Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n Dick would stay on at Twin Lakes into the late 1990s, spending a little more time down south every year. Finally, in 1999, at age 82, he moved permanently to California to live with his brother, Raymond. He would return briefly to Twin Lakes in the summer of 2000 for a taped interview and a farewell to his little cabin. Richard Louis Proenneke died on Easter morning, 2003, in Hemet, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n With One Man\u2019s Wilderness now in worldwide circulation, more and more folks came to visit, eager to meet the now living legend. Far from anti-social, he welcomed them all with hot tea and popcorn. He assisted the Park Service in finding lost hikers, counting wildlife and acting as an impromptu interpretive guide to the Twin Lakes area. It pleased him to see hunting pressure ease on his wild \u201cneighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dick would stay on at Twin Lakes into the late 1990s, spending a little more time down south every year. Finally, in 1999, at age 82, he moved permanently to California to live with his brother, Raymond. He would return briefly to Twin Lakes in the summer of 2000 for a taped interview and a farewell to his little cabin. Richard Louis Proenneke died on Easter morning, 2003, in Hemet, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n Through the 1980s, Dick would spend more and more time with his journals, documenting everything he noticed in his graceful cursive script. In his time at Twin Lakes he would fill some 100-pounds worth of notebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With One Man\u2019s Wilderness now in worldwide circulation, more and more folks came to visit, eager to meet the now living legend. Far from anti-social, he welcomed them all with hot tea and popcorn. He assisted the Park Service in finding lost hikers, counting wildlife and acting as an impromptu interpretive guide to the Twin Lakes area. It pleased him to see hunting pressure ease on his wild \u201cneighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dick would stay on at Twin Lakes into the late 1990s, spending a little more time down south every year. Finally, in 1999, at age 82, he moved permanently to California to live with his brother, Raymond. He would return briefly to Twin Lakes in the summer of 2000 for a taped interview and a farewell to his little cabin. Richard Louis Proenneke died on Easter morning, 2003, in Hemet, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n Through the 1980s, Dick would spend more and more time with his journals, documenting everything he noticed in his graceful cursive script. In his time at Twin Lakes he would fill some 100-pounds worth of notebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With One Man\u2019s Wilderness now in worldwide circulation, more and more folks came to visit, eager to meet the now living legend. Far from anti-social, he welcomed them all with hot tea and popcorn. He assisted the Park Service in finding lost hikers, counting wildlife and acting as an impromptu interpretive guide to the Twin Lakes area. It pleased him to see hunting pressure ease on his wild \u201cneighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dick would stay on at Twin Lakes into the late 1990s, spending a little more time down south every year. Finally, in 1999, at age 82, he moved permanently to California to live with his brother, Raymond. He would return briefly to Twin Lakes in the summer of 2000 for a taped interview and a farewell to his little cabin. Richard Louis Proenneke died on Easter morning, 2003, in Hemet, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n Dick\u2019s brother Raymond collected both Dick and the Arctic Tern to recuperate at his home in California. Dick slowly recovered over the winter, as did his Piper Cub, thanks to Raymond\u2019s care. July of 1977 would find him back home at Twin Lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through the 1980s, Dick would spend more and more time with his journals, documenting everything he noticed in his graceful cursive script. In his time at Twin Lakes he would fill some 100-pounds worth of notebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With One Man\u2019s Wilderness now in worldwide circulation, more and more folks came to visit, eager to meet the now living legend. Far from anti-social, he welcomed them all with hot tea and popcorn. He assisted the Park Service in finding lost hikers, counting wildlife and acting as an impromptu interpretive guide to the Twin Lakes area. It pleased him to see hunting pressure ease on his wild \u201cneighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dick would stay on at Twin Lakes into the late 1990s, spending a little more time down south every year. Finally, in 1999, at age 82, he moved permanently to California to live with his brother, Raymond. He would return briefly to Twin Lakes in the summer of 2000 for a taped interview and a farewell to his little cabin. Richard Louis Proenneke died on Easter morning, 2003, in Hemet, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-sufficient as he was, Dick was always dependent on the outside world. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. Everything that came in he either hauled back out or re-proposed in some form or another. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoreau was no doubt a great philosopher, but in truth he only spent two years on Walden Pond. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreau\u2019s (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. Most of what he did have he made himself. He did, however, possess one rare gem that seems very difficult to find in our modern world\u2014pure, unadulterated contentment. It is my opinion that Dick Proenneke left this world completely satisfied with his life\u2019s work. When it\u2019s all said and done, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n","post_title":"Dick Proenneke: The Simplest, Wildest Man","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-31 22:40:59","post_modified_gmt":"2023-11-01 02:40:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/08\/04\/dick-proenneke-simplest-wildest-man\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":116594,"post_author":"351","post_date":"2014-05-15 09:10:52","post_date_gmt":"2014-05-15 13:10:52","post_content":"Robert Vogel was raised on a farm in rural Ohio, where guns and shooting were a part of life, and where Robert learned early to shoot and hunt with rifles, shotguns and handguns. At 15, he decided to become a police officer, joining the police academy after high school. While at the academy, he discovered competitive shooting, launching a career that, as of this writing, has resulted in two World and 16 National Championships across three Practical\/Combat shooting disciplines.\n\n\u201cFor eight and a half years,\u201d Robert told us, \u201cI served as a full-time street cop. During most of that tenure I was a part of the agency\u2019s SWAT team and was also one of their firearms instructors. In May of 2012, I left full time as the demands of my shooting\/instructing career were taking over. So far, I couldn\u2019t be happier with that decision.\u201d\n\n \n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Dick Proenneke and His Legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Dick Proenneke and His Legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Dick Proenneke and His Legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Dick Proenneke and His Legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Later Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dick Proenneke and His Legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};
Later Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dick Proenneke and His Legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat was the first handgun you ever fired? What age were you?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI believe it was my grandfather\u2019s old Walther P38 9mm, and I think I was 5 or 6. I remember my dad helping me get a grip on it, and then shooting at some cans back in our cow pasture. The memory is a little foggy, but it\u2019s still there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow did you get into competitive shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI discovered IDPA competition when I was 19 and in the police academy. I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out. I found the closest club, which was still an hour away, and just showed up at their monthly match. Since I was by myself and pretty sure I was supposed to be 21, I was ready to lie about my age.\n\n \n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you shoot?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIt varies. On a busy week I might be on the range four or five days, other times maybe only once. I will say this, though, in the last 10 to 12 years, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever gone more than two weeks without shooting.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your favorite style of shooting?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI call it \u201cpractical\u201d shooting, which encompasses USPSA, IPSC and IDPA. These sports I believe do the best job of balancing accuracy, power and speed, which are crucial if you\u2019re trying to keep things real. The shooting in these disciplines is very much the same as the shooting required in most law enforcement training.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite pistol?<\/b><\/b>\n\nI\u2019ve shot Glocks exclusively for about eight years now and probably have close to 20. I don\u2019t have a favorite, as they all have their purposes, but I do really enjoy shooting Limited [class] with my long-slide Glock 24.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite chambering?<\/b><\/b>\n\nDepending on the competition, I compete with a 9mm, a .40 and sometimes a .45 ACP. For real-life carry purposes I often carry a Glock 35 in .40. Personally, I don\u2019t think it matters much with the right ammunition. I\u2019m also a hunter, and have shot and killed many animals, big and small, with Glocks. I don\u2019t think it makes a lot of difference when you\u2019re talking about these three calibers.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat is your favorite type of holster?<\/b><\/b>\n\nWell, I\u2019m sponsored by Safariland, and they really do make some great holsters. I\u2019ve been using their Model 5189 holster for several years now with great success. It holds the pistol at the right angle and doesn\u2019t interfere with getting a consistent grip on the pistol while it\u2019s still in the holster. I also think the ALS system for duty holsters is the best out there.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nWhat\u2019s your fondest match memory?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe very first match I ever went to when I was 19. I had never competed against anyone else, other than friends and family. I had no idea where I would stack up. There were about 20 people there, but I was put on the beginner squad and didn\u2019t get to see some of the better shooters. They emailed the results a few days later and I saw I had won High Overall by about 10 to 12 seconds, beating several \u201cExperts.\u201d I was floored! From that moment on I never let up.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you think that competitive shooting has applications for those who want to train for self-defense purposes with their handgun?<\/b><\/b>\n\nOf course it does. Whether you\u2019re talking about competitive shooting (USPSA, IDPA), law enforcement applications or even concealed carry\/self-defense shooting, they all have this in common\u2014you are taking a real handgun and trying to shoot at, and actually hit, a human-sized target as fast as you can hit it under a variety of different circumstances. I don\u2019t care which of those three you\u2019re most interested in, when it comes down to the shooting that is the goal!\n\nThere are those, of course, who put down competitive shooting, but it usually seems to be out of convenience, for those people most often fall into one of two categories: either they have very limited experience in it or there are not very good \u2026 or both.\n\n <\/i>\n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nHow often do you dry fire?<\/b><\/b>\n\nIn one form or another, just about every day. For sheer skill building I feel it has no equal. For every live round that I actually fire, I probably mimic that round eight to 10 times in dry fire. It is human nature to fear loud explosions going off in front of our faces, and therefore flinching or jerking the trigger, especially during rapid fire, is all too common. We need to train our bodies not to do this in an environment where we are very aware of what is going on. This is where dry fire comes into play.\n\n \n\n
<\/a> Robert Vogel[\/caption]\n\nDo you have any advice for aspiring shooters?<\/b><\/b>\n\nThe best advice I can give them is to face their fears. Nothing great will ever happen inside your comfort zone. If you have the fortitude to continually make yourself do things that you are nervous of doing, you will expand your comfort zone and achieve things most people will not. Don\u2019t be a spectator\u2014be a doer!","post_title":"11 Questions with Shooting Pro Robert Vogel","post_excerpt":"Former police officer and current competitive shooter Robert Vogel talks training, favorite guns and the makings of a championship career! ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_modified_gmt":"2023-06-02 17:22:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.athlonoutdoors.com\/2014\/05\/15\/11-questions-shooting-pro-robert-vogel\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":28},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};