Magpul—DAKA Range Bags
A good range bag might be worth its weight in gold. Magpul’s line…
A good range bag might be worth its weight in gold. Magpul’s line…
“The Defender-XL Micro Red Dot line grows by getting smaller.” So says Vortex…
According to the company, Magpul’s original 30-round TMAG 30 (translucent polymer magazine) changes…
The V Exercise was created for those who would like a continuous moving-and-shooting exercise that…
The tripod is the essential tool to allow the precise delivery of fire from any…
The skill of firing accurate rounds into a threat from retention is an underappreciated and…
Niki Jones of Sure Shots Magazine shares with us how the ladies of Texas spend a day of class and firepower.
When I received an invitation to a dove hunt from the famous Renee Blaine, Shotgun Instructor Extraordinaire, I knew right off that this wasn’t going to be your run-of-the-mill bird hunt. Renee happens to run with a particularly fabulous crowd—very successful (and very style-conscious) women. And, I should mention, they’re all amazing shooters! I had already met some of them, and I couldn’t wait to meet the rest.
I arrived at Renee’s friend Cindy’s 500-acre Rocky Creek Ranch, in Watson, TX (about an hour north of Austin) at 2:00pm. The ladies were already there—Nicole, Cindy, Janna, and Renee’s super-cool sister Barrie, who put a jalepeño margarita in my hand. I loved them all immediately (and not because they brought the tequila!). After introductions were made, we piled in Renee’s Polaris Ranger and took off on a tour of the ranch.
Cindy’s ranch is beautiful. Hilly and wooded, it has long winding roads, big rolling fields, and ponds. The weather was in the low 70’s and sunny that day, which couldn’t have been more perfect. More than an hour later, we made our way back to our starting point, where Renee had already set up a trap thrower (the machine that launches clay pigeons into the air), for us to practice our shooting and get warmed up.
Nicole handed me a gorgeous brown leather Galco shell pouch to strap around my waist, and Renee handed me my shotgun for the day—a Merkel 2000E 12 gauge, and filled my pouch with shells. We were ready to rock!
We rotated around the clays, shooting in pairs, playing “cleanup”, where one person shoots and if they miss, the other person shoots and “cleans up” their shot. The problem with that game with this group of girls was that no one missed the first shot! hese ladies casually bring those shotguns up as if they don’t have a care in the world, which is actually a great technique, as Renee had taught us in her Sure Shots Shotgun clinics. Don’t overthink it. Don’t wait and line up the sight. Just trust your instinct and shoot as soon as you get that gun up to the clay. We spent an hour or two shooting clays, and it couldn’t have been more fun.
Soon, the sun got low, and we set out once again in the Ranger, down to a beautiful field lined with thick woods. We split up into two groups—Janna and Nicole about a half a mile from Renee, Barrie, and me. Slowly but surely the doves started flying overhead, usually in groups of about 5-7. They usually came from the woods behind us, so we had to be quick. Renee and Barrie took shots at the first group that flew over, and they each got one right off the bat. We could hear the gunshots of Nicole and Janna alternating with our own. Janna and Nicole got 17 doves, and we got nine.
As the sun began to set and dusk was upon us, Janna and Nicole joined us at our spot. Suddenly, tons of people began to appear, one truck by one. These were all friends of these ladies—men, women, kids—and they parked, lowered their tailgates, and began setting out food. Barbecue! Smoked salmon with onions and capers! Deviled eggs! Cheese! It was awesome.
And then, right before the sun disappeared for good, Nicole quietly stepped out into the field and took aim at the ONE last dove in the sky. One shot, and she took that dove down. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.
Niki Jones is the Founder and President of Sure Shots, Texas’ Women’s Shooting League, as well as the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Sure Shots Magazine. She has been featured on ABC News’ ‘Nightline’, CNN’s ‘Erin Burnett OutFront’, and many other news outlets regarding women and shooting. Niki is a certified pistol instructor and also holds her state commission as a Personal Protection Officer.
Eli is a firearms instructor and an avid shooter. As a NRA certified instructor for NRA Basic Pistol and Basic Personal Protection in the Home, he shares his passion and knowledge for firearms. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Like its popular brethren in the Old Hickory Outdoors series, the new OH-O Machete is an all-purpose tool that will last for generations.
You’ve seen the pictures, and maybe if you’re lucky, even handled one. A fully ambidextrous battle rifle chambered in .308 that weighs in at 8.5lbs? Yes, and it shoots like a dream as well. I am talking about the Si-Defense SI-D Ambi .308. Based out of Kalispell, MT, SI-Defense is poised to take the AR-10 market by storm with this new concept rifle that will hit the market soon.
We are back for the September 2017 episode of The QA. We take a few questions and give away a prize pack thanks to this month’s sponsor, Rainier…
In this Tactical Moment episode John discusses “stoppages.” A stoppage is a momentary cessation of the firearm. When you pull the trigger and hear a click instead of a bang, then you know something is wrong. Applying “immediate action” could be the fastest way to fix the problem and get back in the gunfight. Watch this video to learn how to manage a firearms stoppage by applying the immediate action technique.
Mike Vellekamp, owner and co-founder of FOX Knives USA presents the FX-301 Dobolock knife designed by Sami Stinner, which just won the “Most Innovative Design” award this year…
WOOX invites attendees of the 2023 SHOT SHOW to visit booth #71153 to see the full lineup of new products.
© 2025 UN12 Magazine
© 2025 UN12 Magazine
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