I spent an afternoon with Bob Hagel in Salmon, Idaho with my then small son. Bob was as you remember a good friend of Elmer's and Elmer sort of raised him in the woods and taught him a lot. I asked Bob about that shot.

He winked and said "Elmer wasn't a liar but he may have exaggerated a bit." bob then went on to say this:

"But Elmer was the best pistol shot I've ever seen. One day we were riding and spooked a grouse that flew across a meadow and landed at the treeline. Elmer drew his 4" Model 29 and right there while sitting in the saddle said he saw where it landed and stopped. He thumbcocked the gun and calmly took aim and broke the trigger. he then reholstered the wheelgun and calmly took up the reins again and said 'I got it', then turned his horse and walked her over the meadow and offsaddled to pick up the dead bird. I paced the meadow and it was over 125 yards. He was a very good shot."

I am convinced that taking shots of opportunity with a constant companion reduces the "luck" involved and on some shots few are capable of, eliminates it entirely. But still one is faced with the mechanical accuracy of the gun, and that alone adds a dimension of chance to any long shot. My son who I've mentioned before is one individual who shoots far less than many guys I know who shoot competitively but I can't really name a single one that can outshoot him on woods critters and such. It's a different game for sure.

By the way, the whole town of salmon was then full of people that would tell all sorts of funny stories about Elmer. I had some long chats with people about his antics in town. He was quite a character!