How Annie got Her Gun On

A lot can change in a year. Take, for example, my interest in guns.  A year ago I read, in the county paper, of an upcoming Ladies Day at a local gun range.  I must admit, it caught my eye.  But a year ago I was still immersed in my cultural studies of the Bootheel and at that time, I had no idea what I was passing up.  One year later, I didn't miss Ladies Day when it came around again.  However, in the spirit of honesty, I almost did but in the end, I made it and along the way, I discovered that even had I gone alone I would have found myself in good company.  I knew a lot of the ladies there.

Gun culture is a real THING amongst the women of the Bootheel.  In fact, one of the three hosting groups was the local women's chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (Women in the Outdoors River Bottom Gobblers Chapter).  Between these women, the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri Department of Conservation, a day had been created that covered personal safety, gun safety, survival cooking, and opportunities to shoot.  I must admit, all of my preconceived notions of who would actually be there flew right out the proverbial window.  Young. Old. Able-bodies. Infirmed. We were all there.  There were women present who were 12 years older then I am.  Needless to see, I was surprised and, in truth, more than a little gratified to see such a gathering of women.

I expected a lot, I supposed, but nowhere on my list of expectations was a survival skill cooking class.  But, there was mountain man, Jim DeReign and I knew I was in for a treat.  He provided me with my introduction to Rainbow Stew (something about Garrison Keillor and a song was supposed to explain this to me).  I'll google that sometime.  But moving forward . . . Rainbow Stew is so good and so easy to make.  I adapted my photo-notes of his concoction and dinner is currently bubbly away in my InstaPot.  Open fire cast iron cooking, it's not, but it smells just as good.

Next up was shooting skeet with a 20 gauge rifle (I hope I got that right).  I had been observing the first group with definite interest and didn't hesitate to give this a try.  Of course, no one really understands what a rifle kick (even a .22) feels like until they shoot the first time. How happy I was to have a wall at my back.  The wall caught me.  Anyway, two shots and two misses.  I'd had enough.  I needed to think about this whole rifle shooting thing.  But, later, before moving on to personal safety tips, I gave it another try.  Six shots.  Six misses. But by the end, I was keeping myself on my feet. I must admit though, I was really feeling my shoulder and arm muscles for the next day or so.

Personal safety is just what a says.  Personal safety.  Lots of common sense advise imparted with a bit of dirty street fighting mixed in.  Did you know that ANYTHING can be turned into a weapon?  Just keep your wits about yourself.  Of course, it's not THAT easy, but it's nice to know the possibilities of self-defense when you think you are actually defenseless.

And finally, the main event, for me anyway, arrived.  Like most everyone who gets to my age, I have a bucket list.  Since moving back here, I've added to that list.  My cultural studies of southern life have contributed to this growing list and going to the gun range in Steele was my passport to discovering what sort of handgun I wanted to purchase.  Guns have been on my interest list for a  long while but now, here in the Bootheel, it's become fully formed, at least to the point of wanting to narrow it down.  I thought I wanted a small .22 revolver but according to Morgan Treece, that will only make your target mad at you if you actually hit someone.  Better to try out a snub nose .38.  Okay, I can consider that.  Semi-automatics were also on the table but those things have too many moving parts.  I didn't even try one out.  At this point, I'm sticking with a small revolver.

So now, a week later, I'm still thinking a lot about guns.  It's easy to get one in Missouri and all I really need to do is find a well-regarded gunshop that maybe even has a shooting range attached so I can try out the possibilities.  Anyone have any suggestions?  I'm ready to go shopping.