Went to the Post Office to get a Migratory Bird Stamp and they had yet to receive them! Season begins on September 1st. Not a lot of time... Makes one wonder about some folks.

Virginia has moved to selling hunting licenses on-line. What they haven't advertised much is that you now need a VA State Migratory Bird Stamp as well as the federal stamp to hunt migratory waterfowl. $9.75 and you can get it on-line. Don't be a putz like me and think that that was the Federal stamp... I'm sooooooo embarassed.

Also, I understand some state has moved to include pre-1898 single shot rifles in the ML season. Another state has moved to eliminate the season as in-lines have no disadvantage. Word to the wise, the VA people are also asking why VA has a separate season when the hunters are at no disadvantage and the season comes during the prime 10 days of the rut (according to lunar cycles). Pays to read the regs and follow the politics.

VA also allows cross-bows during archery season... I'm not surprised as the people who think that technology will help them "hunt" better will win out.

Earl Durand, Famous (?) Wyoming Outlaw

I love the .30-30 and am always looking for info on users, famous and infamous as well, who use the cartridge. In about 1974 I saw a movie about such a fellow. For years I couldn't place the movie, remember the name, and even misidentified the lead actor. I finally discovered that the movie was "The Legend of Earl Durand" and found the following on-line. I'd like to know how many of you folks from the Cody and/or Powell (or other) areas of Wyoming know of or have stories about this fellow? I'd say he was a rifleman as good as Harry Tracy but not necessarily a killer as we think of such today.

- "The Legendary Earl Durand" by LillianTurner
- Earl Durand from First National Bank of Powell: The History of a Bank, a Community, and a Family
- Movie Poster for "The Legend of Earl Durand"
- Powell, WY History and Photos
- Wyoming Tales and Trails
- A Poem about Earl Durand
- Obit of the Last Surviving Member of the Earl Durand Posse
- Obit for the Last Surviving Hostage of Earl Durand
- CRIME: Beloved Enemy Time Magazine Monday, Apr. 03, 1939
- Earl Durand in Wikipedia
- Earl Durand from First National Bank of Powell: The History of a Bank, a Community, and a Family

I've got this S&W M629 4" with which I've never really had a good relationship. That is, no matter the grips it never really fit my hand, no matter the holster it was never really comfortable to carry. It can shoot as shown in this image of 100 shots on a single target. However, it has not been the best of times with this gun.


100 shots, mostly off-hand, 25 yards, 9 gr. Unique under the 240 gr. Hornady swaged SWC

So now, I've got this gun and I HATE to sell guns and I HATE IT when I can't master a gun and this gun has resisted my every effort. Now is the time to rectify the situation and that is what I'm going to do.

First, I ordered a Tom Threepersons holster and belt rig from Levergun Leather Works in Athol, ID. Lever has been doing leather for the greater portion of his life and his work looks good. A lot of it is for the CAS crowd, but you'll have to ask him what percentage. I thought I'd give him a try and I now await a rig that should serve the gun, and me, well.

Second, I've fought with the grips on this gun since I bought it. A 629-1 with square butt, I didn't like the factory grips but who does? Pachmayr Presentations went on it for several years and I did carry it deer hunting, shot a couple of groundhogs, kept it in the truck, and by the bed but that grip was not the greatest thing for my hand(s). I just don't have the reach to use these grips and shoot the gun in double-action. A different grip would be nice and I tried the Pachmayr grippers but the closed back style was just as long a reach and the open back style (currently installed) has a really sharp corner that doesn't handle the full-house .44 Mag loads well. As a consequence, I don't shoot the full-house loads very often. So, I needed a replacement and went to the Hogue Grips auction site and was able to find a set of grips for a little under $30, delivered. Haven't seen the grips yet but how about a set of wood grips for that price? Can you buck at that opportunity? Well, I've got my fingers crossed and the sandpaper and rasp ready.

Trail Boss powder is been all in the news lately. Developed to be used in the low velocity loads in high volume cases used in the Cowboy Action Shooting, this powder would have an application with such loads in my .45 Colt EMF 92 carbine. Can't find it. Nobody around here has it. Some look at you with a really blank look when you mention it. What's up with that? I ask, but no real answer is forthcoming. Who knows? It is frustrating.