deerstalker,
Keith also did a LOT of target shooting, at ranges out to 1000 yards, from the time he was a teenager, including competing at Camp Perry with the Idaho National Guard team.
He also was indeed very good with a sixgun. Ross Seyfried knew Elmer pretty well, and not only handloaded and shot with him, but hunted with him some. He told me about Elmer killing a porcupine at somewhere around 80 yards with whatever sixgun he was packing at the time, one-handed from the back of a horse. The thing that impressed Ross (who is a very good handgun shot) is Elmer took the shot, then just holstered his gun--because he knew the shot was good.
Mule Deer;
Good evening to you sir, I hope that this last Leap Day of February finds you and Eileen well.
Since as far back as elementary school, where our principal Mr. Beaton would bring his Guns & Ammo magazines to the school library for us to read - indeed I am that old - I've been a fan of Elmer Keith's writing and story telling abilities.
In "Hell I Was There" I recall that somehow he'd run afoul of a someone in town and his father brought what I considered a huge quantity of lead, black powder and primers so he could practice up a wee bit with his sidearm before heading into town to confront the chap in question.
If memory serves he used to herd sheep by dropping bullets in front of the lead ewes to turn them and the herd.
Anyway, all that's to say some folks get to practice their craft enough to be very, very good at it and the story you related illustrates that. In most activities there's the virtuoso who excels to almost otherworldly ability.
Hopefully this Canuck can be forgiven for believing that the small Montana cowboy could do what he said he did.
Thanks for the thread and a good reason to dig out my copy and re-read it to get some of the above story re-arranged properly in my memory banks.
All the best to you and Eileen as we head into spring.
Dwayne
