Shameless Gloating
 

Back in the fall I entered the Weatherby Dream Hunt... where I wrote and essay about my father telling me stories of elk hunting in Colorodo when I was very young. How entertaining a one hour trip in to town could be... my father is an amazing story teller. Dad is getting on in years now, and I wrote about that and how neat it would be to share a hunt like that with him.

Got a certified letter back around new years saying I was a finalist... which knocked me to the wall considering I didn't put a heck of a lot of time into the essay. Signed the forms... mailed it back in.

Just looked on the front porch and found a box from Weatherby. Inside was a personally addressed (to me) and signed copy of Weatherby - The Man, The Gun, The Legend... from Ed Weatherby, as well as a letter stating I had taken third prize... a Mark XXII rifle.. caliber of my choice!

Never won much of anything like this before. A few fly reels at benefit banquets, and luggage and did win a quail hunt at a QDMA event this past fall. But this is really something else! Had to share the excitement! The fiancee was expressing a desire for a .22 of her own... we were looking at Marlins and Savages and Rugers... but it looks like she is going to get a bit of an "upgrade" :D


http://weatherby.com/_images/products/rifles/_enlarge/m22_big.jpg

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Lucky dog! Plinking heaven.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

congrats!! thats awesome!!! ive wrote essays for those types of things, and feel im a half decint story tell and writer, but figured i never had a shot so never sent them in. should have...nothing to loose...

fiance should love it...thats a beautiful rifle...and should be a shooter

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Now that is a nice .22 ..good deal

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

I love stories with a happy ending. Congrats on a job well done.:)

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

No shameless gloating here. Congratulations on that good looking Weatherby...:D

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Congrats!!! I took a chance on an Indian blanket once........

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Awesome! How come I didn't hear about the essay? haha, don't think I'd of entered, still jealous though, I just checked it out on their website, comes in .22LR or .17HMR, and people on here are crazy about the .17HMR it seems and I already have a .22LR so I know which I'd probably get, which are you thinking? which caliber?

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Too bad that weatherby ammo costs so much! haha, I had to.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Way cool. Congrats.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Well, at least you are aware of your gloating:D Nice lil rifle, I'm jealous

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

I might be alone on this ,But If I had caliber of choice I might consider one in the weatherby caliberof my choice.ie:.240,.257,.7mm,..338-378........LOL.Then get her a really nice .22.You know if it is free get the baddest one you can think of that would fit your needfs (or fantasys;))You can get her a Anschutz and still have a Weatheryby bad boy.JMHO

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Swamp-collie

congrats. how about posting your essay for us to read

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

I certainly will. I need to find it first. I wrote down at the girlfriends house on her computer, and I know that I typed it up in word first just incase the internet quit or something of that nature. So it should be saved. If not, then they should be putting the winning entrys up sometime in the next few days. The letter they sent me said it would be posted on Feb 5. I checked today... nothing yet.

I should be able to find it. I wrote about my father and I taking an elk hunt to Colorodo, and when I found out I was a finialist... I didn't tell him... just incase you know ;). So I had to explain the whole works of it to him today, and of course he was elated and he and my Mother both wanted to read the thing (she's the one I got the writing gene from... English Degree from Cornell, with a minor in French). I'm heading back that way tomorrow, I'll see if I can find it.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

I actually saw a commercial for it on the Outdoor Channel. Rebecca (the fiancee) works nights, and since I am home by 7pm I have a few hours to kill. Checked out the website and decided why not...essay only took me about 45 minutes front to back.


The Mark XXII as you wrote only comes in .22LR and .17HMR. I'm going to pick up the .22LR. Rebecca has been after one, and honestly I'll probably give it to her, or at least let her shoot it whenever she wants. ;)Heck in a wonderful relationship like we have, you don't really OWN anything by yourself... everything is a partnership... you share wins and losses, checks and bills,joys and sorrows.Rebecca already hunts (a lot), doves (her favorite)waterfowl, turkey, and deer. She shoots bow tourneys with me as well.... and acctually wins more trophys than I do too. Trained her own retriever. Heck I'm lucky to be surrounded with such great people.

I was blessed with a really wonderful father, and if it wasn't for him taking the time it requires to be a good father, then I wouldn't of had a good bunch of material to write that essay with. Dad introduced me to hunting when I was only 7 days old (born on April 19th... smack in the middle of the first week of turkey season.... didn't slow him down any)... were it not for him and passing on his passion, I wouldn't have come to care for hunting at all. So I think this rifle should be passed on in my family as well, and ultimatelyRebecca and I will probably havechildren that will learn to shoot with it. :D

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Congradulations Swampcollie, nothing liked showing the love between father and son.

The Weatherby XXII is none other than a Anschutz 64 barrel action set into the famous "WBY" style stock. I have a couple of the Anschutz's in 17 HMR and they are certainly great rifles andan heirloom to be handed down in the family.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Sorry 'bout that I didn't pay any attention to the model.Just tell my dumbass to go sit in the corner....LOL

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Cool! Congratulations! I hope you get to take that elk hunt with your father, and perhaps your fiance' will go too.

I'm an old buzzard, whose son is a big hunter (bow only nowadays!) who lives in CO. Four years ago at age 65 I got to go elk hunting with him in the White River NF about 50 miles south of Meeker. (A great place to hunt elk!!) Except for the mountain climbing, it wasn't much of a challenge at all, as he called a nice bull up to about 35 yards.......... It was so close, I was hesitant to shoot it with the 7mm Rem. Mag. I took up the hill that day!

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

THATS AWESOME!!!!

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

Congrats on winning. I won big trip from Marlboro a few years back to their ranch.. I know the excitement. I might suggest though to use that free rifel from them to get a really nice large game rifle.. ie.. deer, or larger. I mean it is a Weatherby, and buy a nice .22 for your Fiance. There are plenty of great .22s out there for way less than a good High quality rifle like that will cost. Just my thought.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

I've got a .330 Dakota for that job. And the Mark XXII is available in .22 or .17HMR only. I've got a .17 already too. ;)

Not a ton of big game roaming around SE Virginia at any rate... except those big German Sheppard sized deer we have :D

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

I would be gloating too. Congrats!!!

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

If I'm not mistaken, I think those rifles are made by Anschutz. If it's half as good as the one I have, you will love it for life.

RE: Shameless Gloating
 

congats!!thats awsome!!
if you get to go elk hunting and you need a translater, I,ll be happy to come along:D!at no charge!!!!! remember i asked first!!![8D]