10. 26. 19

Rally for the Second on the Second!

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If you’re reading this article, then you highly likely value your constitutional right to bear arms. Our Second Amendment is in need of a voice now more than ever. We are that voice; we are the gun lobby! If we choose to stand by with a passive approach, our rights will continue to be chipped away leaving us without one of the natural rights for which our country was created.

Join us in Washington, DC on November 2nd, 2019 at the Second Amendment Rally and make your voice heard. The Second Amendment Rally is a grassroots event, organized and funded by grassroots activists, open to all supporters of the Constitution and lovers of liberty.

Current Announced Speakers (More to be announced!)

  • Eric Blandford (IV8888)
  • Craig Deluz (FPC)
  • Dianna Muller (DC Project)
  • Jonathan Patton (TGC)
  • Mike Sodini (WTTA)
  • Chris Cheng (Topshot)
  • Joshua Prince (Lawyer)
  • Erich Pratt (GOA)
  • Kevin Dixie (NOC)
  • Kenn Blanchard (Black Man with a Gun)
  • Gabby Franco (competitive shooter)
  • Cheryl Todd (Gun Freedom Radio)
  • Matt Larosiere (Firearms Policy Coalition)
  • Maj Toure (Black Guns Matter)
  • Rob Pincus (2nd Amendment Organization)
  • Jeff Knox (Firearms Coalition)
  • Anthony Colandro (Gun For Hire)
  • Amy Dillon (Legacy Defense)
  • Kerry Slone (We the Female)
  • Cam Edwards (Bearing Arms)
  • Tim Harmsen (Military Arms Channel)
  • Todd Fossey (Integrative Defense Strategies)
  • Edgar Antillon (Guns for Everyone)
  • Alexander Roubian (NJ 2A Society)
  • Timothy Knight (2A Grassroots Activist)
  • Anthony Garcia (Save The Second)

Date & Location

The 2nd Amendment Rally will take place on Saturday November 2nd, 2019 in Washington, DC. The rally begins in front of the Capitol Building (WEST LAWN – National Mall Side) at 12:30PM. Hotels, lodging, and parking are readily available throughout the greater Washington, DC and surrounding areas. 

You can signup and get more information here.

10. 11. 19

Gun Rights Policy Conference

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by Daniel E. Zelenka, II

Our good friend and LSA Life Member Tom Gresham has been telling me for several years that I needed to attend the Gun Rights Policy Conference. He was right. Words cannot express how right he was. Imagine for a minute a conference attended by more than 1,000 gun rights activists. I am not talking about the few of us who go to rallies or attend a hearing or two at the capital. Rest assured there were plenty of those guys and gals in attendance. However, also attending and speaking were the attorneys that are handling the most important gun rights cases of our time like Heller, McDonald, and Ezell. There were gun rights advocates of every description. Maj Toure from Black Guns Matter, Lara Smith from the Liberal Gun Club, representatives from Pink Pistols, Alan Korwin of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, representatives from Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership and a host of representatives from state associations and other groups connected with the gun rights movement including John Lott and Alan Gottlieb. It was awesome and eye opening.

We spent three days listening to speakers and networking with like minded individuals. It was great hearing from the national spokesperson for the Liberal Gun Club state that she was a true liberal but also owned an AR-15 and that she would not let the government take her 2nd Amendment rights or her AR-15 away. The Liberal Gun Club by the way has over 10,000 members. Who would have thought that? Many of the speakers spoke of their community outreach. An African American trainer from Detroit told of his outreach to inner city women who he trained for free. Last year he trained over 800 new shooters. This year it will be more than 1,000. The LGBTQ community has several groups who are spreading firearms ownership and more importantly the necessity of supporting the right to keep and bear arms to those non-traditional gun owners. I made a great number of connections with these non-traditional groups and look forward to working with them. We have more allies than you can believe if we just open our eyes and reach out to them.

We spent a lot of time discussing gun rights related facts, how to take back the dialog and how to get our message across. There were lifetimes of experience in the gun rights struggle on tap. My biggest takeaway from the conference were that we have more allies than the media wants us to believe. This was not a gathering of “Old White Guys.” At least a third of the attendees were women and there were significant numbers of minority participants. All of these “non-traditional” gun owners were just as passionate about their gun rights a am I. After all, gun rights are civil rights and gun control in America has its roots in racism and prejudice. Be very careful that you don’t alienate these allies by being inconsiderate or prejudiced.

The next takeaway was the importance of personal contact in spreading the word about gun ownership and gun rights. The easiest way to bring someone into the gun rights fold is to introduce him or her to the shooting sports. The best way to do that is to bring them to the range. Many of the speakers discussed outreach programs in which they introduced new people to firearms and shooting. This outreach can be as simple as taking a non-gun owning friend or acquaintance to the range or in the case of professional trainers, volunteering to provide free introductory classes on a quarterly or even monthly basis. Take care to make the experience safe and enjoyable and more often than not you will create a new gun owner or at the very least a person who no longer views guns as frightening and gun owners as dangerous. Many people do not exercise their 2nd Amendment rights because they are ignorant of firearms, firearms ownership laws or even how to legally purchase them. Be helpful and you may create a convert to our side, and as we all know, converts tend to be the most zealous in their causes. If you cannot get to the legislature for a rally or a hearing, take a new person shooting. It is just as important.

Many speakers addressed the importance of language. We all get our hackles up when we hear someone talk about “assault weapons” because we know that it is a made-up term that can be infinitely expanded to mean any firearm the government wants to ban. However, there are many other terms that are in use by the anti-rights crowd that need to be corrected. As an example, note that I used the term “anti-rights” to describe what the media used to call the “anti-gun” and now calls “gun safety” crowd. We are not “pro-gun,” we are “pro-rights.” Likewise, they are not “anti-gun” (and for damned sure they are not for “gun safety”), they are “anti-rights.” It may be a little thing, but isn’t painting the opposition as “anti-rights” a more powerful statement than simply calling them “anti-gun?” Another example is the media referring to mass murders as “shootings” and mass murderers as “shooters.” Shooting is one of the most popular sports in the United States with a long tradition. Referring to mass murders as shootings and their perpetrators as shooters demeans the shooting sports and all its participants. Don’t allow it. When you hear someone using a term that has prejudicial connotations, correct the speaker in a respectful manner. Hopefully, through doing so we can change the dialog to one more favorable (or at least neutral) for our side.

There were also panel discussions concerning what is happening in legislative fights in the states. We in Louisiana are lucky because we have been able to stave off the dozens of anti-rights bills that are filed in the legislature each year. We need to keep up the fight; and state associations, like LSA, are at the forefront of the struggle. One thing that I wanted to mention that caught my eye. Connecticut’s state association has over 30,000 members. LSA has barely over 1,000 members currently. We need to do better. If you are reading this but your current membership has lapsed, please renew. Also, for everyone reading this, please tell your friends about LSA and encourage them to join. The legislative fight for us is in Baton Rouge and at our local council meetings and having a strong state association is a great advantage.

Finally, the attorneys involved discussed recent court cases that have been handed down as well as those legal battles that were still being fought. You wouldn’t have to be an attorney to find these discussions interesting. In fact, much of the recent advancement in protecting and even expanding the right to keep and bear arms has come in the judicial arena, not the legislative. Court cases such as Heller, McDonald, Ezell and others have transformed the gun rights landscape. I cannot stress the impact of Heller’s holdings that the 2nd Amendment protects a fundamental, individual constitutional right and that those firearms in common use for lawful purposes are protected has had on our cause. These cases would not have come about but for the leadership and funding provided by the Second Amendment Foundation. I cannot recommend that organization highly enough. Each of us should support it.

The 35th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference will be held on September 19th and 20th in Orlando, Florida. There is no cost for attendance and discounted hotel rooms are available. I will certainly be there along with other members of the LSA board. I highly encourage any of you who wants to get involved in the gun rights movement to attend. You will be glad you did. Whether you attend or not, please join LSA in Baton Rouge next spring when the legislature again has hearings on gun rights bills. And last but not least, whether you do any of the above or not, please take a new person shooting and ensure that he or she has a safe and enjoyable time.

08. 26. 19

Ineffective Gun Laws Proposed in Congress

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We at the LSA understand. Everyone is frustrated when a crazy person uses any weapon to kill anyone. When the press gets whipped up into a frenzy and blames law-abiding citizens and Civil Rights organizations for the carnage, we have to take a stand!

Please contact your Senators and Representative TODAY and urge them to oppose ineffective gun control measures that won’t make us any safer but will infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners. You can use this link to send them an email or call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Or, better yet, please contact them individually.

Senator Bill Cassidy – (R)
520 Hart Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
www.cassidy.senate.gov/contact

Senator John Kennedy – (R)
416 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/email-me

Representative Steve Scalise (R, District 1)
2049 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 225-3015
https://scalise.house.gov/

Representative Cedric L. Richmond (D, District 2)
506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 225-6636
https://richmond.house.gov/

Representative Clay Higgins (R, District 3)
424 Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 225-2031
https://clayhiggins.house.gov

Representative Mike Johnson (R, District 4)
418 Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 225-2777
https://mikejohnson.house.gov

Representative Raoph Lee Abraham (R, District 5)
417 Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 225-8490
https://abraham.house.gov/

Representative Garret Graves (R, District 6)
2402 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 225-3901
https://garretgraves.house.gov/


08. 26. 19

Hunter Advocacy

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Many of our members are hunters. They have no real interest in firearm competition or collecting. However, they know the importance of preserving their Second Amendment Rights. They also know that many people are trying to take away their right to hunt, trap, and fish as well. Our partner organization, Safari Club International protects their right to hunt right here in Louisiana, the United States, and worldwide.

Safari Club International, the leader in the defense of wildlife management, conservation and hunting access on public land, is excited to announce the SCI Hunter Advocacy Action Center, a new service to engage hunters in the ongoing effort to protect their freedom to pursue their passion. This text alert system sends alerts directly to a participant’s mobile phone to make them aware of issues that may affect management, conservation, and hunting access on public land, plus national legislative issues, with links to take direct action.

This cutting edge service will help hunters mobilize against the forces that may seek to curtail their freedom to hunt through reducing public land access, altering scientific-based wildlife management policy or introducing legislation negatively affecting sound conservation policy. Individuals who register by texting ‘SCI’ to 73075 will not only receive alerts, but will receive instructions and links to take action on issues that directly affect them.

The SCI Hunter Advocacy Center on safariclub.org maintains an up-to-the-minute list of issues that users can register to receive alerts about, or they can simply text “SCI” to 73075 and be notified based on their area code. Users who have an area code not related to their residence are encouraged to click the acknowledgement link and complete their registration with an address so they receive relevant alerts. The system will service the United States and Canada. Visit safariclub.org/hunter-advocacy-action-center to view issues SCI is currently monitoring and register to receive alerts.

Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

08. 22. 19

What’s the Relationship between the LSA and the NRA?

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One of the most common questions we get is, “Does the money I donate to the LSA end up at the NRA?” The answer is easy: NO. The money you donate to the LSA through dues, donations, the purchase of merchandise, or the purchase of raffle tickets stays right here in Louisiana to protect your enumerated civil right to keep and bear arms. Period.

The LSA has been the official NRA-affiliated state association since it was incorporated in March 1966. It is recognized under IRS section 501(c)4 as a federally tax-exempt, not-for-profit Social Welfare Organization. The volunteers who run your state association exert tremendous effort in lobbying the Louisiana Legislature to ensure that they do not trample on your constitutional rights. The seeking of legislation germane to the organization’s programs is a permissible means of attaining social welfare purposes. Thus, a section 501(c)(4) social welfare organization may further its tax-exempt purposes through lobbying as its sole or primary activity without jeopardizing its exempt status. And although lobbying is not our sole or primary purpose, WE DO A LOT OF LOBBYING!

The objectives of the LSA are stated in the corporations By-Laws.

The detailed objectives of this Association include, but are not limited to the following:

(a)  The protection and defense of the inalienable constitutional right of the individual American citizen to acquire, transport, possess, carry, and transfer ownership of arms, in order that the people may exercise their right to self-preservation and defense of family, person, and property, as well as defend the nation and the individual liberty of its citizens.

(b) The promotion of marksmanship practice both as a sport and as a fundamental aspect of national defense.

(c)  The promotion of all shooting sports.

(d) The encouragement of the acceptance of marksmanship as a major competitive sport in the state’s publicly and privately endowed school systems, both secondary and collegiate.

(e)  To assist in the planning, construction, acquisition, and preservation of civilian and publicly-owned shooting ranges of all types.

(f)  To support the Civilian Marksmanship Program of the Department of Defense, and to encourage member clubs to enroll and participate in that program.

(g) The promotion of the highest degree of sportsmanship and good fellowship among the membership of the Association, and to prevent the occurrence or tolerance of unsportsmanlike conduct.

(h) The promotion of the conservation and wise use of our wildlife and other natural resources and cooperate with conservation organizations.

So, if you’ve been reticent to join the LSA because you were worried that your money would end up in Washington, DC in the pockets of the NRA, worry not! The LSA has your back right here at home in Louisiana and has since 1966!

07. 28. 19

My Shooting Journey: From a Shooting Clinic to the Junior Olympics!

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By Garrett Cooper

My shooting journey started when I was thirteen years old. My dad introduced me to 4-H shooting sports, and I had no idea what it was and had not even heard of it. In the summer of 2014 my dad took me to a junior high-powered shooting clinic and the next day I shot my first high-powered competition.  After that match I continued to shoot at the monthly high-powered matches at which point the LSA loaned me shooting equipment such as a rifle and everything needed to start shooting. Much like the 4-H shooting sports, many people in the LSA were willing to give their time to help coach and improve my shooting skills which was a tremendous help considering I was a beginner and always looking for pointers.

The following year, when I was fourteen, I continued to shoot high-powered matches while shooting as a senior shooter for 4-H in air rifle. I was fortunate enough to be on the four-person team representing Louisiana in Nebraska at the 4-H National Competition. Our team finished 11th overall that year.  Since I could only go to the National Championships once in each discipline I started shooting smallbore in an effort to go again. I really focused that summer on practicing, in turn earning a spot to return to the National Championships for a second year. Our team worked for countless hours and won the National Championship in smallbore. I finished second overall as an individual at the age of fifteen.

After returning from Nebraska I started to shoot precision air rifle (60 shots standing at 10m). That year I qualified to go to the Junior Olympics, something I couldn’t have dreamt of years before. In 2017 I was fortunate enough to attend not only the Junior Olympics but USA Nationals in Fort Benning, Georgia and Winter Airgun in Colorado Springs. For the past couple of years I have been going to these three matches and continuously competing against myself and other like-minded shooters with the goal of always growing in the sport.

Besides shooting I have served the community as a 4-H Ambassador helping with smallbore rifle practices. I helped to teach beginner shooters and prepare them for their competitions, I worked with other Ambassadors to schedule competitions, put together fundraisers, and help at the NRA banquet.  I’m so grateful for the many coaches and volunteers who have spent countless hours helping me. The LSA has supported me covering many of my expenses with traveling around the country, helping me to continue to grow in shooting sports.

While attending USA shooting matches I have been blessed to meet many college coaches. It had always been a goal of mine to shoot on a NCAA D1 rifle team. This past year, after having a successful year, I was recruited by The University of Akron in Ohio, to shoot on their team. If it wasn’t for my dad, the LSA, and the many people cheering me on throughout my shooting career, I would not have had the opportunity to go to my dream school and find a sport I truly love. 

07. 28. 19

Carry Insurance: Is it Really Worth the Cost?

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By Jay D. Hunt, Ph.D.

If you’re like most members of the LSA, you probably obtained your Louisiana Concealed Handgun Permit shortly after the law was changed and we became a “shall issue” state. Before our law was changed for someone who was hurt in a truck accident on the highway, any of us had permits issued by other states, most notably Florida. And, like most of our members, you probably walked around carrying that concealed handgun without any real consideration of what might happen if, God forbid, you ever had to use that handgun to protect your life or the lives of those around you. I know I did. If you wish to learn how to choose a medical malpractice lawyer, you can check it out from here! 

However, something changed for me recently. Someone I know (we’ll call him Bob) used his concealed handgun after a road rage incident caused another driver to stop his vehicle in front of Bob’s vehicle. The other person got out of his vehicle and smashed his fist into the hood of Bob’s truck. Bob wounded the other person with his handgun. Someone called 911, and the local police arrived…and arrested Bob. The wounded man was transported to the hospital and was arrested later. Bob has been arraigned and charged with aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a firearm and will face felony charges. The other guy was charged with disturbing the peace, criminal damage and obstruction of the public passage. Bob is retired and is not wealthy so he may be facing financial ruin and, if convicted of a felony, loss of his right to own firearms. Get an experienced attorney in Ft Lauderdale area filing for bankruptcy in case of financial trouble.

What kind of financial burden is associated with defending oneself from felony charges? The Death Penalty Information Center (1701 K St NW, Suite 205, Washington, DC 20006) has published the following information:

For a Non-Capital Case (no murder charges), the average cost to the defendant is $217,400.
For a Capital Case, the average cost to the defendant is $459,600.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kind of money to toss away on defending myself from charges related to the use of my firearm! So, if you’re planning to purchase Custom Rifles and 9mm ammo, make sure that you also get the necessary permit or license.

I decided that I needed to make sure that I did not put my family in a financial crisis if I use my concealed handgun. As an officer of the LSA, I used my position to research concealed carry insurance options and negotiated a deal with US LawShield to the advantage of both our members and the LSA. I urge you to do your own research and consider the following.

ZEALOUS LEGAL REPRESENTATION:US LawShield Independent Program Attorneys (view more) will represent you in any legal proceeding–criminal or civil–should you ever need to use a firearm or other legal weapon to protect yourself, your life, or your property. Legal defense will be provided for all police investigations, pretrial proceedings, and both criminal and civil trials. There is no limit on the number of hours devoted to your defense.

24/7/365 ATTORNEY-ANSWERED EMERGENCY HOTLINE: The 24/7/365 Attorney-Answered Emergency Hotline is available exclusively to Members of US LawShield. The hotline will always be answered by a US LawShield Independent Program Attorney. Your conversations on fighting against car jacking charge are always fully confidential. Members will receive their Member ID Card with the Emergency Hotline Number printed right on the back, so you’re always able to reach them.

NON-EMERGENCY ACCESS TO INDEPENDENT PROGRAM ATTORNEYS: For non-emergency legal questions, call the non-emergency Member Services number and they will get you connected with a local Independent Program Attorney during normal business hours.

COVERAGE OPTIONS: Even if you don’t have a state-issued handgun carry permit, their Program covers you everywhere in your membership state where you can legally possess a firearm without a license; however, in most cases at least some gun safety classes will be required. The program also covers the use of all other legal weapons. Multi-State coverage is available as an add-on so US LawShield can protect you wherever you go.

WHAT’S NOT COVERED: While their services are extensive, the program does not cover expert witness fees, governmental fees of any type, identity theft, stolen firearms, investigator fees, or bail bonds. In Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, however, members do have the option to purchase Bail Bond and Expert Witness add-on coverage.

            If you’re interested in obtaining carry insurance, check out US LawShield. Coverage for an adult is $131.40 per year (or $10.95 per month). The cost for two adults is $240.00 per year (or $21.90 per month). If you use the code LSAGUN when you sign up, you’ll receive two months of free coverage!

01. 17. 18

Nyala with a Handgun in Mozambique

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Poen Van Zyl of Zambeze Delta Safaris was standing 15 feet above me atop a vegetation-strewn termite mound surveying the abandoned garden through a well used pair of binoculars.  The local tribesmen that call the famed Coutada 11 of Mozambique home practice slash and burn farming, clearing enormous areas in the forest and then abandoning those areas after one or two years of use.  The forest was quickly reclaiming the area with vegetation, and the constant hum of tens of thousands of bees signaled that many of the plants in the area were flowering.  It was mid-July and the weather had been unseasonably cool and wet, but had turned warm and humid, typical for winter in costal Mozambique. In addition to bees, the local antelope also visit these abandoned gardens. We were looking for an old mature bull Nyala that Poen knew frequented this particular garden.   The unmistakable trumpet of an elephant rang out and Will Fawcett and I locked eyes. In addition to being a friend, Will is a professional hunter with Numzaan Safaris in South Africa and joined me as an observer on this safari in Mozambique. The details of this adventure had been made at the 2016 Safari Club International (SCI) Convention in Las Vegas. The plan had been for Will and me to hunt in Mozambique for two weeks, then fly back from Beira, Mozambique to Johannesburg, drive down to the Freestate to pick up a couple of species I had missed on my first safari to R.S.A. in 2014, and then finish the trip with a couple of days in Limpopo. Will and I smiled at one another nervously.  Elephants in the area could spell trouble and that elephant sounded close.  The elephants in Mozambique are survivors of several civil wars and are not particularly fond of humans.  In fact, one could say they are downright aggressive.  I imagined a scenario in which we found the old bull about the same time that the elephants ambled into the garden.  I tend to have that kind of luck.  To compound the problem, I was the only person with a firearm, and it was a revolver.  I had absolutely no interest in trying to turn an angry charge with a revolver. Poen looked down and waved Will up.  Will labored up the termite mound and then Poen and he whispered and pointed while they formed a plan.    From the ground out of earshot, I took the planning as a good sign.  Perhaps the old bull was in the garden.  After an eternity while I watched the afternoon sun inexorably dip toward the western horizon, Will and Poen came down to my level and laid out the plan.  There were five bulls in the garden.  The closest one was immature and alone.  Several dozen yards deeper into the garden were three mature, but young bulls.  All three of them were shooters, but none of them were the “proper” bull.  The old man we were after was about 150 or so yards from us, close to the edge of the garden where it disappears into the forest.  To compound our problems, the elephants were close and would not tolerate our presence in the garden and the sun was very low in the western sky.  “Perfect,” I thought. As quietly as possible, we began to move toward the old bull trying desperately to skirt around the younger bulls as not to alert the old bull to our presence.  Luckily, baboons frequent these gardens as well, and the noise that stalking hunters make pales in comparison to the noise a troop of hungry baboons can produce.  Despite our best efforts, the immature bull spotted us and sounded the alarm.  The older group of three bulls began to move away from our location and, unfortunately, we had lost sight of the oldest bull as we began the stalk.  With faith as our only indication that the old bull was still in the area, we stuck to our plan and moved forward.  Suddenly, Poen’s tracker, Gotchi (pronounced goat-chee and meaning piglet in Zulu) froze.  Through years of hunting as a pair, Gotchi and Poen communicated with no words exchanged.  Gotchi set up my shooting sticks and Poen slid to a position just to the right of them. “Can you see him?” “No.  How far?” Poen’s tone was urgent.  “He’s right there.  No more than 70-80 yards.”  The big old bull turned his head and the motion caught my eye.  His old gray coat blended in perfectly with the surroundings. “Got him.”  I put the Freedom Arms Model 83 chambered in .454 Casull onto the cradle in the shooting sticks and looked through the scope.  I had set the scope on it’s lowest power knowing through hard experience that spot and stalk hunting with a pistol is nigh on impossible with anything but the lowest power settings. I kept both eyes open and looked past the scope at the bull, aligning the pistol with him as to have any chance of seeing him through the scope.  The crosshairs settled on his left shoulder, but he was facing away and the angle was severe.  This was not a good shot and certainly not one I was going to take. “Do you have a clear shot?” “Not yet.” “Okay.  Don’t rush it.  He’ll turn if you give him a chance.” Time ticked by as the sun marched further to the west.  I kept the pistol aimed at the bull but kept both eyes open as not to get eye strain waiting on him to turn.  Clearly, he was not concerned by the closeness of the elephants or the setting sun.  Neither was he concerned about the long walk we would have through the forest to get to the clearing where we had left Poen’s truck an hour before. Finally, the old bull turned presenting me with an excellent slightly angled shot on his left shoulder.  I cocked the single action pistol, aligned the crosshairs, settled my breath, and began to squeeze the trigger.  The recoil from the .454 Casull is substantial, and one can easily jerk the trigger in anticipation of the crushing recoil that follows the shot.  The only cure for this is practice, and a lot of it.  The revolver roared to life and I heard the unmistakable smack of the Hornady 300 grain XTP-MAG as it connected.  He trotted a few yards away, and I was able to put a second shot into his right shoulder.  After receiving the second shot, he tried to escape to the relative safety of the invading forest, but fortunately, did not make it. As we were taking the photos of this magnificent trophy, I heard a strange noise from the edge of the garden.  “What was that?” Poen looked up from the camera.  “That is the rumbling of an elephant’s stomach!” He measured 74 1/8” and ranked number 6 with a handgun in the SCI Record Book.  To say I had amazing success in Mozambique would be a vast understatement. In Coutada 11, I harvested seven SCI Top-10 species with handguns (Common Nyala, number 6; Lichtenstein Hartebeest, number 7; Chobe Bushbuck, number 7; Natal Red Duiker, number 6; and Blue Duiker, number 5, as well as the new potential number 18 overall Livingstone Suni, which should rank number 5 with a handgun when certified by a SCI master measurer.