Gun Control or Something Completely Different

before any one reads this i would like to point out I am an American and a proud member of the N.R.A. however i also firmly believe in an America free from the tragedy's such as the Newtown shootings and the Colorado shooting and believe that while universal background checks wont solve the in tire problem they are a step in the right direction. i however firmly appose those such as the Obama Administration who seek to limit our rights to 10 rounds so to speak and who wish to remove our rights to protect our loved ones with what ever force is required in a unique situation we may find ourselves in. if you are with me and respect the weapons that won this countries freedom then respect them and yourself enough to keep these weapons out of the hands of the infirm and undeserving of the world we live in. i firmly hope that this puts all thoughts of those doubting that we gun enthusiasts care about protecting America to bed for it was People like us that helped build this county.I'm not placing the blame i only want whats best for OUR country

     Gun control has been a hot topic, beginning in late 2012 and continuing to 2013. This has been in part due to the awful displays of inhumanity carried out by lone gun men on a mission to kill and maim.  These grotesque displays of violence must be stopped. However; America seems to be focusing on the weapon used to perform these horrible actions and not the man behind that weapon. Of course this weapon is a gun. Instead of shooting straight with this issue politicians seem to be avoiding the underlying cause of this debate by putting all the blame on the weapon. So the question now becomes why. Why do these assassins seek to kill those in their own community’s and sometimes even family’s, (in regards to the Newtown shooting)? What do these slayers have in common that links their killing sprees? It’s not the weapons they have chosen to wield but is something more on a human level:  sanity. So now we get into the meat of the issue these murderers Adam Lanza the Newtown shooter, Seung-Hui Cho the Virginia Tech shooter and the Aurora theater shooter, James Holms all had one thing in common.  All three of these men were mentally unstable.  To think these three tragedies could have been avoided if only the humans selling the weapons had known the state-of-mind that their customers were in.

 This area of the debate deserves our attention because there is a real connection between mental illness and mass public shootings. According to The Washington Times “More than half of the killers in mass shootings over the past century were beset by serious mental illness” (most often severe depression or paranoid schizophrenia), a rate that's at least five times higher than that estimated for the general population. These weapons are not toys and deserve to be treated seriously; as we would treat any dangerous animal primed to kill. So why then do we continue to allow those with mental illness to acquire such weapons? Why are we blind to the fact that the young man that just bought an AK47 is mentally unstable?  

Gun control advocates have some strong points in regards to stricter back ground checks such as in gun shows and heaver penalty’s for those convicted of gun related crimes. Over the past people purchasing weapons at gun shows have not been required to fill out back ground checks. These purchases account for over 40 percent of guns bought in America says Schevel Michael.  When asked his opinion about this situation Steve Mostyn trial-lawyer from Houston, who is pro-gun, while also being in favor of universal background checks had this to say, “I’m not anti-gun. I'm just not pro-dumbass.” However in the last group of mass shootings back ground checks would have done nothing to stop the rampaging gun men from acquiring weapons because they had no criminal history. So yes universal back ground checks should be implemented but they are not the only issue. America has seen the devastation that a mentally ill man and a gun can reap so why not remove the guns from the people unfit to have them?

However this suggestion has sent one group reeling and unfortunately it is this one group that disagrees with psychiatric analyses and reporting on the status of the mentally ill are the ones whose cooperation we need the most doctors. These medical professionals claim that revealing such knowledge is a total breach of doctor patient confidentiality (Robert McCarthy). Not to mention the repercussions of reporting the status of the mentally ill to the ATF. Julianne Carbin, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Wisconsin, said that doing so might further alienate those who need help and discourage people from seeking treatment. Kenneth P. Houseknecht, executive director of the Erie County Mental Health Association "We have to stop associating violence with mental illness," however the world has proven the connection between mental illness and violence despite the cries from those who would put all the blame on the weapon.  While these are both valid points we should be looking at this on a human level and asking the question how many lives this doctor patient trust is worth.

 

             It is these doctors who have chosen this career and who have the responsibility of caring for and teaching these people. Not only doctor’s, but school teachers, counselors and parents also have a responsibility to the mentally disabled, they are charged with. They have the responsibility of taking care of those who cannot take care of themselves. However: they also have an obligation to the community to report on the status of those people when by neglecting that responsibility the person in there care may become dangerous.  This truth becomes evident when we examine the Aurora Colorado shooting. Holms doctors knew of his disability and saw his tendency towards violence, but said nothing. By doing this the doctors claim they were preserving professional confidentiality.  However; it could also be seen as a veil of ignorance and by not reporting on these patients the doctors avoided that responsibility all together. In the case of Virginia Tech there where even more signs pointing to Cho’s instability and the approaching storm, for instance Cho was detained and evaluated in 2005 and found to be a serious threat to himself due to mental infirmity according to state officials.            

Since Cho was never involuntarily committed after the evaluation, he could not have been added to the database listing the mentally ill and other groups barred from purchasing firearms. But Cho does seem to fit ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms) guidelines for inclusion, since a judge determined that he presented an, "Imminent danger to himself as a result of mental illness." If Virginia lawmakers had con-formed their standard to the federal law, then Cho's gun purchase would have been prohibited (Sullivan, Will).

This case brings about a serious point, for example in most mass murder cases there are warnings. It is our own blindness and the blindness of some politicians that leave us defenseless. On that account new legislation is desperately needed to combat this deadly blindness and disregard for responsibility. Efforts should be made to pass legislation requiring a psychiatric examination and in agreement with gun control policy back ground checks. These should be administered everywhere guns are being sold. Also it should be the doctor’s responsibility to relate any knowledge he may have of his patient’s mental health so that the ATF can have that person on record. Mental health professionals need to determine who should be allowed to purchase any firearms even if this means a longer gun buying process and less confidentiality.  If this action helps protect Americans and the 2nd amendment at the same time then it is an option worth looking into.

            To really understand why we have these problems we have to discuss medical costs for mental illness. These programs are very expensive and before 2008 they were not generally covered, like most other treatments. According to the American Psychological Association in 2010 congress passed the Wellstone Domenici Mental Health Parity Act, this act allowed people struggling with disease or addiction to seek help that was often covered. While this is a step in the right direction the shootings of 2012 have proven it not to be enough. There are far more people that are in need of this life saving help just over one third of all mass shooters known to have mental illness have been treated we have to do better (Grant Duwe The Washington times). However many Americans fear that by diving deeper into the mental health dilemma their insurance prices will become a crushing weight. This has put America in a tight spot with the tanking economy and high prices for medical treatment. While many of these suggestions should be implemented, there is a legitimate concern about higher insurance prices.          

     There are thirty-thousand deaths due to gun violence every year and about one million suicides each year; while this is a major tragedy, if mental health became more of a priority both numbers could be reduced. A majority of these suicides are due to mental illness and while depression links to only a hand full of deaths, bipolar disorder, an illness in which one-half of it relates back to depression, suicide rates is 15 times higher than in the general  healthy  public Los Angeles Examiner. Also ranking as one of the highest reasons for suicide is paranoia schizophrenia the disease that both James Holms and Adam Lanza suffered from.   This is burning evidence that mental health legislation needs to be revisited. Now, this debate becomes less about magazine capacity and assault weapons and more about helping those in need while letting our rights remain intact.

                While America does seem to be going through some troubling times with mass public shooting there is a cure. Cheaper health care for those with mental illness honest doctors looking out for the good of the community and proper back ground checks along with psychiatric analysis upon purchasing a gun. These measures will stop not just criminals but those whose mental infirmities might cause them to be a danger to themselves and others.

 

how to fish for sharks, blacktip challeng must watch

In most of my blog posts thus far I have been versed in what I was teaching, however this time I'm just as new to this topic as y'all.  This week I will cover beach shark fishing.  As I pointed out I am a rookie, but have found a great source of information on the topic at Black Tip, and I would like to share it.  This page is a great source for baits, gear, rigs and rods. So please check it out and who knows if you like what you see you may just get hooked

Of course, I would never tell you to expect the results you see here. This guy, Josh, has been doing this for years, as I'm sure you can see in the videos. Nonetheless, I’m sure if you follow his advice you too can be the oceans most deadly predator. Remember to check all the rules and regulations in your area to make sure sharks are legal to catch. All the sharks you see here were released and tagged for study.  So please help keep this awesome animal swimming.  Another great site to check out is Barret Rods.

 Good fishing and God bless,

Ryan

How to Make a Dropper Loop Rig

            First let me start out by saying this video is not the best because it doesn’t show how to tie the whole rig just one loop.  However; this is enough to show you how to tie your basic rig. s



 Just remember for fish like lady fish and whitens it’s better to use 2 loops

1.       Let’s start with a 3ft section of 20 to 50lb mono leader and a swivel rated for one hundred pounds. I like to use 2, #3 kale hooks and a 3oz pyramid sinker.

2.       To begin tie the loop like it shows in the video placing one loop a foot from the right end of the leader material. Next   tie another loop a foot to the left of that loop. It will look like this:  a foot of mono, a loop, and another foot of mono, a loop and then another foot.

3.        Next, I suggest that you tie another dropper at the far left end of the leader and then run the loop through the eye of the pyramid sinker.

4.      In addition, to that drop the weight itself through the loop that you just ran through the eye.  This will connect the weight to the leader, (without a knot this means you can change the weight when necessary).

5.       In conclusion, tie that swivel to the other side of the leader. This will then be attached to your main line.

This is a great rig to use when fishing for fish shrimp for bait fish.



Consider adding beads to the loops or main leader. This is up to you; add as many as you want, remember the noise as well as the red beads will attract fish. Keep in mind that the red beads will mainly bring in the whiting and pin fish.

However; if you want bigger fish beads aren’t the best approach.



 This type of rig has been known to catch reds, whiting, and lady fish as well as small sharks.  The stronger ones can even bring in striped bass. This one is a fairly adaptable rig so it’s great for beginners.

So start tying!
Good fishing and God Bless Ryan                                                                                      

                                                                         

how to make surf casting rigs

Surf casting rigs now beware;


What type of rig you use depends heavily on what type of fish you are targeting. Also you can buy pre-made rigs from Wal-Mart, however; they will never be as good as the rigs that you craft with your own hands.

 Now, most first time fishermen will catch a whole lot of pin fish, dog fish (small sharks), whiting, and lady fish.   All of these fish can be caught on pretty simple tackle dropper rigs along with shrimp or squid strips.

 Remember though that other fish such as striped bass, flounder, sea trout and red drum usually will call for heavier rigs such as fish finders and carolina rigs. Now that you have a basic idea of the different species caught by baiting with a dropper or other types of rigs let’s talk about what materials you need.

The first thing you will need is leader material 30 to 50lb test monofilament is good but fluorocarbon is almost invisible in the water.  So if you’re using heavy leaders it may be a good idea to use fluorocarbon. Keep in mind you get what you pay for and mono works fine and floro is expensive!

The next thing you will need is hooks and weights.  I like to use Khale hooks for whiting and lady fish and size 2 to 3 for fish like blue fish. I use “J” hooks in the 4 to 5 range.

 Here is a useful tip: Eagle Claw Laser Sharps are great hooks, hard to rust and are very sharp.

 With blue fish I also use wire leaders, because blues have very sharp teeth, (watch your fingers).  For the bigger fish like red drum, blacks strippers, sharks and so on, I use only circle hooks, up to size 9 for the bigger fish.    The reason I prefer a circle hook is because it won’t gut hook and kill the fish giving the fish another chance, and me another chance to catch it another time.  

 Circle hooks will automatically hook the fish in the corner of the mouth. This is the safest way to catch a big fish.

Weights, like most other things in surf fishing the size weight you should use depends on what is going on in the ocean at the time. I will use anything from a 3oz pyramid sinker for bait and small fish like whiting. Then up to 6 to 8oz storm sinker for my 12ft rods in heavy current.   The heavier the swell is the bigger weight you will need.   Pyramids are good when you want holding power; the same goes double with storm sinkers.

              

 If you are fishing for ambush fish such as flounder you will want to use a Carolina rig with a soft plastic shrimp attached.  You will also want to use a bank sinker or heavy egg shot, because you want the rig to role in the swell, and these weights are round and don’t hold.   Since flounder lie in the water and wait you can let the bate drift.

 Beads:  yes, like your little sisters or daughters bead necklaces these beads will protect your knots from your weight slamming against them.   A color such as red can attract fish such as blue fish.  (Remember red beads blue fish).  Also, the sound of the beads bouncing off your sinkers can sound like a struggling fish under water. I try to always use glass beads they make a better sound.

Swivels:   let’s talk about swivels; these are little pieces of metal with circles in which to tie the line to. These are used to connect your leader to your main line.  They eliminate line twist and breakage. One rated for 100lb to 150lb work for all, with the exception of the heaviest surf beasts.

These are the rig making basics, next time I’ll be back to explain the actual tying of these rigs.

I will show you a few different and creative ways to do this as well as share some great instructional videos. 

Good hunting, fishing

and as always God Bless

Ryan

Let’s go to the beach

Surf Fishing

Part 1


Introduction to Surf Fishing:


Have you ever wondered if there was a way to go to the beach and catch big game fish without having to pay big game charters to do it?   Well, look now further there is a highly affordable way to do just that.   It’s called surf fishing or surf casting.


This sport is done with rod and reel from the sands of the beach. First on the list is to choose the correct gear, like most things in life you get what you pay for. However; you can get into surf fishing out fit for 30 bucks. This will just include rod and real such as a   7ft rod and a light spinning real. Keep in mind that if this is your first time there is no point in spending up to $3,000 on a fishing outfit. Make sure that you know if you’ll enjoy the sport first.


After those first couple of times, if you fall in love with this type of fishing like I did and enjoy  going out on the beach and casting from the sand  then some of the  reels that I really like fishing with and would suggest are Penn Reels. I have 2 of the Penn Fierce, which is a spinning reel and a fathom. This is a heavy duty reel for bringing in big reds, strippers, and even 6ft black tip sharks.

 Keep these points in mind when looking for a reel:  a line capacity of 300yds of at least 20lb mono is great for the small to medium size catch and will handle most fish in the surf.

However; if you decide to get serous you will have to look into a heavier outfit. You will need one that can handle a 65lb braid and 500yds is preferable, especially if you plan on fighting big fish a big fish can run out a lot of line in a hurry.


Next, let’s talk about rods. The first thing most people think of is a lone fisherman on the beach with a towering rod that ranges from 10 to 15ft. Although, that is not necessary. I started catching whiting from the surf with a 7 and1/2ft rod. Of course the big fish are generally farther out but for the beginner it is a great set up. When shopping for rods check out the   “Ocean Master” by Off Shore Angler, and the Ugly Stick, which can be picked up at your local Wal-Mart.


Part 2 post, of this topic will be based on rig tying

 And as always good fishing and God Bless

Ryan

"S & S Graham" Southern Hospitality in a Pro Shop

This is a post written specifically for my readers of North Carolina, especially those in the Salisbury, China Grove areas.

 Every grizzled, archery veteran will tell you the same thing; you need to find a good pro shop that you trust to handle all your equipment. One that can reliably answer any questions you might have about your sport. And if you’re fortunate enough to live in North Carolina then you will enjoy meeting the fine folks at S&S Grams archery.

As soon as you walk in you will be greeted by “Bear,” the huge chocolate lab who call this business home.  Next you will be impressed by the friendly greetings from the owner and employees. Anyone of them in the shop will drop what they’re doing at a moment’s notice to assist any customer, or just to talk about hunting.

 This shop is the epitome of southern hospitality in a business.

“Grams,” is also one of the largest Mathews and Hoyt dealers on the east coast. Any beginners are instantly taken under the wings of the experts in the shop, as they pass along both stories and knowledge.  They will be happy to help you set up draw weights and the whole 9 yards.

 “Grams,” also has an archery range with a large block target to sight in your new rig without the fear of losing arrows.

So if you’re a resident of North Carolina or just passing through be sure to check out S&S Grams and please tell me what you think and let them know Ryan sent you.

 

11700 N Main St

China Grove NC

704-855-1300

Good Hunting and God Bless,                         

  Ryan

Spring is in the air and the arrows should be also.  Ladies and gentlemen, winter has released its cold grip on us and now is the perfect time to start strengthening up your bow muscles, and extending your max range.



 During the first part of this spring I would suggest that you shoot a lot of arrows and get your muscles back to peak pulling strength also.  If you can’t go out and practice then just do this exercise.

 Take a round weight that corresponds or is at least close to the same weight of your bow or the weight that you want to be pulling at the end of the year.      

Use the round weight and take a strong rope with a handle or tie the end of the rope to form a handle. Insert the rope through the circular weight. Next, hold the end of the rope with the handle and drape the weight over a sturdy structure at chest height. Once you are set up use the handle and pretend to draw your bow.  The weight hanging over the structure will act as the draw weight of the bow; this will simulate drawing back and can be a good way to strengthen your bow muscles.  Once, the feeling in your arm is back to normal it’s time to extend your max range.

 What I like to do to accomplish this is take a normal size paper plate and tape it to your target. The reason I do this is because that plate is about the size of a deer’s vitals. Pace yourself back about twenty yards and take three to five arrows then begin to shoot at the plate.  Once your hitting the plate with all arrows step back five yards. Continue at this exercise until you begin to miss.  This will give you your maximum range.  You should be responsible and not take a shot past this range while hunting. As the year and time moves and spring begins to turn to fall practice often.  Consider every shot a kill shot at a live animal. Ten to fifteen arrows should suffice for a days practice.



You should be ready to head to the woods after this spring training. Heed these tips and you will see increases in your draw strength and your accuracy. also like gordy explained in the vid its often helpfull to practice from elivation this will help get you shooting the right angles from a tree stand.

Good Hunting and God bless
Ryan

Stick and String Sunday   
  This week on stick and string Sunday we will be discussing a part of your bow that you may think isn’t worth its weight, your stabilizer.  I’m here to tell you that it is. If you’ve ever watched a 3-d shooting competition then no doubt you’ve noticed the huge stabilizer bars sticking out of so many places on their bows.  They look like porcupines.

    

 Now while this is great for 3-d shooters it’s neither necessary nor practical for the weekend warrior in pursuit of whitetail or turkey.  However a small stabilizer is defiantly a good idea for a couple of reasons: first of all it reduces vibrations making the bow far less forgiving and also much louder.   These days’ people use many kinds of accessories to accomplish this task and sure they work but nothing will give you as good of results as a nice stabilizer.

    

     If you’re just getting into archery my best advice is to watch someone with good form.  One of the things you should notice is that after the shot the bow tilts forward.   The archers that have this effect aren’t specifically due to the stabilizer, the sights and rest also adds to the weight on the front of the bow.   The stabilizer is a big cause for this tilt.  If your bow is balanced you should never feel it tip back into your body instead it should go forward with the top cam pointing to the target. This will also insure that you don’t move to quick after the shot.  Remember these aren’t guns, even today’s bows lob arrows very slow compared to a gun.  Any movement directly following the shot can cause poor arrow flight. Weighting for your top limb to point to the target before resetting is very important.



Well ya'll, I hope this has showed you the importance of a stabilizer in the woods and in competition

Good Shooting and God bless

Ryan

           
How to Blood Trailing 101

 

Losing a wounded game animal is the most heart wrenching part of this sport we love. It can bring the most seasoned hunter to a weeks’ worth of restless nights.

 

 One way to keep these tragedies from accruing is to become the best blood tracker in the woods. After losing my first potential bow kills and after two days of frantic searching, the trail ran cold. As ashamed as I am to admit it, that experience pushed me to spend time lost in the woods and buried in books. Books such as the Beniote’s Family Hunting, these books are tailored to deer trailing not necessary blood trailing, tracking in general.

 

 Now to the meat of this post: learning to recognize the signs left by game animals especially white tails.

 

The first thing you should know is that the blood you see can tell you a lot about your shot placement. If you see dark pure blood the odds are good your shot hit the heart and the deer will go down soon. If the blood has partials in it than it was probably a gut shot.  This is bad news; give the deer a day if the weather permits then take up the trail.

 

 If the blood is dark and oily then you struck the liver, again a day’s wait is the best approach to finding the deer. If blood is bright red and has bubbles in it then it’s a good shot that means you got the lungs. So, give it a couple of hours depending on the trail then go find your deer.

 

Start by:  mentally marking the last place you saw the deer, odds are that mark will be the first place you see blood. Something important to remember is to not just keep your focus on the ground, keep looking around and look for the path of least resistance, Also the hunter staring at his boots the whole time will never see his wounded deer hop up and walk away.  Blood signs are also left in other places rather than the ground such as trees, low shrubs and other things that the deer might have brushed up against in his escape.

 

Not much blood no worries. Use the tracks, look for slides this means the deer was on a full sprint, and may have run for a while.   Your arrow can also tell you a lot about where you hit the dear.  Hydrogen peroxide? Yes hydrogen peroxide can be used to help blood trail your game. By using an old Windex bottle full of the product you can spray it on the blood.  It will begin to bubble and you’ll be able to determine what is blood and what is just the red fall leaves. Well I hope this helps eliminate the heartache caused by losing your prize game,

 As always

Good Hunting and God Bless,

Ryan