Not in my wildest dreams did I ever envision myself serving as Chairman of the Outstanding American Handgunner Awards Foundation, which I did through the 1990s awarding the bronze statue to eight sixgunners. Back in the 1970s, when the NRA Show along with the OAHAF banquet was announced for Salt Lake City, Utah, I decided to make the 6-hour drive mainly to meet one of the nominees, Skeeter Skelton, not realizing, but hoping, at the time he would be the winner, which is exactly how it turned out.

Running into him walking the aisles of the NRA Show, I pulled a picture out of my pocket, and handed it to him. He took me by the arm and said, “Son, let’s go find a quiet place to talk.” The picture was a close-up of the left side of the barrel of a pre-War Colt Single Action marked, “RUSSIAN AND S&W SPECIAL 44” and it went right straight to his heart. Skeeter and I had a good long discussion over that Colt .44 as well as .44 Specials in general. When Skeeter became ill in the mid-1980s, spending much of his time in the hospital, I sent him many typewritten copies of my articles hoping he enjoyed them just a smidgen as much as I had enjoyed his over the years.

Skeeter died in 1988. In my mind he ranks with Elmer Keith as the two best sixgun writers to ever sit before a typewriter. After Skeeter passed, many of his articles were assembled into two books, Good Friends, Good Guns, Good Whiskey and Hoglegs, Hipshots, and Jalapenos. Skeeter not only wrote excellent gun articles but his “Me and Joe,” “Dobe Grant,” and “Jug Johnson” episodes exhibited another writing talent — great story telling. I often gave copies of the “Me and Joe” stories to the English teacher at the junior high to read to students.

The title of his first book, which was chosen after he died, has always bothered me. I can identify with the “Good Friends and Good Guns” but not the “Good Whiskey.” I come from a long line of alcoholics on both sides of my family and decided at a very young age something had to be done to break the chain, so I made up my mind to never drink alcohol. I don’t make any judgments of those that do, I simply knew the chances were very good I would not be able to handle it and it would, in fact, be deadly for me.

Los Compadres

The “Good Friends and Good Guns” part is very meaningful and I have been thinking of two good friends and the good guns tied together with them. In fact I just returned from our annual lunch together at Los Compadres — The Friends — which always follows our annual trip. We get together one week later to share pictures with each other and talk again of the grand time we had. That annual trip is to Clover Creek Ranch outside of Ashwood, Oregon, where we hunt pigs, as well as exotic sheep and goats. My two friends seem to have a thing for the curling horns of Corsican rams while I prefer the sweeping horns of Catalina goats so it makes for a well-rounded hunting trip.

Each 2nd Tuesday in June, Rick and Roger meet at my house at 8am and all our stuff is packed into Rick’s 1994 GMC Suburban or his utility trailer. I only have to be ready with my guns and equipment. Rick drives the 8 hours to Clover Creek while I just sit back and relax. I’ve spent many a year logging many miles in Idaho mountains, but Clover Creek is a different type of hunting than I spent so much time doing in Idaho for so many years. It is by a 4x4 not by two legs.

Clover Creek is 2,200 acres on the flat platte, about double that if the hills are flattened out! It is mostly covered with junipers with a few open hillsides plus a large open area up on top. Shots, unless one is very lucky are normally 125 to 150 yards, or more, so one needs to know whatever gun or guns are chosen for the hunt. Game is usually quite wary allowing themselves a few seconds of curiosity before disappearing. This year, on our first morning out, I spotted Catalina goats up on top. Rick and Roger both testified I said, “I am just going to look through the scope and see what he looks like.” This was immediately followed by a Bang! He who hesitates is lost, or loses. I had a beautiful white Catalina goat which may be one of the first critters taken with the .308 Marlin.

Good Friends

Rick VonderHeide has been part of my life for nearly 40 years. First he was a student of mine, then he went off to college and came back to join me as a colleague. He is also my taxidermist and, truth be known, without him my hunting days would be over. My days of walking the mountains ended some time ago. Each year he picks me up, drives me to the ranch, 4x4s me around for three days and capes out any trophies I take so he can do the best possible job of mounting them. My office walls are lined with memories maintained by his artistic abilities. Above me right now is one of my most memorable, a full-bodied mountain lion that represents the hardest work I ever did back when I could still hike the steep hillsides.

Roger Bissell is a retired engineer and has been a friend for three decades. In fact, his then-young daughter adopted me as her second dad more than 20-years ago, so we have a special bond. He is also the camp cook. The last two years our trip coincided with new rifles I had to test and both Roger and Rick were willing to forego shooting their own guns so they could help me in the testing. They do a whole lot more than help with the testing. They take good care of me the whole trip.

When Rick wanted to get into handgun hunting about 15-years ago he asked me what guns he should get. I told him to get a 7-1/2" stainless steel Ruger .44 Magnum Blackhawk and a .35 Remington Thompson/Center Contender. He followed my instructions to the letter, I mounted the Leupold scope for him, sighted it in, and we then set up a target so he could take his first shot. I told him how to shoot and he again followed my direction perfectly and dead centered the 100-yard target the first time he ever shot a handgun. Roger is also getting into handguns and is learning to shoot his .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk.

Those three good guns have joined us on our trips to Clover Creek, but there are several others. The past two years we have had six new rifles to test. This year it was a pair of Marlin leverguns, one blue and walnut and the other stainless steel with a laminated stock, in the new .308 Marlin Express. Both good rifles and friends performed admirably with five animals taken with five shots. Last year we had two other new Marlins, a .30-30 and a .45-70 both using the new Hornady LeveRevolution ammunition, a Ruger 7-08, and a NEF .223 Handi-Rifle (see June 2007 issue). We never got a chance to use the .45-70, however the other rifles performed their job quickly and cleanly. Without these good friends, there is no way these rifles could have been tested so thoroughly.

Two years ago we were charged by a Russian boar who objected to us interrupting his breakfast. We had stumbled onto him feeding on a ram, which was wedged in the crotch of a tree. When he charged, Rick, using his Super Blackhawk dropped him about 2' in front of us. Closer examination of his meal showed it to be a sickly ram we had seen the day before and which had been killed by a mountain lion that night. Seeing Rick, my student, drop that mad boar has added to my grand memory bank.

Pipsqueeks & Cannons

Other great guns have made the trip with us. Roger’s pet little Winchester .25-35 Model 94, Rick’s .243 Model 100 Winchester, an SSK Custom Contender in .500 S&W, a Thompson/Center .54 Renegade, and my particular favorite for hunting hogs at Clover Creek, a Texas Longhorn Arms West Texas Flattop Target .44 Special (see May 2006 issue).

We have already penciled in next year’s hunt on the calendar. I don’t have any idea what guns we will be using or what we will be hunting. Maybe its time I took another bison, Rick would like a water buffalo, Roger is thinking of an ibex. I do know it will be another time of Good Friends and Good Guns.