Hogfamily Adventures, AKA: The hog blog: Winterseed Marksmanship Clinic

On November 1st 20 fine American Patriots attended a one day Appleseed Winterseed Marksmanship clinic.

These fine American Patriots braved sub-freezing temperatures to learn who fired the "Shot Heard 'round the World", the events of April 19, 1775, and to improve their rifle marksmanship skills.

Neither cold nor darkness can deter our dedicated Alaskan Patriots.

George Hacker, (the instructor formerly known as Princ...er..."ShadowMan"), introduces the instructors for the day.

Pete briefs our shooters on Line Commands.

Mel our Shoot Boss in Training.

During the lunch break fisherdawg and Medicus present the first two Strikes of the Match.

Back on the line.

fisherdawg is an inspirational Appleseed story teller and excellent marksmanship instructor. Here he is demonstrating “Carding the Sights”.

Carding the sights is a way to help shooters ensure they actually have their Natural Point of Aim, (NPOA). While the shooter is aiming at the target the instructor places a card between the shooter’s eye and the rifle’s sights. If the shooter has his NPOA the sights will still be on the target when the card is removed.

Somehow fisherdawg may have missed that part of the instructor manual…

"Ok, Mr. I Don’t Need Glasses, read the first line…“F” yes…”I” um correct…“S” ok…"

"Alright, Hawk Eye, try the second line…“R” right… ”D” um right…”A” alrighty then…"

"Hehehe, Yup, Mr. Eagle eye, try the third line with the card out here…hehehe..."

So what kind of "card" was fisherdawg using?

Pete presents the Third Strike of the Match.

Our young patriots earn their Luther Blanchard Patch.

Luther was one of the first people wounded during the North Bridge skirmish. In A History of the Fight at Concord (1827), Ezra Ripley wrote:

"In a minute or two, the Americans being in quick motion, and within ten or fifteen rods of the bridge, a single gun was fired by a British soldier, which marked its way, passing under Col. [John] Robinson’s arm, slightly wounding the side of Luther Blanchard, a fifer in the Acton company. This gun was instantly followed by a volley, which killed Capt. [Isaac] Davis and Mr. [Abner] Hosmer, both of the same company.”