A few weeks ago, I was in Junction, Texas at a Texas Youth Hunting Program hunt.  When we arrived on Friday, I was excited to meet the other hunters and guides. Also, we saw a herd of deer right after we drove into the location. Compared to last year, it was obvious the deer were healthier. This was very exciting!

During the two hunts I have been on, Fridays were for getting to know the hunters, guides, and for practicing. During practice time, the hunters shoot at a target and determine if they are ready to hunt. Usually, it is after this point when the hunters open up. At this hunt, Emily and I got along with the other girls instantly. We all cooked the first meal together and we were able to talk a lot during this time.

On Saturday morning, I was in a blind with my dad. Before daylight, we heard deer in the tree line. The feeder was about 100 yards in front of us, so we definitely couldn’t see them. As the sun was slowly making it’s way up, I definitely saw a rabbit. Now for the other “deer” I saw, they were just shadows… Anyhow, once the sun made it’s full grand entrance, the deer came out. We were surrounded by deer; soon, we had deer in front of us, behind us, and to both of our sides. I’ve never taken such slow deep breathes in my life! There were several spikes and other small bucks. I guess me killing Casanova (the 10 pointer from last year) must have allowed the other bucks to grow out and start their own dominances. We also saw a few Axis deer off to the side! They were not where I was comfortable shooting them, so I waited for them to come further out. They never did. I did find two eight pointers and I decided to go for the one with the largest body. It was also obvious that he was the dominant one of this herd. The feeder went off at 0800 and he just stood beneath it eating. He was constantly harassing the does that were trying to eat. This buck was an especially smart one. I assume he knew we were there as he always kept either his head or butt to us. When I had my perfect broadside view, I took the shot. He fell right under the feeder.

The other does came out fairly quick. They were very skeptical of us. They kept stomping at us waiting for a reaction. I gave them one… just not the reaction the doe wanted. But before I get ahead of myself, I am going to tell y’all what I accomplished at this hunt. This may not seem major, but I shot her while she was angled towards me. I had only ever shot deer while they were broadside. While I was aiming, I was wondering where I should hit. In my head, I tried to picture a doe with one line going through the heart at broadside then I added more angled lines for representation. This is hard to explain, but I think y’all understand that I tried to use angled lines made from the same entry point. I took the shot where I thought would be best. The shot entered just in front of the shoulder and it exited in the ribs. I about started panicking when she ran 20 yards. All my shots before this one were heart shots, so they instantly dropped. I was scared that I gut shot her, but I did have a little faith restored when she dropped. I took my binoculars and watched to see if she was still breathing. I felt a little better when I saw she died quickly.

Soon after, time was over and we checked on the deer. Everyone knows I beelined for the buck! I was not ready to see the doe yet. When we arrived to the feeder, I saw I had yet another heart shot. His body was just as big as Casanova’s from last year! I was having some major flashbacks. Next, we walked over to the doe. For some reason, I was scared she was still alive. That’s how terrified I was about her not dropping. As I saw earlier, she was dead.

That afternoon, I was in the blind where I shot Casanova last year. Also, I had the same guide that was with me. I was hoping maybe I could have the same luck I did last year. Sadly, I didn’t get that luck. I did see a herd of Axis, though! This was the second time I saw Axis during this trip. They never came into my view. However, two pairs of does came into my sight. I decided not to shoot them because they had yearlings with them. Also, I wasn’t too set on shooting another deer because I didn’t want to tag out. Then comes out a doe that looked different from the others. You could just look at her and be like, “Hm, something is different.” I had no idea what she was at the time, but I did notice that the whole one side of her tail was black. Also, she was more grey than whitetail. Another strange thing I noticed was she was alone. She was eating in front of us for over an hour. No other deer came with her. Two more things I noticed: her ears were more pointed and her belly was not white like a whitetail. I did some research and found that she looked like a blacktail deer! This is surprising and hard to believe because they are not in this area.

The next morning, I was hunting with my dad again. This is the last morning of the hunt. I decided early on that I was not shooting a deer unless it was an Axis. A few whitetail spikes and does came out. Just like what other people said about this blind, something was scaring them away. The deer kept looking off to the side where we can’t see. They soon ran off. We heard Axis barks and I was instantly excited. I waited for them until it was time for us to stop hunting. Earlier, we heard shots and I was sure at least one of them was Emily. We drove to pick up Emily and her guide hoping to see a deer or two. I was even hoping maybe she shot one of the Axis! Turns out the shots didn’t come from her.

Just like the last hunt, this hunt was very enjoyable. I had a great time talking to everyone and I appreciate all the hunting stories! I learned more about hunting and what the TYHP is for. The Texas Youth Hunting Program gives youths the opportunity to hunt and learn several things about hunting including wildlife conservation, harvesting, and tracking. So far, I have had a blast at every hunt!

All the hunters!

Our deer on the first morning.

My 8 point!

This year’s World Rimfire match was held at the Old Fort Gun Club in Van Buren, Arkansas. Let me tell y’all, it was cold; especially on Friday when the wind was blowing. Speaking of the cold, many people were having trouble with their pistols. One the best tips we have received is to keep magazines and ammo warm. This helps keep the pistols running smoothly. During this match, I had several malfunctions. I had no problems with the cold; my limited pistol was just worn from use. This brings me to my next topic: staying in the zone.

Here lately, I have been trying to push past my own mental barriers. I already have a barrier to push through at the beginning of matches, but malfunctions add another layer of bricks to the barrier. I was truly tested at this match. With this match being the breaking point of my limited pistol, I was having at least one malfunction on every stage. This meant that I really had to be on top of my game. I, alongside many other athletes, have zones. I have a basketball zone, Taekwondo zone, Krav Maga zone, and a shooting zone. Every zone is a learning experience.

The first step to having a zone is knowing what a zone is. The zone or flow is a mental state in which an athlete can perform to their greatest ability. This is when noise is silenced, time slows, and everything seems to be perfect. The first time I noticed my basketball zone was in my seventh grade year. I was playing a basketball game and I had a very Hollywood moment. All I saw was the ball, the court, and the players. I saw no bleachers and I heard no screams. This all happened while I was running down the court with the ball and several players were right at my heels.

To put this in perspective of shooters, I have another example in relation to shooting. Every time I shot a perfect stage, I was in my zone. Once I am in ready position and waiting for the buzzer, all I hear is my breathing and the stillness in the air. I hardly ever even hear the RO’s commands! When the buzzer goes off, I do my thing. Time seems to slow as I make my shots and this usually ends quickly. As soon as I have a confirmed hit on the stop plate, I start getting ready for the next string. At this point, my mind is blank and my times almost never register in my head.

The second step is to control your zone. When I played basketball, I knew when I was in my zone. I never told myself, “Hey, get in your zone.” It just happened. My shooting zone is different. I am still in the process of “controlling” my zone. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. I have noticed one thing that helps me get in my zone: breathing. This seems pretty obvious, but it is harder than it seems. When I used to step up to the shooting line, my heart was already racing. This is no bueno. Taking deep, controlled breaths will help slow your heart rate and keep you steady – mentally and physically.

On that note, relaxing is another great way to get in the zone. I have noticed that I will grind my teeth when I shoot. Every time I make the conscious decision to unclench my jaw, I am able to get in my zone. Notice I said conscious decision? As I mentioned earlier, my mind is blank when I’m in my zone. This means that anytime I think about anything while I shoot, I am not in my zone. This correlates with controlling my zone. I try to push all my thoughts away and just focus on shooting. It’s just me, my gun, the plates, and the timer.

I explained all this to get to my main point. After having a malfunction, it is crucial to take a breath, relax, and get in your zone once again. When I have a malfunction, I am usually pushed out of my zone. When I notice this happen, I stop for a second and take a big, deep breath. I clear my head the best I can and prepare for my next string. Also, I found I can relax quicker if I drop my shoulders. Dropping my shoulders allow me to know that all the stress and anxiety is out and I am ready for the next string.

As an RO, I know that some days can be long and exhausting. We’ve been standing there timing people all day long and we can’t wait for it to be over. I can say for myself and several other ROs that we don’t mean a thing when we accidently rush the timing process. When you as a shooter need a breath between strings, take that breath! Don’t feel rushed by the ROs or other shooters! I tell myself this all the time and I still feel rushed sometimes. Just remember that when you are in the box, you do what you need to do in order to shoot your best.

I have seen another thing as an RO: shooters give up. While shooting my limited pistol, I had many malfunctions. Malfunctions aren’t fun and they can make anyone frustrated or want to quit. Do not quit! Remember that you got this! When malfunctions occur during a string, it is essential that you finish the stage with smooth runs. I have seen many people shoot crazy strings after a malfunction. I don’t mean good crazy, but strings with many make-up shots. This is because of one of two reasons: the shooter either quits or is an anxious type of excited. There were a few times that I had trouble calming down after a malfunction. After realizing that I wasn’t calm, I took another deep breath and carried on.

Now it’s time for match talk. I was squadded with Cole and Rick Busch, Kurt and Sydney Wojtowicz, Larry Sitter, and Timothy Guerrero. I had an amazing time hanging out with the squad and I can’t wait until I see everyone again. On Friday, Brian Conley with Hunters HD Gold was shooting cowboy. It was quite a sight to see! 😂

I appreciate all the people who made this match possible! Every year, I look forward to the Rimfire World Championship, and this one left me satisfied. Also, congratulations to Nate Gibson for his win!! You have achieved so much this year! Keep it up! Congratulations to all the other winners!

Thank you for reading my blog! 😁

My placements:

31st overall with Open
43rd overall with Limited
2nd Place Lady Open Division
2nd Place Lady Limited Division

My sponsors:

Hunters HD Gold
Tippmann Arms
Vortex Optics
Allchin Gun Parts
Striplin Custom Gunworks
Tactical Solutions
Ally Outfitters

Match Sponsors:

CCI
Hunters HD Gold
Tactical Solutions
Tandemkross
Volquartsen Firearms
Vortex Optics
ADCO Firearms
Tippmann Arms
Taurus
Steel Target Paint
Ruger
Walther Arms
CWA
Red Hill Tactical
Allchin Gun Parts
Pro-Shot Products
JP Enterprises
Kel-Tec
Revo-Gear
Striplin Custom Gunworks
Range Tactical Gear
Primeaux Steel Targets
Timney Triggers
Galco Gunleather
MCE Digital Armory
Breakthrough Clean Technologies
Brownells
Hogue
F.J. Feddersen

During the 2019 MS Steel Challenge Championship, Emily and I RO’d for two flights on Saturday. The first flight was stationary and the second flight was traveling. For my first flight, I RO’d on Outer Limits. In the afternoon, Emily and I RO’d a squad with James Rushing, Grant Kunkel, and Raegan Hearn (Pineapple Shooter). I had a great time visiting with them! Plus, I was able to watch Grant shoot, so that’s a bonus! Did I mention how hot it was? The feel like temperature was 100 degrees at times! It felt like someone was rubbing sandpaper all over my face. I may or may not have forgotten to put on sunscreen the day before…

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I’m talking saying-the-commands-in-my-sleep exhausted. I am already a sleeptalker/sleepwalker so that part isn’t so crazy. There were several times when I woke myself up saying commands. Emily even said that I kept her up! Now I can literally say I RO in my sleep. Cha-ching!

I shot my rimfire pistols on Friday and my rimfire rifles on Sunday. When the match was over, I noticed that I shot new personal bests with both my pistols! My RFPO time was 83.75 and my RFPI time was 91.62! I am slowly but surely getting faster with my pistols. My goal was to stay in the seventies with both my rifles. My times were 75.34 (RFRI) and 80.38 (RFRO).

I had a great time at this match! We had the opportunity to talk with the Kunkels and McCoys, and that’s always good. See y’all at the Rimfire Challenge World Championship!

I appreciate everyone who made this match possible! Nick Brandt did a great job running this match! Every time I RO, I realize how much work ROs put in. Thank you!

Thank you to all the match sponsors: Tippmann Arms, Pine Burr Area Council, Tandemkross, RangeStore.net, Springfield Armory, Team Match Tracker, Volquartsen Custom, Montana Gold Bullet, Hunters HD Gold, MCE Digital Armory, Steel Target Paint, Range Tactical Gear, Tactical Solutions, and Firehouse Subs.

Our squad on Sunday \/

I placed:

1st Place Master Class RFPO

1st Place Lady RFPO

1st Place Lady RFPI

2nd Place Lady RFRI

3rd Place Lady RFRO

Sponsors:

Tippmann Arms

Hunters HD Gold

Vortex Optics

Allchin Gun Parts

Striplin Custom Gunworks

Tactical Solutions

Ally Outfitters

Last weekend, we went out to Alabama for the 2019 Alabama Steel Challenge State Challenge. I shot my Rimfire Pistol Open (RFPO) and Rimfire Pistol Iron (RFPI)Saturday morning. In my effort to calm down, I tried focusing on my breathing. Sometimes I succeeded in calming down and other times I failed miserably. The next morning, I shot my Rimfire Rifle Open (RFRO) and Rimfire Rifle Iron (RFRI). Calming down was easier this time! I shot 5 perfect strings on Roundabout with my RFRO! When I shoot Roundabout, I almost always miss the 4th target at least once. My times were 1.80, 1.80, 1.78, 1.81, and 1.61 with a total time of 6.99! While I was shooting this stage, I controlled my breathing and tried not to get excited after every string. When I finished shooting, my heart was racing and I could hardly zip up my bag!

🎉 Did I mention that I am now a 3x GM?! At this match, I bumped up my RFPI to a GM! Now I am currently a GM in RFRO, RFRI, and RFPI. 🎉

Total times:

RFRO- 73.02

RFRI- 73.32

RFPO- 89.70

RFPI- 94.02

I had a great time at this match! The people were awesome and so was the food! I appreciate the ROs and staff that helped put on this match! I look forward to attending next year!

Sponsors:

Hunters HD Gold

Vortex Optics

Tippmann Arms

Allchin Gun Parts

Striplin Custom Gunworks

Tactical Solutions

Ally Outfitters

This past weekend, I attended the 2019 Georgia State Steel Challenge! Although a bit muddy, I had a blast!

I shot my RFPO and RFPI Friday morning. While driving to the range, we took the last turn onto John Weaver Road and we all started questioning the road. The road started out decent, but as we drove on, we realized that we were going to be on a muddy adventure! We make it to the entrance and realize that there was another road leading to the entrance! Let me note that the other entrance wasn’t near as muddy as the road we took. I know a few others took this route, but the only two people I can name are the Bakers! Congrats to anyone else that made it!!

When everyone started shooting, I was hoping the rain would hold off until we finished. The rain held off long enough for the morning shooters to finish but not the afternoon shooters! When the squad we were ROing only had a few stages left, we noticed the dark clouds rolling in. The smell changed, the wind started blowing and the only thing you could think was, “It’s coming.” Sure enough, a strong gust blew and it felt like everything was going to blow away! My sister and I ran to the truck. When we ran by the Hunters HD Gold tent, I noticed that the back of it was blown out, but I thought Mr. Brian had done it himself. Our dad had parked the truck by a tree earlier that morning. That tree wasn’t standing anymore! We put our unsecured stuff in the truck and ran to help Mr. Brian. It was a mess!

After this exciting experience, we went out to eat with Mr. Brian and Tom Naelon. Steak and too many potatoes is a great way to end the day!

Saturday morning, I shot my RFRO and RFRI! There was a great chance of rain while we shot, but I wasn’t worried. Rain just makes the experience more fun for me. Rain adds a whole new feel to shooting!

Once we finished shooting and we started eating lunch, I forgot all about the rain. We were all reminded of the weather right when we were about to get ready to shoot. Emily and I were visiting with Mr. Brian when lightning struck. Simultaneously, everyone yells, “Awwww!” I looked at my phone and figured out when we would be able to start. 1:30 goes by and another lightning strikes. 2:00 goes by and another lightning strikes. This went on until 2:30 and it was decided that it was best for the afternoon flight to shoot the next morning. Those couple of hours of waiting was not boring! It was the perfect social hour!

Overall, the 2019 Georgia Steel Challenge Championship was a total blast!

I placed 1st in Ladies RFRO, 1st Ladies RFRI, 1st Ladies RFPO, and 2nd Ladies RFPI! In the junior category, I placed 3rd in RFRO, 2nd in RFRI, and 3rd in RFPO, and 1st RFPI! Overall, I finished 5th in RFRO, 3rd in RFRI, 6th in RFPO, and 5th in RFPI!

I would like to thank all the Match Director, ROs, and the match sponsors!

I couldn’t have done this without my sponsors:

Hunters HD Gold

Tippmann Arms

Striplin Custom Gunworks

Allchin Gun Parts

Vortex Optics

QuarterCircle10

UltimateTargets.com

Ally Outfitters

Extreme Tactics and Training Solutions

Tandemkross

Hodgdon Powders

Tactical Solutions

We travelled to the CMP Talladega range for the 2019 World Speed Shooting Championship. In the beginning, I was a nervous wreck. We practiced our rimfire pistols on Tuesday and shot them on Wednesday. While we were practicing Tuesday, I noticed that in the middle of strings I started shaking. I tried to chill out and breathe, but my nerves were haywire. Here comes Wednesday and my nerves have only settled a little bit. I didn’t shoot as well as I wanted, but aside from that, I had a lot of fun.

On Thursday and Friday, my sister (Emily Cunningham) and I talked to everyone. I tried to go out of my comfort zone and talk to people. Let me just say that I met some pretty awesome people. I made new friends and I conversed with old ones. After the match, I realized how much this helped me. I have always been shy, but at this match, I opened up and I talked. I talked to people from just several towns over to someone in Brazil! We also hung out with Brian Conley at his Hunters HD Gold tent. Hunters HD Gold sells great products and I’ve yet to see an unsatisfied customer.

Friday afternoon, I attended the Hunters HD Gold dinner. We went to a place called The Club. Of course, Mr. Conley had the dinner in the “Gold Room.” We were one of the first people to arrive, so we mainly looked around at the scenery. We even saw a spectacular sunset! I can’t forget to mention that we were being served this awesome peachy drink. Absolutely delicious! The dinner was so fun and I had a great time with an amazing group of people. I should also mention that I had been looking forward to this dinner since news of it first came out! I was not disappointed!

On Saturday, I practiced with my rimfire rifles and I knew tomorrow was going to be a good day. During the very last flight, I shot my RFRO and RFRI. While shooting our first stage, I felt my nerves start to act wild and I started getting worried. As I kept shooting, I gained control of myself. When I messed up, I literally shook it off. After a string, before I even unloaded my magazine, I either dropped my shoulders or I shook my shoulders. I closed my eyes and I started thinking, “You got this,” and, “Calm down.” When we were about half way through we came upon Five-To-Go.  This stage has always been a stressing stage for me, but this time, I nailed it! I shot Five-To-Go in 8.71 seconds with my RFRI and 10.17 seconds with my RFRO! This was definitely motivational. After this stage, I started to wonder if I had a chance to break into the seventies, and I did! When I first started Steel Challenge or even Rimfire Challenge, I had no idea that I would be able to shoot that fast. This experience made me realize that I can achieve anything that I put my mind to.

Many people have helped me along the way, but one person has helped me the most, my dad. If it wasn’t for my dad, I truly wouldn’t be where I am. Through all the blood, sweat, and tears, he pushed me to go further. I could name other people that have helped me, but there are too many! To anyone that has helped me by giving me tips or simply being motivational, thank you. I would also like to say thank you to all the staff, RO’s and sponsors! Without y’all, the match would not be as great as it was.

I ended up placing 1st in Ladies RFRI division and 2nd in Master Class RFRO division! I made my goal of making it into the seventies with a time of 76.40 seconds with my RFRI and 78.90 seconds with my RFRO.

Thanks to my sponsors:

Hunters HD Gold

Striplin Custom Gunworks

Vortex Optics

Tactical Solutions

QuarterCircle10

UltimateTargets.com

Ally Outfitters

Tandemkross

Hodgdon Powder

Extreme Tactics and Training Solutions

I had a great time at the US Steel Shoot in Georgia! I shot on Wednesday and Thursday, and I’m pretty happy with how I did. I had the pleasure of ROing a squad on Friday afternoon and I had a blast. Although tiring, it was a great experience to RO during Nationals. There are two major highlights of the shoot: Tony Martin’s “Cole Busch Fan Club” shirt and when the Range Master called out my name. Tony’s shirt can give anyone a good laugh but nothing beats the feeling I had when my name was called. It felt like someone stabbed me right in the guts… but in a good way. The best way to describe it is a brief flash of joy and anxiety mixed together. I’m also going to admit that I almost yelled out “sir” like how I would at a Taekwondo belt testing or graduation. I was excited to place, but I was anxious about the fact I had to walk in front of people. I was totally not prepared! I couldn’t stop smiling after I received my plaques.

I would like to say thank you to all the match sponsors! I love the timer I picked up off the prize table. Thanks to everyone that ran the match. The match ran well and it was stress-free!

Special thanks to my sponsors:

Hunters HD Gold
Tactical Solutions
Tandemkross
QuarterCircle10
Vortex Optics
UltimateTargets.com
Extreme Tactics and Training Solutions
Hodgdon Powder
Striplin Custom Gunworks
Ally Outfitters