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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 2018)
B2 Sports Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, October 31, 2018 S HOOTING THE B REEZE Dealing with recoil By Dale Valade For the Blue Mountain Eagle Let’s face it, no one looks cooler than Snake Plissken wielding twin .44s or Harry Callahan blazing away with a .458 magnum. The problem is, looking “cool” does noth- ing to mitigate heavy re- coil. And, sadly for many gun owners, looking cool is the final deciding factor in a gun purchase. Many thousands of guns are sold annually by crafty salesmen with quo- tas. There are a few people that need a magnum. Then there are the vast majority. They have read a few out- doors articles or talked to a few macho friends who told them that it was senseless to buy a .270 or a .30-06 to hunt with. One may have to take a “long” shot! And what about elk? They’re apparently bulletproof! To hear these “experts” tell it, one should question their sanity if caught with any- thing less than a .300 mag- num. Don’t take me wrong, the various magnums are quite useful and effective. But the deadliest thing in any case is a first-shot kill. If you can’t hit it, all the nearby shrapnel will only serve for proverbial con- fetti on your animal’s exit parade. A cool head will kill more elk, grizzlies and ele- phants every time. You gain this attribute through prac- tice; you’ll practice a lot more if you’re not afraid of your rifle. Recoil tolerances are de- veloped over time. As we get older and shoot bigger and bigger guns, it grows. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll take each rifle on an individual basis, regardless of caliber. Everyone has a “peak recoil tolerance.” A lot of different factors go into this, but typically a cal- iber is the designation. Wherever you have peaked, if you want to move to the next level, it’s time to refine your fundamental shooting skills. Trig- ger squeeze, breath con- trol and sight align- ment are Dale key. Allow Valade recoil to happen be- fore you attempt to oper- ate the action or to look at your intended target. Avoid pouncing on the trigger. A smooth, consistent squeeze should be your goal. Make each shot you take a quality production. Recoil mitigation isn’t only about form. A qual- ity recoil pad is worth its weight in gold, and the shoulder pad rigs work well at the range. The Cald- well Lead Sled is also a fine product for use on the bench. If all else fails, you can have a muzzle break in- stalled. Be sure to plug your ears. Spend time shooting from field positions. While a bench rest is the best way to sight in your rifle, it’s also the best place to devel- op a flinch. Due to your po- sition, you absorb the most recoil from a bench rest. Sight in that rifle and then practice from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. On the same token, if you are feeling a flinch coming on, then perhaps it might behoove you to drop down a notch or two in caliber — you know, just to see if the flinch fol- lows. A sure way to know is to have a friend load your gun for you at the range next time. By inter- mixing empties with live rounds, they will catch your flinch. When previously good guns suddenly “go bad,” the first thing you should check is you! You may be surprised. Love shoot- ing the big guns? Have any ideas for articles you would like to see? Con- tact us at shootingthebree- zebme@gmail.com! Dale Valade is a local country gent with a deep love for handloading, hunting and shooting. HOLIDAY Like none other, don’t miss it! Prepare to be wowed. • Old world and unique ornaments • Lighted villages and accessories • Musical pieces and lights • Table Top Thomas Kinkade Collectables • No junk or tinsel - Quality items only! Nov. 2-3, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Keerins Hall, 413 Bridge St., John Day 86239 h ur table wit ts o y e t a r o c De ustom Mea C ’s ll e s s u R Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Tackling Weston-McEwen quarterback Kellen McGill are Grant Union’s Tanler Fuller and Russell Hodge (7) with Devon Stokes (52) and Taylor Hunt (27) running to assist. FOOTBALL Continued from Page B1 Grant Union came out on fire in the third. Prospector Isaiah Hago- pian made a fair catch at kickoff near midfield. On the drive, blockers allowed Russell Hodge, Justin Hodge and Hunt to push toward the goal line. Lenz scored a touchdown as well as the 2-point con- version on keepers, to give Grant Union their 16-0 lead. Weston-McEwen had a fourth-down conversion on their next drive, but on their next fourth down, Prospector defensive lineman Drew Lus- co was key in a big stop. Grant Union took the ball back at their own 17-yard line. Near the end of the fourth, the Prospectors recovered the TigerScots’ missed snap. As the seconds wound down, Grant Union had a fourth-down conversion when Lenz found an opening for a big gain. “That last play got us a first down and sealed the deal. We ran the clock out Grant Union receiver Justin Hodge gains yards in Friday night’s game against Weston- McEwen. then,” Miller said. “It was a gutsy effort.” “Drew as always is just tough inside on both sides of the ball,” Miller added. “Our linebackers stepped up and were making plays. Garrett Lenz, he just at times puts us on his shoulders — made it happen.” Lenz said he was happy with the team’s performance. “We knew it was going to be a tight game, and we just went out there and showed By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Long Creek/Ukiah volleyball team overcame setbacks to sweep Hunting- ton 25-15, 26-24 and 25-18 Oct. 18 in Long Creek. The win added to the excitement of homecom- ing day and senior day for the Long Creek and Ukiah schools. “It was a good ending for our season,” said Long Creek/Ukiah head coach Linda Studtmann. “Obvi- ously, spirits were high, and we got everybody out there.” Co-coach Regan En- riquez said it was an emo- tional game as it was the last of the season for the team including seniors Gladys Johnson, Jenny Lee and Alea Douglass who has been out with an injury. “Today wasn’t just about the game or winning,” En- The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Long Creek/Ukiah sophomore Elizabeth Gulden passes the ball, backed up by Jenny Kim. riquez said. “Today was about them having fun and our last game with these seniors. ... They’re real- ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Saturday November 10, 9am-4pm Mt. Vernon Grange Hall We encourage you to come out and support the grange and all the vendors for the Christmas Bazaar. Serving: Stew with fresh baked rolls, pies, cakes and cookies. Eat lunch here or take it home for dinner. 87113 235 N. Canyon City Blvd. Canyon City • 541-575-0720 with a 5-4 overall record and 3-1 in 2A Special District 6. Over the season, they’ve scored 202 points and al- lowed 166 points. Monroe is ranked No. 1 with an 8-1 overall re- cord and 5-0 in 2A Special District 3. Over the season, they’ve scored 328 points and allowed 123 points. Early in the season, Grant Union hosted Monroe in John Day, the Dragons taking a 20-8 win. Long Creek/Ukiah sweeps Huntington for senior day Located across from Holliday State Park on HWY 26 “It’s worth the extra mile” them how to play some foot- ball,” he said. “A big shout- out to the linemen, yet again. They did some good blocking up front to get us the runs that we needed to pound the ball into the touchdown.” The win means Grant Union finished second in the 2A Special District 6, behind Heppner — the top two in the district moving on to the playoffs. Grant Union is ranked No. 17 among OSAA’s 2A teams 87243 ly close to each other — they’re just a family here.” Long Creek/Ukiah’s big- gest comeback came in the second set when they were down 12-4 Sophomore Jammy San- thob’s aces brought Long Creek/Ukiah out of the red to tie the score 12-12. The teams continued back and forth until Long Creek/Ukiah pulled ahead for the 2-point win. Studtmann said she played athletes who hadn’t had time on the court in the set. “We made mistakes, but they didn’t let it get them down, and they were sup- portive of each other,” she said. Johnson said the team bonded well over the season and she would miss playing volleyball with them. When asked how they overcame adversi- ty in the match, she said, “We just get our three in, and we have good atti- tudes and work with each other.” Tis the Season of Giving, and that’s why Friday businesses are encouraging you to give, non parishable food items that is. Bring your non parishable food items and exchange them for raffle tickets! But wait, there is more ways to earn even more raffle tickets, plus there’s no limit to the amount of tickets you can earn! All food will be donated to a local food bank and the winner of our raffle will get a gift basket with items from Dairy Queen, Eastern Oregon Realty, 1188 Brewing Company, A Flower Shop N More, Etc., Java Jungle, and House to Home, just to name a few! Grab your friends and enjoy a night out for a good cause! First Friday! This Friday, 6 to 9PM, downtown John Day! 86900
