Last weekends drive in the hills provided me with a reminder not to forget to take a .22 when heading for the hills. We weren't looking for anything specific, just wandering & trying not to get stuck in the snow. We had in the truck a couple of 12 gauges & steel shot in case we saw some ducks, a 20 gauge with lead shot in case we were attacked by marrauding chuckar, a .223 & a brand new .30-06 for coyotes or suicidal mountain lion, a .45-70 Marlin lever action (just because).
Tom & I thought we were pretty well covered for whatever might come along. My wife snickered as we left and asked sarcastically what if we were attacked by a herd of elephants? "DUH!! What do you think the .45-70 is for" I replied, followed with "why do you always carry the kitchen sink in you purse?". Realizing that I had just exceeded my allowable limit of wizeass remarks, we beat a hasty retreat to the hills.
Had a great day. Only got stuck twice, saw two herds of 100+ antelope, a large herd of elk, a mule deer buck that had both of us drooling & praying to see him again next season. Naturally we did not see any ducks, chuckar, coyotes, mountain lions or elephants. In one drainage we found a hidden motherlode of cottontails sitting in the snow soaking up whatever warmth they could from the weak sunlight. I personally think sneaking around trying to head shoot bunnies with a .22 is about as much fun as a person can legally have and realized that I totally forgot to toss in a .22 (I blame that on the wife's rude but totally accurate comments). Tom smiled & pulled out his Browning pistol from under the seat of the truck, handed me a loaded magazine. Three bunnies later I was a happy camper!
Remember. The next time out, don't forget the rimfire, just in case.
