldering isn’t necessarily a solo activity, I’ve spent many enjoyable days outside working on projects alone when my climbing partners were busy.
Where is your favorite place to boulder? Locally, my favorite place to boulder is Massacre Rocks State Park. There are lots of great problems of all grades and styles and other climbers are few and far between. Joe’s Valley, Utah, is my overall favorite place to boulder outside. Joe’s Valley is comprised of gorgeous tan and black sandstone boulders that could keep most climbers busy for a lifetime. Although Joe’s has become increasingly popular, there is still free primitive camping and the boulders are distributed over a large enough area that it’s easy to avoid the more popular crowded spots and find some solitude.
What kinds of injuries have you had because of bouldering? I haven’t experienced any serious injuries bouldering other than some sore tendons in my fingers on occasion. But if you warm-up properly and ease into your projects, those type of injuries can generally be avoided.
Bouldering often is tied to competitions. What competitions have you done? I wouldn’t consider myself a competition climber although I have competed in a couple of bouldering comps and had a lot of fun. When I lived in Bozeman, Mont., about 10 years ago I competed in my first bouldering competition at the Spire Climbing Center. I entered with no expectations and ended up winning my division and took home my first bouldering pad as a prize. Since then I’ve only competed in one other bouldering competition here in Idaho Falls at the Edge Climbing Gym last year. The competition atmosphere I experienced was friendly and supportive rather than competitive as one would assume. I think competitions are good for growing the sport and encourages kids to it get involved at a younger age. For me personally, being outside and getting to travel to different parts of the country is what motivates me the most.
Bouldering is one of the three disciplines of the upcoming 2020 summer Olympics along with lead climbing and speed climbing. How do you think the Olympics will affect rock climbing in general and bouldering specifically? I have mixed feelings about climbing in the Olympics. It will clearly expose the sport to the general public who may be unfamiliar with competition climbing, and could certainly help the industry grow. However, it’s already fairly common to see examples of abuse and neglect to our climbing resources and damage to other natural resources at popular climbing areas. If the sport is expected to become more mainstream, there needs to be a concerted effort to educate new climbers who started in the gym about the environmental impacts and access issues they may face when transitioning to outdoor climbing.
What advice would you give a beginning boulderer? The advice I would give someone just starting to boulder is: Simply have fun and enjoy your time outside with friends. Bouldering can be both physically and mentally challenging and sometimes progress can be slow and setbacks are normal. Don’t get too hung up on (difficulty) grades and create additional pressure that detracts from the overall experience.
JACKSON, Wyoming — The Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative presented the 2019 Craighead Conservation Award and Raynes Citizen Conservation Award during the Jackson Hole Wildlife Symposium on March 8.
The Craighead Conservation Award was given to Dr. PJ White, chief of Wildlife and Aquatic Resources at Yellowstone National Park. White has researched all the major mammals in Greater Yellowstone and has worked to find solutions that help wildlife and humans coexist. He is the author of more than 125 scientific papers and many popular books, including “Can’t Chew the Leather Anymore,” “Musings on Wildlife Conservation in Yellowstone from a Broken-down Biologist” and “Yellowstone Grizzly Bears, Ecology and Conservation of an Icon of Wildness.” Former Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk said, “PJ was ahead of the curve to answer questions that I as a manager didn’t yet know I needed.
The Craighead Conservation Award was established in 2003 to honor the legacy of Frank and John Craighead. Nominees should have significantly impacted wildlife conservation in the Greater Yellowstone region and demonstrated the dedicated spirit of the Craighead brothers through years of service in wildlife research, management, community involvement or policy. Frank and John Craighead were prolific wildlife researchers, writers, and film makers, best known for their pioneering grizzly bear research, but active in other conservation realms as well. The award was presented by conservationist brothers Lance and Charlie Craighead.
The Raynes Citizen Conservation Award recipient was Susan Marsh. Marsh has worked in Greater Yellowstone for the US Forest Service and as a volunteer with many community organizations. She is an artist and writer of numerous essays and books including A Hunger for High Country and Cache Creek: A Trailside Guide to Jackson Hole’s Backyard Wilderness. Her monthly column, “Back to Nature,” is published in MountainJournal.org. Marsh has quietly worked to protect the natural wonders of Jackson Hole and share her knowledge.
The award was created to honor the ongoing legacy of Bert Raynes, and of the late Meg Raynes. Nominees shall have worked in the spirit of the legacy of the Raynes to encourage citizen science and conservation, and make a positive difference in conservation through actions they undertake in their daily lives. The award was presented by Frances Clark (Nature Mapping JH, WY Native Plant Society) and Linda Merigliano (Bridger-Teton National Forest).
NRCC is pleased to also report that the Jackson Hole Wildlife Symposium was a success. An enthusiastic crowd of 125 researchers, agency personnel, educators, students, and citizens gathered at the Center for the Arts to discuss and suggest improvements for human-wildlife coexistence in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The free public evening keynote was attended by 150.
Rifles serve many purposes, including formal and informal target shooting, collecting and self defense. We seem to be on the way to more urbanized and less rural living, but there are still farms and ranches where rifles are every day working tools. When I was growing up, we had to deal with the occasional mountain lion that came down from the mountains onto my father’s horse ranch, and the dogs that people would drive out to our area and just abandoned along the old Bannock Highway. Those dogs didn’t belong to anyone and would sometimes come on to the ranch and chase horses as a group or as individuals. They were trying to fend for themselves and just thought our ranch offered some opportunity for food. They were also pretty dangerous be they had learned to survive on their own.
Fortunately, Fish and Game would come out and try to capture the mountain lions if we called them and reported sighting them in our area, but we had to deal with the dogs, and sometimes coyotes, ourselves.
One who hasn’t experienced farm-and-ranch living might think that horses are much too big for dogs or coyotes to do any real damage, but they can run down and kill foals without much trouble and they bite into the fetlocks of mature horses to stop them from being able to run. My father’s horses were Arabian show hoses, used for competition, breeding and selling, in addition to riding for pleasure in the hills and mountains around our ranch. He had invested a great deal of money and time in those horses and we couldn’t afford to have foals and mature horses killed or crippled. Most importantly, we had small children that we were afraid the dogs might hurt.
My father owned a Model 62 pump-action .22 rimfire rifle, and I received a .22 rimfire bolt action for Christmas in 1955. My father bought two Winchester Model 50, 12-gauge shotguns in 1957, handed me one and told me to kill any thing that came on the property looking for a meal or that was chasing the horses. I usually preferred the .22 rimfire pump action because it was light weight and quick on target. I kept the .22 pump-action rifle in a gun case on the back patio while I was working on the ranch. If I was training or riding a horse in the training coral, that rifle was close to where I was working. That way I had pretty fast access to it when needed. I used the 12-gauge shotgun a couple of times also, but really preferred the .22 rimfire pump-action because I was afraid the shot from the shotgun would spread out enough to possibly injure a horse.
I also used the .22 bolt-action rifle to shoot jack rabbits when my father and I went to the Arco desert and hunted on some of the farms where my dad had been told to bring his son and kill as many jack rabbits as we could. It was a lot of fun, and I was able to polish my skill at hitting jack rabbits that were running through the sage brush.
I still enjoy shooting those rifles at the range and on some mountain property that my father purchased back in the late 1960s or early ’70s. I also take the grandchildren to the shooting range or the mountain property and teach them firearm safety and marksmanship with both the .22 pump- and bolt-action rifles as well as using them at Scout camp during rifle merit badge instruction.
The children generally expect to spend the day shooting, and .22 ammunition is inexpensive enough to shoot all day, as long as they are still being responsible while they are shooting.
Twenty-two rimfire ammo has always been pretty affordable, and .22 Magnum is a little more expensive if you prefer a little more energy from your .22 rimfire, but isn’t prohibitive at all, especially compared with the ammunition for my high-powered rifles, whether I reload for them or buy a box of 20 at the gun store. The .22 calibers are also pretty accurate, and with in their range limits, they hit what they are aim at.
I normally don’t try to convince anyone they ought to have a particular caliber rifle, but I must admit that I believe a .22 rimfire rifle is a must-have rifle in anyone’s gun case. So if you don’t have a .22 rimfire in your rifle case to just have some fun shooting targets, for pest control or teaching young people firearm safety with a caliber that doesn’t recoil and scare them, it is time to get one. Besides, March is Buy Your Spouse A Rifle Month, or if it is not, it ought to be, so what are you waiting for?
Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.
