By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

Check out these great photos sent to us by reader Steve Walls, who writes,
"This is something you don’t see everyday."

That’s for sure.
Thanks, Steve.

By David E. Petzal and Philip Bourjaily

Temporarily blinded from looking at a case full of gold Rolexes at the Safari Club International Convention, I stumbled into a darkened room where Eric Olds, Rangemaster at Gunsite Academy, was giving a seminar titled "Are You Shooting Me?" I've been to Gunsite, and had instruction from Eric, and it was good to be reminded of just how unique the Gunsite approach to shooting is.

Despite its odd title, the seminar was about practice—all phases of it, including safety, which is paramount in the Gunsite scheme of things. Eric has evolved his curriculum from his time as a Marine, as a high-power rifle competitor, as a hunter, and as an instructor who has spent 15 years watching screwed-up hunters shoot and figuring out how to unscrew them.

When I went to Gunsite several years ago, I went with a young woman on our staff who had never fired a rifle before. In a day and a half, Eric turned her into a competent shot. I’m still not sure how he did it, but he did it without doubt.

Not only is the instruction unique, but Gunsite is able to duplicate actual hunting situations—you're not shooting off a benchrest at 100 yards at a bull's-eye. It’s at real hunting distances over real chunks of Arizona at animal targets. As Eric says, "We can't replicate the Arctic, or a rain forest, but we can match just about anything in between."

Included in his talk was a maxim so profound that I’m passing it along to you. I suggest you all have it tattooed on whichever body part you find most convenient:

"When it comes time to shoot for real, you will default to your level of practice. If you haven't practiced, you better hope you’re having a good day."

Say amen.

Go to gunsite.com for a life-changing experience.

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

First, a brief, recent, chronological history of Perky the duck:

January 15: A Florida hunter shoots a female ring-neck duck, assumes the fowl is dead, and puts it in the refrigerator.

January 17: The hunter’s wife opens the fridge door; the duck lifts its head and looks at her; she freaks out and tells her daughter to bring the duck to the Goose Creek Wildlife Sanctuary.

January 20: An Associated Press article spreads the story worldwide; the duck becomes known as Perky.

January 23: The Goose Creek Wildlife Sanctuary begins treating Perky’s wounded wing and leg.

January 27: Perky dies on the operating table while having a wing repaired. Veterinarian David Hale performes CPR and resuscitates the duck.

January 28: An Associated Press article reports Perky’s second narrow escape.

(Some of the better headlines:
Injured fowl-feathered friend keeps 'duck'-ing death [Edmonton Sun];
This plucky, lucky duck gets new quack at life [Toronto Star];
'She's alive!': Duck ducks death a third time [Minneapolis Star Tribune])

Today: Perky continues to recover at Goose Creek.

All of this is very heartwarming, of course. But from a hunter’s perspective, is there something a little wacko about all of this? What’s your take?

By Dave Hurteau & Chad Love

No doubt many of you have thought: What I really need is a 2-1/2-foot-long Rapala minnow plug? Well here your big chance to get one. At this writing, the last bid was just $31. Check it out here.