On The Wild Side

Tom Stienstra, Chronicle Outdoors Writer
Sunday, January 22, 2012

Il Ling New, America’s No. 1 female firearms instructor and hunting guide, was the top vote-getter in this year’s balloting for the California’s Outdoors Hall of Fame.

New was inducted at a ceremony Saturday at the Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Exposition, which ends a four-day run this weekend at Cal Expo.

The Circle of Chiefs also inducted fishing tackle pioneer Sep Hendrickson, hiker Scott Williamson and fly fisher and scientist Jim Adams.

Others considered by voters this year include snowboard Olympian Shaun White, bicycling guru Austin McInerny, Marin outdoor historian and hiker Barry Spitz and renowned trekker Leo Le Bon.

Anybody can nominate a candidate for the Hall of Fame. The award is based on a vote of past winners and leaders in the outdoor industry, media and government, free of any faction. All candidates must fill two requirements:

• The nominees have inspired thousands of Californians to take part in the great outdoors and/or conservation.
• The nominees must have taken part in a paramount scope of adventures.

For information, go to http://caloutdoorshalloffame.org

Il Ling New
Born in San Francisco and a Yale graduate with an MBA, she turned her back on a lucrative marketing career to teach people self-protection, how to handle firearms, and hunting. She is America’s No. 1 female firearms instructor and No. 1 female freelance guide. She has hunted across the hemisphere and to Africa twice, including for Cape buffalo, and trains hunters from across the hemisphere prior to world-class expeditions. She has hunted ducks in California since age 10. As an instructor, she has had a profound influence on people across America, and has taught Marines and police as well as housewives and hunters of all backgrounds. Her skills are world-renowned; with a handgun small enough to fit in her palm, she can put three shots in a pie plate in 5 seconds, has competed nationally for skeet titles, and is versed as an expert in all rifles. She has a stunning ability to improve others’ skills and safety. Named on more than 75 percent of ballots.

Read the rest if the article at SF Gate.

“Any team member, needs to talk to other team members so that they have a plan formulated. I doesn’t have to be a very complex plan–it can be the ‘baby-steps’ of a plan. The important thing is that everybody has a plan, a common plan in mind, and the first steps of that plan in mind, so that they can execute together. And one thing a woman has to keep in mind also is that she does not need to, nor should she, rely completely upon–say–her husband, or her son, or the man of the team to give her direction. She needs to be able to think, and react, and act on whatever information she’s getting, just as much as he does.”

A great segment with Il Ling and Sheriff Jim Wilson from American Guardian TV.

So you want to buy a handgun? I have a hard time recommending just one, but since I get this question all the time, here are some of my favorites.

They may not be perfect for every woman, but they’re a good place to start. These four handgun categories all have a place in a good personal-defense plan, and the specific models can be found chambered for reliable self-defense rounds.

Full-Size Semi-Auto Pistol

Smith & Wesson M&P: I like the M&Ps in both full-sized and compact models. They’re simple, ergonomic and come with three different, easily changeable backstraps to customize fit to your hand.

In the full-sized versions, they’re excellent for training, but a tad big for concealment. They offer excellent ammunition capacity, and with the built-in rail for attaching a dedicated light, make great house or car guns.

These are extremely “soft” shooting pistols, and felt recoil across all three chamberings I’ve tried (9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP) is insignificant.

Read the rest of the article at Shooting Illustrated.