I had a normal childhood; I was a playful, happy girl who loved puppies and Barbie dolls.  I remember that at some early age my mother had a small pistol or handgun that she kept well hidden in her bedroom.  I don’t ever recall anyone in my family ever hunting or even using the word ‘hunt.’  I must have learned at a very early age to stay away from firearms. I don’t remember ever even being the least bit curious about the pistol my mother had.

I graduated from a big city high school and don’t think I once saw a gun other than on television, and even there, my parents always tried to shelter my sister and I from “shoot-em-up” movies.  Shortly after high school, I married and had two children.  I was divorced after a fairly short marriage of five years, and remained a single parent until Mr. Right came along early in 2005.  Mr. Right (Chris) is a custom gunsmith/ rifle builder who was, at the time I met him, in the process of opening his own shop.  I shocked myself by getting close to someone so involved with guns and hunting since I was such an animal lover myself.  (I was, at one point, uneducated about hunting.)

For Easter, it was going to be my special treat to use a firearm for the first time in my life.  I was given the opportunity to squeeze off three rounds of an AR-15.  We laid out the drag bag, had the AR set up on the bi-pod, ready to go.  I was a little scared at first, but the adrenaline was rising.  Finally, the tree trunk was centered in my sights.  Deep breath, squeeze- BOOM!!  Wow!!  What a rush!!  Two more times, less nervousness, more adrenaline.  Who would have ever thought that a 30-year-old woman would get such a thrill out of firing three shots into a tree trunk?  Well, it was all just the beginning.

Chris asked me to tag along to his first 1000 yard International Benchrest Shooters match in Iowa .  Tag along I did;  I watched in awe, and was proposed to as well!!!  Besides being an eventful trip, the shooting part looked fun and interesting.  After driving up for a couple of matches, I decided to be a shooter, not a spectator.  Hitting a piece of paper from ten football fields away seemed impossible, but if these men could do it, surely I could too. The match I decided to become a first time shooter at just happened to be the Iowa State Championship Match.

Alright, no pressure here.  I was already in the spotlight in Iowa anyway.  Chris proposed to me at the first match of the season, and the wife of the new custom rifle builder was here to shoot for the first time. 

At relay time, I was calm, cool, and more than ready to shoot.  Before the record period, there is a six minute sighter period.  Clay pigeons are set up on the berm below each target for our sighter shots.  With Chris spotting for me, I broke the three-inch clay bird on the first shot.  Surely this was a good sign.  Once the sighter period is over, all non-shooters are to move off the line, and the commence fire command is given for the record period.  After shooting off my five record rounds and hearing the cease fire command, the waiting game began.

Since Chris and I were sharing equipment, it was hurry up and get him set up to shoot in the next relay.  While Chris set up and shot through his sighter period, I went to the clubhouse for a drink.  Shooting 1000 yards was hard work!!  Another shooter in Chris’ relay had problems with their target, so the range was cold while this was being dealt with.  This delay was time enough for the targets from my relay to be scored and set out. 

I ran to the scored targets and dug mine out, but at this point in the game, I wasn’t sure what was a good group, or even an okay group.  I took my target over to my husband who was still waiting on the target crew to return from down range.  Holding up the target, I asked, “Is this good?”  It must have been okay,  judging by the look on his face.  The shooter at the bench next to him just started laughing.  About this time the target crew had returned and it was Chris’ relay’s turn to shoot for score.

After Chris shot, we relaxed and prepared for the afternoon match.  This match, being designated as the state championship match, would be a combined score of the morning and afternoon targets.  My morning group of 4.97 inches with my afternoon group of 8.55 inches gave me an aggregate of 6.76 inches, which apparently was good enough to take the Iowa State Championship for group in the Light Gun Class.

After winning the Iowa State Championships, I was hooked and continued shooting for the rest of the year.  Fortune once again smiled upon me as at the end of the season I was handed the Top Female Shooter of the Year award. 

My husband has never heard the end of it.  Did I mention I was shooting his rifle, a Remington 6.5mm WSM?  This year, after losing to his own rifle, we decided I needed one of my own, so for my birthday he built me a 7mm WSM on a Nesika benchrest action.

I know if I can accomplish something like this in such a short time span, you all can too.  For those of you who love shooting, try out some long range target shooting, if you haven’t already.  You may become the next female champion.