Fired my spotter

[Fast14riot]

A short story I wrote 5 years ago and its fitting for father's day. He's still my spotter today and will continue to be my shooting partner. Please do share your favorite shooting/hunting/range stories with your dad, kids, grandfather here if you like!

Fired My Spotter Today...

Shot a long range silhouette match today (200, 300, 385, 500 meters) and lost my cool. I shot my NMA2 Service Rifle (iron sights) and this is a team firing point match. Blind draw start, I drew 300m to start. Shooting a known good load, fresh barrel, good dope and zeros.The ground was soft due...

alexanderholman68.wixsite.com

 

[Spoonbill]

Good read

 

[Spoonbill]

"Dad, can I still ride back home with you?"
I have laughed at that several times today

 

[sdean]

A short story I wrote 5 years ago and its fitting for father's day. He's still my spotter today and will continue to be my shooting partner. Please do share your favorite shooting/hunting/range stories with your dad, kids, grandfather here if you like!

Fired My Spotter Today...

Shot a long range silhouette match today (200, 300, 385, 500 meters) and lost my cool. I shot my NMA2 Service Rifle (iron sights) and this is a team firing point match. Blind draw start, I drew 300m to start. Shooting a known good load, fresh barrel, good dope and zeros.The ground was soft due...

alexanderholman68.wixsite.com

View attachment 1261789

You are a lucky man. Many of us would love to get that experience back.

 

[K22]

My father passed in 1987. No son could have had a better father. He was a WWII Era Army Vet., had worked during his formative years in the coal mines in Western PA before the war, returned to the mines after the war and later advanced to become an inspector.

While he only completed 3rd grade having to go to work in the mines to support my grandmother and his younger siblings, he was the smartest man I ever met with an abundance of common sense. He was tough to the core but fair. He had a narrow set of rules and was a tough disciplinarian but I was the better for it.

He taught me to hunt small game and deer. He was not a trophy hunter. While he shot 18 bucks and a bunch of doe during his hunting career, some bucks with nice racks, he never displayed any racks in our home. He hunted for meat and the joy the outdoors offered. He was also an accomplished fisherman. My mom was an excellent game cook.

He taught me to shoot at age 12 with an old Mossberg 22 rimfire rifle. The rifle took many of squirrels. My first shotgun was a 12 gauge double barrel gifted to me from my Grandfather. That shotgun took many rabbits and pheasants. My father brought me my first rifle which a new Winchester, Model 70, 243 Win with a 3 x 9 Redfield scope. Wow, I was one happy teenager.

My fondness memories were as a kid in deer camp. Listening to my father and uncles talk about their great hunting adventures in the "big woods" of north central PA. By the way, he took all those deer with a Winchester Model 94, 30-30 open sights. He was an excellent woodsman.

He sure is missed but I have a lot of great hunting and fishing adventure memories to sustain me.

 

[nakneker]

I didn’t know my Dad growing up, saw him less than five times from the age of 5 to the age of 33. I idolized him when I was young but as I had kids of my own I started to resent him which led to pretty strong negative feelings.

After I had child number three I couldn’t take anymore and I tracked him down. He was working at a BMW motorcycle shop in Reno Nevada. I called him and told him I was headed his way and he better plan on making some time to talk. He said it was over due and he would welcome the visit.

I met him at a dumpy grease spoon outside Reno. I was full of piss and vinegar and was ready to get to the meat of why I was there. He suggested we spend a couple days calling and shooting rock chucks. I agreed but wasn’t happy. His instincts were good and over those couple of days we broke the ice and got to know a little bit of each other. We shot a few yotes, a few rock chucks and spent some time at the range. Then play time was over and it was time to face off before I left.

We sat two chairs apart in his bachelor pad, less than 600 square feet and I let out 25 years of what had become rage. I told him how I felt and gave him two options, either become the Dad and the grandad I wanted and expected or forever get out of my life. The next 10-15 minutes were powerful, too sacred to share here. We made a pact and he changed that very day. I did too.

A month later he moved to Arizona and took care of my Grandmother until she passed at the age of 99 which wasn‘t an easy task. After she passed he moved in with me and has been with me and my family going on 13 years. We’ve become very good friends and although he isn’t perfect he try’s to be. I’ve learned a lot from him. Even though we didn’t know each other as I grew up our hobbies are pretty much identical.

I’ve spent many days in the woods with him, on the range with him and he has spent a lot of time with my kids and my wife. He is family. He changed that day in Reno, we both did. It was unexpected and all was forgiven. Every time I spend a day with the man I’m grateful that forgiveness came into play and we both benefitted. We have never talked about that day or even that trip. We look forward, not backward and our lives are richer for it.

His health is fading. It’s hard to watch and I know I’ll lose him in the not too distant future which makes every minute, every day a bit sweeter. Today we were shooting Ruger Vaqueros off the porch with some pansi trail boss loads, it was fun, a great way to spend Father’s Day.

 

[338 dude]

I didn’t know my Dad growing up, saw him less than five times from the age of 5 to the age of 33. I idolized him when I was young but as I had kids of my own I started to resent him which led to pretty strong negative feelings.

After I had child number three I couldn’t take anymore and I tracked him down. He was working at a BMW motorcycle shop in Reno Nevada. I called him and told him I was headed his way and he better plan on making some time to talk. He said it was over due and he would welcome the visit.

I met him at dumpy grease spoon outside Reno. I was full of piss and vinegar and was ready to get to the meat of why I was there. He suggested we spend a couple days calling and shooting rock chucks. I agreed but wasn’t happy. His instincts were good and over those couple of days we broke the ice and got to know a little bit of each other. We shot a few yotes, a few rock chucks and spent some time at the range. Then play time was over and it was time to face off before I left.

We sat two chairs apart in his bachelor pad, less than 600 square feet and I let out 25 years of what had become rage. I told him how I felt and gave him two options, either become the Dad and the grandad I wanted and expected or forever get out of my life. The next 10-15 minutes were powerful, too sacred to share here. We made a pact and he changed that very day. I did too.

A month later he moved to Arizona and took care of my Grandmother until she passed at the age of 99 which wasn‘t an easy task. After she passed he moved in with me and has been with me and my family going on 13 years. We’ve become very good friends and although he isn’t perfect he try’s to be. I’ve learned a lot from him. Even though we didn’t know each other as I grew up our hobbies are pretty much identical.

I’ve spent many days in the woods with him, on the range with him and he has spent a lot of time with my kids and my wife. He is family. He changed that day in Reno, we both did. It was unexpected and all was forgiven. Every time I spend a day with the man I’m grateful that forgiveness came into play and we both benefitted. We have never talked about that day or even that trip. We look forward, not backward and our lives are richer for it.

His health is fading. It’s hard to watch and I know I’ll lose him in the not too distant future which makes every minute, every day a bit sweeter. Today we were shooting Ruger Vaqueros off the porch with some pansi trail boss loads, it was fun, a great way to spend Father’s Day.

Your story really struck home with me unfortunately I do not have the same results. I’ve known my father my whole life growing up before my parents divorce and after we rarely ever got along and that has not changed to this day we don’t speak so your story hits a spot inside of me and although we shouldn’t feel that way I must say your story makes me very jealous

 

[nakneker]

Your story really struck home with me unfortunately I do not have the same results. I’ve known my father my whole life growing up before my parents divorce and after we rarely ever got along and that has not changed to this day we don’t speak so your story hits a spot inside of me and although we shouldn’t feel that way I must say your story makes me very jealous

I know where your coming from. I expected different results as thought it over on the drive to Reno to hash it out. A couple things I learned from that experience is that it takes two to make a good relationship, it doesn’t work if it’s one sided. I learned the power of forgiveness although I’m not sure I would have forgave if it would have gone the other way. I’m no expert but I will tell you I believe it’s never too late and maybe something will break to allow that to happen. I know the void a situation like creates and I wish you the best.
I think I’m a better Father to my own children because of that experience. Thats something we can change if we have children, we can start a positive cycle, teach them a better way. Both us and them will benefit. Best wishes!

 

[Fast14riot]

Just realized that my opening post may not convey this; this post is a true story, lol! Truth be told, my dad is my biggest supporter in my life, I try to shoot as many matches as I can with him, but he's retired and can shoot pretty much anytime he wants, so it can be tough to line up schedules. Because of him, he understands why I do not always have the time to shoot due to family matters. And because he reads this forum and has seen this post, thanks Dad.