Hi all, in the tradition of last years post by Tim Frazier, I think it's time to start another for this years season. So Lets see your pics.

Today was our opener for Grouse & Huns. I was out with my two sons and our faithful GSP Duchess. A very good opener, we all got our limits. Started hunting at 8:30 and done by noon. Lots of young birds, but a couple older ones. Anyway, on to the pics.

Here's my sons, Jim (left) was using a Merkel 147E in 12ga and Will (right) was using his Sauer Royal in 16ga:



Here's our dog Duchess (she worked great today!!!):



And myself, I was using my 16ga FN BLE:



Good Luck to all of you this year!!!!

Greg

Very nice Greg! I love this thread. Thanks for starting it!

Adam

Compared to last years pictures Greg, those boys are growing like weeds. What kind of vitamins are you feeding them? You still didn't change the date on your camera.

Awesome Greg. Looks like you and your sons had a wonderful day. Hunting season opens for me on the 15th and can't wait. Hunting Ruffed Grouse in Michigan. Hopefully, and if I can figure it out, will post some pictures of the 'opener' hunt.

Yep they sure are growing, they'll eat about anything you put in front of them!! Hey, I did get the date changed!!! My son was able to do it, I can't, too stupid, besides my old Brownie never had a date, just needed some flash powder.

Tomorrow, we're going to try around here, got a couple spots that have paid out in the past.

Be Good!

Greg

Hi all, well the boys and I went out today, not as good as yesterday. The wind was really whipping where we were at. They say 16mph, HA! More like 20 to 25. Anyway, we did get some birds and one Hun out of a covey we busted. The guns we used are from top to bottom, 12ga Merkel 147E, Ugartechea 1030 in 16ga and a Browning BSS/S in 20ga. All in all not great, but sure ain't bad either. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Best!

Greg

Hi all, went out solo today and managed to fill out by 11:30, just before the temps got high (supposed to hit 90 to 95 today). The wind was not a factor today, light at about 10 to 12. I was using my 12b F.A. Anderson BLE, this gun was made by W&S and is gun 101 of 110. Nice shooting gun. Still ain't got the camera date right yet!! Here's the pics:

Gun and game:



One tired GSP, she worked well today!



Best!

Greg

We have been shooting more of these this year, than sharp tails.



The gun is Charles Moore, 12 bore.

Thanks for getting this started - this upcoming weekend here in Mi we'll hit da ute waterfowl and squirrel. May squeeze an afternoon grouse excursion in on Sunday if the munchkin is to tired to continue squirrel or duck hunting. The daughter is just starting to get comfortable with her shotgun, so we'll hit upland hard on the 22nd when woodcock open - they are great for introducing youth to upland as they hold quite nicely for the pup.

Gary

NICE gun Bob!! Love those hammerguns. Will give mine a go here soon.

Best!

Greg

I suppose mine might be Joe holding this strange looking dove he shot yesterday:

Joe insisted it was a dove. He cleaned and took it home with him though.

I've been told that the largest volume of tickets written on dove fields is for the illegal taking of "song birds". Do Swallows sing???...Geo

George I don't know but if the game warden had shown up I would have sung like a Parakeet.

Greg, that Anderson BLE looks even better in your photo. The seller's pictures didn't do it justice, it seems. Now you're making me wish I'd bought it!!!

GREAT!!!!!!

What a great set of pictures to start the new season off with. MI will be opening Saturday. Lets hope there a Pats in them woods. Pictures to follow after the opener.

Dove season so far in the Panhandle has been pretty good if you have a waterhole. Couldn't resist taking the Reilly hammer gun out for a spin day before yesterday. Thank you again Dustin.

Nice Gary. Looks like the shooting lessons I have been giving you have really paid off!

My theory is not to shoot like Joe.....at least there aren't any swallows on the chair.


"Indeed, the dove is tied to nowhere, to nothing. It drinks from a lake or mud puddle; perches in any available tree or bush. They are vagabonds, not dependent on others of their kind." -- Byron W. Dalrymple, "Doves and Dove Shooting" 1949

Oh man, this is driving me crazy. I haven't even been able to get out yet due to work. Hope to get out for a two day grouse hunt this Friday. Keep 'em coming Greg! You're so blessed to live so close to great bird hunting. Awesome.

This is the best picture of Molly and Ginger that I have from the hunt. I don't know how to work those photo editing programs or I would have cut the ugly stuff out - the telephone pole, power wires, Joe Wood etc...

Hi all, went out after work with my son (Will) and our Duchess of course. Hunted for about an hour and 15 minutes and lucked out with a double limit. Was a bit windy, the birds held tight and the dog worked great. I was using my Cogswell & Harrison 12b Konor and Will his Fabarm 12ga Beta Classis.



And a future hunter - My daughter Patty



All the best!

Greg

Well I've opened my season with one of my favourite birds.


Fredc. T Baker 12 ga. "Victory Ball and Shot Gun" and Yellow Footed Green Pigeon (Treron phoenicoptera)



Lyon &Lyon 12 Ga. SLNE of dubious origin.

All the best

Skeeterbd

Skeeterbd,
Handsome guns and birds from your corner of the world. Gil

Skeeterbd what are those dove called?

Thanks,

Mike

Yellow Footed Green Pigeon

Thanks Drever.

According to Wikipedia that pigeon is a native of India.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-footed_Green_Pigeon

Amarillo Mike

It is a bird that inhabits most of South and South East Asia which is where I live.

All the best

Skeeterbd

I've not busted a cap so far this season, the few days I've had planned didn't play out for one reason or another. Think I'll dust off the squirrels on Monday though, been looking forward to that. I'd go the first day but I've got an out of town trip that can't be missed. Blah....

DLH

Skeeterbd thanks. Looks like good sport with that nice T Baker sidelock.

Good luck Destry. My parents grew up in the Little Rock area. Every time we would go back to visit family it seemed that we would go squirrel hunting. My Grandma friend the young ones and made squirrel and dumplings with the old ones, with fried pies for desert.

Hi all, went out today with my friend Brandon, we did well. We each got a limit of sharpies and I was able to get a couple huns. Lady luck smiled on me as I was able to get a double on grouse and a double on the huns. The dogs worked great, lovely day and a good time.

Here's Brandon with the last bird of the day, he was using is Uggie Parker-Hale in 20ga:



Brandon with his dogs Pat(the Brittany) and Maggie (GSP):



I was using my 16b John Wilkes SLE:



And myself:



Going to go out again tomorrow with my boys.

All the best!

Greg

Very nice Greg! You are very lucky to have access to that quality of hunting as often as you want. Keep it up and keep the photos coming! Got any pics of the action?

Adam

Greg, Youe Wilkes 16b SLE is a beauty. What's that gun weigh, when was it made, barrel length and how's she choked?

We did a little sharp tail hunting . These gentlemen are guests whose friendship and company I enjoy each fall. Canadians and one who came as a stranger from Ohio and now is an integral member of our little September fest.



Guns used were, a Beretta SxS, a W. Richards 20 and a ....I am not sure, maybe a Purdey or maybe a Holland 20.

Thanks Buzz!!! She weighs in at 6-1, made in 1932, 28" bbls and choked IC/Mod (.007/.016). Very nice shooting gun, she does her part when I do mine.

All the best!

Greg

Hi all, nice pics Bob!!! Looks like you folks did alright! Looks like nice weather there. We've had a bit of a warm spell, but cool enough in the mornings.

Good Show!!!

Greg

Hi again, Will and I went out today to a different area, this place had a couple of ratty short cornfields. That's were the birds were today. The corn was only chest high, so easy shooting.

Here's Will with is limit, he was shooting his Fabarm 12ga Beta Classis:



My limit, I was using my 16b Charles Boswell:



And me with my out of shape hat!!!:



See you later!!!

Greg

A PERFECT bird gun in my opinion!! On the other hand Greg, it does not appear that you are having trouble hitting with any of your guns! A 6lb 1-4oz, 16 gauge with 28in barrels is the best of all worlds, at least for me.

I was in the cornfields too today Greg, chopping silage. Man were there pheasants. I thought last year was a dandy population but this year is going to be even better. Talk about a hot, windy, dry, day. I was roasted well done in my truck. We need some rain, NOW!

OH Boy, Do We! I know so many of the landowners within a hundred miles of here, if not as friends at least well enough to sit and have coffee with in the cafes. So many of them have said that they are not letting anyone hunt until the fire danger passes.

There are no one who are better judges of how dry it is than the men who most have the grass.

It's so dry I'm afraid to crack a fart in the field for fear of starting a fire.

The history of the depicted Remington M-32 is the best part of the story behind the birds and guns shown in the photo taken at the end of a fabulous shoot we had yesterday. We had 10 guns with limits and the birds flew better on the same field than they did two weeks ago on opening day or maybe it just seemed that way. The weather was warm with a breeze and lower humidity than opening day when it was hell on earth with heat and humidity. The boxlock is my 1938 H. Atkin 12, #1 of 2, made by W&S. The Model 32 is Billy’s. It was bought and hunted hard by his grandfather starting in the 1930s through his passing. Billy’s dad inherited it and hunted it hard during his lifetime. I have burned in my mind for all time an image of Billy’s dad carrying the split barreled gun in and out of the dove fields on his land. Billy’s granddad had three barrels made for it, .410, 28 and 20. For dove, Billy usually uses the .410 barrels, but yesterday he opted for the 20 gauge. He shoots the gun as if he was born with it, and in a way, he was. There will be a day when Billy’s son will begin his stewardship of the old O/U but I hope it isn’t any time soon.

You just can't have better provenance, Gil. Thanks for that. Billy sounds like somebody I'd like to meet.

SRH

Stan, check your PMs. Gil

Cool shooting box Gil. Hope you bring a boat cushion or something to sit on though...Geo

Geo, Tnx. My 1/10 of a ton fadass provides ample cushioning. I made the box a few years ago with scraps from a boat project. It's 1/4 and 3/8" marine grade plywood, with two shelves and two oval openings for reaching in. It resembles a woodduck duplex nesting box. Seams are fiber glass tape , covered with marine epoxy and spar varnished. The seat is slick enough to spin on and has provided me with many misses while seated over the years.

Geo, here are photos of the box. It’s not as light as a 5 gallon bucket, but it’s more convenient for me than a bucket as it’s easier to retrieve shells, stow doves, empty hulls, etc. The weight is no factor as I usually enter and exit the field via a sedan chair carried by my groupies, sychophants and gun bearers.

Hi all, was only able to get out for a very short time today, so only took one, still it's great to get out. Duchess worked very well, put up a lot of pheasants, but only one small group of grouse, this one was a lonesome Charlie.

I was using my 16b Charles Hellis:



Best!

Greg

A cool 60 degrees here today. Perfect for strolling over the prairie with a hammergun. Used these two, the underlever Marsden for a double and the Richards for the single.

Nice pic Bob!! Well as I said my trip was cut short due to RAIN!!! Thank God! We needed it bad, not a heavy rain, just slow and steady.

J.R.B., how about you folks, get any in New Salem?

Be Good all!

Greg

Just enough to settle the dust for a day.

Nice pictures, guys.

We have another couple weeks to go until the seasons open here in Maine. Until then, we have scattered frost in the mountains this morning.

So Greg.....seeing all of these Grouse in your pictures.............are you having Grouse omelets for breakfast, Grouse burgers for lunch and last but not least roasted Grouse for dinner?

North Dakota has two seasons Feast and Famine. Greg is getting ready for the upcoming season of famine.

Actually 1cdog, in this neck of the woods, er prairie, those who like eating sharpies usually bag their season limit and freeze them the first week or two of the season. Why, because very soon pheasant season opens and sharpies just do not compete well with the big bird that first week or two following the pheasant opener.

By November the sharpies are starting to bunch and than it is really difficult to get within gun range regularly.

Greg, is just one of the old hands out here.

Ask that same question of me each and every day of the pheasant season and I will provide you with the recipe of the day. We eat lots of them, fixed so many different ways.

Hi all, Bob is right, early in the year is the time to hit them. They hold better and don't start to get wild for a few more weeks and the young ones are better eating. Around here (for me at least) the hunting season is broken down into phases, Doves first, then Grouse, then Duck (opener is this weekend), then pheasant and last is deer. Upland birds go until the end. My boys and I take advanage of all of them. Besides, I just like to hunt, so I try to get out as much as I can.

Grouse are not really hunted much by locals here, they may go out the opening day and that's it. Guys like Bob and myself know better, they are a fun bird to hunt and can be a challange.

As far as eating goes, locals call Grouse "Flying Carp", but they can taste mighty good. All in the way you cook them! I've been blessed with a wife who is an exceptional game cook.

Windy today (up to 40mph gusts), will try and get out tomorrow. Hpe to post some more pics!

Be Good all!

Greg

I don't mean to start a fight, but it seems to me that you guys out west have it pretty good. With all those open spaces and "Big Sky" country I'll bet you can actually see your bird for more than 2.5 seconds after it flushes.

PLUS I'll bet you're facing the direction it flushes with all your limbs in place.

C'mon to New England for a real special taste of humble pie. That is, once you get the alder leaves and blackthorn's out of your mouth!

Oh, did I forget to mention opening day here in Massachusetts is only 4 WEEKS AWAY!?

To be honest, we do have it good out here!!! I wouldn't live anywhere except for out here. Your right on most points, still each area of the country has it's own set of difficulties. We have lots of steep hills (it's not all flat out here) and lots of wind to contend with. There's also lots of walking and I mean walking, the birds are not always within 100 yds of the truck.

Anyway, best of luck to you with your season, hope to see some pics of your hunts.

All the best!

Greg

Thanks Greg - I'm just jealous!

You bet!!! I've hunted ruffs before, they sure can Pi$$ a guy off, with their tricks and turns. They are a fun bird!

Good Luck again!

Greg

That may be true out on the prairie, but in the steep hills where the quail and chukar hide in the far west, it's a given that you'll be standing on one leg, facing the wrong direction and worried more about falling to great bodily harm, when the bird flushes. I intend to have Greg show me how the composed hunter hunts a civilized bird this year.

Yes we do. Hunting and fishing are good and it's a place where men are men and women are women. Now that's a downright handy situation.

I apologize, Chuck, you're right. I get winded just looking at pictures of guys hunting chukar. Hunting chukars and quail in that terrain just might be the absolute toughest upland challenge. I am truly humbled, sir.

Hi all, my son Will and I went out for about an hour and a half today after work, we each got two, it was warm and no wind, the dog had a hard time scenting, but did manage to give us some good points.

BTW, I've never hunted chucker or western quail, it would be fun!

Anyway, here's me with my 16b Charles Bosewell:



Will with his 20ga Browning BSS/S:



And Duchess!!:



All the best!

Greg

I like the new date on the pics Greg. Oh and nice 16 bore.

You and your boys are starting to look like pretty high society this year Greg. Especially with the pipe. Not sure I will live up to your expectations next week, As I will only be shooting a Dickson boxlock. I will bring my fine blooded English flusher with again. Nothing like seeing a 12 o'clock tail half a mile away flushing the birds for you!

Hope you get out again this weekend. I am heading out west for a crack at a few birds. I will post a couple pictures when I get back.

Early Goose season wrapped up today, and we ushered it out with the limit for all five of us in just over three hours. Lots of geese in Minnesota these days. Very happy to let my Purdey Pigeon gun help me keep the population down.



These big boys will make some fine, fine jerky......

A goose with a Purdey hammer pigeon gun. Too cool!

As Smokey said, "I second that emotion"!

I third that!!!! What a wonderful picture and that Purdey!!! WOW!!! Thanks for posting!!!!

Best!

Greg

Now Wade!!! You know that I will be seen with you on limited outings, by ourselves of course NOT with any of my friends, I do have standards, but I will grace those in lesser social circles with my presence for fun ! Too bad we don't have a caste system here, oh well!

On the serious side, will be going after ducks tomorrow, hope our luck holds.

Good luck to you on your hunt!

Best!

Greg

Hi all, well today was our 2012 duck/goose opener. We had a very good shoot, limited out in about an hour and 45 minutes. We mostly got teal, gadwalls and a couple mallards. Eric my nephew was visting from Utah, he didn't shoot, but was our photographer, one of out better openers.

Me with my Bernadelli Italia hammergun:



Jim with his Mossberg 500 Regal (I know, a pumpgun!!!!):



Will without his Fabarm Beta Classis he used today:



Me and my boys:



All the best!

Greg

Friend, Don Hardin , with his double on Huns in his 81st year.

I hope I'm in that good of shape when I'm 81. Wonderful, just wonderful!!!!

Greg

God Bless Him! And you as well, Daryl, for partnering up with him. A really great picture.

Let me tell all of you, the old professor shoots real good. He must have been a terror when he was a youngster, like maybe sixty or seventy.

Nice photo of him Darly. Give him my best and call when you all get to town in a couple of weeks.

They are fun to shoot, but it was also great introducing these guys to hammerguns. One guy was busy taking pictiures while another asked if he could keep a 2 1/2" shell since he'd never even seen one.

Hi all, well today was the second day of our waterfowl season, not as good as opening day, very cold in the morning and very dense fog that din't burn off until late. It was a blue bird day by mid morning. We still limited out, except Jim, he only got two, mostly because the ducks didn't go over or by this blind, he didn't want to move when Will and I were done. Anyway, here's some pics

Me and my Bernadelli Italia:



The Bernadelli:



Will with his Fabarm Beta Classis. Will shot one his grouse as it flew over the decoys!!! A bunch flew over and Will was on the ball. The other he got when trying to jump some ducks. He had a GREAT day!!!:



Jim and his "Pump":



Me and my sons with the days bag:



All the best!

Greg

Looks like you knocked the heck out of them Greg! Tell Jim he would have shot a limit if he did not use that contraption.

My weekend went well. Yesterday I shot a limit of huns and sharptail. Today though was kind of a special one, as I shot another limit of sharptail on a walk with my year old wire hair pup. She pointed a covey which I doubled on and then she pointed a group of three more birds which I then shot one more for my limit. She also pointed a pheasant on the way back, and found a downed bird for one of my friends. I am very happy with her and can't wait to see how she progresses with some more training!

Way to go Wade!!! Glad you guys did well and thanks for the kind words! I'll tell Jim that, guess I'll just have to beat it into that thick skull of his! Happy to hear that your pup did so well! Lots of good hunting to look forward to with her, looks like she'll turn out to be a first rate hunter. Congrats on the double! They sure are fun to make.

Hope we'll do just as well later this week!

Be Good!

Greg

My first woodcock of the season. I was particularly excited as it was shot with the 1873 Purdey that Tony so expertly restored.

Great pic. Wonderful to see the old beauty back in the field. Hammerguns and woodcock go together.

Hi all, well Wade Burns and I went out today for a little grouse hunting. It was hot and today we had to work for the birds we got. Still, I had a wonderful time, the dog worked well and Wade is always a blast to hunt with. Here are the pics from today:

I was using my Garbi 100 in 16ga:



Wade was using his 12b Cross Brothers:



The guns and game:



Wade:



And Me:

well the boys and I went out duck hunting today, it was a slow day, not much flying a nice bluebird day. I managed a limit, Will was shy 1 bird and Jim only got one. Didn't matter, I had a great time with my sons!

The boys waiting for shooting time:



The pothole we hunted:



My Bernadelli and my birds, a fun gun to shoot:



Me:



Will with his Fabarm and his birds:



Jim with his bird and Mossberg:



Will at the landing:



All the best!

Greg

Asleep with smiles on their faces, dreaming of in-coming birds. Wake me Dad when the sun comes up. Ah the joys of carefree youth. Damn I wish I was a kid again. You can keep the ducks Greg. I'll patiently wait for pheasant season and something better to eat.

Thanks so much!!!! The truth of the matter is, the flash made them close their eye's. They were wide awake. I know what you mean, but I have to say when I'm out hunting, I am a kid again!

Thanks again!

Greg

You have handsome sons, Greg.

Congrats! I got into a few huns this morning but Sammie busted them before I could get there. She did point and hold a couple pheasants so maybe there is a bit of progress.

Sounds like everything is just DUCKY
All we have had down here is Early Teal season
They sure are fun to shoot
My duck craft is an Osagian square stern canoe

Mike

Nice Greg! I see that pretty ole' Bernardelli works quite wells on ducks!

I went to a dove shoot over brown-top millet this afternoon but it was quite slow. They are going to burn the field and then we'll shoot it again with, hopefully, better results. But I did see a ton of wood ducks pass over. About 10 groups ranging from 2-20.

Adam

Went out today with the pup and my Dickson. We got a limit of sharptail around the place. A nice relaxing afternoon!

Well done Wade!!! Looks like Lakota will be a great hunting partner! Congrats again!

I was out also, but the areas I went to had cows in them!!! Kind of ruined the day, did get off a Hail Mary shot to no avail, oh well!

BTW, Hay Bales, what's wrong with a propane tank?

Be Good!

Greg

Hi all, my son Will and I went out for about an hour this evening, just walked one area. We each managed to get a grouse, then had to get home. Anyway, still had a good time

I was using my 16ga Franz Sodia hammergun:



Will was using his 16ga Sauer Royal (here with our birds and my gun also):



Best!

Greg

First grouse of the year taken in the beautiful wilds of Wisconsin.

Wonderful pics!!! Very pretty, love that hammergun!! What make & ga?

Best!

Greg

Here's some pics from this last weekend's pheasant opener here in WA. Gun pictured is my Lefever H grade 16 I converted to straight grip and added grain to the plain stock.

Mt Rainier sunrise:

Impressive Mark! Looks like a great day afield!

Mark, Hammerguy, impressive photography.
PS: Hammerguy, how many shots did it take to finish off the cameraman in photo 2?

Thanks! Heading to the chukar and quail canyons of eastern WA this weekend. Can't wait!

Favorite, so far, season is young...This captures the spaciousness of "The Big Saskatchewan"

Looks great LD. Do you find huns hanging around those shacks? I've found them in those kinds of places before.

We took a couple of huns from there, and a bunch of Pheasants surprised us! Cant shoot em, tho...No rings around their necks, they were almost black...

Last Dollar, that's a good example of how vast and pretty it can be. Thanks for posting.

Makes a person want to go back,doesnt it? If we go next year, we'll take a travel trailer and stay way longer...Maybe shoot one of those big Whitetail does...

My Charles Daly 16ga with a couple of Huns from this morning.

Great pictures from everyone. makes me want to hop in the car right now and head out into those locales.
For the Hammer Gun hunters (incl. Hammer Guy), how do you carry the Hammer guns that have no separate safeties? Loaded but open; Hammers Down and closed, etc.
I know that, no matter how much I may practice, I can't get the hammers back in time for a "surprise" Grouse flush. With a good/great dog it can work. but even great dogs have the birds blow out on them often in the grouse woods.

Hammers down and closed for me except when crossing a fence or other obstacle. Just plain courtesy when crossing a fence to hand your partner a very obvious un-loaded gun.

Mike I hunt pheasants and prairie grouse a lot with a hammer gun. I carry them loaded with the hammers down and cock a hammer as I mount the gun, very much the same unconscious effort as sliding the safety off as I mount the gun.

If I need the second barrel, I lower the gun and remount it, cocking the second hammer as I do so.

12bore Purdey purchased from the late great Tony Treadwell. Gun shoots like a dream and I'll be using her a lot. I spent a lot of time in the field this last week, wishing I could share some photos with him. Then again, I spent a lot of time thinking he just may be watching over the Purdey and I. Covers were full of grouse and thick with woodcock.

;-) Funny story. I'd asked him to take some photos and made it a point to show him my gun was empty before ducking in that pretty little spot....and flushing a grouse. :-(

In a place with THICK cover, hammers down and gun closed is your only option. Open and you'd being losing shells or filling your breech with so much junk it wouldn't close when it came time to. I kind of carry mine so my thumb is resting between the hammers. I believe it is very safe, having never felt the hammers really even being snagged by brush or branches.

As RCC says, you cock and shoot just as you would when moving from safe to fire on an "hammerless" gun. These hammerguns are almost all I shoot, so it's just second nature. As the gun comes up the right hammer goes back, I fire, drop in a couple inches, cock the left and fire (if needed).

In more sparse long-walking conditions like out West, I may keep the hammers cocked and break the gun open, carrying it in one hand or over my shoulder. That works real well.

I think with practice, you'd get there Mike. Conditions were real hot and dry in Wisconsin since the opener, so the dogs were strugglin' a bit. Lots of surprise flushes but it was fine. Not to take anything from the dogs, but point or not, a timberdoodle or a grouse is gonna surprise ya.

I learned fast, if you're in the area birds may be, don't expect the dog to lead you to the prize every time. Lots of doubles are sadly missed that way. I take most steps in the field like the next one is going to find me a bird to shoot.

I just got back from a day in the Errol/Berlin area of New Hampshire. Lots of grouse and a good number of woodcock, even though the flight birds had not arrived. We put up close to 30 birds, had about 10 passable opportunities (including two that almost knocked my hat off), and managed to bring a few of those home.

This Fox 16 Sterlingworth is new to me, but she brought down a grouse on our first opportunity together. She also managed to bag this woodcock too. No telling how many grouse and woodcock this gun bagged before we met.

Hi all, nice pic Ham!!!! Anyway, Will and I went out for a little duck shoot, was cold, had to break some ice around the edge of the pothole, but we did get a mixed bag of puddlers and divers. Not much flying after the sun rose, so we got these early in the morning. Will did manage a scotch double on a pair of gadwalls, was he ever surprised!! Anyway, not the best day for ducks this year, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it.

Will taking a rest after dragging our boat (uphill)to the truck:



Will with his birds and his Fabarm Classis:



My birds and my trusty Bernadelli:



All the best!

Greg

Greg - you are having a productive season so far - keep it up!

The Praire's bounty and good friends from yesterday's opener.

Hi Ham, thanks for the kind words. It's been a good season so far, I've been blessed!

Bob, nice pic, our opener is next weekend, so after that, it's Katie bar the door for upland birds! Hope we do as well as you did. Congrats!!!!

All the best!

Greg

I hope Greg, Wade, and I do as good as you Montana boys.

Golly, I figured on coming over there next Saturday and giving you all a helping hand.

Come on over RCC. You're more than welcome at my place. Saturday my cousin Rachel and I are going on my land. Her dad, my cousin in law, can't shoot because he had a right shoulder replacement in August so he will be our bird dog this year. With his one good arm he can be a pointer for us.

Here is my take of woodcock and a ruffed grouse from yesterday with my S&W. Looking forward to our pheasant opener this coming weekend!

Good Show old boy!!! The king of gamebirds and the princes. Nice. But yet next weekend your going to hunt the pauper of gamebirds? I don't understand!

Good going BTW! Congrats!

Be Good!

Greg

Had a great day quail hunting yesterday. Got to hunt with a new friend and his son, which was awesome. We got into quite a few birds, and we both managed to knock down a few. My 30" Lefever 16 is not the ideal quail gun, so I look forward to using my 5.7lb cyl/sk Marechal 16 hammer gun next time.

Last day of Texas early teal season with a Harrod's 16 ga. and Classic Doubles Hevi-shot. A Scott action with wacky Greener ejectors that kept going out of time until Professor Joe Wood removed them and made it an extractor gun. With 29" M&F barrels, it's great for ducks and will get a little work on pheasants.

Great pics, as usual, Mark. Brier's one handsome boy. Looking forward to seeing the results of the little Marechal's time in the field.

Rick

Thanks Rick. Just got back from a pheasant hunt this morning with a friend. We got 4 birds in 20 minutes, with 5 points total. I've never seen him cover ground so fast. He was on fire. He's 3 now, so I figure I have about 5-7 yrs of this to look forward to, God willing. It's been a good year so far

Lovely gun Gary. Looks like an ideal teal gun!

Mark, that quail cover looks very familiar. I used to live in Pullman and sometimes hunted over towards Wenatchee where the chaparral is a lot higher/denser than in Eastern Washington. Brought back some memories! Thanks for the great pic!

You're welcome Mike. The Russian olive trees have really taken over in the whole Yakima valley northwards, but it does make for some fantastic quail and pheasant cover. At least the quail are native :0

Posted for Buzz

Thanks Mike for posting the photo for me. Those are my 2 grouse dogs Jill and Shamoo. We harvested 2 grouse and a woodcock this AM in the Upper Peninsula. I'm shooting my Dickson boxlock 12 bore that weighs 5 lb 14 oz. This gun is so nice to carry. I'm shooting 1 oz Gamebore shells with good effect. Still learning how to shoot the gun, but getting a lot better with it. I feel it will be my 'go to' upland gun.

Great Pics guys, just great seeing what you all look like and seeing those fine guns and dogs, not to mention the game. Your ability to photograph so well is amazing!

Thanks again!

Greg

Went to a local preserve this morning to knock the cobwebs off of me and my four legged buddy and finally try out a new/old gun.

Jaeger (GSP) with a few Florida Quail bagged using a high grade original Belgian Percussion SxS made in approximately 1850 by Francois Scheppers.

Now where are those Geese!



Really, I just thought the picture came out extra cool. This is my new favorite hunting picture.

I agree! Great picture.

That is one great picture - Jaeger's face says it all.

He looks like he's telling his master, "How 'bout a beer."

fixed it. lol

Better yet how 'bout both?

Really great picture, that's for sure. But as a percussion double enthusiast, I'd sure like another 1 or 2 of that cool Scheppers!

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...4623#Post274623

Hi all, well today was our pheasant opener, my friend Rick came up from MN as he has for the last few years, always enjoy hunting with him. Anyway, it was a nice day, a bit on the windy side however. It was not a typical opener, the birds were a bit on the spooky side and really didn't hold all that well. We did see quite a few of them. I was able to limit out early, Will got 2 and Jim 1. The dog worked very well, very happy with her, just one of those days I guess, more hens than boy birds. Will see what tomorrow brings.

My birds and my 12b Purdey:



Will with his birds and his 16ga Sauer Royal:



Jim and his bird, he was using my 12ga AyA Model 4 Deluxe:



Rick had to leave before we took pictures. He managed a grouse.

Anyway, a good day overall!

Regards!

Greg

Spooky Greg????????? That's an understatement and I blamed it on my recent prairie fire. My cousin Rachel and I walked the corn stubble this morning and the ones that flew, got up anywhere from 60 to 100 yards ahead of us in high gear. Being it was just the two of us and no dog, the rest of the birds had no trouble slipping to the side and laughed at us as we walked by. If you and Wade come here Monday you two better have a better battle plan than we did.

Hi all, the boys and I went out again today, still not the best. Birds spooky like yesterday. Just can't figure them out, not where they should be, scratching my head on this one.

Anyway, here's how we did:

My birds and my 12b J. Blanch with those nasty, bad and dangerous damascus barrels:



Will with his birds, he was using his Browning BSS/S 20ga:



Jim and his bird, he was using an AyA Model 4 Deluxe in 12ga:



Best!

Greg

Greg,

There's one thing for sure you have figured out and that's all the memories you are making every time you walk in the field with your boys!

What loads did Will use in his 20 ga to bag his birds?

Thanks

Thanks so much for the kind words!! I'm a lucky man, these two have been on the straight and narrow their entire lives, not one lick of trouble with them. I'm blessed. They're also the best hunting partners a guy can have.

Anyway, Will was using 2 3/4" 1oz of #6's. He's a good shot with that 20 of his. It's also tubed, so he was using IC/IM chokes.

Thanks again!

Greg

Glad to hear you did well. We had a horrible opener on this side of the river. Yesterday zilch and today I took a hun and sharptail, while my hunting partner got a rooster. First time ever that we had such a bad run. We only saw a dozen birds yesterday and about the same today. Very spooky birds for opener and none would hold to point. The huns though were nice with about 15 birds in the covey. It will get better I believe as some crops are in and the weather was very nice allowing the birds to roost in the fields.

They just won't sit tight this year Wade. We have plenty of birds this side of the Mighty Mo. Maybe tomorrow Greg and I can do some justice on them. I wish you could come with him.

Thanks for the invite, I sure appreciated it. Too much going on at work to break away since I have to be in DC mid week.

Hi all, well I wnet out to J.R.B. (Joel) place today, had one heck of a good time. One of the best hunts I've been on in a long time. Joel is truly a gentleman of the old school. He let me do all the shooting and said "This is your hunt", what a great guy! He's one of your basic down to earth types. Even had a nice dinner made by his 86 year old mother, she's also a wonderful person, had a wonderful visit with her as well.

Lots of birds, some spooky, but some held tight in the thick stuff. Thanks Joel for a truly wonderful day!!! I sure appreciated everything!

BTW, tomorrow is his birthday! Hope you have a great one!

This is for Homeless jOe, I'm supposed to tell you, these are a scotch triple.

Anyway, here are the pics:

Joel:



My Coggy 12b Konor and the birds:



One tired old dog:



Thanks again Joel!!!

Greg

Glad you had a good time Greg. I wish the shooting would have been even better. Poor Dutchess was pooped. I didn't have the heart to make old girl crawl up just one more creek bank today. You gotta find a set of X-Tra Tuffs boots to hunt my swamp. Birds were plentiful and I know we passed by quite a few. My gun of choice today is behind our pooped dog in the pickup. My go to gun E.R. Amantino 12 bore. I wasn't going to cross those old beaver dams with my Remington. Greg got to lift Dad's old 10 bore 1889 Remington. A full 10 pound gun that I used in my early years of hunting.

Nice hunt. Greg, it's a wonder that you get a limit nearly every time considering that you're using a different gun every time!!!!

I can vouche Adam that he shot his birds. Like I told Greg early this morning, "It's your hunt." Greg is a true sportsman and it was a pleasure to have him as a guest on my land. His gun of choice today was feather light compared to my go to gun. He was also in some of the finest pheasant country that Morton county has to offer.

G'day All,

I enjoyed an afternoon's pigeon shooting over decoys last Saturday. Weather was pleasant and birds were obliging. I stopped at 150. Very enjoyable.



Cheers

Thanks again Joel and thanks for the kind words!!! As I said, one of the best hunts I've had this year, a true pleasure!!! I really enjoyed it!

On another note, impressive aussie! Very nice. What were you shooting?

Thanks again all!!!!

Greg

Thanks Greg,

I was shooting my Beretta 471, 12gauge and using up some 'sharp' cartridges,
but I will shoot the same place again soon with my Beretta Giubileo II or my Midland with softer loads.

Aussie

Adam, does your post imply that you experience a difference in yur shooting when you use different guns?

This is why I love Small Munsterlanders and Woodcock. Last week, I made it out for a 45min hunt after work. It took my little guy hitting 5-6 of these


To produce these

And on the Grouse opener, I nailed the first Grouse he pointed this year, then winged the seconded one - but the cuz batted clean-up

Hi all, went out after work today for about an hour or so. Birds are still spooky, but did manage one.

Got him with my H&H Royal 12b:



We'll see what takes place this coming weekend.

All the best!

Greg

Now I think yours is much nicer Greg!

Impressive gun & impressive bird.

Well done

Last year ducks with W. J. Jeffery 3".

Got to hunt with my Dad today, for the first time since he passed away in 1998. Granted, he's just painted on my gun, but it was a neat experience to be able to look down and see him there with me. Today was a great day.

G'day All,

I went pigeon shooting again this afternoon, same place as last week but I used a different gun this time.

Result 118 birds.

It was good sport.



My Beretta Giubileo II. 12g. 6lb. 8oz.



Cheers

Beautiful Beretta!

Are any of those birds native or are they all the introduced European Rock Dove (i.e. "Rats of the Air") that we have in the US (and everywhere else I've ever been)?

I used to live near the Snake River Breaks in Eastern Washington and these introduced pigeons nested on the cliffs just like their wild ancestors probably did. Good practice, although we left most of them for the coyotes.

I was wondering the same thing. I won't eat the things but I have brined the breasts and smoked them for some friends.

No, they are not native. They are the Rock Dove.
They live in large numbers in our cities and farming areas and travel twice daily during summer to feed. At the moment I am shooting them where the farmer is 'feed- lotting' cattle but I expect them to leave there and move on to ripe pea crops soon. They decoy well when you set things right. They are there to be taken but there are so few game shooters around my part of the world that very few shoot them or know how to go about it well. These birds offer some very good shooting and you can expect some big days on them. Two old friends of mine (W.M. & P.A.) shot over 1,600 in an afternoon after having to go home for more cartridges and then running out of ammo altogether.

Hi all, nice haul again Aussie, hope your shoulder is feeling fine!! As I said impressive. Oh, thanks for the kind words earlier BTW.

Anyway, Chuck Heald and his lovely wife Lynn were out for a short hunt today prior to them going to the "Other" Dakota. We were supposed to hunt yesterday, but the 40mph + winds put that to a halt. We did see birds, but not as many as I've seen prior to today, don't know if the high winds we had the past 2 days spooked them or what. We did flush some grouse, but they were a bit wild.

Even with the lack of birds I really had a great time. Chuck and Lynn are super folks who made the day a joy!! Thanks Chuck and Lynn!!! Chuck's 2 dogs were great and lots of fun to watch, but boy does Sky (his Pointer) have energy!! WOW, watching her run was amazing. We did each manage to get a bird a piece, so all was not lost.

Here's Chuck, Jasmine (his lab), Lynn and Sky and my dummy! Chuck was using his .410 Parker Repro:



I was using my 16ga Arrieta 871:



Hope Chuck and Lynn come back soon, sure did enjoy the hunt!

All the best!

Greg

Never would of thought of Australia being such a good place to shoot pigeon. Thanks for sharing.

And Greg, nice Arrieta!!!

Adam

Thanks Adam!! It's a 871 with Boss style engraving. One the imports from New England Arms when they were still in business.

Be Good!

Greg

Its been a good season so far!

Here's something different!

It's certainly not wing-shooting but it is a double gun.

Wild goat I shot on my cousins 38,000 acre station (ranch) using a William Andrews sxs 'shotgun for ball' and a homeload black powder solid.



The 12g Andrews hammer gun has damascus barrels with smooth bores but has folding leaf sights marked 50 & 100 with a normal front shotgun bead.

I'll be heading back there Christmas time to see if I can get a few wild pigs with SSG's & another sxs.

Mark, what are those green birds in your pic? More important what is the shotgun in that same pic?

Here's my newest fall 2012 favorite.

J.R.B. They are Parakeets. They are pest in Argentina. The gun is a 20ga Verney-Carron I am currently in love with. The gun is from there custom shop and is truly bespoke in every detail from type of beed to type of butt and everything in between.

Thanks Mark and nice pic jOe.

jOe, nice bird and photo. How old is your TDog? Gil

He's 8 years old.

Neat pix, everybody!

Mark is the shotgun on the left in your picture of ducks with three doubles what I think it is? (Winchester "round action"....).

Hey Mark....looks like someone gave that old round body Winny 24 a workout!

Hi all, GREAT pics from down under as well as South America! My hats off to you Mark for a great PE! Lucky you!

Today, went out with just my son Jim, Will was working at the place we hunted, so no hunting, but he's making bank. Had a really great time with number 2 son. He did very well today, his limit, plus a grouse. His shooting was right on! Never missed a shot. I'm very proud of him! I was lucky also and got a limit.

Chuck H. we hunted the same place today where you and I hunted. Lots of birds today and they all cooperated for a change! As Will had to work we didn't hunt ducks as planned, looks like we made the right choice.

All the best!

Greg

Jim with his birds, he was using a Ugartechea Model 1030 in 16ga:



My birds and the 12b Samuel B. Allport I used:



The guns, the game and the one who made it all possible:

Hunting the opener today with my tight choked Remington 1894 DE grade. Had to let them fly out to about 35 yards before dropping the hammer.




21

Grouse and woodcock hunting in northern Maine, windy and rainy but managed a few birds with 1yr old lab Lucy.

Hi all, my son Will and I went out today after Church up to the neighbors place and manged to limit out in about 2 1/2 hours. I was using my E.J. Churchill 12b Premiere SLE. And yes it has 25" barrels. After I got my limit, Will used the Churchill to get his limit. So to all those who say that you can't shoot 25" barrels...I say Ha!!

My birds and the Churchill:



Will with his:



Duchess, and all the birds shot by the Churchill:



All the best!

Greg

As always Greg, nice pics. Tell me about the stick on that Churchill...

Thanks for the kind words!!! Much appreciated. Anyway, the gun was restocked by Dennis Smith, aka the Stock Doctor. Infact you can see it on his web site. It's part of the slide show on the Home page:

http://www.thestockdr.com/index.php

Thanks again!

Greg

Well looky there. Trying to copy me huh, shooting your 25in gun?

Congrats to you and Will and great photos BTW!

Tell Will to come get his truck this weekend. I will be pulling it out of storeage for him.

Greg, I don't know what I envy more - your hunting opportunities or your guns!

Thanks all for the kind words, I really do appreciate them! But, I can't be the only one out there, would like to see some other guns and game.

Thanks again all!!!

Greg

Greg is just an all around good guy. The kind of person a land owner wishes all hunters would be like. I'm having German pan fried pheasant and mashed taters today Greg, the old Amantino barked good and proper on Monday.

Hi J.R.B. boy, your making me blush!!! Thanks so much for the kind words, your quite a guy yourself. Supper sounds good, and I know your ma is a darn good cook...looks like your in for a good time tonight!!!

Thanks again old friend!

Greg

Northern Maine, yesterday, about 20 miles from Shin Pond, a 20 ga Parker and grouse.



Spectacular weather, good hunting, great accomodations.

So far, so good.

That's a beautiful bird Dave.

I finally have something to post! 1951 uggie sidelock (new to me) and a limit of roosters. It just doesn't get any better than that!
CHAZ


I guess Kaiser helped too. We met a guy on our way out with our two birds who was hunting without a dog. I asked "do you want to shoot some pheasants?" Amazingly enough he did, and he had a great time as well.

CHAZ

Wow, what a thread for so early in the year!

He is my 5 month old setter Bandit last weekend.

Hi all, went out today and tried an area were we've done well in the past...well the past is the past! Didn't do squat, got up some hens and that's it. So I decided to try around my area and limited out in one of the shortest times I can remember....20 minutes. I hunted an old creek bottom that's by a cut corn field. This place is way off the beaten path, the only way to it is either thru the corn field (and the farmers yard) or by a banged up prairie trail. Got there and Duchess went on a point 20 yds from the truck, that was the first one, two more points within 50 yrds and that's all she wrote.

Anyway, I was using my 12ga GDR made Buhag "Hubertius" It was a good day!

Best!

Greg

Wish I could have made it. I got to freeze my butt off over at Spiritwood. Looks like old Duchess did well!

Loving all these pictures, especially the ones with dogs. They all look good but as a setter guy, Tim, I have to say I have sure seen that look before.

Duchess better get a good nights sleep tonight. She has work to do in the morning at my place again.

Greg,

I have enjoyed all your posted pics, particularly with the boys and their bags, but the one of the gun & game that you posted earlier this afternoon may be one of the best framed near perfect pics that I have ever seen. Perhaps it is because of the engraving perfectly matched to the quarry. In any case, it is quite a remarkable photograph that does both the gun's execution and the game taken with a wonderful balance.

Thanks for sharing these with us. And thanks to all the other gun & game posters as well! Certainly makes for some enjoyable veiwing.

I think most of the pics this year are perfect for either a calendar or the cover of a magazine. They remind me of the days of my youth when I looked at all my uncle's outdoor magazines.

Tim,is that one of your M-17's hiding behind the birds?? Gil

Thanks so much tw!!! I don't know what to say, what a wonderful complement. I assure you that my photographic skills are lacking, guess I just lucked out on this one. I did pick the side that shows pheasants and not the ducks on purpose, so I did think that one out.

I'm trying each time to get good pics and try to improve.

These digital cameras are a far cry than my trusty Brownie!

Thanks again, I'm humbled!

Greg

Dave - Thanks for keeping New England in the game!

It's really great watching the season float by me as I'm laid up with my sciatica. I mean really, the stupid disk had 10 months to squeeze out of my vertebrae, why did it wait until a couple weeks before bird season?

Hi all, well our planned duck hunt for today didn't go off....all froze over! So, Will and I decided to take Joel (J.R.B.) up on his invite to hunt by his place. It was an excellent day! Cold and it did snow, but the birds were there in good numbers. Joel and his mom put on the dog for Will and I, very nice meal of ham and baked beans and all the trimmings. Just great hosts and down right good folks!! Thanks Joel!! It's always a joy going to his place...your family there!!!

Anyway, here are some pics from today:

My birds and the Ugratechea Model 1030 in 16ga that I was using:



Joel and his, he was using his go to gun a 12ga Amantino. BTW he made one heck of a long shot with this one:



Will with his birds and his 12ga Fabarm Betea Classis:



Joel, Will and Duchess with the days bag:



Thanks again Joel for another wonderful day, really enjoyed it!

All the best!

Greg

Greg,

You might just hunt pheasants as many days as me and with as many different guns. Nice shooting.

Cold and snow here today, also.

The snow made today's hunt just perfect. I wish you would have had your camera when Will and I were walking the beaver dams with all the snow falling. I hope you didn't accidentally take home one of my birds or you will be spitting out a mouthful of #4's. #4 shot is just a carry over from my 10 bore days. For you who don't know me, hunting is a laid back affair at my place. You hunt for and hour or so then you go in for hot coffee and lunch. Repeat the procedure until you have your limit.

RCC, Montana and North Dakota are just the best aren't they? Good job my friend.

I enjoy seeing all these young people (yuts?) in these photos!

MT and both of the Dakotas, John.

You all know that if either Greg or you ever get caught on this side of the line by weather, that the guest room is always made up and you are welcomed to it?

Thanks and we will remember it. I always said there should never have been a border between Montana and West Dakota. Why don't you Montanan's just adopt us?

Greg, You seem to be one guy who really knows how to treasure the gift of life....having FUN! I've got to admit,looking at all your pictures of family, guns and game just seems to make me smile.

Keep it up, youngster!

Not only treasuring life but those birds are just down right tasty.

Thanks all for the kind words, they really are appreciated!! Thanks Karkow Kid, I do enjoy going out with my boys, either together or seperate. Each time makes me feel like I was younger and sometimes they remind me of myself at that age, full of pi$$ and vinagar. Then we have to grow up!

Thanks Bob for the invite, back at you here!! You also have been doing well, love that last pic of yours. I've got to try some different ideas when it comes to picture taking.

Joel, again thanks so much, getting the birds was fun, but I really enjoyed visiting with you and your mom, had some good laughs! Thanks again!

Again, thanks to all of you for the kind words!

All the best!

Greg

Glad you two had a good time. My birds are in the freezer. Next week they will be special seasoned and canned in the pressure canner for wintertime gourmet eating. Remind Will that I said he should practice carrying Duchess over that hog wire fence because someday he's going to have to carry a woman over a threshold.

Not as many pigeons this week. I shot 53 over the decoys today,
but it was a lovely afternoon because it was the first time my 'Little Bloke' sat with me. He sure showed me that my eyes are nowhere near what they used to be, he was spotting 'incoming' before I was every time. I think he enjoyed it, it made me smile hearing him say, "nother one!"



Sorry about the poor picture quality.

Cheers

That picture says a thousand word Aussie. You have a future double gunner.

I enjoy the the coy smile on that lad's face more than I enjoy trophy photos. A tip of my hat to you, Sir.

I thank you both! If he enjoys times like this with me only half as much as I did with my father, I will still be a very proud man.

Can't add any more to what J.R.B. and RCC said...wonderful picture!!!!!

As the saying goes "Take your kid hunting and you won't have to hunt for him later"

Well done mate!

All the best!

Greg

I've been delinquent in thanking Greg for his hospitality in taking me and Lynn to his hunting grounds and showing us a great day in the field. Greg, thanks very much, we had a memorable time with you and Dutchess. We hope to be able to do it again.

Here's a picture of all of us.

Greg and Dutchess in action as caught by my wife Lynn.


Dutchess and my pointer Sky(liner) (an AmarilloMike-ism) working together.

Great photos guys! Love that one of Greg with the dog and the rising bird.

Adam

Hi Chuck! Thanks so much for posting those pics!! They sure look nice!! Lynn is a natural at photography. BTW all, while Chuck and I carried guns that weighted in the 6 1/2lb range, Lynn got stuck with a camera that must have weighed twice that. What a trooper!

Anyway, our short hunt was not as productive as I would have wished, the birds just didn't cooperate, don't know if it was the high winds we had two day prior. Sorry about that one Chuck! Still it was a wonderful hunt had a great time watching the dogs work and Chuck is quite a shot with that .410 of his.

Hope you can come back and hunt some grouse next year, but come early!

Thanks again!!!

All the best!

Greg

Big country, good dogs. A hunting ground that I was honored to hunt with Greg.

Thanks again Chuck, I was the one who was honored!

Best!

Greg

Thanks much for the return invitation Greg. I'll try to make it back again.

This picture shows just how perfect Greg's hunting grounds really are. Reminded me of Montana where I spend some of my youth (as a bird dog for my father).

When Greg says 'we had a little wind', I have to share this picture. This is up on I-94 a little west of Bismarck 2 days before we hunted. The wind was about 50 mph steady with some gusts well above that. We went into the restaurant next to this motel and came out to see the fullsize buffalo statue tipped over. That's crazy wind.

Come on Chuck, crazy wind? Up here we say it's just "a little breezy." Didn't you notice that Greg and the rest of us Dakotans walk with a slight lean to the northwest? We're born that way. A pheasant going with the wind can approach Mach 1 up here.

No gun in this one, but took a little road trip with the family this weekend and managed to sneak in a morning of hunting.
CHAZ

Aussie....that looks like a 626..wish I hadn't sold mine.

I Photoshopped in the pointer just to fool AmarilloMike into believing the dog was in the same county with me. He probably won't believe it anyway.

Hi all, went out today solo for a bit (Will was working cows and Jim had a ton of homework). Was able to limit out with the help of my beloved Duchess. Had to fish one bird out the creek and the one in the middle must be a punk rooster.

I was using my 12b Joseph Harkom & Son today....Love those hammerguns!!!



Best!!!

Greg

My veteran cousin came out today to hunt. He was dis-abled in Afgan from a roadside bomb (third tour). Because of my sprained left leg all I could do is stand in my bay window and watch him do his best with his dog. He hunted about half of my swamp and got his bird. Good job Sgt. Cody!

Good to hear he was able to get a bird! Had to work all weekend moving to a new office and getting my winterization done at home for my stock tank, hay, and my poultry sheds.

2holer....You have the maker right but it is a model 471

Good for you Joel!!!! Glad your wounded warrior cousin was able to get out and get some shooting. My hats off to him as well as my heartfelt thanks and respect for his service to our great nation! Without guys like him,we would not be sitting here on this forum discussing guns and hunting....we wouldn't have either one. Next time you see him, shake his hand and thank him for me.

Hope your leg heals soon...need to get back out there.

All the best!

Greg

Always good to hear success stories of wounded soldiers. Our freedoms in the Uplands would not be there if it wasn't continually protected by those who serve.

Good dogs make up for hard weather and leery birds.

Next time I see him handshakes from everyone here on the forum will be forthcoming. He will have those two steel rods implanted in his back the rest of his life.

Thanks Joel!!!

Good show Bob!!! Odd thing about this season, early on the birds were spooky, now they seemed to have settled down and are holding a bit better.

I think we've seen the last of the fair weather hunters around here after this weekend. Folks are gearing up for deer in 2 weeks.

Good Show!

Greg

Perhaps the fair weather hunters are done for the year there, but up here in the "patch" all of these thousands of oil workers are all over every block management area, from Plentywood to Froid.

I have never seen so many folks in the fields in all the years I have been here.

I visited with three groups last week when I went up to Froid to hunt with a landowner I am friends with. They had two birds among 14 hunters, stark proof of the value of a good dog, which they had none.

Housing up here for these folks is either man camps or camper trailers, neither of which accommodates keeping a dog.

I must get five or six calls a week on the kennel phone from folks wanting to know if I rent or lease a dog by the day.

Hi Bob, we've not seen the influx of people here in the Central part of the state.....yet!!! But I know the Dickinson area has seen there fair share. This oil is a blessing and a curse, but I'm leaning more curse.

BTW, how do you rent a dog for the day without a handler?

Good Luck!

Greg

I don't! Nor do I take folks hunting for a fee. Depending on the call and my feeling about the caller, I have asked some if they wanted to join me.

If I do, I take them to the blocks. I am very leery about taking strangers on to private property I have access to, even though I could.

To date, those I have extended invitations to have been good fellows. One wanted to head for town and a bar rather early in the day, so I took him back to his rig so that he could do what he wanted by himself.

The majority of these guys are OK. They are just Joes trying to save their homes and keep their families together back where they come from. I have no doubt that the nation's unemployment is well into the mid to high teens from what I hear and see from these fellows.

However, like anywhere where there is money, the not so good have come here too. Pimps, whores, crack heads, drug pushers, thieves and such. They are predators and one has to be cautious.

I understand from one of our deputies that the Sheriff has issued over 900 concealed carry permits since the 1st of the year to townspeople.

We used to have only an occasional DUI or open container problem reported in the local paper. Now it is every thing from kidnap and rape to beatings, shootings and robberies. A week ago tomorrow two guys were beaten so badly in a bar fight that one died at the hospital.

But as I said, for the most part these are just folks trying to get around the economic problems back home.

Slipped across the road for an hour after lunch. That's an Edwin Cane, rather unusual gun........it has not missed a bird since i bought it four years ago. I only use her once or twice a year, but still, very unusual.

My cousin lives across the border from you in Williston and he tells me the same horror stories. I'm afraid that when this is over we will be worse off than before.

I saw an Edwin Cane at the Fall Southern SxS this weekend. Kirby Hoyt had it, and I believe sold it. It was a very nice gun with great engraving.

Matt,

That gun is, or maybe was, mine too. The other half of a set (well, of two that I bought), but she has sleeved barrels so I chose to sell her. She too, is a deadly shooter.

Kirby has a Stephen Grant sidelever I want so your post may be good news. He will of course have to sell at least one more of the guns I have with him first.

Almost forgot the spring birds:

RCC,

I handled that Grant sidelever Sunday afternoon. It was one of the guns there that really appealed to me. She is a beauty.

SRH

Stan, I know that I don't need another gun. I know that at 70, I should be backing out of the preposterous number I have and get down to one.

But someone like Kirby is always shoving one into my hands that they know I can't resist. He brought that Grant out after dinner one night in June and I felt the merry-go-round start up again.

I did vow though, that the only way I would buy her would be with funds from other guns in the safes.

F&F that's a good looking LC. Were the barrels refinished?

F&F,
That Gr 2 is a beauty---"free quail" engraving ! 16 or 20? I have it's twin in 20--two barrel set.

I always enjoy hunting with landowners. This one enjoyed the efforts of my Shelby on his river bottom farm.



Saw these running out of an old school yard on the way home.



Note the dandalions in the school yard. After a week of rain and light snow three days of mild temps (67 degrees today) the weeds are back again. My front yard is full of the little white lollypops and I sprayed Range star last month.

The woodcock are moving through my southcentral Pa coverts and Emma and I are having a wonderful time.



Rick

Hi all, hey dollysrod, great pic! What's the make of your hammergun?

Well, Will and I went out today for a later season duck hunt, both of us limited out in about an hour and a half. We were hunting about 50 miles east of Bismarck and there was plenty of snow on the ground (as well as flying!!!) No snow by us (yet!!!). Forgot the camera, otherwise I'd have some real nice pics of our snow covered blinds, oh well! Lots of birds around where we hunted today. It was a great time and lots of fun hunting in the snow.

Here we are, I was using my Bernadelli hammergun and Will his Fabarm.

Best!

Greg

Well done Greg but I think you should have come here. Pheasants are still thick. Counted 17 roosters in my front yard. Plus, this morning I put two boneless pork loins stuffed with Italian sausage in the BBQ cooker. I cooked them low and slow over an apple wood fire. MMM-MMM were they good.

Hey Greg

She's a Belgium guild gun 16 ga. (of course ) built sometime in the 1880's. She came from Mark Larson. I've been bitten by the hammergun bug pretty hard and now have a Bayard, 3 underlever Huskys and 2 toplever Huskys all in 16 ga. . Hammers back!!!

Rick

Thanks Rick!!! Mark did the stock enhancement on the Bernadelli I used. He's done other work for me also....great job everytime. I know the feeling about hammerguns....I have 6 also.

Hey Joel, would have beeen great fun as always. But we had to get in that one last duck hunt before the freeze up that's coming soon!!! Never had much luck with field shooting ducks and next week is deer opener as you well know!!!

Thansk again all!!!!

Greg

Just trying to push the right buttons Greg but you're so dedicated to a last duck hunt even the temptation of BBQ has no effect. I'll have to try a different angle. Instead of deer hunting I'm going pheasant hunting weather permitting. I hear we're in for a blow next weekend.

Way to go Greg! Going duck hunting tomorrow (using my Baker or the new LC Smith I bought) with Christina in probably the same area you went. Was out after pheasants with no luck today. Saw a few but they either flushed wild or blew out the oposite side of the brush. Still had fun though as my young pointer worked real well today. We did see a bunch of sharptail in several places but they are spooky now and will not hold. Good to see we at least have them now that the pheasant numbers around me are so far down.

The easiest, quickest way to be rid of dandelions is to form an intent to eat them. Their leaves make an excellent bitter green either to include in a salad or serve wilted as a side dish. (My personal favorite way is with Pennsylvania Dutch-style hot bacon dressing. YMMV.)

In any event, shortly after the minute you decide you're going to eat them, they'll disappear. If they're slow, go out and cut a couple and the others will get the message.

Works every time.

Caveat on eating dandelions: If you spray them with Range or Round-up and then form an intent to eat them, they will survive long enough for you to eat them and be poisoned by the Range. A dandelion will hold a grudge.

Hi all, went out today for a short time in between the snow and rain we got today. Didn't see a lot of birds, but I managed two and Will got a limit. Temp was nice, but did it snow heavy for awhile, then it started to rain so we called it.

Will and his Browning 20ga BSS/Sporter:



Myself and my 16ga Ugartechea Model 1030:



Best!

Greg

Where's Duchess Greg?

Hi Joel, she was in the house. She chased one down that was wing shot for about a 1/4 mile across a pasture and she worked some real thick stuff today.......she was one tired dog!

Be Good!

Greg

Good! Give her an extra portion of Alpo and a Beggin' Strip for dessert.

My wife with a few ducks she got with our young wirehair pup.

Good show Christina!!! Looks like you had a good day! Congrats. Lakota looks a bit "wet". Vei å gå

Alle de beste!

Greg

Spent a great 3 days in chukar land over the weekend. My setter enjoyed it too. Steep country, and always a feast for the senses.



Saturday was his best day, with 10 finds. It was one of the best days I've had in a long time.



My Lefever 16 did the job nicely.

Absolutely beautiful photography Mark.

A group of friends and I just got back from quail hunting in Camilla, GA. It started out pretty warm and dry but an evening rain cooled things off nicely for our last day.

That country just gets into your pores. Somehow it feels like open country even though you can never see more than a few hundred yards. It just asks you to keep walking and looking for birds.

Here are some shots of the coverts we spent time in:

Doverham, that looks a lot like one of the courses on Riverview Plantation...Geo

Thanks, I love it very much. It is a 20.

2holer,
I had the barrels re-blued, they needed it. Hopefully nobody takes it personally.

I just got back from another week in the uplands and have more photos to put up, but it will have to be after I get the guns cleaned and the gear dried out.

Rob.

Doverham, the last photo reminds me of a John Cowan watercolor. Nice photos. Gil

Gil - thanks. I am still trying to figure out why I got on the plane to come home.

Geo. - not Riverview but nearby on the Flint River.

Great Pics Ham!!! Looks like lots of fun. Would like to try a nice quail hunt someday....but, I'd also like to try a driven shoot in England or Scotland. So many places and birds to hunt...but time and $$$ always get in the way. Guess I'll just stick to home.

Again, great pics!

Best!

Greg

Mark, great photos of some beautiful country!! What state was this in?

Doverham, were y'all Rio Piedra? Looks like Randy Hickman was your guide. I'll be at my lease tomorrow which is about 15 miles from Rio Piedra. Should have some pics to post. Its going to warm up quickly so I'll hunt early and then spend late morning spreading feed.


And Greg, if you're willing to make the drive or flight, you're more than welcome to come visit and hunt. Much cheaper than all of the plantations near by.

Adam

Our cover is a bit different, Ham.

Yesterday's hunt.

Beautiful labs!

Doverahm, Here's one of the Cowan's that came to mind.

A seven month old lab full of enthusiasm, drive and desire makes a day on the Dakota prairie so worthwhile.

Greg - thanks! Given that people travel thousands of miles to hunt where you are, sticking at home seems like a good plan!

Adam - we were at RPP. Some of our group did hunt with Randy though he is not in the pictures. He has top-notch dogs.

GLS - there were times I felt like I was in that Cowan painting. That would be lovely thing to have on your wall!

I appreciate those shots. A young Lab reminds me of my 10-year-old Jake who will be my last dog because of my age. Key to keeping these fellas around to old age is lots of exercise and proper diet and, perhaps most important, continual brush-up training that makes a happy dog always willing to please.

Damn fine looking youngster. Obviously well through his yard work.

And the tractor appears to be a Minneapolis Moline Model Z.

Orry

Awesome photos. Beautiful setup, beautiful birds, beautiful gun, and beautiful dog. Thanks for sharing!

Adam

Hi all, a bit OT, but here's my buck from this year, took him on Sat morning, in full rut running with a doe, got up out of a tree line and I got him running across a stubble bean field, I was happy with the shot. I was using my Ruger M77 (Old Style) RSI in 7mm-08 with a Leupold VR-III (1.5 x 6)

Best!

Greg

Good job Greg. I assume you made it home alright in this weather?

Hi Joel and thanks!! We were up by Pettibone, got a lot of freezing rain, then about 3" of snow last night, roads were plenty icy. The Interstate was fine until 10 miles out of Bismarck, then it turned to crap!! Down home here, we got about 10" of snow if not more.

Oh well!

Thanks again for the kind thoughts!

Greg

Nice deer! Did you shoot it with that Ruger of yours?

Yes indeed, the M77RSI in 7mm-08. Sure like the caliber, does the trick!

Thanks fot the kind words!

Greg

Hi Bob, looks familiar!!! But wait...is that a pump or God forbid an auto????

Good Pic BTW!

Best!

Greg

That pic says it all about why I like living and hunting up here RCC. God I love the cold!

Greg,

I can only convert these young men so fast.

That they will hunt with an old man and keep him out of solo trouble is worth putting up with their choice of weapons.

This is one who is rather special to me. I started him on the road to become a dog trainer and he has become a very good one.



J.R.B.
This one is for you.

That's perfect for a man like me with no dog, RCC. I can track the buggers. Greg, I've seen more bird hunters than deer hunters in the valley this season. If my mother lights a fire under my butt I might go deer hunting next year.

My one year old Lucy and my 110 year old Parker CHE Bernard barrels

Mr Larter,Now thats my kind of hunting, the dog,the gun, the boat, birds and the water! Yes Sir,Thats my kind of huntin! Looks like a great time,Congrats to you Sir.

September South Dakota Sharptails
"Gabby" French Brit 22 months

Beretta 424 12ga



October Minnesota Ruff and woodcock.



Beretta 409 20ga 1953




And Finally some Minnesota Roosters



It's been a great year watching a pup really figure out this business!

Greg

Welcome, Greg. Great pics. Now that she's got the birding figured out, start training her to look at the camera.

SRH

Greg, welcome aboard and great first post. Nice guns, pooch and birds. Gabby is a month older than my American Brit, Abby.

Though he ducked back into cover, he made the mistake of stepping out into sight.



Tess found him in short order.



Barrie, Tess and their prize.

Light snow makes for fun hunts.

RCC what is that leather strap in the pic?

Lucy my one year old LRF and mallards from 11/13 in central NY

Here is Lucy just last fall---

My 1910 Parker DHE straight grip

J.R.B.

It is bird carrier. I use it for photos as much as for carrying birds.

Gotta get me one of them things.

Opening morning of Michigans firearm deer season, didn't see a deer but this fawn eater made the mistake of trotting buy at 125yds.


second afternoon of deer camp, just before dark this 2 1/2 yr old buck steps out


The rifle was made buy my dad when I was 1yr old - a mauser action, the stock he hand carved, a sako light wt bbl, and the kid (me) added a timney trigger. A mountain rifle before there the name existed (in 30/06).

Gary

The last time me and the pup got into doodles.

Here it is, the middle of deer and pheasant season, a mild 50 plus degrees in North Dakota. What did J.R.B. (jerb) do today? (sigh) I went fishing. Forgive me I have sinned.

Thanks Adam. I was hunting in Oregon.

Love it love it love it!

Nice looking pup.

Google hunting today with my Parker 10 on the Maryland eastern shore.

You old dog....you were over below Garrison hitting the Walley bite, weren't you?

Yep. About two river miles south of the dam is a fishing hole with my name on it. Send me a PM and I'll put your name on the hole, confidensh you know. Biggest fish yesterday was a 10+ pound northern pike. Friday I'm going to pressure can him with a dash of liquid smoke in the jars for kippered snacks.

Pheasant and a Winchester Model 12; it doesn't get more classic American hunting than this. The, 16 gauge, Winchester Model 12 was my birthday present to myself last year. Its born on date is 1955; just like mine. Boy,it is much better shape at 57 than I am.



The first bird shot over a pup is one you always remember. This was Gentry's first bird. His point was solid. I'm glad the bird provided a nice and easy straight away shot. Those pheasants were birds shot over him and my older setter this weekend.

From October trip to Saskatchewan:

Me with a mixed bag of 'slough ducks' taken pass shooting from a rock pile one morning between a couple of potholes. Two suzys, a pintail, and a little greenwing drake.


My eldest son and namesake with a Muley he took one day last week near Bozeman, MT.



...Geo

A woodcock taken over a nice point with a 16 ga. Model 44 Husqvarna 130 odd years after it was built.

Hi all, went out bird hunting for the first time since our deer opener. The birds are getting spooky, Will got 2 and I managed 1. Dog worked well, no complaints there.

Will with his Fabarm 12ga Beta Classis:



I used my 12ga Victor Sarasqueta Model 12E:



And Duchess:



Best!

Greg

Hi all, I purchased a Garbi 12 gauge with a broken ejector for $100 a couple of years ago and have finally got around to rechecking and refinishing the stock and had the barrels reblued. I also repaired the ejector,removed a dent from the right barrel and gave it a new recoil pad. Took it out for the first time today. It fits me well & I was quite happy shooting 42 pigeons.

Do you want to double your money?

All joking aside, that is very nice. The pigeon shoots have been productive this year for you. You look happy.

Just a little whitetail and an old Mauser .270...

For a "little whitetail" that's a BIG rack! The Mauser isn't too shabby, either! Great pic.

3 hours. 3 coveys. 3 birds... hunting has been a bit slow. Temps are okay but its SOOO dry. Lately we havent started finding covey until 10ish.... kinda weird.

We also found a dove roosting site and flushed SEVERAL hundred birds. Might be back for them later.

I was using my 28ga Beretta 687 EL, Rip was using his quick little 2" BLE Webley, and my other friend was using his restored 20ga Fox Sterlingworth.

Sorry for the crappy photos.

Rusty on the first covey of the morning.


Hunting singles.


Rip and his first bird of the season.

Got my first bird (hen pintail) with my 1902 Lefever FE 12, which I I almost sold but decided to keep. That one shot BOOM! splat., over the dekes is all the more satisfying when it's the first bird shot at and taken with a new [to me] gun. Was only able to hunt a half hour. Look forward to more duck hunting soon as the weather gets nastier.

Hey Mark

I know how you feel . It's a special feeling to take that first bird with an old gun that's new to you.

Rick

Allegheny Mountain Wanderings

Hi all, great pics by everyone!! I sure enjoy seeing them. My son Will and I were out today, cold and a bit windy, but we each limited out, plus Will got a bonus grosue. Duchess worked well, glad I have her, she found a couple that were cripples. Anyway, it was a good day!

Best!

Greg

Will was using his 16ga Sauer Royal:



I was using my 12b H&H Royal:

I am SOOO bad about not taking pictures while we're hunting. I had a dove shoot on one of my peanut fields Saturday. There was about 16 of us on a 48 acre field. There weren't all that many birds, and nobody killed the limit, but we had lots of fun. Grandson Jackson was sitting in the blind with me, his little brother Lane was with us acting as our bird-boy. Jackson really shot well with the SKB 200E 20 ga. He killed his first double with it. It was just classic. Two incomers about 10 ft. apart and abreast of each other. I told Jackson to take 'em, he quickly stood up and dumped the left bird with his right barrel and immediately went to the right bird and dumped him with the left. It couldn't have been done any prettier by an old pro. I have never even mentioned to him how to take a double, he just did it out of pure shooter instinct. Big, tough birds, too. I took a little ribbing afterwards from some of the shooters about having some competition, now. Glad to have it, glad to have it. Jackson is 11 yrs. old. I have been shooting doves now for 53 years, and have enjoyed dove fields with all ages of shooters, from 9 to 90+ but, I don't believe I have ever seen an 11 yr. old that could shoot doves like he can. He will limiting out on the very next shoot that he gets enough shooting to do so on, for sure. His little brother, Lane, will be ready to start a little next year. What fun! This is better than reliving MY preteen years with my Grandaddy!

Greg, I well remember having my two boys in the woods and fields with me, as you do. Savor it, brother. But, I've gotta tell you, wait 'til you get to teach those grandkids all about shooting and hunting! My cup runneth over.

SRH

Aussie, nice pics. What loads do you use on those pigeons, and what distances are they shot at? I have found that, inside 20 yds., 3 1/4 - 1 1/8 - 8 will reliably down a pigeon, but at 30+ it can be a whole 'nuther ball game. Old pigeons can be tough birds to kill cleanly.

I would probably use a 3 1/4 - 1 1/4 - 6 load if I could only use one. Live pigeon shoots here limit shot size to nothing larger than 7 1/2.

SRH

Montana Rooster and Parker VH12



Belle retrieving Montana Sharptail


My French Brittanys Molly, Ginger, and myself, with a Montana sharptail and a Parker VH 12 with 30" barrels.


Dick and Bruce with Dick's Gordon Setter and Bruce's Llewlyn setter and a Montana Sharptail


Eight Montana huns taken one morning by my Brittanys and myself. Same Parker VH12

Mike--How 'bout some captions for the last three pics? Thanks Mike.

Believe it or not Stan years ago I used a .22 caliber Benjamin air rifle for pigeons. At night when the filthy things were roosting in the hay loft of my neighbor's barn the old guy would get his two grandsons and together the four of us would shine them with flashlights. The old guy always took them home and his wife roasted the things. I could never get the gumption to eat one.

Hi Stan,

I have done a lot of pigeon shooting over the years and most of it is over decoys. Range is anything from 15-42 yards with occasional exceptions + -.
I have definitely settled on the same 'recipe' as my old friend W.M. who for some time averaged approx. 10,000 pigeons a year.

When I am serious I shoot two different cartridges;

Over decoys- 1oz size seven through 8 thou in the right barrel & 1 1/16 oz size six through 15 thou in the left.

You may notice that all of my guns are double trigger with the exception of a Beretta 471. I much prefer double triggers & on the further away birds (30y +) I don't bother with the font trigger, but have one shot with the left barrel. If I miss, good luck to the bird, he has beaten me!

When roost shooting or similar, the only changes I make are to increase the 1st barrel load to 1 1/16 oz size 7 and increase choke to 13 or 15 thou right barrel and 20 thou left.

Birds are killed well with few 'walkers'.

Cartridges are around 1250 fps and 6000 to 6800 psi. with hard shot (Ballantine Aust.).

Heaviest gun is 6lb 14oz except for Dad's old Parker (7lb 8oz) but I rarely use it as I don't gel with its balance.

The Garbi I tried out on Sat. has only 4 & 9 points of choke and although results were not quite as efficient as usual, I was pleasantly surprised with its effectiveness. Think I'll leave it in the safe till quail season though.

Cheers, and thanks for the interest.

Aussie

Typical Gordon. Always looking for just a little bit more. And in mid-air, too.

29,000 views and more than 300 replies and not a discerning word. What a great board to participate on.

Great pics Mike, but why did you not call when you were out here. We might have been close enough to shake hands. In fact, Daryl could have brought you up here when he came to hunt.

You're right RCC. This is one of the best threads I've ever participated in any forum I belong to. Thanks for starting it Greg.

Tess now 4, is the youngest in my string and the back up for my main dog Shelby. This photo of her marking where a bunch of birds lit down on the creek, shows how much she looks like most of the Dare To Dream FC daughters.



The creek bottom they lit in.



Here she retrieves the first of the three birds she work up out of that bunch.



And finally the rest after we harvested our limit, before the deadhead back to the rig.

Looks like you guys had some nice weather in Montana for this time of year. What was the temperature?

Great pictures! Congrats on your successful hunt!

Like the song says: "...it ain't nuthin' but a party..."

Don't get many birds with the longbow, still have a lot of fun.


Do a little better with the Simson 16ga


South Dakota a few years ago with a 16ga Sterly


tunes

That was an early day in the season and if I remember correctly, the temps were in the 40's.


Today the temps are fore casted for mid 20s. We have not received much snow and if we don't get a good snow fall soon, next year is going to be awful dry and habitat will really suffer.

Long bow, Tunes! Wow! I remember the days from my college years when I tried bird hunting with a recurve. I seem to remember connecting with only one bird and the arrow was tipped with a four arm spring head.

RCC thanks and I when I get back up there I will be sure to let let you know. I meant to drive over and see Daryl and Anne but life interfered. Handsome lab you have.

Nice Rudy. Did you kill anything with the bow?

Best,


Mike

Mike,

Here is one from a little hunt I took these good folks out for in the opening week this year. Recognise anyone?

Your hospitality was nothing less than phenominal.
Shelby is an extraorinary dog.

Thank you for the kind words Bob, but it is real easy to be hospitable to gracious people.

Please come again. The bird numbers are bound to improve and you all are lways welcome.

Happy campers, and sweet rewards, after a great day chukar hunting:

Mark, now that is a good picture of the gun, the environment, and the bird. It all "fits" and makes a wonderful composition. Tell me again about the stock decoration and how you did it. Really beautiful.

Love those matching grins! That DOES look like "chukar country"!
Once I was hunting dogless in a place like that and took a shot and remember thinking "Oh crap, I HIT one!" (they were going downhill fast when I shot). I also remember being the bottom dog in one of those big V-shaped canyons and taking an incomer flushed by one of the guys up higher. The dead bird almost took my head off! Chukars can RUN uphill darn fast and they can FLY downhill near supersonic.

You got that right Mike. The slope I shot the bird above on was so steep that after I hit it about 40 yds away, it rolled about another 50 yds downhill. Briar made an amazing retrieve for me. I was so proud of him.

Daryl, thank you. It was pretty simple really. Buy an old beat up hammer gun with nice engraving, pistol grip and cheek piece, polish the metal, tighten the action, convert it to straight grip, remove the cheek piece, carve in leaves on the wrist, checker around them, and paint your dog, chukars, your dad, and a rooster on the sides in silver paint. A couple dabs here, a coat of finish there, and voila! Done. Like I said, easy

Hey Mark

Good to see the little Marichal out in the field where she belongs. Give Brier an ear rub from me.

Rick

Hi Mark, what a wonderful picture!!! Great looking country! Far different than where I live. That hammergun is just great looking. I'm sure your dad was proud to be along.

Great going!

Best!

Greg

Well by golly I do. Daryl has gotten a little shorter for his weight since I last saw him!

Hammer gun fever Rick. Pretty much says it all...

This was the "Our Gang" photo from yesterday's hunt.

A few from our last quail hunt. I am sorry, while I was hunting a nice vintage side by side my boy (who is only 10), is shooting one of those horrible repeaters. I could never bring myself to cut the stock on a decent gun.

Hundreds of acres of cover and my DD "pins one down" in the grass break. If you look you can see the quails head sticking up. Second picture the bird flushes, and my son proceeds to miss the bird numerous times.





Me waiting out a flush.



My boy Kaiser on point, I wish I was built that solid, he is a stud.


CHAZ

Beautiful place Hoof. Is it yours?

Don't I wish! It is the Erly Quail Club in central PA. He surrogates quail on the property during the summer, and then supplements them as they are shot out during the season. I think it is about as good as a "preserve" hunt gets.
CHAZ

Here is another view of the grounds with my buddies Ryman on point.

Hi Mike,

We don't get one every time we go out, but it does happen once in awhile. Here is a write-up about a get-to-gether we have each year. I think the dogs are always wondering when we'll put the bows down and grab a shotgun.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/outdoors/86725042.html

Cool Rudy!

OK. So what is the most, in yards, you have ever lead pheasant when hunting with a bow?

Mark - aside from the great job you did with that "beater", the portrait of you and your dog is a real work of art as well.

Everything about it is just beautiful; I love your dog's stance and smile, your smile, the colors, the snow, the terrain....everything about it is perfect.

Hi all, I'm On Call from work this weekend so had to hunt around the home place, didn't do too bad, but not great either. Birds are getting wild and today there was no wind (Surprise for NoDak!!!) . Anyway, I managed 2 and Will got 1. Still great to be out.

Best!

Greg

Duchess with a bird that gave her a long and merry chase across a cut hay field, those birds can run!!!



I was using my 12ga AyA Model 4 Deluxe:



Will was using his 16ga Sauer Royal:

LOD's: Abby and Molly with two old farts and pile o'quail on the 1st of December in S. Ga. 16 gauge A. Ilsley and Citori 28 gauge.

Here are my boys with their fall turkeys:

Nice pics guys. It was too hot for quail hunting (77 degrees) but it was just right for a South Alabama dove shoot. We shot a large harvested peanut field with about 45 others. The hay bales were already pulled from the field but the huntmaster was kind enough to place out pallet blinds to give us some cover.

The birds didn't start flying until late. And they were either sky-high or way to low. But the numbers were pretty good. Most of the birds were flocked up into groups of 5-20 birds and even had a some bigger flocks of at least 40-50.

I came home with a few birds with way to many hulls to show for them. Should have limited out with these bird numbers but on this day, a close shot was 25-30 yards.

Had a great time.

Pops waiting for the action.


A few birds from the 1st wave of dove. Shot with my Miroku L-II


Dad was using a Beretta 687 SPII 20ga

I've never shot a grouse this late in the season here in Utah. The season runs through the end of December but most years the snows make getting to the grouse coverts almost impossible by mid November and the Forest Service closes the canyon gates. This year the snows are late and the gates are open to the high country.

From November 30, 2012.

Hey Slowpoke

Nice greyphase. I like the looks of those hounds of yours. Ryman bloodlines???

Rick

Allegheny Mountain Wanderings

Hi all, only had an hour or so between taking the girls to see Santa and supper, so Will and I walked a short piece of property by the house. I lucked out and got one.

I was using my 16ga Carl Goluch (made by Franz Sodia)

Best!

Greg

The pups are from Cliff and Lisa Weisse's October Setters with Ryman, Pine Coble and Old Hemlock in their backgrounds.

Lovely gun in the perfect gauge. Thanks for sharing Greg.

Rick

Thanks Rick!!

Greg

I am terribly sorry for an OT post, but I am a proud dad! My son (10 years old) took his first buck on Saturday. PA has a three point on one side rule, but youth hunters are exempt. It doesn't look like a trophy in pictures, but it sure is to us.
CHAZ

It's not off topic. It's a gun it's game. Not only that it's a great pic your son will treasure when he's a Dad.

Neither of you will forget that day. Congrats.

AWESOME picture and the BOTH of you should be
real proud!

Thanks for sharing

Mike

Wonderful pic!!! Sure is good to see you and your son with his first buck....you must be a proud dad!! I know I would.

Congrats!

Greg

Fog lifting on Georgia Coastal Plain piney woods about 9 am this morning. Land in this part of the state doesn’t tilt down left to right.

Jerry and Brooks following Britts Abby and Bailey

Lulu (Golden) and Abby looking for downed bird.

Abby doing pre-Xmas annual bird survey using methodology of John James Audubon, dead birds in the hand. 16 Gauge A. Ilsley; 28 gauge Citori

Abby and numb-nutted Nimrods:

Gil, which of the Nimrods in that last picture would be you?...Geo

White hair, no orange spots. Rule out blaze orange. Gil

Hi all, went out for a days hunt with some good friends, had a wonderful time. We went out to Joel's (J.R.B.) place and managed a couple birds. The birds were there, but spooky and wouldn't hold well. Joel's friend Jory limited out, and Wade and I got a bird a piece. It was a fun day and once again, Joel and his mother treated us like kings. His mom made us a wonderful lunch and was as kind as ever. When you go to Joel's place, your right at home!! Joel used his 12ga Sarriugarte, Jory a Benelli, Wade his H&H Dominion nd I used my 16g Charles Hellis. It was a good day!!!!

Joel, Jory and Wade:



Joel, Jory, me and Duchess:



Wade and Daisy



Best!

Greg

I've been J.R.B.'s place last year over the 4th of July.

Lot of driving...two 12 hour days to get there and another two to get back.

You and Mrs. Bone should come again, only in mid-October and bring your shotgun.

THanks for the hunt today J.R.B.

I took a photo with my phone and messed with it a little.

Color version


Sepia version

Very Nice!!!!

Both pictures are very nice Wade and here's to many more hunts.

Grouse guns. Winchester 21, 20 bore, Parker 20 bore, Parker 28 bore with 30" barrels:

Parker 20 bore and grouse:

My hunting partner making meat with his Model 21:

Henry Clarke & Sons 16 bore and a dandy drummer:

My Parker and Clarke were in good form on the MN & WI grouse this season:

Thanks guys for the compliments. I need to start carrying my Rebel again to get more crisp shots.

Jaybird, do you have a closeup of that Clark? Looks like a fine fine season you are having.

Transformed:



Small Sacrifice:



16ga hammer gun and quail:

Here you go:

Mark

The little Marichal is quite the piece of eye candy. Thanks for taking the time to share her beauty.

Rick

Decided to jump shoot the pond this morning instead of sitting in a deer stand. About 20 or so gadwalls and bluebills had taken refuge from last night's storm and a right and left from the trap grade 21 produced the makings for a duck dinner. Bella didn't mind the almost freezing water. Nothing like a good dog and a good gun.

Very nice pic, but aren't those gadwalls rather than widgeons or bluebills?

Now how in hell did I make that typo mistake as many years as I've hunted ducks??????? Mistake corrected! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I picked out two gadwalls when they jumped....bluebills aren't as good eating.

You are surely right about the bluebills not being as good eating! Right pick; nice shots; nice early 21!

WOW!!! Thanks to all of you who have posted and to those who will. This thread is one of the best ones I've seen in a long time. I'm glad I joined this forum, it looks to be a fine place with a great group of people. Keep up the great pics and stories.

Not game but it has guns and family. We had a family picture taken with my wife's family and I brought enough guns for my five sons and my wife and me. After a few rolls of the eyes they agreed to pose for perhaps the best family portrait ever.

That's great family portrait. I also love the duck/dog/win 21 pic above.

Here are a couple from hunt this morning. Hunted 3 hrs, found 3 coveys, and killed 5 birds. One of my dogs was operated on this week so I am down one day. But Rusty busted his tail and put us on the birds.

No double barrels today. I didn't shoot. My guests were both shooting Brownings.









Some video clips to follow.

Adam

This Country would be a much better place if there were more family portraits like this.

Adam, I can forgive not having a double in the pics, I consider the A5 to be on par with a good double. The A5, Winchester 1897(especially damascus guns),Burgess pump, the 1882 spencer pump and the Charles "Sparrow" Young trap gun are about the only repeating guns that I tolerate.

Adam, you gotta love those LOSD's. Gil

A hard hunt yesterday, much more so than late season hunts usually are. It was partially because bird numbers are down this year and we needed to limit because we wanted birds to smoke for Christmas gifts for dear friends and partially because if you hunt the nasty grunch often enough it will extract a toll from you.

I stepped in to a beaver trace and when in to my hips. That makes for a cold remainder of the day. I re- broke a big toe that has been weeks in healing when I kick a log hidden by the cats and pushing through that stuff for five hours, about 6 miles or so, yesterday has me so stiff today that I can hardly walk.

But no one was seriously hurt, nor were any of the dogs, so it was a great hunt under endless Montana skies.

There won't be many of them left this year, as we are now down to the last two weeks of yet another season.

Here is one of my 1.5 year old GSP with a couple roosters we worked all morning for in central MT. He is definitely a fan of these birds!
https://picasaweb.google.com/118290734944703572413/December162012?authkey=Gv1sRgCLGrs9K-_qnbvwE

Nice bag RCC. GrouseGuy, the link didnt work for me.

Here a small video from yesterday's quail hunt.

http://youtu.be/8lxkrRDAz3g

One thing RCC is that when those water soaked pants legs finally freeze up you get toasty warm. I'm not pulling you other guy's chain either. When the cloth freezes up it is completely wind proof. I welcome froze pants legs.

Great family pic Ross. It's very"Berck" that's for sures!! Please give the family my best, hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas. Hope to see you at the end of April. I have to drop a pup off in Hallam and will be visiting the gang at the Flatwater shoot..

Dustin

Late season hunting is a little cold, but it is so productive.

I can't help but shake my head when I hear horror stories about how you can't get close to late season birds. They are really pretty easy to bring to bag and rarely do I shoot one outside of twenty yards.

How does one go about being blessed by God to be moved to Montana? I think I want to, maybe even need to.

If I don't get hit with it here I get it from watching Lonesome Dove on the Western channel this week, with a shot of "Return to....." thrown in

sigh...........

Your first sub-zero winter up here will determine if you feel it is a blessing or a curse. You know it's cold when you pee outdoors and have to keep backing up from the stream.

Which is really difficult on those winter days when you are backing into a 50 or 60 mph wind out of the North.

Good penmanship is "Gone With The Wind".

Yeah, and the ink doesn't flow as well as it used to either.

A good dog, a wood lot and a lateral ditch, a good SxS and dinner is delivered.

Hi all, here's some recent pics from this past week. We got a new computer so I had to figure out how to work the damn thing.

Myself and Will, I was using my 16ga Uggie 1030 and Will his Sauer 16ga Royal:



Wade, Will, Lakota and Duchess:



Wade and me:



Been cold here, but only a couple weeks left!!

Best!

Greg

Nicely done, Greg. I couldn't help but chuckle though looking at you and the boys and your bag of birds.

Once again, this time down at the coffee shop yesterday, I heard how late season birds flush so far out and so wild that you better be able to shoot fifty yard birds or you go birdless.

All of us know the crier and I dang near peed my pants when one of the old farmers told him that with the mutt he hunts, he never sees a pheasant any closer than the far end of the field.

RCC,

What on earth kinda trees can stay green in that kind of cold? They don't look like conifers.

SRH

Stan, those trees are probably Russian Olive. The ones in my yard take forever to drop their leaves.

They are Russian Olives. For more than a century they have held back the wind and provide winter shelter for all kinds of prairie game, everything from cottontails to deer, including pheasants, sharpies and on occasion Huns.

Now because some grant subsidised college kid with the State Conservation Dept thinks they are toxic, the G&F is bulldozing miles upon miles of them down.

Sadder still is the know-it-alls are not replacing that habitat with something else.

I don't think our soil conservation program even sells Russian Olive anymore. I bought mine years ago from their surplus stock every spring. I do see new seedlings popping up once in a while though. Toxic? What's next? Do they actually think some kid is going to chew up a Russian Olive tree and croak? Sad because they make a fine wind break, natural snow fence, and good cover. Bulldoze mine? Not on your life.

JRB,

I misstated. They claim Noxious, not toxic. Regardless, this ripping them out of the flats and plateaus because some moron in Helena thinks that they are destroying the river bottom cottonwoods is just plain stupid and another example of the blinders our government agencies wear when pushing their agendas.

I offered to take as many of their numbers who cared to see, out in the river boat at June Rise so they could see how many of their precious cottonwoods were being torn out by the roots, as the river continually changes it's course.

Does it surprise you that there were no takers?

Hi all,sad thing is they do provide some nice cover. Very hardy tree, we have quite a few here used for windbreaks also.

So what Bob says is the dying truth. Over here no one seems to care if they are around or not. The folks who didn't like them took them out, but the state as far as I know, could give a hoot less.

BTW, nice pics Bob, you do post some great ones!

Best!

Greg

Glad you clarified that RCC but it wouldn't surprise me in this day and age to have some idiot declare them toxic. I have two of them in my shelter belt by the house. Another tree/shrub that I like is what we call bullberry. I guess it's really buffalo berry. The berries are good winter food for the birds. That is the ones that I don't get first for making jelly. I judge how bad the up coming winter will be by how many bullberries are on in the fall. God provides for his critters.

Indeed He does. Look at how heavy these bullberry bushes are. Winter is just starting and I suspect it may be like the winter of 2010/2011 before it is all over with.

Those bull berries are a nice winter time snack for us pheasant hunters too.

Jes' don't eat them Russian olives. They might make you OBnoxious!

SRH

Ben and my first American Woodcock taken during Manitoba's first season. Been writing letters to get them to open a season for 30 years! Gun is a Sauer Model 8 built in 1911.




http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k283/H...zpsc6d17a80.jpg[/img]

Hi all, didn't have a lot of time today so Will and I went out for a couple hours or so. It was a good day for me. Limited out plus a Hun. Will got a Hun, but his shooting was off today...oh well, happens to everybody! It was cold but not much wind, that sure made a difference.

Best!

Greg

I was using my 16ga Dickinson:



Will was using is trusty Fabarm:

We need one more hunt together before season closes and I exchange my shotguns for my winter walleye gear Greg. I gotta catch my supply of Lent fish you know.

Down here we dont have to "lent" fish. I do miss the winter bird hunting tho...Hope all had a good Christmas..

Hi, J.R.B. meant fish for Lent. There is something about a good hunt in the winter, bit more work, but the rewards can be great!

Hope you had a great Christmas also!

Best!

Greg

Greg, you realy need to take that Turkish gun and get up off the couch and away from the keyboard do something with it.

We dont have to fish for Lent either, It just comes round, all by itself.

Here ya' go Hal. Nice photo.
[quote=Hal]Ben and my first American Woodcock taken during Manitoba's first season. Been writing letters to get them to open a season for 30 years! Gun is a Sauer Model 8 built in 1911.

Around here LD most Catholics eat fish during Lent as do some of us Lutherans. The walleye we catch out of that ice cold water taste a lot better than the crap you buy in a store and believe it or not cheaper too. The phrase "Lent Fish" is a term used between my Catholic friends and I during a more sombre part of the year when religious differences are put aside and we bond in common fellowship in the frigid cold.

I was making a joke! Down here right now, we are having a good bite on Yellowtail, not big, 15-25 lbs and Amberjack. For us, we are having chilly weather, 57 this morning. Feels colder in a boat at 25 MPH. I do understand walleye fishing, having had to break ice at the launch ramp in McGregor Iowa to get in. My Hunting fishing buddy is our Lutheran Pastor, who I think will be down soon to help me with the fishing. So many fish, so few fisherman....

Got you covered!!! I'm a bit of a dim wit! Good one BTW!

Best!

Greg

RCC, I thought those were buffalo berries. In all my years, I have never heard of bull berries. ??

We call them Buffalo Berry over here as well.

They are one and the same...or so I have been told all my life among them, by ranchers and farmers here in MT and the Dakotas.


Addition:

It is an hour or so later and being bored to death waiting the sub zero temps to lift so I can go hunt pheasants, I googled both buffalo and bull berries. It seems the old ranchers are correct and that they are one and the same. One of those things like goobers and peanuts.

They are pretty darn good eating after the first frost. They sweeten up with a nice hint of tartness.

RCC, yes, goobers and peanuts. Montana seems to have its own name for a few things. The first hunt in the spring is for gophers, which aren't really gophers, but ground squirrels. In north Colorado, they call the same animal "rock rabbits". Then in Montana and Saskatchewan they can call pheasants "chickens". and the same name applies to sharptails not far away.

All areas have their colloquialisms, Daryl, around heah' as well. Peanuts are goober peas, or goobers, or ground nuts. Pecans are pee' kans around here, but puh khans' up the road aways. Bobwhite quail are buhds (birds) or pottidges. Gophers aren't mammals at all, but a great big ol' tortoise that gets up over 30# and lives to be 100 yrs.old, that burrows in the ground and shares his hole with rattlers. Cartridges are cottidges. Wild muscadines are bullets. Cottontail rabbits are brier hogs, and every snake that hangs around water is a moccasin. I could go on and on, but this is a thread about game pictures.

SRH

You meant to say "game pitchers".

Yep, pardon my misspelling.

SRH

I'm real late to this pic party. Probably the last hunt of the Minnesota season for me and my little springer yesterday, out for just an hour and a half in SW part of the state as snow was falling. We broke off early to stay ahead of bad road conditions on the drive home. Previous snow was only a few inches in open fields, but light cover was mostly buried, and NW edges of heavy covers drifted in almost impassably deep. Ten degrees and sweating! Gun's a 16 ga. RBL, choked SK/M.

Jay

Hi all, went out today (season is getting short!), nice day, little wind and temp around 10 above. Anyway, today was Will's day!! He limited out and his shooting was back to normal. I'll tell you what, he sure can shoot that 20ga Browning BSS/Sporter! He always shoots well with that gun. Proud of him!!! BTW, I didn't even get a shot off today...oh well, I'm proud of him!

Will and his BSS:



Best!

Greg

It would help if you took that Turk gun and got up off the couch and away from the keyboard LOL.

I know, I know!! Ah, but I wasn't on the couch...I really went out, but Will did all the walking and brush busting, I sat in the truck and used my laptop to peck away. Funny thing, no birds flew inside the truck or even near it...odd!

Did you put the corn out on the hood like I taught you?

SH#T!!!! I knew I forgot something!

As I'm usually the person who takes the pics it's fairly rare for me to be in them. Not sure who took this pic nor that a photo was even taken of me until I downloaded the camera images onto the computer.

This grouse was taken with a 16ga Arrieta 871.

G'day, I have just returned from a five day trip to my cousins station (ranch) 625 mile from my place. His 'block' is 38,000 acres of native scrub that carries no stock at the moment, as he has not restocked since an 8 year drought that ended 2 years ago.
I spent 1 day travelling there, 3 days hunting & 1 day on the return drive.



Wild pigs are just returning to the area, but are hard to find.
The hunting was hard work, I just walked through scrub alone, taking a lot of care so as I didn't get lost. The country is dead flat with no outstanding landmarks & you can't walk a straight line because you are constantly walking around bushes, trees etc. (I must get a GPS!). Weather was very hot and on the last hunting day it reached 109 degrees in the shade.
But yesterday morning (1st Jan) I found what I was looking for; what a way to start the new year! The hard work was worth it. Not just a pig, but a boar!

G'shot! What do you shoot slugs or buckshot? Those critters do so much damage. Enjoy your posts on shooting in Australia.

I used 1 1/4 oz buckshot load. 15 balls to the 1 1/4 oz.
Gun is a Beretta 471 Silverhawk.

Are you going to cook him up and eat him Aussie? I believe you guys down under would say put him on the Barbie?

No, he is not going onto the barbie because I seen what he had been eating. Putrid, rotten dead kangaroos and goannas with maggots as a condiment. Very unsafe eating I think.

I hate those damned things with a passion! Last week a neighboring ranch with about 10,000 acres hired a helicopter and shooter to kill as many as possible. In about half day they confirmed 271 kills and many got away. Heaven only knows how many we have but they are a plague, destroying turf, fences, and everything else. We're going to start feeding them a stew of clay targets, diesel oil, and corn. Ought'a fatten them up nicely!

Joe, I was woodcocking Saturday before last and had what I believe was a sow bluff charge my dog and me. We must have gotten a little too close to her and her brood. I was in thick rivercane when my Britt Abby started barking. I knew what was going on and when I called, she came to me. I put the gun down to leash her and when I did a coal black hog about as tall but two to three times Abby's weight charged us. Out of reaction, I ran towards it hollering. The hog spun on its heels and ran away. I got the hell out of there. When I first saw the hog it was less than 5 yards away. If it ain't gators, it's snakes. If it ain't snakes, it's gators. If ain't gators or snakes, it's hogs. Crap. I put in a call today for cut gear for Abby. She already wears a skid plate vest for regular rough and tumble conditions so I might as well get her something a little more robust than what Lion Country offers. A hog hunter in SW Oklahoma told me that every year he hears about bird dogs being killed by hogs. Apparently they have a Eurasian strain that is badass. www.hardcorehogdogs.com offers a Kevlar vest for baying dogs. This happened to a man in my wife's home county. Stan probably knows him. http://www.gon.com/article.php?id=2081&cid=84 Damn hogs. Gil

Gil there are a bunch of guys in my home town up here that know about the hog problem you guys have and would enjoy a good hog hunt. Trouble is that they don't know anyone down there or where to go. We're all Germans up here and like pork sausage with our saurkraut, beer, 'n schnapps. Hell a hog is soul food to us.

Jerb,

Years ago we had a duck lease and an outfitter had the hog rights. Folks from all over the country came to hunt with this outfitter who is no longer in business. One morning when we finished the duck hunt, one of the outfitter’s men was standing near his truck on the rice field dike with the tailgate down and an open cage. He had just released a “wild” boar into the marsh. He said he could hear the dogs coming up in pursuit so he needed to skedaddle before the “sports” saw him and put two and two together. No doubt the boar was wild before trapping, but I don’t believe the brochure described this procedure in detail—“catch and release” hog hunting.
On the land there was another area that food was put out for the hogs in the woods. The local Krispy Kreme owner would give the outfitter the day old doughnuts to “bait” hogs and hold them in the area. The hogs got addicted to the doughnuts and hovered in the woods while the doughnuts were dropped-off. Wild America.
Gil

Well, Krispy Kreme is a gateway drug to all sorts of food addiction. No suprise the hogs got hooked.

Friend of mine went bowhunting for bears over bait a few years back. He passed on a large bear, saying he just couldn't draw and shoot while (or after) the bear was chowing down on a jelly donut and had powdered sugar all over its snout. Totally blew the moment for him.

Another season wrapped up.

Good Show Bob!!! Ours ends this weekend. Going to go with Wade and my boy, hope we do as well as you folks did.

Congrats and thanks for all the great pics you posted, they sure were/are fun to look at and enjoy.

Glad you had a good year. I'll bet your looking forward to next year.

Thanks again!!

Greg

Yesterday was the last day of the season for me. Went out with a friend and his overall point champion EP in the assn. he competes in.

His dog was on point with my GSP backing and he is movng in for the flush.


I was zooming in for a closeup when the bird flushed. I just did a wild click of the camera, not knowing what I got if anything. When hunting he releases his EP on flush. Note feathers coming out of the bird after the shot.


His EP and mine backing


My GSP


....and I forgot to take pics of the birds.

Got invite to a dove closer shoot and had a great time. Should have limited out we started out in a bad location and had to move our blinds to get in the flight lines. Then we got lucky and got the best spots in the field. Big flock after big flock pounded us until the rains came. Had a blast! A great way to the end the dove season. Still have plenty of quail hunting to do.

I used my Thomas Wild hammer gun and Dad used his Beretta 20ga.

While cleaning out my turkey hunting junk, I found a leaky bottle of Dr. Tom's Turkey Scent. It had leaked all over my collection of MADD Silent Shock Gobble Whistles. I threw it away in this dumpster on the way to work downtown last week. Within moments this hen appeared. jOe, Geo, check the lids on your bottles.

Hi all, well this weekend was the last for our upland season here in NoDak. It was a good one, not the very best, still a good. Lots of great memories hunting with my sons and friends. Towards the end, the snow made things a bit tough, but every bird shot was earned. Kind of sad, but now it's time for Ice Fishing. I hope the good Lord will grant me more seasons like this last one. Thanks Lord and you St. Hubert for a wonderful season!

Here's a couple pics from yesterday, Wade, Will and I went out for the better part of the day, I managed two, Will one and Wade a Hun and two cottontails. The funny thing about Wades Hun, it was a single and in the cattails, odd to say the least. I was using my Dickinson 16ga, Wade his 12ga Dickinson and Will his Fabarm 12ga:

Wade and Will:



Wade, Myself, Lakota and Duchess:



Pics from today, I managed two roosters and a grouse. I was using my 12b Henry Atkin, the end of a good season:



Thanks again all for posting your pics, I enjoyed everyone of them!!

Best Regards!

Greg

Today, end of season, brings a tear to my eye. I cleaned and oiled my trusty old Amantino today. Wiped down all the rest in my gun cabinet. Time to dig out my spinning rods and head for the Garrison tailrace. Just think, only 10 more months till we hunt pheasant again old friend.

But jerb, at least you've got snow until July 4th. Lucky you. We've got through the end of January for woodcock in SC, end of February for snipe and quail in Ga., and then the main event, Ga. turkey season third weekend in March through May 15th.
Gil

We better not have snow till the 4th Gil! If we do Greg, Wade and I will post pics of us shooting clays wearing snow shoes. I'm content to leave the turkey, quail, snipe, woodcock and dove for you boys down south. This West Dakota boy would rather shoot pheasants.

I am in mourning, for the dove season which ended yesterday. We tried hard to shoot a limit but, it was not to be. Shot a peanut field about 35 miles south of me yesterday morning. I set up my blind and my Mojo, and in about ten minutes I looked to my right and a pair (a true pair ) was coming straight toward me. I dumped the first bird with the right barrel as he crossed in front and swung ahead to the other, dumped him with the left. And, as quickly as it started it was all over. Not another shot.

In the afternoon it was no better in another location. Grandson Jackson killed one with his second barrel. I missed one, then killed another very long bird with my right.

Adam, ya'll had a good last day compared to me. The times when you kill a limit on the last day of the season are rare, rare indeed.

Great thread, Greg. Maybe we'll still see some posts of ducks, woodcock and quail. Headed to Arkansas next Sunday. Hope to have some good pics to post.

Stan

I'm at the stage of my life where I, too, am perfectly content to hunt and fish home woods and waters. Dorothy was right...