This episode brings an exciting narrative about Henry Ferguson’s thrilling moose hunt adventure courtesy of the wildlife lottery, providing an eye-opening view into hunting techniques and the significance of passion-driven choices. Also, hear a heartfelt tribute to Chad LaChance, an outdoor enthusiast who not only inspired countless through his commitment to living intricately but leaves behind an enduring legacy for future naturalists. Engage with this episode to capture the spirit of adventure and dedication that defined their pursuits.
SPEAKER 01 :
Welcome to Sportsman of Colorado, Colorado’s premier outdoor radio show heard every Saturday afternoon on KLZ 560 with insights on hunting, fishing, archery, guns, and ammo from Colorado’s top outfitters featuring the industry’s leading experts on how to enhance your experience in the great outdoors. Now, here’s your host, Scott Watley.
SPEAKER 05 :
Good afternoon and welcome to Sportsman Colorado. Thank you so much for being with us today. What a beautiful day here in the Mile High City. Flag day. I hope everyone’s out and being safe as well. And happy Father’s Day. A great weekend. And if you listen to the show, over these last few years, April 16th of 2022, my wife Victoria and I were Beside my dad in Dallas when he left this earth. And so I tell you, Father’s Day has certainly been a little different for me over these last couple of years. But I’ll just challenge you this. If your dad is still with you, make every effort you can to see him. Don’t text him. Don’t call him. If you can get there, get there. And I promise you, you will never regret the extra effort maybe of taking the time to get to be with your dad and wish him a happy Father’s Day. All right. Hey, one quick story I want to touch on real quick. And our good buddy Paul Dowding with Water Pros does a show with us on Water Talk. And make sure you look up these articles, okay? And I’m talking to our folks that like to fish and eat fish that they catch here. Channel 7 just did a story yesterday. on some new state updates from the Colorado guidance area there, and it is the Colorado Department of Public Health. There’s going to be new signs in area lakes telling you about being very careful of eating the fish you catch, just to put it quickly to you. check this out you know june 1st there was an article that came out about chatfield where they were telling you to only eat one serving a month of smallmouth bass two servings a month of walleye due to the pfas in the water which uh forever chemicals which raise um we’re raising awareness here because of the long-term health risk that can give you human-made chemicals in our water And we break this down on our show. I think Paul’s going to be with us on Friday the 20th, this coming Friday at noon. And we’ll be breaking this down some more. We just want to make everybody aware. A lot of people will be out fishing. And just want to make you aware. Don’t eat the fish, all right? Hey, we all think that’s healthy, but I’m telling you, you’re taking your health in your own hands. So once again, that article was June 1st, and that was Chatfield. Don’t eat but one serving a month of smallmouth bass and two servings a month of walleye. So, wow, our water is in trouble. But, hey, Water Pros can help you. They’re number 303-862-5554. All right, a good buddy of mine hit the lottery. We’re going to bring him up, Henry Ferguson. going on a moose hunt henry was our past uh chairman and president and uh of the colorado bowhunter association henry how are you scott based on that intro i couldn’t be better dude as i told you this morning when i asked you if you had a few minutes you know hey we’ll never get to hunt a moose i might as well talk somebody’s gonna get to hunt one but oh man i’ll tell you i i was starting to feel the same way scott you know and it’s it’s funny after a
SPEAKER 13 :
i i drew my in my seventh year or 17th year of applying so i mean i was pretty invested into it but i mean i have friends who have been applying since the mid 80s when they first started the moose draw long before preference points wow and so i mean i i i’m really fortunate I know I hit the lottery, and I’m going to treat it accordingly. I’m going to stout my butt off all summer and just enjoy the high country and enjoy hunting a new unit and having a lot of fun and just exploring a new part of the state.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER 13 :
I can’t freaking wait.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, you know, hey, if there’s a perfect scouter out there in Colorado, it’s you. I mean, you always work hard and do your due diligence every year. I put my time in on it. How’s the moose? I mean, you’re talking about from mule deer to moose. I mean, vastly different in tactics, different things that you do. I mean, and when you haven’t done it before, how are you going about it?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, the funny thing is, I mean, it’s still largely a glassing hunt because I plan on hunting that archery. I drew the season choice part, but I do plan on shooting it with bow. And so, I mean, I plan on scouting all summer. And from what I’m understanding, their patterns change dramatically once that velvet comes off. And the velvet is supposed to come off like a day or two before the season starts. So it’s going to be real interesting to see what and how they change. But, you know, I mean, as far as like stocking them, I mean, that’s, you know, they’re not exactly the cagiest animal out there. But, you know, I mean, and part of that just comes from being big, you know, being big and kind of being at the top of the ungulate chain, you know.
SPEAKER 05 :
And I’ve heard their eyesight is not very good.
SPEAKER 13 :
That’s going to work out great for me. I’m looking forward to that. I’m hoping that’s accurate. Scott, one of the funniest parts about drawing this tag is some of the not kind names that your friends, and I’m holding up my air quotes there, call you when they find out you drew a moose tag. But I’ve called other people the same things when they’ve drawn them, so I get it.
SPEAKER 05 :
But you know what? You were telling me this morning you’ve been shocked because, hey, it’s a big joke about everybody when they draw a tag. Hey, I’m not looking for anybody who’s hiding a hole, but can you give me any guidance? But you’ve actually had some serious folks send you some, hey, this is where I saw it. I’ve seen some moose.
SPEAKER 13 :
I have had some. legitimate waypoint sent to me one of them was actually titled big a moose so you know hey it the cool thing about this is it is a once-in-a-lifetime hunt so I mean it’s not like people you know it’s not like me protecting my deer spot because I know that I’m going to have that tag again real soon and You know, so it’s kind of funny. It’s just a very different, it’s a different mindset for people. And I’m just, I’ve really enjoyed it because I’ve had so many people reach out and want to be a part of it. Because let’s face it, a lot of us view this, I mean, it is a once-in-a-lifetime tag, but it’s not a guaranteed once-in-a-lifetime tag. It’s a maximum of one. It’s not a guarantee that everybody will get one in their lifetime. Right. I’ve got a lot of people who have reached out to offer help, including my friend Drummond, who said, I will help you glass. I’ll help you scout. I love looking at moose, but my help ends there. You know what? That’s a smart man because those moose quarters are supposed to be real heavy.
SPEAKER 05 :
No doubt, no doubt. All right. Now, you made the conscious decision to archer hunt. Now, most people would say, dude, you got one chance. You just clearly explained a lifetime deal. Why wouldn’t you use a rifle to give you better chances? Because your odds are much better with a gun. So explain your thought process.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. And here’s my thought process on that. So thanks for asking, Scott, because my thought process is this. I get 26 days at the beginning of the season before the, you know, I get like seven days before muzzleloader portion starts. And then it’s 26 days before rifle starts. I just want to have first crack at it. You know, if I’m scouting all summer and I find a bull that I’m really taken with, you know, I want to have the opportunity to go out there and hunt that bull. So, you know, there’s no guarantees for a rifle hunter. I mean, that could be that biggest bull in the unit. could already have my arrow in it. You know, it’s a whole bunch of things go my way.
SPEAKER 05 :
Sure. And then with the weather, you never know and change of patterns. You’ve done all this scouting. Then you go back there later in rifle and man, you know, they ain’t there. And most importantly, Scott, I just love shooting a bow.
SPEAKER 13 :
That’s my thing. I love it. I’ve always loved it. And I mean, you know, I’m not, I’m not a guy who’s putting in for all the once in a lifetime species. I have my son in for all of them, but, um, You know, sheep and goat are, this is not my thing. It’s not my jam. But I’ve always really envisioned being able to bow hunt a big moose. So I’m going to get my crack at it this year, and I’m pretty excited.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. Henry Ferguson is with us. Once again, Henry has served the outdoors well here in Colorado, has really put a lot into the Colorado Bowhunter Association, continues to do so as well. And has drawn a moose hunt. So we’re going to follow this along as we go and hopefully get Henry back on and let him tell the story of this. You know, when you look at the moose in Colorado, I mean, I’ve seen some pretty good moose in Colorado, you know, with pictures, I should say, you know, from people and all. I mean, do you have a judgment in your head of passing any legal just to wait for that one that you think?
SPEAKER 13 :
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I want a big one. You know, hey, like I said, I’ve got one shot at it, and I’ve got almost a month to make it happen. I’m already explaining to all the people at work that my phone may not be answered that much, and there might be a significant lag time in me responding to emails in the month of September. So I’m going to work hard leading up to it to get as many fires going. put out and prevent it as I possibly can so that when that time comes, I can put the time in to really chasing a big bull.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, absolutely. You know, I want to mention this, too. You mentioned Father’s Day, and I want to spend a minute here because I think this is very important. If there’s a guy out there that has… um done it right in my opinion and that’s my opinion um with you and the time that you have spent with Kyle uh when I say in the field I don’t mean just there because man he’s played sports you’ve been there all that but since we’re on a hunting show I want to talk about that time you as a father and him as your son and now that he’s he’s in college and all what has that meant through the years now in yours and his relationship as a father and it it
SPEAKER 13 :
Thank you for that, Scott. It means so much. There are so many amazing memories that can only be made through struggle. And I’m totally convinced of that. And hunting is probably the best example of that out there. You know, you just, you work so hard to accomplish something from scouting and practicing and all those things. And then to see that to see that success and then have the, you know, the, the meat in your pack, weighing you down on a big pack out. Those are lessons that, that life can only teach you in a few different ways, you know, and this is, this is just such a great way to do it. And it just, there’s so many great memories that come from it. And I just encourage everybody, I mean, as early in their lives as you possibly can get those kids outside. That’s, That’s where happiness is, man. There’s just so many good things out there. And, you know, and then being able to see them succeed. And, you know, come through and make a shot when the pressure’s on. I mean, that’s so awesome. I mean, as a parent, there’s not many things that I put higher than that, you know, for memories.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, and I’m sure he would say the same. And, you know, hey, you guys have done some great vacations and all, but you know what? And I’m just making this up as far as a trip to Disney World or being on a mountain with your kid. The memory is the mountain, isn’t it?
SPEAKER 13 :
It’s huge, man. It’s huge. And, again, I think that part of it is because of the struggle. You know, I don’t think many things in life that are really worth having are worth, you know, come without a struggle. And hunting is just such a great, great example of that, you know. the harder you work the luckier you get and it’s pretty cool yeah absolutely so um are you getting out gonna get out early in the days and then go back in the evenings you’re staying out all day when you’re when you’re scouting i mean what’s so in my scouting primarily i’m out there early mornings late evenings and that’s always been my way that i’ve scouted everything and that’s Um, you know, and I mean, I went out yesterday morning. That was my first trip out. Cause I, I literally was in, I got the news that I drew on a Tuesday and then the following Sunday I was off for a work trip and in Vietnam through the following Monday. So, so yeah, I just, I just got out from my first trip and saw a bowl right off the bat and just, I mean, man, my blood was pumping seeing that bowl. I’m like, Oh my gosh, this is, This is real. I get to do this. So, yeah, it was pretty surreal and pretty cool.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, absolutely. You know, Henry, I know you know this guy. I told you I was going to keep you 10 minutes. I’m going to keep you a few more minutes because, man, some just heartbreaking news yesterday from a friend of ours, Chad LaChance. And, Charlie, I’m going to play this on my deal over this. I think this will do. And then I’m going to leave a few minutes for a comment here. But this is Chad LaChance, fishful thinker. Yesterday, this was his post.
SPEAKER 02 :
bit of heavy news for you guys today that I hate to share but I feel like it needs to be done I’m just gonna cut to the chase I haven’t been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer that has spread to other areas of my abdomen subsequently I’ve been placed on palliative care and my time on earth is coming to a close much shorter than I thought it might but I wanted to say a couple of critical things that’s very important I’ve been the guy that said forever that you never know how long you’re going to be here, that we’re all going to die of something, all of those things. And if you look back at my birthday posts on January 27th, for many years, I’ve advised people to live like they were dying, just in case. Well, you never know when you’re going to get news like I got. And I’m very glad that I’ve followed my own advice for all of these years. I don’t just say it, I live it. And I’ve had a life full of adventures, traveled all over the place and done some crazy things, and I’m very grateful for it. At this point, my bucket list is tiny little, and that’s a blessing to be in life when you get the news that I just got. So from the Fishful Thinker standpoint, I want to say a big, giant thank you to Sportsman’s Warehouse, who stuck with me from day one, and Peterson Toyota, and all the rest of the companies. I’m not going to rattle them all off right now, but especially Berkeley, who allowed me to transcend from promotional staff to product testing and development and lots of other things as well. All of those companies have allowed me to follow my dreams, and most importantly, You guys have allowed me to follow my dreams by tagging along and following all of our content, 390 some TV shows, a bajillion radio shows and everything else that we’ve done. You guys have allowed that to happen. And and I appreciate that more than I could ever. Let on in any sort of video at any point. So I hate to come to you guys with with horrible news like this. But it is what it is. And I’ve lived my life accordingly. And I’m okay with it at this point. So my mindset’s good. I’m going to choose to live out these next couple of months in my tightest circle of friends. enjoying my time in the outdoors here around the lake or wherever I happen to be and make the most of it, which is how I live the rest of my life. And it seems like the right way to handle it at this point. So thank you guys for everything. It’s very, very important to me. You don’t realize how much of a labor of love Fishbowl Thinker has been for the last couple of decades. but consider in your life what could go right, not what could go wrong. It’s the chances you don’t take you regret. And honestly, from this luxurious position of hindsight that I have right now, I can honestly say that that is the right answer. So thank you guys for everything. Thanks for tagging along all of these years. With that, hug your loved ones, spend more time in the outdoors and go catch some fish. So thanks again, guys. Cheers and fish big.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, wow, Henry, like I say, that’s just heartbreaking. And I’ve got a really hard break here in two minutes. I’m going to give you a minute here to your thoughts quickly. I appreciate that.
SPEAKER 13 :
Scott, you know, when we spoke earlier today, you know how I feel about Chad. That is one of the classiest men I’ve ever met in my life. He’s somebody who I value the conversations that, you know, something that a lot of people may not know about Chad. That man is almost as obsessed with mule deer as I am. And I have had so many great conversations with him at the ISC over the years. And I am telling you, I was heartbroken when I saw that. Just gutted. I mean, he’s just such a great person. And he is leaving. One of the cool things is he is leaving a legacy behind him that it’s going to be hard for anybody else to measure up to. He has done so much good in the outdoor space. And just – that’s what good humans do, man. That’s a good man right there. And he – I am praying for a miracle because I’m not ready to not have Chad LaChance around anymore.
SPEAKER 05 :
No. I’m just not ready for it. No, I agree. I agree. And, you know, hey, I’m not the big—I’ll be very honest with you. I’m not the biggest fishing guy in the world. I’m more of a hunter. And, of course, Kevin Flesch on our show is the— the angler of the show but yeah you know it just um i sent him a text yesterday and i just said look i said you know yeah i’ve learned a lot from you from just hearing about you talking about fishing but your biggest impact me is just as a man of just you know how he’s carried himself person how he’s just a class human yeah how he’s just conducted his business and he’s always come by the booth and said hey man anytime you need anything i’m here you know and just always willing to give us time and and not to be on a radio show and not not to toot his own horn so to speak but just to um you know help out in any way he can and i know there’s millions of kids and thousands of kids i guess i should say that have been been fishing and uh things because of him he’s given a lot to the youth community as well and so our thoughts and prayers and i know that’s a a cliche saying thoughts and prayers but i really hope hey everyone will say a prayer for chad absolutely All right, Henry, I can’t talk anymore, Buzz. So, hey, man, I appreciate your time. Best of luck on your moose hunt, and we’ll follow up with you, man. Talk to you soon, man. All right, bud. This is Sportsman Colorado. We’ll be back after this. Have you noticed a tick or two on your dog after being out on a walk or hike? If so, you’re not alone. The medical team at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center is seeing a lot more ticks on dogs this year, with some dogs having more than one. Hey, this is Scott Whatley, and tick bites can create a lot of problems for our pets. Not only do they cause skin inflammation and allergic reactions, They transmit harmful diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and ehrlichiosis. All of these can make your pet sick and require medical attention or hospitalization. Tick and flea-borne diseases can also be transmitted to humans. You can protect your pet from tick-related problems with a safe and effective flea and tick preventative, and there are many types to choose from. The medical team at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center will be happy to help you select the product that best suits your pet’s needs and lifestyle. Just give them a call at 303-708-8050. That’s 303-708-8050. Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center, it’s the place where my pets go.
SPEAKER 08 :
If you’re in the market for a new rifle for the big game season, or a new shotgun for some doves or upland game birds, head on over to The Gun Room. Kevin Flesch here from Sportsman of Colorado, inviting you to visit Denver’s oldest gun dealer. And that’s The Gun Room at 1595 Carr Street in Lakewood. They offer buy, trade, consignment, transfers, and appraisals. And if you purchase a gun, we’ll cover your background check fee. It’s The Gun Room, 1595 Carr Street. Tell them Sportsman of Colorado sent you.
SPEAKER 09 :
Are you in the market for a new firearm or maybe looking to purchase your very first firearm? Well, wouldn’t it be great to have an experience worth telling your friends and family about while making such an important purchase? At Bighorn Firearms, we know how important that is, and it’s our mission to provide this experience to every customer that walks through our front door. Hi, I’m Ryan, owner of Bighorn Firearms, located in southeast Denver, and my team and I are customers too. We know what it’s like to experience the typical specialty store attitude, and we believe everyone deserves a first-class experience when purchasing a firearm. If you’re searching for friendly service, a knowledgeable and passionate staff, and a great selection of firearms, we’d like to invite you to Denver’s best independent gun store, Bighorn Firearms, one mile east of Evans and I-25. Whether it’s your first gun or you’ve been collecting for years, our friendly and knowledgeable staff are passionate about answering all of your questions. Service and selection is our commitment to you. That’s Bighorn Firearms, located at 2175 South Jasmine Street, Suite 105, Denver. Call us now, 303-758-9423, or shop online, bighornusa.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
Save now at the Outdoorsman’s Attic. It’s your go-to consignment store for outdoor gear. Hunting, fishing, camping, they’ve got it all at unbelievable prices. Right now, save up to 30% on sleeping bags and tents, up to 40% off on footwear, and up to 50% off on clothing. Located at 2650 West Hampton in Sheridan, they’ll even turn your old gear into cash. And don’t forget, for expert firearm cleaning and repair, see Scott the Gunsmith and mention Sportsman of Colorado. It’s the Outdoorsman’s Attic. Gear up and save. Welcome back to Sportsman of Colorado. Again, thank you so much for being with us today. Just a quick reminder now, you miss our live show on Saturdays 1 to 2. Catch us twice on Sundays. That’s 8 to 9 a.m., 8 to 9 p.m. And then on the following Thursday, every Thursday, 9 to 10 a.m., you can catch Sportsman of Colorado. So, hey, four times a week. Of course, our podcast is on our website, sportsmanofcolorado.com, and anywhere you get yours as well. Well, we are actually… On location at Bighorn Firearms, sitting down with owner Ryan Resch. They’re located at 2175 South Jasmine Street here in Denver. Ryan, good to see you, sir. Great to see you too, Scott. Son, it’s hard to believe summer is here.
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s been a while, I feel like, since we got together last.
SPEAKER 05 :
I know. It is crazy how so much happens in life sometimes. And you look back, maybe it’s five weeks, but it seems like three months with everything going on. Hey, let’s start there. And we’re not going to get into all the weeds of what’s going on from the political standpoint. But certainly, man, we have never seen anything in our life what we’ve experienced this last six months to a year, have we?
SPEAKER 09 :
No, it’s been a pretty relentless attack on the gun industry, gun owners, and just in general the law-abiding citizens. I mean, a lot of this is, you know, they say is in the name of public safety, but they don’t really seem to be doing a whole lot to make – It’s safer out in public. What they are doing with a lot of this stuff is restricting our access to firearms. And plenty of regulation on that already on the federal side of things. Everybody who buys a gun has to do a 4473, go through a quote-unquote extensive background check, a federal NICS background check. Colorado is actually a point-of-contact state, so… Not only do they do the NICS check, but they do a state-level check in Colorado. And Colorado has one of the highest denial rates for attempted firearms purchases. In a lot of cases, we do see those denials overturned during the appeal process because a lot of them are… You know, things that basically Colorado, if they see something that could potentially be a flag to deny someone a firearm purchase, they just hit the deny button. So one of the highest denial rates in the country as a point of contact state. Many states just report directly to NICS, which is the federal system. And gun dealers have access directly to a NICS portal. We actually have to submit through the CBI, which is Colorado Bureau of Investigation. And then they submit to and do the next check. And then they also conduct the state level check. So. And gun stores are required loosely to train their staff on things to look for. We have the right to refuse any gun sale, just as a bartender can refuse you a drink if you’ve been drinking too much. If things are not lining up for us. We can just refuse service. We’re trained in identifying straw purchases and things like that. Straw purchases, somebody buying a gun for somebody else for a number of different reasons. They may not be able to purchase a gun legally. They may be a prohibited person or they may be buying the guns for somebody else so they could… make their way into you know gangland or whatever so there’s a lot of different reasons why people would do a that’s the first question you mentioned the 44 70 that’s the first question yes are you yeah are you buying this gun for you or right or somebody else so um and and they’ve added additional questions regarding straw purchases on there so we’re very well trained in all that um So, you know, we are really the last line of defense to keep the guns out of the wrong hands. And we do a really good job about it, and we take it very seriously. So, you know, all these new rules and regulations are – I don’t anticipate them accomplishing a whole lot as far as what they say their intentions are to make the public safer.
SPEAKER 05 :
Are most of the people now kind of used to three-day wait, or you still get people that come in and say, what?
SPEAKER 09 :
Most people are pretty in the loop. I mean, we see a lot of repeat buyers and stuff like that. But there’s still people trickling in who don’t know about the three-day wait. I mean, I had a guy in here yesterday who just wasn’t really clear on that. But not that big of a deal, not the end of the world. It, it hasn’t really affected sales. I mean, people were like, I’m not buying guns anymore because there’s a three day wait now. No, those people are all buying guns. Um, six and a half percent gun tax, you know, excise tax on the sale of the gun. Um, you know, this is a tax directly on the seller. You know, when you’re working on fixed profit margins and trying to compete on a, uh, um, a national level with your pricing, you know, and compete with the e-commerce people and everything like that, you know, six and a half percent of your profit being paid as a tax is, is a huge hit. Most stores can’t afford it. Most stores are actually, uh, you know, lining out that item and having to charge it to their customer base. Um, that has, that has, I would say affected business a little bit, you know, and it has been a deterrent for a expensive items coming in on transfer. So that is directly affecting local business. Um, if people start just buying their guns online and out of state now there, we can kind of get into some of the nuances with that here in a second, but you know, if, if people are buying their guns out of state, you know, we’re, we’re not going to stick around to and make a living off of transfer fees. It’s just not going to work. Um, You know, we’ve got – there’s five of us now here at Bighorn, and we are looking for a couple of new team members. We can kind of touch on that a little bit later in the show here. But, you know, to support – you’re not just supporting the store. You’re supporting, you know, four or five guys here who earn a living, you know, working here and working their butts off. It’s really just – Yeah, yeah. Sure.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, and like I say, we’ve got to support you guys. And, you know, when it first came out about the tax, everybody, oh, heading to Wyoming, heading to Wyoming. And I’m like – and I wrote everybody I could. I’m like, look, dude, if you own the store, is that what you’d want to read? Heading to Wyoming? No. You know what? You’d want people to support you, you know. You don’t want this, you know. I mean, hey, you know. And so hopefully people will do that. But I wanted to ask – People getting guns shipped to you transfer. The tax is still the tax, isn’t it?
SPEAKER 09 :
Or how does that work? So out-of-state vendors are required to remit the tax if they have sold $20,000, a minimum of $20,000 in the prior calendar year. Or if they’ve hit the threshold of $20,000 in sales to Colorado, they’re required to remit the tax the following month. But most small-time sellers are not going to be on the radar of the state of Colorado. I don’t know how are they going to police that. Big-time sellers like… I don’t know, Bud’s gun shop, grab a gun. They just went – I think they just went public on the stock market or something like that. So let’s say, like, grab a gun. If they ship $20,000 worth of stuff into the state of Colorado, they’re required to remit the tax. Okay. a big company like that that’s in the public eye, they’re likely going to pay the tax. But are they going to charge the tax to their customer base? Probably not. I mean, you think about how much of their customer base is in Colorado. They’ve got 50 other states they’re shipping guns to.
SPEAKER 05 :
And they would have to set up a whole bookkeeping system for that too, right?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. So if they’re just eating the tax for one state, and they have 49 other states to support it, they could probably survive taking the hit for the tax. Whereas on a local shop like us or any of the other guys in town, a lot of great shops in town. We’re not the only show in town. We are one of the few left in Denver. And I would say we run an operation that’s maybe a little bit different than the other ones out there. We just can’t support that. We can’t compete with that. We can’t afford to pay that tax all the time on every sale that it’s applied to. It’s really sad to see how that transpired. And I think a lot of people were worried. misled into voting for that tax. Yeah, I agree with you. Will it stick around for the long haul? I sure hope not. But it’s something that we’re all having to deal with now. We happen to be fortunate enough to have a really loyal customer base where our loyal customers understand how we’re handling this and that we’re all in it together and we’re making it work. And it’s been really great to see the support from our loyal customers. You know, new customers, new gun buyers. You know, we tend to work with a lot of new gun buyers because we have a reputation of doing a really good job at that. And to them, it’s just something like it’s just part of the deal. So they don’t… tend to look at it the same way as somebody who’s been buying guns in the state of Colorado for the last 10, 15 years. I mean, we’ve been in business for 13 years this July. So, you know, some of our customers we’ve had since day one and they got to pay this tax now. So for them, it’s, I think a little bit harder to stomach than the new gun buyer who’s coming in and maybe only buying a $600 Glock, but On a $600 Glock, I mean, people are paying, or $700 Glock, people are paying like 50 bucks straight to the state of Colorado. And I mean, are they being held accountable on where that money’s actually going? Probably not likely. It might be something that we kind of make a big deal about and request to see where that stuff is going. Because I believe there’s like a… public records thing or something like that where they’re required to if we request that information show us how the tax money is being sent but are you actually seeing the real information or whatever they choose to give you so um anyhow it’s uh it’s a little rough right now. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, we got, you’re in it.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
You’re in it to win it. As the saying goes, you’re in it, you’re in it to stay. Yeah.
SPEAKER 09 :
We’re, we’re here. We’re going to do everything we can to keep this going. Um, you know, next year we got the, uh, SB zero zero three coming into effect. You’re going to need a special license to purchase a, uh, quote unquote assault weapon. So any gas operated, um, rifle or pistol, um, will require you to take a class and have a special license to purchase. So that goes into effect August of 2026. So there is some time, but I imagine there’s going to be a big buying rush coming through spring and summer of next year. So no point putting it off. It’s a good time, good availability. It’s not crazy hectic. You know, start, make a list of the guns that you want to buy before you are required to have a special license to buy them and maybe start checking those off your list. summertime’s often a really good time to get some decent deals on guns.
SPEAKER 01 :
Sure.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, things kind of slow down a bit, and if we’ve got good back stock and stuff, we’re willing to haggle a little bit, you know, and see what kind of deal we can work out for you. So, you know, come down and see us, and if it’s an overstock item or something like that, you know, we’re likely to work with you on prices right now, and you’ll see some promos in July as well. That’s our anniversary month, and also… the big anniversary Independence Day on July 4th. So if you’re not on our newsletter, we get signed up for that. So you can see any promos coming up, promo codes that we may send you out as a VIP, any deals.
SPEAKER 13 :
And then you do that by just going to your website?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, go to the website, bighornfirearms.com, and sign up for the newsletter there, and we’ll get you added and make sure you’ve got those communications coming your way. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
A lot going on. Yeah. But, hey, the main thing is the message here from this first segment is, hey, keep supporting local gun shops. All right? Hey, these guys are doing their best for us. They’re here to help you when you need a last-minute maybe rifle worked on or you need some ammo, different things like that. They’re going to be here for you, so we need to be there for them. Once again, if you’re just joining us, we are coming to you live from Bighorn Firearms, 2175 South Jasmine Street. We’ve got to hit a quick break. When we come back, we’re going to visit with a little bit more with Ryan Resch. And, hey, if you’ve got some guns you’re not using anymore, don’t go anywhere. We’ll tell you how Bighorn Firearms can help you.
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SPEAKER 06 :
This is 560-KLZ, your home station.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome back to Sportsman of Colorado. If you’re just joining us, Ryan Resch is with us. Big Horn Firearms, 2175 South Jasmine. And I said before the break, Ryan, you know, hey, I think we all end up with some guns sometimes we find ourselves not using as much as we thought we would or just maybe we bought some new one and that old one’s still there. There’s a way you can help with that.
SPEAKER 09 :
You can only fit so many guns in your gun safe.
SPEAKER 05 :
Exactly.
SPEAKER 09 :
You can only shoot so many, right? If you want to put a new one in there, sometimes you’ve got to get one out. Not everybody’s wife is okay with a pile of guns next to the gun safe. Exactly.
SPEAKER 05 :
You must know Victoria because sometimes that’s happened. Yeah. So how does it work for folks, you know, if they’ve got a gun or several guns that maybe they want to move?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. We’ve got a few different options. We buy outright, and then we also offer consignment. We’re happy to come out to you as well. You know, no need to, like – pack them all up and haul them down here. You can email ryan at bighornfirearms.com. Let me know you’re looking to sell some guns. Give me a brief overview of what you got. If you got pictures, include them. That’s awesome. I mean, it definitely helps out kind of. expedite the process so you know we’re not just two three emails deep before we start you know talking numbers so if you got pictures that’s helpful a list a spreadsheet anything like that ahead of time just attach that to that initial email When you make contact, you can also call the store and talk to one of our staff members. But really, email is the best way to get all that information packaged up so we can really kind of get to work. And once we reach out to you, we can kind of already have our ducks in a row. Doing a house visit is pretty easy as long as you’re not in like a huge time crunch or something. Just depends on scheduling and that sort of thing. But usually within the week. um or so we can come out and see you and uh look at what you got okay um you know we we there we offer consignment but we kind of been a little bit more picky in particular on the items we do take on consignment um just because of how the numbers shake out really honestly from for us from a business standpoint i mean because you if
SPEAKER 05 :
You tie up money. You don’t know if you’re going to have a gun six hours or six years. So, yeah, you need to move them.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. I mean, we hustle. Hopefully we’re not sitting on anything for that long. But, you know, usually we try to get them going as soon as possible. And we utilize websites like Gun Broker and sites like that to get more visibility on items that we are selling. So we’re always looking. We like the old stuff, really, when we’re buying or consigning. Old stuff is just really interesting, and it definitely tends to do better in those online settings with those wider audience because guys get – reminiscent um of stuff that they used to have or some guys were just born at the wrong time you know and you know they want to live uh they want a little bit of piece of history from you know maybe like the roaring 20s during prohibition or they want something cool from the cowboy days or something like that so like older hunting stuff always does really well we love buying that stuff uh just collectible winchesters colts smith and wessons that stuff is always just a lot of fun for us you know it’s uh it’s the stuff we can’t order through our distributors you know so we we get excited to be able to buy that stuff um but we do buy modern stuff as well and we will consign it um You know, we tend to look for unique and high-end or collectible items for consignment, but if it’s a large collection or something like that, sometimes consignment makes the most sense as well. We charge a flat fee. It’s 25%, but that includes any costs that we incur for listing guns online. We have a great success rate of selling guns quickly for people on consignment. We often have people go pick up their consignments from other stores and bring them to us because they had a lackluster maybe experience over there. Or we sold a couple guns for them, and then they had some stuff somewhere else that’s been over there for a while. But we make the guns visible. Our consignment program – Typically entails an online listing. Now, if we find an item that seems really great that, hey, we can sell this one in the store or something, we can sometimes negotiate that consignment fee and try to sell the items in store. But really, the success that we’ve had for turning consignments around quickly for people usually involves listing the item on GunBroker. We handle everything. All you do is give us the guns. Yeah. Before you know it, you’ll be picking up a check.
SPEAKER 05 :
Much easier way, safer way, the right way, legally, in my opinion. You don’t want people coming to your house. What are you going to do? Have people come to your house and look at guns that you don’t know.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yep. I mean, the days of doing that in the Walmart parking lot are kind of behind us. you know, and not that that was like an illegal thing to do. That was a totally legal thing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Sure. Dude, I grew up in Texas, and hey, it wasn’t anything just to meet a guy and see a shotgun hanging on a gun rack where they used to be in the back of a pickup, you know. Oh, you want to sell that, you know.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, I’ve bought and sold lots of guns from guys who, you know, used to go hunting on their lunch break in high school, you know, and that’s just not as common as it used to be, so… you know we keep things legal we keep things uh seamless and safe and you don’t really have to think about this or that you know there’s just quite a bit of um interaction that goes on with selling these guns on gun broker too i mean well one we’re taking professional photographs we’re writing up a really nice listing um where we’ll include a little bit of history of the gun uh we’ll we’ll really tell a story about the gun that we’re selling Um, if, if, and when it’s required, you know, sometimes certain guns are pretty straightforward, but we like to tie like a little story in there, some history, um, high, high quality, uh, professional photography of all the items, um, the professional listing. And then we do all the customer service, you know, handling, uh, receiving the payments, handling all the shipping, handling all the questions about the gun. Um, Sometimes there’s returns and things like that. People aren’t happy with the gun. We handle all that stuff. You don’t have to think about any of it. We just kind of give you an idea of what we think the gun should sell for. We agree on a price. There’s a little bit of paperwork involved, and then you’re just hanging out waiting for checks to start rolling in. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
It’s a pretty good deal. Yeah. Hey, one thing I want to touch on, you got your intro to pistol class and a great, great class. And, you know, hey, all these last few years, I know there’s been a lot of people buy their first firearms. I mean, for sure. So definitely people should look at this class. But I do want to mention this. I don’t forget. So for instructors, you mentioned that, hey, you’re maybe looking for some qualified, and I want to do air quotes around that, instructors.
SPEAKER 09 :
So what does that mean? So per the new state requirements, all instructors are required to get basically a license, a permit from the state of Colorado. Here we go again. Okay. They really love their licensing money. So all instructors must register with their local sheriff and pay for a special permit to instruct the class, and their materials have to be approved by that local sheriff. So we were running our concealed carries in-house. We decided the way that we were doing it, we had an on-site staff member who was teaching the class, Um, with the new requirements, eight hour, it’s more of a staffing thing than anything. So we are looking currently to partner with, um, a qualified and certified, uh, Colorado state certified instructor, um, to utilize our classroom. Uh, we have the, we’ve had great success filling those classes in the past when we were offering them and we would, uh, advertise those classes and, and, and work hard to get those classes full for that instructor. So if anybody’s out there who is a certified instructor interested in partnering with Bighorn firearms for their classroom portion of, of the class, we’re interested in talking with you. Um, We do still offer the intro to pistol, but that is really an introductory class. That’s for the new shooter to get comfortable handling their firearm and ask all the questions that they want to ask. after the initial purchase is made, and we offer that currently twice a month. You can look at our schedule online, contact us directly to sign up for the class here at the store, so either call or email. We’re still working on getting our new scheduling system buttoned up to accept the payments and the scheduling online. Be patient with us as we kind of work out the bugs of the new class offerings and that sort of thing. But, you know, in the meantime, if you’re looking for a good concealed carry class, we do have some recommendations as well.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, good deal. Another new partnership for you, U.S. Law Shield.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes. We did just sign on with them. So we will be offering their product here in store. We will have them in store for special events and things of that nature and possibly even bringing in some of their instructors to start teaching those classes. So if you don’t have self-defense insurance, it is something to get serious about if you’re carrying a gun. Even if you don’t carry a gun, it applies to any mode of self-defense, but especially if you’re carrying a gun. It is highly recommended to carry a personal defense insurance like that. U.S. Law Shield has revamped their program. They’ve got some really great products. It’s pretty cut and dry. In the past, sometimes some of those offerings are pretty confusing as to what you get at what level. Lost Shield has dumbed that down quite a bit and made it really easy to understand for consumers. So if you have any questions about that or want to be… And you’ve got all the info here. Yes, yes. Just come in the store and talk to one of our associates at the counter, and we’ll get you all squared away.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. Once again, if you’re just joining us, Ryan Resch is with us. It’s Bighorn Firearms, 2175 South Jasmine Street. And what are your hours?
SPEAKER 09 :
Tuesday through Friday, 11 to 6, and Saturdays from 10 to 5 are what we’ve been running for, oh, I don’t know. It’s probably been a couple of years now that we’ve been running that schedule.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER 09 :
I don’t anticipate any changes, but you never know.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And real quick, suppressors, man, still a good time to get those.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
And there might be some things on the horizon with that, but we don’t know.
SPEAKER 09 :
Man, there’s just so much going on right now with all this new regulations and legal stuff. Some of it good, some of it bad, and some of the good things could turn out to be bad things. Oh, yeah. And vice versa. Yeah. You know, get online and find a good resource to get your information from and stay on top of it. And don’t just rely on one resource, you know. Sure. Make sure you’re looking around and you’re double-checking, making sure you’re getting good information from people. You know, the suppressor times, we’re still seeing quite a few. We’ve seen it 24 to 48 hours. At times, they can take longer. I’ve got a gentleman right now that’s going on 90 days, I believe, and he’s a little bit frustrated. But I’ve seen a lot of smiling faces coming in and picking up silencers in 24 hours. It’s 14 months, man.
SPEAKER 05 :
I’ve waited multiple times, 12, 14 months.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, availability is still good too, you know, and we’ve got new stuff coming in all the time. We do rotate through our inventory. We keep a good inventory though. So the nice thing about buying a silencer directly from us, from our inventory is it’s here today and we can assign that to you once you create your silencer shop account. and get the paperwork rolling within 48 hours. You buy a silencer from an online seller, you could be waiting up to two to three weeks before it even arrives here in the store because of Form 3 processing and shipping and all of those things. So buying from our inventory gets the paperwork rolling ASAP. So, yeah, it’s still a good time, and I don’t see anything with – Previous purchases kind of turn around and bite you in the backside on that stuff. But purchases in the future could look very different depending on the way that certain bills maybe play out on a federal level. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
A lot going on, but, hey, this is a great store. Super knowledgeable staff, friendly staff. They’ll be glad to help you. It’s Big Horn Firearms, 2175 South Jasmine Street in Denver. Hey, when you come in, let them know you heard them here on Sportsman of Colorado, and we’d appreciate that as well. So, Ryan, we appreciate it, bud. Thanks, Scott. Thanks so much. Thanks for being with us. Hope you have a great rest of your weekend, and we’ll talk to you next week.
SPEAKER 10 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
