Vermont Shooting Range

So, about the picture:

When we are in Vermont in the winter we pretty much drink beer, ski, sled, snowshoe, drink liquor, stay inside reading by the fire, go outside drinking by the bonfire, maybe skate on the pond or play hockey, and shoot stuff. I love shooting inanimate objects: beer cans, targets, clay pigeons, wooden fenceposts, etc. This New Year’s, the guys actually started what we all hope will become a tradition – a pheasant hunt, which is pretty freaking cool… they set the birds out, then go off with the dogs, the shotguns and their orange hats. I don’t remember if my sister actually went out on the hunt, but I did not. Anyhow, I digress, I’m talking about the picture.

The day this picture was taken, the guys had put together a shooting tournament down at the neighbors house. They really did it up, with a cardboard score card and everything. Of course I didn’t know this is what they were doing as I walked from my house down to the neighbors. I was all happy walking down my driveway to the neighbors. I LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS in VT. They are the greatest people. So I could hear the shooting and figured it was either more hunting or that they were shooting clays, but new I wouldn’t have to worry until I was halfway down our driveway. We live at the top of the hill and our house is not in shooting range because the slope is really steep, you can’t see either house from the other. No danger of stray bullets. See below, and at this point I’m at “Me Walking (1)”. [Tip: you can click on this little drawing below for the full effect!!]



Well, halfway down the driveway I can now see the house, and I can make out people on the porch so I know they are shooting clays and not out hunting in the meadows. I stop to yell out “which way are you shooting?” No one answers… they are far away. So I yell as loud as I can “No shooting toward the barn!” I think I hear an “OK!” yelled back, and I’m pretty sure they see me now with my bright hat on, so I keep on walking. They continue shooting.

So now I’m just about midway to the pond on the road to the neighbors house, and they are still shooting when suddenly – BUCKSHOT starts falling around me. See “Me Walking (2)” above.

“HEY!!!!!! NO SHOOTING THIS WAY!” I freak out and start running toward the house. I get there and I think everyone is laughing at me. I was just happy to get to the house without any damage! And they were through most of their tournament, so I just fired a few rounds at the end. Slug Brother’s girfriend took this picture, and I actually hit the clay that was thrown!