Lana’i, Hawaii
My mother has many talents but I never expected she would be a sharp shooter.
Today we headed out with Lana’i Western Adventures for a UTV ride and clay shooting. Yes, I said clay shooting, who could have ever thought I would ever go gun shooting?
Not me. Certainly not my mother.
Our guide Mike took us out into the wilderness and we were so happy we had Bruce’s tour yesterday because we knew all of the geography. Along the way to the treeline white spotted deer from India jumped out of hiding and we saw more of Lānaʹi.
We ended at the Lana’i Pine Sporting Clays and vested up for shooting. Mike gave us one simple rule:
Don’t point the gun at anything you don’t want to shoot.
I made my mother go first as I thought she would chicken out. We didn’t grow up with guns. We aren’t outdoorsy people. We don’t camp we prefer cottages – with toilets and hot water. This was all completely new to us so I had no idea how my mother would do.
She missed her first shot and nailed most of the rest. I’m not saying I compete with my mother but let’s just say the pressure was on.
I didn’t get any of them.
But that was only the first station, and let me say it is hard! With guidance from Mike I hit two clays that ran out like rabbits and ended on hitting one in the air.
I never thought I would say this but firing a gun is really fun. We both had a really fun time and apparently a lot of women come out here too for stagettes and love it. Mike told me the best natural shooter he had ever seen was a 15-year old girl who came on a whim with her Dad.
I think we may have found a new mother-daughter activity.
Disclosure: I was a guest of the Lānaʹi Visitors Bureau, they did not request that I write a favourable review or allow my mother to think she was a better marksman than me.
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I'm Ayngelina and in my mid-thirties. I left an amazing job, boyfriend, apartment and friends to find inspiration in Latin America. I'm creating a new life choosing what I want instead of what other people think I should do.
Awesome pics! I love the guns on the rack. Even the light is mahogany. My grandfather and I used to take turns shooting cans with a BB gun. Those moments are among my best remembered.
I don’t think my mother would EVER pick up a gun. Even though she’s grown up in Rural Canada that doesn’t change her mind. But guns are fun indeed. But I’m glad they aren’t legal at home for recreational use. haha.
Chrystal McKay recently posted..A Farewell Moroccan Feast
My sister, though I would consider here ‘highly’ uncoordinated, happens to have extremely good aim as well… and not just with guns but with random things like tossing beanbags or games like croquet. Looks like a lot of fun, glad you found a new activity to do with your mother!
Mark Wiens recently posted..VIDEO: Are Korean Mandu the Best Dumplings in the World?
Ha!!! love this short and sweet post! Well written, to the point, GREAT photos, oh, and I love your quirky disclaimers! You know what, I reckon shooting a gun WOULD be really fun!!!!
Sarahsomewhere recently posted..Bye Bye Thailand, Hello..?
Oooh, I so want to shoot a gun. I hate to say “Bucket List item” but I’m thinking it!
Roy Marvelous recently posted..St Petersburg: Free Hugs To Fighting Part II
Heck yeah your Mom is awesome!
Love this!
Wonder if my Mom’d be up for a day on the gun range? (Add that to the list of thing I never thought I’d hear myself say…)
Micki@TheBarefootNomad recently posted..How An Extended Career Break Can Cost Less Than Your Last Vacation
Not to put you on edge or anything but your mother….is totally a bad ass!
Wow. Your mum looks like a badass in that pic. I’m soooo anti-gun, I could never imagine picking one up to shoot at targets or clay pigeons but my friend, who grew up around guns in Alaska, said that knowing me I’d probably be a natural because I’m so opposed to it. haha.
Ceri recently posted..Things I’m Afraid to Tell You
This post is filled with bad-ass.
Also, the fact that you can shoot clays out the *air* leads me to suspect I should never disagree with you on anything ever again, ever.
Love everything you do, 100%, and if we ever disagree on anything, it’s totally my fault, except not in a way that involves me being shot for it, kthx.
Mikeachim recently posted..10 Ways To Start A Story
Got to say that this was really ‘unexpected” fun. When Mike asked us if we ever shot a gun…I said..Are you kidding,,,we’re Canadians..and if was go great to kick Ayngelina’s butt on this one!
Ayngelina recently posted..My mother the assassin
Haha, this is great. You look so natural holding that gun too.
Laura recently posted..A Summer Saturday Spent Blueberry Picking
Your mom is a regular Annie Oakley. I love to shoot guns, of course, I am a Texan. That’s the stereotype, right? When you come to Texas, I’ll take you to a ranch and we’ll shoot some watermelons.
Leah Travels recently posted..Texas Tuesday: Floore Country Store
I love this, you certainly did a new and different mother daughter activity. It sounds like it was fun for both of you.
Lisa recently posted..Peacock Island: Photo of the Day
Just don’t pose with the guns or you’ll have all of Australia in an uproar.
Cal recently posted..Feeding the Pelican
Oh really, did I miss something?
Perhaps.
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-08/news/32128817_1_olympic-team-gun-shop-swimmers
Cal recently posted..Feeding the Pelican
Guns are also pretty scarce in Canada as well, I don’t think I have ever seen one that wasn’t on a police officer.
What a fun thing to do with your mum! My mum generally surprises me with what she’ll put herself through in the name of family fun.. quad biking up the giant sand dunes of Namibia was a highlight I recall!
Laurence recently posted..In photos: Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
Oh wow, that is definitely on par with clay shooting as I’d have to get her to Namibia first!
ha ha! Love it. I never thought this would be a stagette option but if I ever get married, now I have an idea! LOL
Natalie T. recently posted..Travel Find Tuesday: Are We Losing the Moment by Capturing the Moment?
Bad ass! A few of my friends just went to a gun shooting range, right outside of San Francisco of all places! I was bummed to miss it, but we’re already planning on going again.
That’s awesome! I’m not a gun person either, unless it’s the old-school Nintendo clay shooting.
Way to go, mom!
ehalvey recently posted..Getting My Smoked Meat Fix at Schwartz’s
Well if you’ve mastered Nintendo you should give this a chance.
That photo of your mom is priceless! Please put it on the family Christmas card this year.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Eating My Way Through BA Part 10: A New Experience with Carnes Autóctonas
It may be the only photo of herself that she actually likes.
Haha, what a bonding experience! You’d better not piss your mom off now that you know what a good shot she is, though…
Amanda recently posted..Meet Giannina
It is one of the most surprisingly things I have learned about her.
What a endearing mother/daughter story! I’ve been meaning to take a gun class. I live in Texas and everyone else here has a gun. I feel left out. Your story reminded me that I need to get on that!
I will never own a gun and gun cultures actually scare me but this is more of a out in the wilderness sport kind of thing – maybe easier to ease into?
I hate guns…
Vi recently posted..Top 5 largest aquariums in the world to see whale sharks
I am not a big gun fan either, it’s very rare to see them in Canada but this was definitely fun.
D-Man would love this. I’ve always been curious about trying a shooting range. I’m terrified of guns, and feel that if I at least knew how to work one, I wouldn’t be so afraid.
Michi recently posted..First Camping of the Mediterranean Season
I am not a gun person at all, or at least I didn’t think I was. We didn’t grow up outdoorsy or anything even close to being around guns but it was so much fun. You should try it once.
I am scared holding guns but this woman is really eager to learn how to use this gun its such amazing experience..
That’s so cool that you went shooting with your mom. I don’t think I could convince my mom to do that.
Christy recently posted..Springtime Bliss in the Italian Riviera
Well you know I made her go first because I didn’t think she would want to do it but I think with her first shot she was hooked.
Wow your mum is one tough chick. I really enjoy mother-daughter travel and am travelling around Europe this summer with my mum. I’ve learnt a lot from my mum mostly shopping tips than shooting tips though!
Natasha recently posted..The Best Beach in Spain – Cies Islands
So fun!!!
I love shooting guns too, though don’t do it often. It’s so satisfying to hit a tin can or tree branch or any old thing. 
Krista recently posted..Serendipity at the Blue Grotto of Malta
You know that would have surprised me about you before I did this and realized it was so much fun.
What a sweet bonding experience. She looks good with a gun!
The Time-Crunched Traveler (Ellen) recently posted..Why I’m glad we didn’t skip Lima (and why you shouldn’t, either)
Good…and scary.
Wow your Mom rocks !!!
Great pictures there
DebbZ recently posted..Vatican City in My Point of View
Awesome!
You what is weird is I LOVE video games that involve shooting but I did not enjoy shooting real guns. I dated a gun-guy once and I shot 3 different types of guns and hated them all.
Rease recently posted..Mexican Style Ceviche Recipe
Very interesting as I hate video games.
hahaha, I think your mother found her new fav hobby !
I totally agree that “don’t point at something you don’t want to shoot” idea….Some kids in Japan were practicing archery for school club, one girl pointed her weapon at a boy for fun, and accident slipped her hands. The boy lost one eye unfortunately. >.<
Annie – FootTracker recently posted..The Machine that Saved My Life @Japan
Oh wow what a nightmare!
Amazing kind of mom…Shes eager to learn how to shooting the gun..
Just one of the things that makes her amazing.
HOW cool. Your mom is still traveling with you! Shooting a gun is definitely different. I’ve done it a few times and am always anxious/nervous by the kickback (is that what it’s called?).
And like Sarahsomwhere, I love your short, to the point posts. Takes some skill to do that : )
Lauren recently posted..Transitioning to life on the road and living out of a backpack
Thanks
I also expected there to be a lot of kickback and have a sore shoulder but it wasn’t bad at all. It could be the guns they use for clay shooting are different?
In terms of your disclaimer….I kicked your butt! So surprised at how much fun this was.
Yep definitely one of those things that surprises you.
This was pretty hilarious
Thanks for sharing, and I hope i never piss your mom off if we ever cross paths 
Federico recently posted..Five reasons why everybody should love Turkey
Just make sure there are no guns around!
Been crazy lately, but love this post! Aren’t moms always surprising us?! Really cute story!
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