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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 2019)
SPORTS MyEagleNews.com SPORTS SCHEDULE THURSDAY, OCT. 24 Grant Union cross country hosts Gold Rush at Sev- enth Street Complex in John Day, junior varsity 4 p.m., varsity 4:30 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 25 Ukiah/Long Creek soccer @ Irrigon, 5 p.m. Grant Union football vs. Heppner, 7 p.m. Dayville/Monument foot- ball @ 1A six-man classic vs. Echo at Sherman High School in Moro, 7 p.m. SATURDAY, OCT. 26 2A Blue Mountain Confer- ence Volleyball Tournament in Union, TBD Prairie City and Dayville/ Monument volleyball @ 1A High Desert League Tourna- ment in John Day, 9 a.m. Prairie City/Burnt River football @ 1A six-man semifinals vs. Joseph at Sherman High School in Moro, 3 p.m. Wednesday, October 23, 2019 A13 A young’un’s first rifle SHOOTING THE BREEZE I still remember the day we spent perusing all the major sporting goods stores in Bend and Redmond. It was 1994, and my folks had decided it was time to graduate from the BB gun. Finally I was to have my very own first .22 rifle. It was something that had seemed like an eternity to wait for. Excited as I was to have my air rifle, and a good trainer it was, I lost sleep waiting for the day I would get to bring home Dale Valade a .22 to call my own. All that day in the big city we looked at vari- ous .22 rifles. Lever action seemed to be the style I preferred, no doubt due to a steady diet of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, et. al., west- erns and the fact that my old man carried a lever-action rifle to the hills for big game each fall. But we looked at bolt actions and pump actions that day as well. The only style my Dad forbade me was a semi-auto. While he had nothing against them, he didn’t want me Contributed photo This Rossi model 62A pump-action .22 was columnist Dale Valade’s first rifle. to turn into some “spray and pray” kind of shooter. I’m not sure how many stores we visited that day all told, but the cycle of anticipation and delay had me near tears all day. The last store we entered, a Rossi model 62A (Brazilian knock-off of the Winchester 62) on the shelf had a price tag that my parents thought was reasonable. Though the folks used diversionary tactics to try to sneak it home without me know- ing, I found out. It was everything I had wanted in a .22. It had an external hammer, basic open sights and a 14-shot tube magazine. I was elated. The first targets I slew were soda cans. I perforated them over and over again with the Win- chester 40-grain Wildcat ammu- nition. Gradually I moved them farther and farther out to test my reach at long (for a .22) distance. Dad would gather the spent 12 gauge hulls left behind by skeet and clay shooters and set them up as targets. Squinting down the sights and squeezing off each shot with care was excellent prac- tice. From this training and more like it, I learned the principle of “aim small, miss small.” Finally I had my own real gun to begin my hunting career. With it I was able to learn and regularly practice the fundamen- tals of rifle marksmanship such as sight picture, breath control and trigger squeeze. Being as it was a takedown model, it was relatively easy to disassemble for cleaning and then reassemble for use. As the years went by we spent countless hours afield and thou- sands of rounds of ammunition informally plinking and shoot- ing small game. The one draw- back to this rifle was its inability to easily mount a scope. A scope doesn’t enhance your effective dis- tance substantially with a .22 long rifle, but it does make tougher tar- gets much easier to hit. A wise man knows “you can only shoot as good as you can see.” Today, years later, I still take her out occasionally for the odd- ball soda can, ground squirrel, grouse or rabbit. I own many other .22s and will likely buy more yet, but this one was and always will be the first. There is nothing that compares with the practice a young’un gets from his or her “trainer rifle.” What was your first .22? Write us at shootingthebreezebme@ gmail.com and tell us all about it. Dale Valade is a local coun- try gent with a deep love for hand- loading, hunting and shooting. week 7 of 13 • IT’S EASY • IT’S FREE ® 6.Boston College vs Clemson Broasted Chicken, Pizza & Burgers • IT’S FUN! Touchdown! Cheryl Hoefler scores with 13 correct picks! Eric Rausch was a close second with 12 correct picks. Ny da m’ s CONGRATULATIONS! 652 W. Main, John Day 1.Grant Union vs Heppner 13.Jets vs Jaguars 15.Packers vs Chiefs 14.Panthers vs 49ers 551 W Main St., John Day, OR. (541) 575-1346 2. Prairie City/Burnt River vs Joesph We’re here when you need us! 120 E. Main, John Day • (541) 575-0629 www.lensdrug.com $18.00 pumpkin spice hemp 17oz. 142 E Main St., John Day • 541-575-2224 OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM Phone Game Advertiser Winner No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 No. 9 No. 10 No. 11 No. 12 No. 13 No. 14 No. 15 Tie Breaker Score The helpful place. Hardware . 16 oz ith w e t t La avor 1 fl 25 $3. John Day Polaris 821 W. Hwy, John Day • 541-575-5778 For all your automotive needs! 541-575-0211 Automotive & ATV: Repair • Service • Parts 12.Cardinals vs Saints Name 7.Auburn vs LSU 200 E. Main St., John Day Quality Parts, Service & People 8.Oklahoma St. vs Iowa St. 721 W Main St., John Day 541-575-1850 Blue Mountain EAGLE 1. Displayed in this advertisement are 20 sports-minded businesses. In 15 of these ads you’ll find listed an important game scheduled for this weekend. 2. Each game is numbered. Clip the original blank entry and write, in numerical order, the advertiser’s name and the team you think will win the game listed in the ad. 3. Game No. 15 will be the tiebreaker every week. Simply write in what you think the final score will be for each team. When the tiebreaker is necessary to determine a winner, the closest point spread will be the deciding factor. 4. Only one entry per person permitted - but all members of the family may enter provided they use the blank entry. Must be 10 years old to enter. Entries must be brought to the Blue Mountain Eagle in John Day no later than 5 p.m. FRIDAY. Or you can mail your entry to: Football Editor, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR, 97845 but make sure it is postmarked no later than Friday and received by the Blue Mountain Eagle by noon Monday. OR you can fax your original entry to (541) 575-1244, Attn: Football Editor. 5. Employees of the Blue Mountain Eagle or members of their immediate families are not eligible for prize money. 6. Winners will be announced in the Wednesday paper following the games.$50 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the winner. In case of a tie, the prize will be split. Contest ends in 13 weeks. 11.Seahawks vs Falcons 195 N. Canyon Blvd. • John Day 541-575-0710 • Fax 541-575-1244 advertising@bluemountaineagle.com www.MyEagleNews.com • Honesty • Integrity • Quality 130 S Canyon Blvd., John Day 541-575-0544 5.Notre Dame vs Michigan Bare Bones Largest Selection of tobacco and flavored beverages in Grant County 541-575-2857 671 W. Main, John Day Complete Auto Body & Paint Car & Truck Accessories Auto Glass Repair & Replacement FREE INSURANCE ESTIMATES • FREE LOANER CAR 541-575-1786 700 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day JOHN DAY HARDWARE 10.Penn St. vs Michigan St. 4.Washington 4.Colts St. vs Oregon vs Texans 161 E. Main St., John Day Mobile Glass of Oregon, Inc. ccb#175517 • Windows • Screens • Glass, Plexiglass & Mirrors-Doors • Auto Glass Replacement & Repair 9.Indiana vs Nebraska 27825 Wilderness Lane • 541-575-1055 • Hardware • Lumber • Danner Boots 3.Dayville/Monument vs. Echo
