Posted on 04/06/2017 5:36:59 AM PDT by w1n1
RHODE WON HER FIRST WORLD skeet championship when she was 13, but her shooting passion – and skill – manifested itself long before that. Like many people, she got into shooting and hunting because of her family’s involvement. One year, the Rhode clan traveled to Yuma, Ariz., in early September to bag some birds.
"I was seven or eight years old," Kim said, "and the gun was taller than me. I was standing off from my parents, but not too far … they still had control. A game warden came up, and he asked, 'Who shot your birds for you?' And I was like 'I did.' But he insisted, 'No, no, honey. No one's going to get in trouble. You can tell me. Who shot your birds for you?' "No, really,' I insisted. 'I really shot these birds.' And while I was in the midst of arguing with this Game and Fish guy, my dad yells 'Over you!' I turned around, took two shots and dropped two birds. The game warden said, 'Have a nice day,' and walked off."
Competitions were the next logical step for the precocious pre-teen. When Rhode was 13, she entered a match where the winner would earn the opportunity to visit the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
"I competed in trap," she said, "which was something I'd never done before, and I won. I was ecstatic, but after I got home I got a phone call that I wouldn’t be going because I was too young. They sent the runner-up instead." Read the rest of Kim Rhode story here.
I love that Yuma story! Kim was born in 1979, so that would have occurred in 1987, a couple of years before I moved to Yuma.
Dove hunting in Yuma was fantastic in the 1970’s. I have had a number of people tell me about it.
Yuma raised a lot of grain at that time. It was still excellent in the 1980’s but the agricultural focus was changing.
Now our agricultural sector has found it more profitable to raise vegetables for the whole U.S. The dove hunting is merely good.
I love downing pheasant, dove and quail at ranges beyond when most others have decided not to shoot. Especially when I was discovering the secrets of my Model 12 and its improved modified choke. I could tell dad was proud amungst his hunting buddies when the kid was part of the hunt.
Doing it right.
I was seven or eight years old,” Kim said, “and the gun was taller than me. I was standing from my parents, but not too far … they still had control. A game warden came up, and he asked, ‘Who shot your birds for you?’ And I was like ‘I did.’ But he insisted, ‘No, no, honey. No one’s going to get in trouble. You can tell me.
Game warden lie all the time. I am sure if she had answered some one else did a citation for group hunting would have been issued.
Having LEO tell you no one well get in trouble is just a lie to get you talking.
Do not talk to he police most people convict themselves when they open their mouths.
There are some very nice things about Arizona (besides the beautiful - but HOT - weather).
I went to a gun store to look around, and I told the owner “I moved here from NY - I’m not familiar with AZ gun laws- what do I have to do to buy this pistol?” and he said “Give me $450”.
Next, I was practice shooting with some friends in a desert area- and two cop cars came down the road. Being from NY I was like “Uh oh..” but the officers came out and asked if they could shoot with us! WE HAD A BLAST and they even offered to pay for the ammo, but we declined.
I could usually get two or three pheasants in a morning walk through a SW Iowa picked corn field. My favorite was an old A-5.
The owner’s son would get two or three with a .410 single, probably worth $50.
Grew up in W central Iowa back in the 60s, and a 12 ga cased in the trunk, behind the seat, in a rack, or even in my locker at high school was no big deal...
We used to skip lunch and road hunt for pheasant...
Nowadays, they’d call out the SWAT Team...
Ha! Great story.
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