Hi all, well it's that glorious time of year again.......Bird Hunting season! Seeing how Doves have opened and for us here, Sharptail and Huns will open next weekend. Thought it was time to start this thread again.

I have not been able to get out yet for Doves (will this evening), but my son Will went out once and limited (no pics however). Hope to have some pics later today.

Anyway, lets see your pictures of your guns, dogs, hunt and of course birds.

Best of luck to all of you and remember to be safe. As the saying goes "All the pheasants ever bred is not worth one man dead"

Good Luck!!!!

Greg

This time of the year when chasing mountain grouse a fly rod or two is a good idea. 16 GA # 2 AyA an a 28 GA Parker Repro 2 bl. set. Fly rods are built on Sage blanks and have local Juniper handles. No they are not slippery, primarily due to the full wells grips.

"Waiting for birds."

AmarilloMike is in Montana hunting Huns and Sharptails. Yesterday he shot several sharpies and his French Brittany, Buddy, pointed and retrieved this one. I couldn't go with him, being stuck in New Mexico having to do hand to hand combat with the trout.

Wingshooter16: Manufrance Ideal?

Lloyd, you are correct sir . That is an Ideal 16 gauge. Can't remember for sure but I think that Ideal of Mike's is a grade 3. Somewhere on this board there are pics of a second set of barrels Wingshooter got for that gun and had PA24 blacken. Gorgeous gun and in the perfect gauge.

My dove season opener was a bust a week and a half ago the sunflowers we planted were looking great but deer came in and ate everything down.I have never seen like it before.10 acres of sunflowers sorgum and even some millet. It was pretty hot and the dog got in some water work and got to put up a couple of quail though.

As James said, only that it is a grade 4, 3 palm, model 314. Love it, and the retractable sling got some jealous looks when everyone was juggling birds, stool/chair, shells, Mojos, water bottle, etc. etc.

Thank you both. Neat guns, from some of the photography I've seen. Never have personally gotten close to a nice one yet. All I've ever seen are low-grade, beat-to-death versions.

Well I think we should find a way to chase some birds together and let you try her out. Here is a pic of my No. 5, 16 ga. which I hope to have in my possession shortly:

Thank you, that would be fun I'm sure. The Ideals are the most intriguing of the French guns for me. Very exotic round-action with that way-cool release on the trigger guard. I'd love to know more about them.

Each fall limits seem to be less important and the experience with friends, guns, and dogs is maybe more important. In the last few years I have enjoyed some of the older hammer guns, especially those developmental designs. Here's a Joseph Harkom pinfire, 12 bore, that will get used in a few days.

Not trying to hijack, but I guess I am anyway.
Ideals are very interesting guns. They are a bit quirky though. Yea they're a trigger plate actions, but not like a Dickson or Macnaughton. They are striker fired, powered by large coil springs. The triggers on Ideals have a very unique feel to them. Sometimes they can be fairly heavy and spongy feeling. They definietly don't feel like your average sxs trigger. The other quirk is that most Ideals are balanced very weird. Especially if the gun has shorter barrels and then sling mechanism is intact in the stock. The balance point will be way behind the hinge pin making the gun difficult to shoot at fast moving game. They can be very "butt heavy" guns. The longer or heavier the barrels the better when it comes to Ideals. Other than these little oddities, they are cool guns. Ideals with ejectors are rarer that hens teeth. I've only see one in 15 years of shooting, buying and selling Ideals.
I'm sure Larry Brown will be along shortly to tell everyone about the safety.

Dustin has forgotten more about doubles than I'll ever know, and it was in his hands that I saw my first Ideal- I think it was a grade 6 with exquisite engraving and a honey and smoke stick of Regia.

That said, I have not found mine quirky at all- I probably just don't know enough to know I have a quirky gun. As to fast handling, I had no problem on ruffs last October, certainly the quickest shooting I've ever encountered. Here is a pic of mine balanced on the foot of the bed: typical 70cm barrels with sling mechanism intact. Yes, behind the hinge pin, but I think between the hands is more important to me subjectively than where it balances objectively in relation to the pin. And I find operating the underlever with the index finger tons more ergonomic and natural than a toplever with the thumb. To each their own, and I love these- so much so that a second 16 is on the way.

Well, the OP title does say game/gun, but neither do I want to get too far OT.

Thanks for asking, Lloyd, I love talking about it almost as much as shooting her.

I'll start with a quick apology for the highjack but Lloyd, if we are able to meet up in early October as planned, you'll be able to try my Ideal Grade 6R E/E Excelsior 12 gauge. Mike's done a better job than I in tracking down the 16 ga versions but I'm still hunting for mine.

Dustin, mine's an ejector. Didn't realize they were so rare. I've been looking for a 16 ejector as well, mostly because I don't like the forend release lever on the extractor guns. Can't really explain explain that little quirk of mine. Not the gun's fault.

Lloyd, We'll have to make sure to post a photo or two of the guns and game in this thread to make up for this little diversion.

Looking forward to it. I've learned alot more on Ideals here in the last few posts than I have in the last several years of mildly digging around on the subject. While it doesn't sound like I'm going to pitch my English guns just yet, I'd like to know more (always fun to have something to chase).

Here's what I'm hoping we're going to encounter up there James.



And, of course, the target species. This is my father-in-law's front yard two years ago this September.

Dustin:

Here is James (canvasback's) MF Ideal ejector after I refinished the barrels, including removing the ejectors and repairing them, polishing and adjusting them and reinstalling them.

















Best Regards,

Yep. They are neat. Rare bird those. :-). Thanks for showing the mechanism, rather simple aren't they. I don't know why MF didn't put them on more guns. I've seen and had in my hands some very high grades, none of which were fitted with ejectors. ?? MF sure didn't follow any of the "established rules" in regards to what a high grade or even a mid grade continental gun should have. I've seen more Robust fitted with ejectors than I have Ideals. Many more actually. Weird.

They are neat Dustin and I don't understand why you don't see more of them....??......MF seems to dance to their own drummer and their marketing strategy is unusual to say the least...but they have made these guns for many, many years......so who knows...?.....Quality is exceptional for sure.

Best,

Doug,

I'm sure you know that the Manufrance as we know it basically went out of business in the 1980's. But a hundred year production run of the same basic design is nothing to sneeze at.

Personally, the forend lever does not bother me, and I love how I can lock it on the barrels and remove the whole assembly from the butt stock. I don't think that can be done with the ejector version. I have been known to lose a forend. I also prefer extractors, as my empties can be hard to find in heavy cover if using an ejector gun.

Lloyd, here is a grade 6 on NaturaBuy in great condition, with original case (very rare) at an incredible price. Those of us who love Ideals hang out on this site. Slab/flat sawn stock, but there are some great deals currently, that help somewhat in offsetting the expense of getting the gun here.

http://www.naturabuy.fr/Fusil-Ideal-Manufrance-calibre-12-item-2773132.html

Doug, it is said that the French copy no one and no one copies the French. Nice work on James's barrels. Gil

Perhaps, with this small exception: Casimir Lefaucheux

Wingshooter, you are quite right. One can see the Lefaucheux patent used in many European countries. Let's not forget that the breechloader was a French development maybe 50 years before it went to other parts of Europe. Schneider [sp??] seems to have brought the French center fire to England.

Another tid bit of info regarding French design...the "jones" under lever was patented in France a decade or more before Jones filed in England. I believe the French were also pioneers in using mass produced military arms parts in their finely made sporting arms...example would be the use of 8mm Lebel rifle coil springs used inside Darnes.

Frenchmen gave up damascus barrels a long time before anybody else did. At a time when most English and Belgium produced gun barrels were still damascus, most French guns were steel, and very good steel at that.


Best,
Ted

CZ, Get the mop!

No need for a chalk outline. Book'em, Dano.

Then a correction: Everyone has copied the French, but don't want to admit it. Gil

I'm French and I won't admit that! Haha!

GJW's annual Game&Gun Pic thread here is one of my favorites. It is great to see the pictures of the good times you guys are having when this part of the year finally comes around.

Me, it is the 2nd weekend of the dove season and I'm sitting home in front of the computer while it rains out my shoot for today. Not to worry, we've rescheduled for tomorrow afternoon when the weather report is more friendly. Now if only the cool front coming with today's rain won't bust our doves!

Just wanted to bring this worthy thread back to the top in hopes some of you aren't rained in and will post some more pictures...Geo

AmarilloMike sent me this photo a couple days ago. He is still in central Montana and here he poses with his two veterans, Buddy and Red, along with a bunch of Sharptails. He took five of his turdhounds with him and they're all getting workouts. His newest, Jazzy, is only about nine months old and has already pointed and retrieved birds! Good thing they are born with the hunting instinct.....

Looks like they'll get four solid months hunting here in Texas--quail numbers look to be incredible! Whew! Mike walks with his dogs and I often just drive along nearby. When they locate a covey I just amble over and shoot them for him. Works well and I don't have to buy dog food or pay vet bills. Ah, life is good!

It would appear that the cool front convinced the Doves to have a hearty breakfast & head further South, but we had a great time. The Boys Ellenburg were both finally of age to effectively wield a firestick along with their Grand-Dad in their company, all on the same Dove field. Purdey is a gem but has seen more years than she has forward.


The wait


BWE giving play by play - he had 2 fantastic high bird shots


OFE & Purdey


Purdey rounding out the day while the Boys Ellenburg are pond swimming searching for snapping turtles.

A very good day indeed.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Great post Raimey! Hope your birds flew southeast; I'm going this afternoon...Geo

Thanks there Geo. My wish is that the Doves headed your way & the temps stay low. I was up early scouting for ducks & the total number of visible doves were dramatically lower than a day or 2 prior. I was elated to see BWE cut out his 1st left to right pass from afar and a bit later hear a single pop and turn & see a folded Dove(incoming) and an 8 year old with a single 0.410 smokepole pointed to the sky, all other hunters preoccupied with something else. That area of the field just erupted in congratuations. Now that is what is it all about. Most difficult to be a participant as well as a chronicler. Had I known the temps were going to be a bit low I would have brought a contingent of say 1/2 dozen huntresses. I guess I've been blessed with say 2 score or more of hunting dogs over my lifetime & like the Boys Ellenburg I do not remember not having a bird-dog.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Looks like a great day Raimey. Hope you and the boys continue to have a great season.


Mike, I see you have taught your shooting student how to document your hunting exploits on line. Very good!

I sure hope Armadiller Mike had a pleasant hunt...

I'm just trying to figure out how he had time to hunt considering the amount of time he spends in the Misfires section.

Keep your eye on the bird and stay focused Mike.

After the rain quit Saturday and the front came through, we hunted the sunflower field yesterday where we opened the season on last weekend. The cold front made for a great afternoon afield but had thoroughly dispersed our birds. It was still a good all afternoon one box shoot:




The gun is a Beretta Black Onyx model I had Cole's in Maine install a double trigger in. Big Improvement!



OH and I fixed my shooting problem with a pirate patch over the left lense of my new glasses...Geo

George, I've been using a little tape circle on my left lense for years, but may to "the black patch" just for the style of it! ("Ugly 'em to death"!).

Mike, after 67 years of being right eyed and right handed my body decided to proceed to left eye dominance. There are no pleasant biological surprises after puberty!

I bought new glasses this summer thinking that would solve the problem. Nope just made it worse. I've missed clays all summer and shot awful last weekend on doves. I used the tape but blacked it out with a magic marker yesterday and it seemed to fix the problem...Geo

I love hunting with vintage ammo that I have accumulated over the last year.

Today was VERY windy, few doves and I decided to use some old #6 shot.
It was the perfect choice for the day

Collard Dove do respond well to #6





Mike

Me too, Mike. These crows were knocked down out of a peanut field last year with vintage 4s and 6s from my 32" LC Smith 16 gauge.



SRH

In pursuit of Zenaida macroura.....the wiley and elusive mourning dove.

Verona LX 692 Gold? What gauge? And, maybe a .....................Partagas?

SRH

Most here probably know what a big flock of Pintails looks like while circling and deciding whether to come to the decoys. This vid was taken yesterday in Sask by my buddy:

[img]http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n581/SelbyLowndes/th_Canada%20video_zpsodsryj0d.mp4[/img]

I've been doing this trip since '93, but decided to lay out this year. A man's got to know his limitations...Geo

28 gauge; 30" barrels......H. Upmann stogie

Ah! My favorites!

Still pursuing the wily and elusive mourning dove........

Hi all, well this is my first post since this thread started. Didn't do much dove hunting, so nothing much to post. Last weekend was our Sharptails and Huns. To be honest, the opening weekend was terrible! Out of 2 days of hunting I was able to get one bird. It was a very hot weekend and just couldn't pin them down. My son and I went out today after work, we both limited within a couple hours, a bit windy, but cool. Will manged to limit first, and I lucked out and got a double and a single.

Will with his 20ga Browning BSS/S:



My birds and my FN 16ga:



Will and I with our GSP Raina. We lost my beloved Duchess this past June, she lived a good 15 years, but she sure is missed. RIP old girl.




Good Luck to all!

Greg

Greg looks like you and Will had a great hunt.That FN 16 has fancy wood and looks like a lot of engraving. Bobby

The picture of you, the dog, and the birds, with the with the hay-bales and the plains rolling away behind you is classic Dakotas. Good start on the season.

Thanks Bobby and Lloyd for the very kind words, they are much appreciated! The FN does have some very nice engraving. The pic of me and birds was just one of those things you don't notice until someone else points it out.

Thanks again!

Greg

Greg sorry to hear about the loss of Duchess. Always tough. Love those pics. Following the pic trail of you and your boys each fall has become a bit of a tradition on my computer screen. Nice to see those sharptails.

Thanks CB for the very kind thoughts and words, they mean a lot. Duchess was quite a dog, found her abandoned on the highway, nursed back to health and she turned out to one heck of a bird dog. She passed here at home in my arms and thank God didn't suffer.

Thanks again so much!

Greg

Greg, glad you and your son got into some birds. How's Raina doing? We're heading out for SD next weekend, hope it keeps cooling down.

Hey Col. Well Raina's field work, quartering recall, retrieving and obeying are doing just great. She's bumping some birds and her pointing is not the best. She can find birds, just doesn't point them as she should. She has made a couple points, but a ways to go I'm afraid in the pointing department. I'll just hunt the crap out of her until the light bulb goes off.

Hope you have some good luck in SD, knock them dead!

Good Luck!

Greg

Greg, hope more bird exposure helps Raina work through the pointing issues. Sometimes that's all it takes. Might require working with launchers and tripping them when she first hits scent but does not lock up.

Hi Greg,

Sorry to hear that Duchess passed. Always liked seeing her in your pics. Raina has big boots to fill.

tunes

Greg,
Duchess was a fine gal and was fortunate to have you come along in her life. I have some pix I thought I'd post from 2012.

Hi Chuck, boy I can't thank you enough!!!! This sure is kind of you, that was a good day (except the birds that is!) Lynn does such a wonderful job of photo shooting hunts. Those pics almost want to make me cry.

Thanks again for the pics and your very kind thoughts!!!!

God Bless you and Lynn!

Greg

Hi all, went out today with my son Will around the home place here. We were both done in 45 min. Will got a nice double. Raina did better today, she found a couple birds that we wouldn't have.

Here's where we hunted (up in the hills):




Will and his birds, he was using his 20ga BSS?S:



Will, Raina and the days birds:



My birds and my 16ga Ugartechea 1030:



A good day with the dog and my boy!

Best,

Greg

You're making me anxious, Greg!

Our 1st segment of the GA dove season goes out today. Great shoots all three weekends.

We had a family shoot yesterday afternoon at our middle GA farm. Two of my four grandchildren were there and enjoyed catching big bluegills off the dock in my brother's fish pond. I had put together bamboo poles for Emory, 4 1/2 and Caroline, 3 1/2. The poles were suitable to their size and they enjoyed fishing a bunch, but not near as much as Grandfather did watching them.

Lunch was a monster low country boil which required Tums to relieve the heartburn all afternoon in the field, at least for me. I wish I were smart enough to take pictures of our dove shoot luncheons like others here do.

The shoot took place on a pasture we had harrowed and planted to wheat. GA regulations allow top sowing after certain dates up and down the State. September 15th was the date for our property and there was feed aplenty. Birds aplenty as well. My yellow lab Stella had a field day picking up everyone's birds, some of which she thoughtfully delivered to me...Geo

P.S.: Please see next post for my picture of lunch!

Here you go, Geo. You can borrow this one as a substitute.



Check your p.m.s

SRH

No sausage, onion, or crab legs?...Geo

Sausage and onion are in there, just kinda picked over. No crab legs.

SRH

Low Country Boil?

Google is your friend. Low Country Boil is some good eating!...Geo

Now that looks tasty!

To me, a low country boil sits light on your stomach when you eat and then go out into temps in the high 90s, to 100+, soon afterward. Barbecue, or pulled pork, which is the old standby for opening day, sits heavy on my digestive tract in the oppressive heat.

Gnats could care less. They swarm both with equal aplomb.

SRH

Lol......no thank you on your google suggestion.

My first Low Country Boil was about 25 years ago on a peanut farm near Albany, Ga.

My original post was from looking at Stan's picture where I did not see the picture labeled as a Low Country Boil. Thought it would be nice for others to know exactly what it was. I was unaware that someone had posted the term/phrase Low Country Boil in a post prior to Stan's picture.

In a low country boil, I cook the shrimp separately to avoid overcooking. I also immediately chill to prevent "overcooking" which makes it the devil to remove the shells. It only takes two minutes to cook shrimp in boiling water. If the shrimp is not to be immediately eaten, after cooking and fast chilling in a bucket of ice water, I keep it chilled in an ice cooler with frozen plastic water bottles rather than ice which would melt and make the shrimp soggy. Why the trouble? Years ago at the Beaufort (SC) Water Festival, the low country shrimp was kept warm for several hours before serving to the thousands of attendees. Over a hundred folks came down with diarrhea and stomach aches after eating the shrimp.

I can personally vouch for Gil's expertise in all matters related to a low country boil.

1cdog, sorry I misunderstood your post...Geo

Hi all, went out after work today, by myself, and was able to limit in less than an hour. I used my 12b F.A. Anderson, the old girl barked 3 times and 3 birds fell. A good day. Raina worked well, getting better with each hunt. I'll tell you all something, I thank God everyday that I'm able to live where I do!

The gun and the birds:



My partner for the day:



Best to all!

Greg

Just bringing this thread back to the top. Our 1st phase dove season ended last weekend, and I got around to the early teal opportunity this morning. Season goes out tomorrow.

Comedy of errors. boat motor had been sitting up and was balky to start until I ran it out a while. The water was up a foot or two. Two piece galvanized pipe for the spinning wing was a little short and when I didn't push it in to the mud far enough in 9 feet of water it fell over and was lost. At least I had not put the mojo teal in it. Decoy lines were too short and decoys departed before daylight and had to be retrieved and placed in shallower water.

No Teal at all on my lake. A few woodies buzzed the decoys but aren't legal yet. I had one black bellied tree duck come by but let it pass as well.

On the way in I stopped the boat to try out my new electric motor I bought in June and hadn't used yet. First time I pulled the release cord the knot from the factory failed. I manually released the latch and put the motor over the front of the boat. It locked in place and i couldn't figure out how to manually release it without the cord. Just took it off the mount and put it in the bottom of the boat in order to load up.

I spent the afternoon putting everything right and now I'll be ready for the real duck season in November!...Geo

Greg if it was not so cold I might live up there! Great hunt and great dog! Bobby

How do we know all that really happened without pictures?

SRH

Its easy to miss a picture of no ducks!...Geo

I went out bird hunting this afternoon, chased up eight grouse and managed to bag three.



Tim

Nice shotgun. What is it Tim?

It's an Ugartechea. The Spanish make very nice guns.

Thanks Tim and yes they do.

Love that juxtaposed engraving and feather pattern.

Hi all, well this weekend was our duck opener. Not the best and not the worst. Yesterday we had high winds (25mp +) and it was hot (in the 80's)not much flying either. It was a clear blue bird day. I managed to get 4 and my boys each got 1, but we had a good time.

My birds and my 12ga Bernadelli Italia:



Will picking up decoys:



My boys, Will & Jim:



Today was a much better day, went to a different slough, low winds and cooler. Just Will and I went out, I was able to limit and Will got 3. Another good day!

I was using my 12ga Merkel 147E today:



Will and his trusty 12ga Fabarm Beta Classis:



Best to all!

Greg

Greg, thank you for allowing us to watch two of your boys grow up in a hunting tradition. Good work!...Geo

Thanks Geo. for your very kind words! They are my best hunting partners bar none! It's going to be a very sad day for me when they go out on their own and start their own families. But then I hope to have some time with their sons.

Thanks again!

Greg

A few from the this weekend. Saturday was sage grouse and today was just a walk in the mountains with the dogs.

Slowpoke, that is the most beautiful hunting country I've ever seen. I especially like the convenient rocks to rest on. I'd have been right where you were in that last picture after a few hundred yards of those hills!...Geo

That rock, thankfully was about 100 yards from the rig. Todays walk along that ridge was a cake walk compared to yesterday's miles of rolling sage carrying that Parker.

Hi all, well the boys and I went out for a duck hunt today. It was a good one. I limited as well as Will. Jim got a couple, oh well that's hunting. I managed to shoot a Blue Wing that was banded. A 2 year old duck banded in Canada.

My birds and my Bernadelli Italia:



No pics of the boys, I left early to pick up our new Springer pup with my wife, and here's Will holding Penney:



While Penny is my wife's dog, she's also a field Springer, so, what the heck, I'll hunt her with my Raina.

Best!

Greg

My Zoli 16ga. on opening day. Hand rolled #5 bismuth, WinCF hulls.



Our seven man limit

Nice pic.

Until I got down to your signature line....

I find it surprising that you could find six more liberals to go hunting with.

Pictures have been staged all through history...

Damn I have little experience of Spanish guns but that engraving.. i like big open scroll and floral like on the old muzzle loaders.

A few photos from yesterday's hunt.

William Read & Son Belgian Guild Gun



Me and the boys



Mom giving the boys some water



Gentry on a bird...my tag was a already filled. Of course I will still walk up the point.

I can understand why your homeless Joe. Tough to get a job when you can't read.

In my country we're lucky that differences in political ideology does not cause us to dispise each other, as you people do. Sad really. I'd still take Ken out for a hunt if he came by. We have less "hate' then you guys down south. Probably why you have so many mass shootings.

Best wishes on your next hunt. Hope you find lots of others to bash today, cause I know that makes you feel good inside.

D.

Simple humor is lost on you, isn't it?

SRH

Why don't we just keep this thread non political. It represents the best in our community. Have whatever political opinions you wish, just not here. Well, just an idea...Geo

It was a good season in Canada. Huns and sharptails were plentiful. My son joined us coming from India, old college friends,fun dogs, and some friends not so old enjoyed each other. All photos courtesy of Coral DeWilliam Studer <coral@cdstuderphotography.com> Thank you, Coral



Son made a half way around the world trip from India.



Others came from New York, Colorado, and Idaho.




Dogs helped a bunch.



Three or four Huns off the ground and two coming down.



After the hunt.

+10 George.
Let's keep the Misfires stuff in Misfires.

Good idea guys! This is one of those few threads on this forum that has always been friendly. It shows how we can all share our passion without insult and bickering.

On the plus side, there sure are some great pics & posts so far!!!

Best to all!

Greg

I couldn't agree more. Especially in this thread. Thanks for speaking up.

That and leading with one's chin with ad hominem attacks in signature lines....

I couldn't agree more...liberals need to puff their chests out too.

And Stan...I realized it was humor.

I just hope you're not gullible enough to think every photo you see on the internet is real. I'm betting at least one in this thread is staged.

I have a question for you guys that shoot damascus and laminated barreled double guns. What do you use for ammo, store bought or hand loads? I have an AJ Aubrey with laminated barrels and I'm taking on my first ever hunt at the end of the month. I've shot 1 ounce #8 winchester target loads through it and it liked those just fine but for longer ranged shots at pheasants and chuckers I need something with a heavier punch. Any suggestions?
Dave

Best pheasant load I use with dogs is an RST 1oz. of #5.

Doesn't shred the close one's, and plenty of pellet energy for the longer shots.

Welcome to the site.

I don't have a Damascus/laminated gun but I can summarize for you what I've read on this site written many times over by the experts who do: low pressure and low recoil loads are the way to go. Low pressure b/c the barrels might be thinner than you think. (You did have the barrel wall thickness checked, right?) Low recoil b/c the wood is old and should be assumed to be weaker than it was originally. If you want to buy factory loads, the first suggestion would be RST, the second Gamebore.

Low pressure/low recoil loads that you roll yourself, there are plenty of them out there.

Appropriate shot size for pheasant and chukars is a topic guaranteed to produce 100 responses every time, each and every one of them correct, but you'll have a hard time going wrong with #5 and #6. I prefer #6 in both barrels of my 16ga and one each #4 and #6 in my 12. YMMV.

An ounce of #6, on target, will stop any early-season pheasant within reasonable range - 30-35 yards. You don't need a roman candle to down a cockbird.

I'd be inclined to warn you against using factory target loads in an old gun because those are loaded close to maximum pressure and throw a good bit of recoil. They're made so the generic autoloader that gets cleaned once in a blue moon will cycle reliably. There may be low-recoil/low-pressure factory target loads out there, but they'll be marked and priced as such.

The guys who really know the answers can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I'm not.

Hi all, well today was our pheasant opener, it turned out to be a good one. It was hot however, in the upper 80's, but the wind made it a bit more comfortable. Still hot for us and the dog. There were a lot of birds and hunters as well. It took longer to limit than I thought, but still it was a great time. Went with my son Will, he managed two and a grouse. He was not up to snuff, a roll of barbed wire fell on his foot yesterday, so he kind of ended the hunt early.

Anyway, here's my birds and my 12b Purdey:



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



Raina hauling a bird to the pile (she worked well today, she's progressing with each hunt):



And the days tally:



We'll see what tomorrow brings!

Best!

Greg

Front came through this morning bringing 1.4" rain and stopped peanut digging, soooooo ................ had to drop back and punt.

One more limit for the SPII Sporting 20 ga.



For those of you who know doves, look at how many of the 15 are juvenile birds. Unbelievable for mid-October. We have had a grand year for doves and quail to raise. Saw a half grown brood of wild bobs just about an hour ago.

SRH

After the dove hunt we had fun with my 16 gauge damascus Samuel Buckley labeled Westley Richards. Black powder loads are really impressive at dusk.

Here my freind Sid lights one off!

Back from a good trip to Northern Minnesota. This was just one of many good days.

Hi all, went out with my son Will today, was a windy day (25 and gusts to 30), but we managed to duplicate each others bag. We both got 2 grouse and 1 pheasant. I was lucky to get a double on grouse, so that was fun.

We did go out yesterday, but it was next to impossible to hunt, the winds were 35mph with gusts up to 50, really wild!

Anyway, here's the pics of the day.

My birds and my 12ga Buhag Hubertius:



Will and his, he was using his 16ga Sauer Royal:



And....Raina:



BTW, some great pics you guys are posting, really nice!

Best!

Greg

JOEL (J.R.B.) & DOUG (PA24) in beautiful North Dakota shooting Pheasant on Joel's super nice home farm.

Joel shot one bird with his Amantino 12 using Eley Alpha Max 2 3/4 " with 3 3/4 D.E. #4's with fiber wads. Doug shot three birds with his 1925 Sterlingworth 16 gauge using Eley Grand Prix 2.5" #4's with 2 3/4 D.E. & fiber wads. Both shotguns have full and fuller chokes so long shots were easy.......as were short shots.......

We had a ball and there were NO other hunters, dogs, whistles or noise on Joel's farm.....which was perfect. We had a nice Gentleman's walk while we shot Pheasant.

The birds are sitting on Joel's 1941 Chevrolet troop transporter which is really a neat old truck......

Hey Doug, standing beside that truck and those pheasant in that place with that gun, how about a smile? Here's what one looks like


Looks and sounds like you guys are having a great time.

I didn't know it then, but this was my last full day of grouse hunting for this year. My right ankle was injured in a fall last November (hunting elk) and after this day (last Tuesday) I started to notice it being a problem again. Off to see the sawbones today, accordingly.

Not a sidelock, and not as colorful as those lovely cockbirds, but a fitting end to an exceptionally lovely trip.



This is what you missed out on James. Maybe next year?



Me smiling!

LLoyd, what do you call that 2nd pic, a recochet selfie?...Geo

That is a really neat shot! I shot cowboy action under prop building fronts and I was always awed by the concussion of black powder loads. They made the roof shake.
CHAZ

Sorry to hear about the ankle Lloyd. Looks like you had a great time despite my absence.

Next year sounds like a plan!

Geo: ...and a whiplash smile. Hard not to smile up there this year w/this:



or this:

Nice going guys! Looks like you had a good opener. But it was hot! Anyway Doug, I know Joel and his ma treated you like a king. They sure epitomize what this state is known for. Honest hard work, down to earth kindness and give the shirt of their backs for you attitude. Just plain good folks!

Good show and nice pics!

Best,

Greg

Well Greg, Doug and I had another "Gentleman's" hunt this afternoon. No morning hunt today.

Two birds, one each. Doug's beautiful Dickinson 16 bore barked with authority and I used my old Amantino 12 bore again.

First doodle of the season...

I hope this isn't my favorite for 2015 but it's all I have at the moment >> from last Friday

NP, Dennis, great poodle and doodle photos. I'm so far away from doodle season that it isn't funny. Gil

Very nice. Glad to see there are still pheasants to be shot. Not so here in PA anymore.

Hi all,went out today after work for a couple hours, just me and Raina. Very nice day, low winds and nice temps for a change. Today was kind of like a replay of Monday, got 2 grouse and 1 rooster. Raina worked well, the rooster gave her a merry chase, but Raina won!

Anyway, here's the days bag. I was using my 12b Harkom



Best!

Greg

Some photos from my older son's first trip to the grouse woods (central ME).




The woodcock flights are starting to come in and we moved close to 30 birds. Not many grouse though - fortunately this one did not get away (and yes that is a Viszla).




My 20-bore A10



A good sign at the end of the day - well-worked dogs!

Just back from the hot and steep chasing these devils:

They are smiling. When you get that old that's about the best you can do!

Fishnfowler, that country behind you looks a lot like the wrinkled edges of the Palouse Prairie.

And it looks like you didn't just CHASE 'em, you KILT 'em! In my book, any chukar killed in its natural habitat is a trophy. Pen-raised stocked ones in the flatlands--not as sporting as "Sporting Clays"!

Chuckars are designed to efficiently kill and maim hunters. This I found out on a "cast and blast" floating down the Snake River's Hell's Canyon. Well done, Fishnfowler!

Hi all, took the day off today to do a bit of hunting by myself (and Raina of course). It was a perfect day, overcast, cool and light winds. Just nice to be out.

I hunted the ranch/farm of some friends of mine instead of around the house, change of scenery. Went to visit the final resting place of our beloved Duchess, sure do miss her. I managed to shoot one of the birds about 100 yards from where she lays. I'm sure she was with us!

Anyway, I used my 16ga Garbi 100 today, nice gun.



And of course Raina



Best!

Greg

"Hell's Canyon"....what an appropriate name. And of course, chukars are right at home!

That was a deceptive picture, it was probably the flattest place for miles. We were in the Lower Salmon.

First woodcock of the year shot over my one year old setter Thicket. The gun is a 16 gauge "no name" Belgium built in the 1880's with blued 31 inch Damascus barrels choked cyl & cyl.Not your "typical" woodcock gun but she seems to get the job done.

Hi all, well today is the end of a nice three day hunting weekend. My friend Rick from MN came out again this year, we hunted Sat and Sun. Saturday was a bust, no birds in the bag, saw some, but that's about all. Today, Rick was only able to hunt for a couple hours, nothing with Rick. As soon as he left, Will and I got into them. I was ale to limit and get a grouse and Will managed 2. Raina really worked well today, we would have lost a couple birds if she wasn't with us. She's progressing well.

Anyway, Rick and Will



My birds, I was using one of my favorite guns, my 12b Henry Atkin



Will and his 16ga Sauer Royal



The Raina Dog



Best!

Greg

What good memories are made of.

A five timberdoodle day ................ absolutely capital! How many flushes did you have that day, if I may ask?

SRH

Circle the correct answer:
A) 5
b) 20

I'll saaaaaaaay .............. 5, and there is engraving on your double's receiver saying ............... CAN'T MISS.

Heck, that's good shooting on doodles even if the answer is 20.

SRH

May I ask what loads you all are using in these magnificent aged guns?
Dave

We just got back from hunting on the Highline in Montana. A fine Harkom 12 bore pinfire was the gun of the day. I got a badger right away, then friend, Jeff, got a sharptail with the pinfire. The gun was made near 1870, so who knows the last time it took game. Later , we worked on sighting in a W H Baker muzzleloader target rifle weighing 15 1/4 pounds, which was made in the same period. Who knows the last time it was shot ? I made up a design for the pinfire shells and we use round balls in the Baker, but it should have paper patch bullets we think. Twist is about 1 in 48", so a ball has to be loaded pretty light to stay stabilized.

Mr. Myrick: Shells need to be appropriate to the gun digesting them. Older guns normally require something a bit easier on the heads of the stocks as well. I'm a great fan of the shells loaded by the good folks at RST in Pennsylvania. I shoot the 2 1/2-inch loads my gun was essentially built for, although I could use longer (2 3/4-inch shells). I'd like to think the gun should go another 110-years if I do my part.

Somewhere in a northern duck marsh.

Duck marshes are certainly beautiful places as well.

Not me, but son and namesake, George, Jr. in Bozeman, Montana sent me these pix this morning of a Speed Goat he took:






Dang that's pretty country, wish I lived out there!

Great photos, Daryl and Lloyd. And Geo.

Thanks, SRH

She's still at it.


Well what have we here?


Took her 30 minutes plus to swim this one down.

She's still at it.


Well what have we here?


Took her 30 minutes plus to swim this one down.

Hi all, went out solo today with Raina, the boys are working cows at a friends place. Was a good day, able to limit in a couple hours. Beautiful fall day, sun, cool temps and light winds. Raina did well, she's getting better with each hunt.

Anyway, I used my 12b E.J. Churchill Premiere, and yes it has 25" bbls!



Best!

Greg

Hunting sharpies today with Wingshooter resulted in two limits.

In the Sandhills of Nebraska with my good buddy. Looked like it was going to be two days without pulling the trigger, and my attitude was deteriorating. Began our assault on some hills that looked promising, and a bird flushed 30 yds. from me but angled right toward my friend, so I had no shot. He rolled it, and that limited him out for the day. He headed back to the truck to clean his birds, and I headed off alone to try to give the Ideal its first taste of sharpies. I wasn't into my pursuit more than ten minutes when a sharptail flushed about 15 yards behind me, letting me walk by but not quite far enough...

This one in the bag, I walked on another 30 yards and another one got up, which I folded with the left barrel. Reloading before I moved, another one got up and I rolled him with the right barrel. A limit of three in about three minutes, and the rest of the afternoon contemplating my attitude adjustment.

Pics above

Hey Greg, I was wondering do you have to snak up real close on those pheasents with those short Churhhill barrels?

Wingshooter walking in.

Steve, that's a great pic of Mike. Unmistakable!

Yeah James, aging like a fine red wine with the cork gone bad.

Those shaptails are gorgeous.

Hi all, another good day, went out this afternoon with my son Will and Raina (of course). I was able to limit, and was lucky to get a nice double and Will got one. Raina really did well, the last bird I shot was wounded and sailed off about 400 yards into a grassy ditch (some thicker stuff BTW). Will and I got over to it and had Raina do her thing, she got birdy fast and before long she went on a point, and got the bird. Would have lost it without her. I'm very proud of her!

Anyway, here's my birds and my 16ga Arrieta 871 (this one is a New England Arms import with Boss style engraving):



Will with his 20ga Browning BSS/S:



And the hero of the day!



Best!

Greg

Wingshooter up top after shooting a bird today.

Well it is not a fine English double, but my grandfathers old '870 still gets the job done.

CHAZ

Mr. Voss and my AWS, Cocoa:

Colleagues,

I am at the end of a long and exhausting business trip—these photographs are the best elixir on the planet (perhaps, tied with a good red Burgundy—not available on United). Thanks to all photographers.

Berrien

Love to see a dog with a snoot-ful of bird. Nice pics Mike.

Saskatchewan Mallard, early October. Olive oil, salt, pepper and 500+ degrees on vertical roaster for 20 minutes.

Mike, That's a darn fine hat! I regret that there won't be any more of them.

GLS, that looks perfect!

David, the hats were matching on this trip.

Great picture! You have to love spaniels. I have one very tired one lying on the bed beside me after a limit of roosters. This is the best time of year.

The rain didn't spoil this Ontario afternoon.

Great Grandfathers 1919, Winchester 1897 12ga and my 10yo Springer Thor. This was my dads only shotgun for most of my youth and with his passing this spring it's now in my care. Just a wonderful shooter.

Tim, that's a great looking old pump gun. It always impresses me when someone shares what a father's gun means to them. You are lucky! By the way cool Spaniel and the ditch parrots do make an impressive picture. Thanks for posting...Geo

Good pic, Tim. 1919 is a special year to me, too. Grandaddy bought this farm that year, and moved into this house I'm living in. We will celebrate 100 years of farming this land and enjoying this old house in 4 short years, God willing.

Thanks for posting, SRH

1897's a good shooter.....now that's an understatement!! :-). Fantastic pic.

Lucy and I with a limit of ND roosters. Great trip, lots of birds. Cold and windy the first 2 days and just beautiful the second two days. A small slice of heaven. I'll be back.

Looks good Steve. Background reminds me of where I used to hunt in ND just across the border from Pollock, SD. Roughly where in the state were you?

James,
the SW of the state. We moved some sharpies and my buddy even bagged a hun as well.
Steve

Hi all, went out today with my boy Will and our buddy Joel. It was an interesting day to say the least! The wind was terrific. 25mph sustained and gusts into the 30's. Made hunting tough, birds were spooky, couldn't hunt some of our normal spots, just plain crappy. However, the company was great, Joel as usual was his happy go lucky self and told some great stories. Always a joy to hunt with him, sure wish more folks were like him!

Anyway, Will did manage a bird and we both tag teamed one, so we did get a couple. Raina did well, getting better with her pointing. All in all a good day!

Will with his 12ga Fabarm and Joel with his 12ga Sarriugarte



Best!

Greg

Thanks Greg and Will. Even though I didn't get a shot and the wind was horrendous, it was still a great day. I didn't realize it until I looked at the pic............I need a SHAVE.

Nice buck my son took this morning on my farm:



Not exactly a wingshooting pic, but certainly Game/Gun...Geo

Big ole buck, Geo. Hope he got it out of the fire ant bed quickly.

Gil that's not a fire ant bed, that's a grave. We usually just cut off the horns and bury'em!...Geo

Before I get into another firestorm I'd better point out that was a joke.

Several woodcock I took with my collection of 16 gauge "clunker" hammer guns.

Pretty nice "clunkers" there Dolly...Geo

OUTSTANDING! I love these old double guns and birds they have taken pic's. I'm jealous.

Rick, nice work with those 'doodle hammer guns. I bet that at least one has the fine handiwork of Mark Larson. Gil

Naw, that's a fire ant bed, I know one when I see it. Believe me!!

SRH

Actually two of them have been "handled" by Mark. I seem to get his "castoffs" which isn't a bad thing.

This past Saturday in Junction TX. My son's first trip to rifle hunt on his own. .243 Kimber Montana, 135 yards. Perfect shot on a Black Buck. DRT. I heard the shot from the far canyon and then the text "Black Buck Down".
Made me proud. He's growing up.

Congratulations to your son on his success with the .243. Just going by that smile, I'd bet it won't be his last venture. I hope you get that lovely little antelope mounted for a trophy to remember all his life...Geo

Thanks Geo. We are heading out Friday right after school gets out.
Looking for a nice WT buck or an Axis. He wants a Black Buck rug and the head done in a European mount. Perfect Christmas present.:)
I am blessed.

My 8 year old daughters first piece of game ever, taken tonight with an 870 in 28 gauge cut off at both ends.
My apologies to those who have questioned the taking of squirrels with a shotgun.
CHAZ

If there is a more "redneck" background for a gun/game picture I can't imagine it!

Hi all, a bit OT, but what the heck! This weekend was our deer gun opener, it was a success for us. We had 4 tags (3 doe & 1 buck) to fill, this year the state issued the lowest amount of tags in the last 40 years, so we were lucky. The Friday opener was chilly and windy, not much moving, but Sat and today were nice days. My son Jim and I filled our tags on Sat. morning, we jumped 2 does out of a slough bottom and got both at the same time. My daughter got her buck today. Just need to fill my other sons tag, hope we can do it next Sat.

Anyway........

Me and mine



Jim and his



And my daughter Liz



Best

Greg

My season has been open for a week now. It still feels too warm to be walking around in water and marsh grass in waders. It was ninety degrees Tuesday and I about died from dehydration/heat exhaustion. Saturday the temperature was eighty-five, not much better. It should start cooling down soon and that will make the days more enjoyable.

I shot this 8 point Saturday down here in South GA:



I'd seen him last Sat, working a licking branch. This weekend he came back and I took the neck shot while he was standing straight up on his hind legs. Dropped like a rock. Ruger #1 in .270...Geo

Nice shooting Geo. it is amazing how a well placed neck shot is like switching off a light switch, quite dramatic. Nice buck too!

Thanks Steve. He's not so much a trophy, but I'll take the shot on a grown 8 pt. every time.

I put an old Japanese Tasco variable on the Ruger this year and the eye relief is so short I'm having to shoot the rifle sans the recoil pad...Geo

Snipe hunter, you are a braver man than me wading those FL shallows this early in the year. I always used to wait until the snakes and gators went to bed for the winter...Geo

Try to track down an old Noske scope, 7/8" tube with plenty of eye relief. I think mine is 4x, perfect on a falling block. I mounted one on a quarter rib of a Farquharison I re-barreled a year or so ago for a client.

That scope looks good on a falling block...Geo

Hello Snipe Hunter.
That is a beautifully composed photo of the snipe & swamp.
A joy to look at. I love your work.
O.M.

Greg, what is that Mannlicher stocked rifle? Thanks.

It's a old style (tang safety) Ruger M77 in 7mm-08 and the scope is a Redfield Widefield 1.75x5. I really like her, accurate and has gotten deer for me every year.

Best!

Greg

Hi all, went out today and was it ever a nice day, low winds, 50's and partly sunny, almost a perfect day. Except......the birds didn't cooperate. Spooky for some reason, wouldn't hold point just mean spirited! Did manage a rooster and a hun, so it wasn't a complete wash. Raina did well, no complaints with the dog.

Anyway, I used my 12b Cogswell & Harrison Konor



Best!

Greg

The first time I go out each season I spend the first few minutes staring down at the ground in front of my feet. That's about how long it takes to forget about snakes. You know around here we see cottonmouths and gators year around but by the end of December I usually feel more comfortable taking my dog.

Greg, those are handy little rifles. I have one in .308.

Thank you very much. I imagine that habitat is a little different than where most bird hunters hunt.

Thanks. I'd really like to have a Mannlicher stocked rifle, but I'm much more comfortable with the three position safety on the Model 70.

I hope folks are not getting tired of my deer pics, but this seems to be a banner year down South. My third son, Trent with one he killed this morning at my farm:



As is obvious from the pictures, my kids are kicking my butt!...Geo

Not to mention poor 'ol Bambi's butt!

Holy smokes, look at the main beam on that buck!! That's in Georgia???

Treb, yes it is in middle Ga and I've had the place in QDM for over twenty years. That management program really does pay off...Geo

WOW what a fine buck.

Congratulations on a beautiful trophy. Lots of good burgers to be had there as well!

Geo, the Newberns are have a fabulous deer year. Gil

Thanks Gil. You know it is a fabulous year when even the old wore out once quick draw outlaw gets one!...Geo

He'd a been a nice one next year....

She's still at it.
Just another morning at the office.

Today in the rain.
We experienced collateral damage. Sorry about that.
First 4 for 3 on mallards in a while.

First and most importantly, Happy Veterans Day to everyone that served. You are greatly appreciated.

Today was a nice day. It has been cooler the last couple of nights and today by noon I don't think the temperature was much above seventy degrees. I can go all day in weather like that. The birds sat well enough and I was fortunate to bring eight of them home with me.

Skip, you've picked up where you left off last year. Looks like a lot of highwater in the recent past for that shore edge photo. Gil

Gil, the high water will only make it tougher as the season goes along. We had a big rain from Saturday night into Tuesday that didn't help. So far I've been lucky to guess right when choosing where to go. I will be going back and forth between two lakes this season. Spending many years walking both of them and being familiar with slight changes in elevations at different areas is the only reason I've been successful so far.

I hunted an area yesterday that is about as boggy as anywhere I've hunted. It was the second time I hunted it this year and both times it wore me slap out. I think I will be spending the rest of this season in a couple of places that are a little easier on my aging body.

Hi all, well we filled all of our deer tags (Will got his yesterday), so....now we can pursue our first love, bird hunting! Went out today for a couple hours and we did well, I was able to limit and get a hun and Will got 2 and a hun. Raina worked well today, her pointing is getting much stronger and I can say that we've not lost a wounded bird yet, thanks to her. She chased one today across a wider creek and was able to pin him down. Very happy with her.

Anyway, I used my 12b J. Blanch & Sons (with those evil damascus bbls!):



The days bag with Raina (Will didn't want to be in any pics today):



Best!

Greg

Here's an unusual turkey I shot a few weeks back....sorry for the SBE in the picture.

SBE's ok jOe, use what's best for the situation. Shooting pet Turkeys out of people's back yards is a whole nother question...Geo

Snipe, what is that shotgun?

I was going to comment on that gun also. I have a Birmingham boxlock very much like it only with a scolloped action with a bit more engraving coverage. It is an extractor gun with a Greener-type crossbolt. Mine has Birmingham proofs, but the only other markings on it are the name A. Mathers, Dundee. It was re-stocked by a stockmaker in Canada before I acquired it and he put flutes in the comb.

These two turkeys were flock mates....years back I killed a reddish looking hen have saw a couple of silver phase hens, another white hen and one with a black patch on her wing, my buddy killed a speckled looking gobbler in that area and I've saw one all white wild gobbler in South Carolina.

Freaks of nature are out there....this boards living proof of it.

Frank, how old is Buster? Getting a little grey beard on him. Is that a leash on the tree?

He'll be 12 this next spring...Over 200 hundred fall turkeys have been killed over him. I leash him to a tree after the break or flush he doesn't need a blind or a bag.

Little dogs sure live longer than big ones. That's a lotta birds. You gotta back up pooch?

I stopped counting at 200 a few years back.

Sounds like a lot but Fort Campbell had a very long fall/winter season and a 2 bird a day limit and for 8 or 9 years Tennessee had unlimited tags and a split two week season. Most years we'd get between 25 and 30...by "we" I mean me and the people we took with us.

Only back up I have right now is Busters frozen semen.

jOe; What breed dog is Buster? Nice looking dog. I bet turkey hunting is fun with a dog like that.

My wife with her first wild Flathead Valley rooster of the season, and our dog Kaiser.

dropbox

Trying to move around the dead animal pic concept and still illustrate the joys the outdoors brings.
A wild apple, homemade sausage, and hot, locally grown bean soup, outdoors on a dreary day.

Not jOe, but I think he has posted before that Buster is a Boykin/Wachtelhound cross...Geo

A herd of geese flocked up in my backyard last night.


free upload

free screenshot software

He's father was a proven turkey hunting Boykin Spanial and his mother was a Watchtelhunde....Buster was given to me when he was a little bigger than my hand by a lady from Georgia.

She crossed the Boykin with the Watchtelhunde to boost the Boykin bloodline at the advice of a turkey hunter the late Parker Whedon.

Here's a link to my dog. http://www.turkeydog.org/buster.html

Interesting posts JOe - thanks for sharing. Saw a couple sxs there - a Scott, mebbe?

It is a 1930's Belgian guild gun. It is my lightest 20 gauge gun at 5 lbs, 8 oz. with a 14 1/2" stock and 28" barrels. Nothing fancy, just a no frills extractor gun that seems to shoot close enough to where I point it and is light to carry. The gun I shot the first few times I hunted this year was a fairly light 6 lbs, 2 oz but those ten less ounces feel like a couple of pounds after a few hours of tromping around in a swamp in Florida weather in waders.

Skip

Beautiful gun Skip!!!!

Today's mixed bag.


Purdey & Bella

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,

I see the squirrel, the woody, the quail and the snipe............... but what the heck is that hairy thing hanging near the end of the barrels?

And tell us about the bleached rack on the buck in the second pic.

SRH

I had the privilege of watching some first class bird-dog work last week near Camilla, GA. Beautiful country, great weather, great hunting. Can't wait to go back.

Stan:


Y'all boys don't miss anything do you. According to Federal GW 3 1/2 year old 9 & 10 point faltered about 1 month ago in an area with a diameter of 20 metres. Shooting a snipe, the fella to my right stumbled on the locked antlers. Others are Warbler nests I shot out of trees for the significant other.





Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Who made that damascus knife?

David, I'm sorry but I don't know. I got it and another one like it for a friend. It is from England. I liked the small size for a fixed blade. The blade is 2 1/2" +/-.

I just wondered. It looked a bit like the work of Jim Wurtz. I'm not sure if Jim participated here, but he was on the Shooting Sportsman board and later, the Not board. He made beautiful knives. I have a few. Jim died a few years ago from complications after a dental procedure in Argentina.

Puškarství Novotný v Praze

http://www.puskarstvinovotny.cz/

Kind Regards,


Raimey
rse

Doverham, that 6th picture looks like a Riverview jeep...Geo

Geo, Doverham, are y'all noticing a shift from Boykins among southwest Ga. Quail hunters to English Cockers as pocket-sized retreivers on preserves? They seem to be on the upswing here.

GLS,

I haven't seen English or American cookers work on quail, but I have seen them work on our Pa'tridge while hunting with my dog's trainer. I'm always impressed on how well they work and how biddable they are.

My son and I hunted Montana last month. He is carrying AYA #1 20 gauge with 30" barrels choked cylinder and full. I custom ordered it for him and gave it to him when he graduated from college a decade ago. Lord how time flies.

This is a sharptail he took in an unharvested cornfield.


He made a very nice shot on this rooster.


This is Molly retrieving a Montana rooster. That is a GPS collar, not a training collar.

^^^^ A cornfield no taller than that would be disced under instead of harvested down here.

Nice gun and choice of chokes, too.

That corn was pretty pitiful Steve.

He took that gun when we went to Cordoba dove hunting - again how time flies. Those chokes did work well for him there too. I'm sure the 25 year old eyesight and 25 year old reflexes didn't hurt him either. When a flight of dove came in he would shoot the back trigger and then the front.

Hun?

OOPS! Right, that is a sharptail.

Corrected my post.

Thanks!

Geo - as Raimey sez, you Jawjah boys don't miss much.

GLS - in the last five years of our quail hunting in in GA, I have not seen a Boykin, just cockers. I have not hunted over a Boykin, but have nothing but praise for the cockers I have worked with. Great on the flush, even better on the retrieve.

I've hunted birds over both Boykins and Cockers. Boykins are all nuts. Who doesn't love a Cocker...Geo

And neither are of any use on wild quail...

And neither are of any use on wild quail... [/quote]

True enough. But what's a wild quail?...Geo

Doverham, what kind of breed is seen on the last picture please?

Thanks,
Gunwolf

English Cocker.

Thanks, but I think the ears are rather short for a cocker..!?

Kind Regards,
Gunwolf

True enough. But what's a wild quail?...Geo [/quote]

The wild Quail was a bird that the farm chemical companies destroyed...in the 1980's.

Not extinct but non the less destroyed.

.....and fescue, the world's worst grass, didn't help the quail either.

Quail declined because times changed. I doubt 150 years ago if there were many more quail than there are today. Post civil small farms, 40 acres with a mule, with hedge rows and edge cover became the norm. Birds habitat peaked well before farm chemicals hit their stride. Ask old timers and you will hear by the 50's numbers were going down. At the same time small farms and small fields were being merged into larger ones.

Cover declined as crop changed. Dairy declined, pastures were plowed, ditches cleaned out or made deeper with no tree borders. Fast forward to today, fields are 40 acres and larger not entire farms of 40 acres split into ten or more fields. Mono culture crops, weed and insect control is a must. Small farmers are big investments and large farmers mid size corporations.

When I was a boy deer were fairly rare and turkeys were not to be found. Now you can see fifty to a hundred deer any day and turkeys are very common. Quail are down but other game has moved into their place taking advantage of the void.

She'd get fed at my house...Geo

Geo, it's time to show your granddad's string of quail. Gil

I'm looking at it now on top of the bookcase. Not all that impressive in the day 100 bird released bird shooting or Argentina dove murder photos...Geo

Just for the record:
There are untold millions of Quail here in Arizona. Unfortunately many of them are now in subdivisions where there's plenty of water,food and no hunting pressure whatsoever.
If it were legal I could walk out my front door and shoot my limit in a leisurely stroll down my street.
Jim

Took my beautiful W.O. Schatz Potsdam 12ga out this morning.

Quail are breeding here on our place & there is a cock bird who went on calling all last night.
Even though I could shoot them of the front step I have steak & mutton chops in the fridge.
O.M

Not a pic with a shotgun - yet - but it's coming. In the meantime, these are my 2015 favorites so far.

Here's one, Gil, taken in Marietta, GA 1905



SRH

Hello Brent. Two widely divergent examples of some fine meals this winter. Nice rifles as well; what are they?...Geo

Fabulous Brent!

Hi Brent:

What is the re-barreled Ballard chambered in..?... Also the re-barreled Low Wall, guessing .22 on that one...?...

Thanks....

Best

The Ballard is not rebarreled. It is a stone-cold original .45-70. Loaded with paper patched bullets and black of course.

The Winchester Lowwall is another matter. The outer barrel that you see is an original .38-55 barrel bored out to 0.6" or so and then relined with a 17" Lilja barrel and chambered as a .22 target rifle. It has lots of other modifications that come and go as needed. It was my first custom rifle, and it is more customized than any I have ever seen.

Most interesting point of that picture is its 1905 and already 2 guys out of 3 are using repeaters. The doubles craze that has swept America must of ended pretty quick as soon as the repeater showed up.

BrentD, you got the right idea about rifle guns!

The guy with the SxS has this look that says gezzz I think I might have hit one.

Stan, the man on the right, Judge Newt Morris, was somehow connected with the Leo Frank lynching, after the fact, in the early 1900's. He and his two buddies did, however, lynch the 101 quail in the photo. Gil

Leo probably deserved it....

Hi all, Will and I went out today with the hopes of a duck hunt, but, everything was froze over. We had a cold snap here and also very high winds the other day, so it looks like the ducks blew out of the state. Not even the geese were flying, did see a bunch of snows, but couldn't hunt them. We did walk a couple areas for pheasants, saw a lot, but hard to hunt without a dog. Who knows how many we passed by. Anyway, we each managed to scratch one down a piece.

Will with his 12ga Fabarm



I used my 12ga Merkel 147E



Best!

Greg

I'd hate to stand across the bench from him, on the wrong side of the law. Man, he's got cold eyes. Probably cut from the Judge Roy Bean cloth.

SRH

Hi all, was only able to go out for a couple hours after Church today. Tough hunting, winds are at 20-25 with gusts up to 30. God I HATE wind! Anyway, was able to get one (and I'm thankful for that!).

I was using my 16b Charles Hellis



Best!

Greg

Posted for King Brown:

Jake (2003-2015) Gunned hard and happily, died peacefully with dignity.

Great photo,King. Gil

King, that's a fine looking Lab. Lots of personality in that face.

R.I.P.

Twelve all too short years, that's all we get from a companion that from the start we can't live without.

Man o man King,he was handsome !!! old time St .Johns water dog if there ever was one !

That looks like what a classic black lab is supposed to look like. Classic name too.

RIP, he looks like one of the great ones.

Last Saturday morning was very cold and the deer were rutting hard. The guide spotted this guy bedded up with a doe sunning himself early in the afternoon from a couple of miles away. We drove to within about a half mile of the buck and used the terrain to put a sneak on him.

SKB,

Wow, dandy Buck!

What did you shoot him with?

.25/06 I built on a mauser action way back in gunsmithing school.

Lucy and I with a couple of Sharpies and a Rooster

A great day to be on the prairie yesterday. Sunny and low 40's and not too much wind. We managed a limit on roosters.

King. Fine looking dog. Know he will be missed. Hard to find a second one I know but I'd try. Dog and kids make the hunt for me and I'm done having kids. Sorry for your loss.

I have never been able to find a second dog like the first, but I've always found another just as amazing but totally different. I've been blessed with the top 7 best dogs that ever lived, and I suspect several here might say the same thing.

Annie was working a mixture of Multiflora Roses and Reed Canary Grass. I couldn't see her, but could track her progress by her bell and the movement from the tops of the grass.
After her bell went quiet and the grass quit moving, I waited. I was about to throw a rock into the tangle when Annie bolted out the cover and ran along the edges for about 20 yards and then dove into the heavy stuff, but this time she was coming to me.
Her bell sounded for a few seconds and then all was quiet and I could see her head and shoulders in the Multiflora Roses. She was in a classic pointing stance, left leg up and what I could see of her body was stretched out towards the hidden bird, but this time she facing the opposite direction from her original point. Our eyes met and we had an instant understanding.
As I stood there with a smile on my face the rooster cackled and went airborne. I shot and the bird folded, dead in the air.
I asked Annie to fetch and as soon as I said it I knew there was going to be a problem. The fence that she had to go through is a very tight 7 strand barbed wire fence with only about 6" of space between the wires.
She was able to get through the fence and scooped up the bird. Getting back was difficult with the bird in her mouth. She manage and added a few more rips to her vest, delivering the bird to me with tail buzzing.
Annie was not just hunting, but " Hunting To The Gun, " the epitome of a working bird dog.
We will have the rooster and one of his buddies for Thanksgiving and Annie will get a taste.

Gorgeous day in the woods chasing the king!

Hi all, Will and I went out today for a couple hours before the big event (eating that is!) It was a cold one, about 14, but lighter winds. Saw lots of hens, but not many boy birds. We did manage one each however. Raina did well also!

I used my 12b H&H Royal



Will used his 16ga Sauer Royal



and.....Raina!



Best!

Greg

From Tuesday

Bet you've never seen this posted here before.

Thanksgiving ambrosia.
Roasted, undrawn, Woodcock with Cumberland sauce on a fried bread raft.


Andrew Carnegie never had it so good.

Wow, that's a first alright! Never been served That for Thanksgiving; I'd try it though...Geo

I have heard of cooking Woodcock undrawn, but have never had it. Can you describe the taste and would you share the recipe?
Thanks

I made two recipes. Roasted Undrawn Woodcock with a sauce made from the trail(guts),


and Roasted Undrawn Woodcock with Cumberland sauce. (As seen in earlier post)

And I ate the brains as well. On toast points, dug out of the skulls with the lower jaw. Like a creamy raisin sized globe of joy.

Hopefully our UK contingent approve of my efforts.

Now Clapper Zapper is a man who's got some guts. ;-)). Actually, it doesn't look like there is much to their excrement which is called 'chalk'. I'd try it too. A lot of work, but I wonder if plucking rather than skinning would add anything to the gastronomic delight?

Iv taken shxxs that looked more appetizing...

Don't anyone freak out!
But only careful plucking will do.

This brace were:
Frozen whole within minutes of shooting.
Dunked and shaken briefly in a cauldron of 167 degree water, with a dash of Murphy's oil soap added.

Carefully plucked, starting with the wings, working up the feather tracks, around the beaks, and finishing at the eyelids.
Then another quick swish in the water (smelled faintly like plucking a chicken) and finished with tweezers.
Rinsed in cold water, all wounds probed with tweezers to remove any shot or drawn feathers, rinsed, and patted dry.

The skin of migratory woodcock is resinous with fat. You can see it in the scald water, and it gets on your fingers as you pluck them.

When carefully done, you end up with these (a boy and a girl).



Apologies if these food prep photos are over the top.

Fortune favors the bold, Gunut.

Woodcock evacuate when they flush. The trail carries no chalk.

I'm guessing Ortolan's might be beyond some members here.

no problem...Iv eaten woodcock before but Id pass on that presentation...

That reminds me of comparative vertebrate anatomy lab classes. Or maybe the contents of Jeffrey Dahmer's refrigerator. Just about as appetizing too.

Guts is guts. There is a reason we gut our game and leave entrails in the field to rot. Guts are natures equipment to extract nutrients from food and turn what's left into feces. Guts are filled with partially digested food, feces, and feces in process. Eating feces is called Coprophagia. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about that:

"Coprophagia or coprophagy is the consumption of feces. The word is derived from the Greek copros, "feces" and phagein, "to eat". Coprophagy refers to many kinds of feces eating, including eating feces of other species (heterospecifics), of other individuals (allocoprophagy), or its own (autocoprophagy) – those once deposited or taken directly from the anus.[2]

In humans, coprophagia has been observed in individuals with mental illness. Some animal species eat feces as a normal behavior; other species may not normally consume feces but do so under very unusual conditions."

I saw your brussel sprout side dish on the other site....looks like sprouts, rutabaga, and English walnuts....Id of just had a double helping of that,looks very tasty....

I don't think coprophagy is an accurate description of the French method of roasting woodcock.

Hi all, my boys and I went out for a bit today, but we didn't see a lot of birds, kind of odd for where we went. Oh well, I suppose tomorrow they'll be all over the place!

Anyway, I managed 2, I used my 16b Charles Boswell



Will got 1 with his 16ga Sauer Royal



Will, Raina & Jim. Jim didn't score, but he used his 16ga AyA Matador



We'll see what tomorrow brings!

Greg

No pictures here, but I managed just one bird today on some of the worst shooting of all time... Dog work was good though

Nice photos, Greg. Keep'em comin'

Hi all, Will and I went out today around the house, but didn't see a lot of birds, it was a beautiful day, sun, in the 30's and low winds. Just no birds. I was able to shoot a limit, but lost one. Raina wasn't able to find him. Oh well. We did bust into some Huns and we each got one. Not a bad day overall!

Will with his Hun and his 16ga Sauer



I used my 12b F.A. Anderson



Best!

Greg

I finally got out with my Wm Schaefer 10ga using RST and my 14yr old was shooting my Ideal. I never fired a shot but couldnt resist the background for my Schaefer. The Ideal and a trio of Browning A5(two 12 and one 20ga) used by my kids accounted for the birds on the ground.

Reb, nice looking guns. Don't see many lovely Ideal Lunettes...Gil

Hi all, very good day today, my son Will and I limited within a couple hours. Will limited first and it took me about a hour to do the same. Weather was perfect, sun, in the 30's and low winds.

Will and his Sauer 16ga



I used my self cocking ejector SIACE 12ga



Me with my lucky hat!



And the star of the day...Raina. She was really done well very happy with her performance this year.



Best!

Greg

Postoak has a 16 with lovely engraving and an unusual stock.

Great pictures, Greg. Nice hammer gun! I'd like to find one similar.

Thanks Joe! Kind of a story behind this one. I her bought from Carolina Sports, used her for a season, sold her (don't ask me why!). Then she resold to someone else, who e-mailed me asking if I'd like to buy her. Heck, I missed that gun and kicked myself for ever selling her. The answer was easy...of course. She's been a very good gun, shoots where I point and does her job. She weighs 6-13 and choked IC/Full.

Glad I have her back!

Thanks again for the kind words!

Greg

Greg, you and your boys have had a great season so far. Always good to see the family and friends photos. Good that you kept Joel on the right path a few weeks ago. Gil

Thanks GLS for the kind words! Yep that old Joel can go off the path at times(Ha, Ha,). But seriously, he really is a great guy. I need to go out with him again, soon.....we always enjoy his company and great stories

Gil, the wind that day with Greg and Will almost blew me down to Georgia.

Love the Allis the backgound. A WC or WD?

A couple of pictures from last Friday. We keep getting rain and I have too much water at all the places I hunt. I have been lucky so far to find a few birds each day but even rotating areas I can only hunt the same place every couple of weeks. It looks like one hunt per week is all I am going to get this year.

Those hip boots won't turn a cottonmouth strike...Geo

They sure won't. They are still the best thing I've found for hunting in Florida weather. The season is still young and eventually the mud will get crusty from frost but so far I've hunted more days when the teperature was above eighty degrees than below. That snake had the right attitude. It allowed me approach from behind and walk around and squat for a closeup shot. I kept my barrels between me and it just in case it got stupid. It never opened its mouth and only extended its tongue to smell the barrels which were less than a foot from its head.

I usually don't kill them either, unless they get aggressive which moccasins are liable to do. I enjoy your snipe shooting updates...Geo

I appreciate that. My policy with venomous snakes it simple, their attitude determines their fate.

Skip, as bright as those colors are on the cottonmouth, I suspect it recently molted. I saw a big one while turkey hunting last spring and the coloration wasn't as pronounced. I've heard varying appraisals of the aggressiveness of cottonmouths from docile to damn near full speed ahead charging. I've never had one act agressively, but then I don't try to pick them up or engage with them. I know you eagerly await cooler temps so Jackson can tag along or vice versa.
Gil

Great pics, Skip. Always enjoys yours. What percentage of flushes would you say give you a shot?

I've had cottonmouths act as docile as lambs, and as aggressive as anything you could imagine. Herpetologists boo-hoo any claims of aggressiveness with them. Call it what you will, but when I was a kid I had a big one try his best to climb in the boat with me while I frantically emptied a Nylon 66 at him. Never hit him .......... 14 times. I was a touch excited. He finally made it to the other end of the boat where Grandaddy swiftly brought his cypress boat paddle to bear edgewise upon the swimming moccasin, who also politely, ceased to try to enter said boat. End of moccasin. Back to fishing.

I remember Grandaddy saying he had broken several good boat paddle on moccasin's backs.

SRH

Skip is a fabulous shot, so his results will be different than those of mere mortals.

Stan, I get a shot "on the rise" most of the time.
When they then tower, I only get a second shot when the wind brings them back over me at about 40 yards height.

They don't take much to kill, but they fly like nothing else.
Did I mention they mock you as they tower away?

The densities in the GL region ebb and flow with rain and migration. Skip shoots where they winter, so, in a good pasture he should see man, many more than up here.

If you can shoot swing through and kill snipe as they tower, you're a hell of a shot.

neat post! I don't mind snakes providing a little extra "excitement" to a bird hunt. When the "terror" starts, I start shootin'! (I consider having them anywhere near a bird dog, terrifying....).

A couple ruffies

I had a similar experience one day fishing a bass tournament.
Spotted the bugger as he slid off a log and headed directly for my boat. I flipped a jig and chunk at him (which he apparently took exception to)and bee lined toward boat. I had the water beat to froth before he finally disappeared. Like the old Jim Stafford song...."I don't like spiders and snakes"

I hesitate to take the Game/Gun picture thread any further off topic, but just wondered whether anyone around here had ever been actually bit by a poisonous snake? I had a moccasin strike me once on the leg but it was a 'dry strike'. Worst of it was he got his fangs stuck in my pants leg and I did quite a dance before he came loose!...Geo

Had a rattler strike my work boot in Wyoming. Being from a snake free zone, I never expected it. The buzz didn't register, and I never gave snakes in the warm iron pile any thought.
Kinda felt like I hit my foot with a stick. Just a quick thump.
Little guy, maybe 18" long. No penetration near as I can tell.

They still aren't typically on my radar.
Hornets, now that's another matter entirely.

Geo, a local man I know was bitten above boot top by a rattler season before last when he was coming out of the woods at dark after deer hunting. He was hospitalized for a week. A turkey hunting buddy was bitten on the finger by a small cottonmouth. My buddy was cleaning out an ornamental fish pond in his yard this summer when the 12" moccasin nailed him. His finger swelled and the wound area blackened and sloughed off, but no anti-venom was necessary for treatment.
Lessons learned: wear snake boots when hunting the low country when temps are balmy and avoid yard work at all costs.

Dam straight!...Geo

You guys zeroed in on the important part. No yard work during hunting season! Not only is it time better spent chasing critters with guns, but also, one could get injured in doing yard work and be forced to miss some or all of the seasons. Much too risky.

"one could get injured in doing yard work and be forced to miss some or all of the seasons."

You sure have that right Friend! Moved to SC and inherited a large wooden deck in desperate need of a mildew wash; which job was eventually tackled after weeks of constant "encouragement" from my wife. In the process I managed to slip and fall, broke my right femur at the hip joint; and haven't been able to do much of anything physically demanding since, especially hunting. That little mishap took place two plus years ago now, and the only hunting I can do these days is the "sit down" type (a couple of dove shoots and a deer hunt or two; can't even walk around in the woods w/o falling, the very thought of falling the source of nightmares now). Even have difficulty shooting skeet, as I lose my balance on recoil. In short, as I have always been a very active person who lived for outdoor adventures, these past two years have been no fun. So heed these yard work admonitions and believe me when I tell you that, if I could have a do-over of that fateful Saturday afternoon in October, 2013; I'd gladly pay a pro to wash that deck. Whatever the cost would have been a drop in the bucket to the surgery and doctor bills that resulted; and oh what I would have given to have avoided the pain and struggle to become "normal" again!

But please keep posting these great pics and hunting stories, as they are thoroughly enjoyed; and bring back so many memories of those great times enjoyed afield.

This is my 1938 Belgian Guild gun that I just refinished (my first refinishing project). It weighs in at 6 pounds 4 ounces and I had the chokes opened to IC/Mod. I took it out this past Saturday and got my first Ruffie.

VictoryXC: That is a neat little boxlock. Who made it? Also, where is all the snow? Pretty cool to still be out chasing grouse up there this late.

Topgun: Sorry to hear about your injury. I try to be grateful for every season that I get to enjoy. In the spirit of entertainment-value, here is my last little adventure....



.....and the reason for going:



As I mentioned on another website, birds are much easier to carry. The Red Gods have smiled upon me yet again. This Fall (2015) is shaping up to be a pretty good one for filling my freezer.

In the immortal words of Police Chief, Martin Brody, "you're gonna need a bigger boat (sled)"

Custom Fox 20 gauge.

BrentD: Yeah.....you walk up on'em when it's all over and you know just how you're gonna feel the next day. We had two animals down, so I was bent over this one for something like four hours (it's much easier with a second set of hands), getting it ready for transport (IE., making it fit the sled).

Another sweet Belgium built Guild gun similar to Snipe Hunters!!!!

Gil, that snake had really nice colors and he was a fatty. Would have made a really nice belt. I’ve seen a variety of reactions from cottonmouths. Were the ones that appeared aggressive actually in a defensive mode and trying to intimidate? I don’t know. Hopefully Jackson can get out soon. It won’t be more than a couple of times this year because I’m hunting very thick cover. I don’t worry as much on the big open mud flats when the water is lower.

Stan, birds flushed to shots taken varies greatly. There have been days when I hunted large mud flats almost completely barren when I might flush 250 or more before getting enough birds to flush in range. This year is the exact opposite and the last few times I have flushed around a dozen birds. Seeing fewer birds caused me to take chances and break rules last Friday. Twice I shot two birds. My first rule is to never shoot a second bird (unless the first one falls in wide open water). My second rule is to never take my eyes off the exact mark of a fallen bird when retrieving it. I can’t break rule number two without also breaking rule number one. Neither of those two incidents were true doubles but just pairs where the second bird flushed at the shot of the first. From where I shot the angles between the first and second were approximately 60 and 90 degrees. My punishment was spending at least forty-five minutes looking for three of the birds with some of that time on my hands and knees in marsh thick marsh grass waist high or taller.

CZ, I wish I could shoot that well. Just because you might have heard me say it on the internet doesn’t make it so. Heck, I would be happy if I just had two guns that fit the same. I also only shoot birds on the flush as a rule. I don’t shoot at passing birds because I feel that it is one of the things that will run heavily pressured birds off. I would rather just let them settle back in even if it is a quarter or a half mile away. The only time I will kill an overhead bird is if I have someone else with me and I can tell them to “watch this” before I shoot it.

George, I was a surveyor for twenty years. Once while working my instrument man came over to me with a small pygmy rattlesnake in the palm of his hand. He had two small streams of blood running down one of his fingers. There was no burning sensation so after making a couple of phone calls we went to a walk-in clinic. They took some blood which tested fine. I believe they were checking his white blood cell count but I could be mistaken. I think he also got a tetanus shot and then we went back to work.

VictoryXC, that is a nice looking gun, more ornate than my plain 20 gauge. I like a light gun too and that is one of the reasons I got mine.

You are too modest Skip.
If you can fill a strap with a 410 or 28, you are a fine shot.
My best day ever was 8/25. Though I have had days where I shot 5 straight.
Our terrain is different. Wet spots in pastures are good. Edges of marshes. Sheet water after a rain.
Never big numbers like you see.

I've gotten close a couple of times with a 28 gauge. Once after missing the first bird of the day twice I killed the next eight birds with eight shells. Year before last I was using a different 28 gauge gun and with seven birds in my bag and seven empty shells in my pocket my heart was about to jump out of my chest. At the same time I had a feeling that I couldn't miss and of course when the next bird flushed the real shooter came out in me and I missed. It wasn't one of those cases where the gun was moving in one direction and as the trigger was pulled the bird did the zigzag move, it was just a missed shot. After that monkey was off my back I killed my last bird with the next shot. I forget what year I first shot snipe with a four-ten, I think it was 2006. I do know on that first day I brought home forty-two empty hulls. It was humbling. By the fourth or fifth time it wasn't quite as embarrassing. I'm thinking fourteen shells is as well as I have done with that gun on its and my best day. I did start one day off going five for four but that was with a 20 gauge gun. Since I'm already bragging, I will tell of what I consider my greatest shooting feat and without any embellishment. My old rainy day gun was a single-shot Boito four-ten hammer gun that was handed down. It weighs next to nothing, has a short barrel, and probably balances 3"-4" behind the trigger guard. I actually managed to bag five snipe in the pouring rain one day and did not use my entire box of shells. To me that is worth bragging about.

Hi all, went out today with my son Will, was a real nice day weather wise. Saw birds, I was lucky and was able to limit. Will got one and Raina did well. Could not complain about the day one bit, good company, good weather and good dog work.

I used my 16ga Ugartechea Model 1030



Will used his 16ga Sauer



And................Raina



Best!

Greg

Thanks for the positive comments!

Lloyd3, still no snow as of today.

I have not been able to figure out who the maker is. Stamps include 1)JF: Jean Falla - barrel maker 2)DH - unknown 3)TF - unknown 4)A 3 lobe crowned D - unknown 5)The number 12 - unknown

Hi all, my sons Will , Jim & I went out for a couple hours today, not much in the way of birds, saw very few. Just one of those days I guess. Anyway Jim was one only one who connected.

Jim was using his V. Sarasqueta 12ga 3CE



Best!

Greg

It's already into December and I'm just now having my first quail hunt of the season. Found one nice big covey and killed one bird. Then we jump shot a small slough hoping for some wood ducks and actually found about 20-30 green-winged teal. Was able to get my first one ever. Beautiful duck!

Ithaca 100(SKB), 20 gauge and 16 ga. M37 with 3M.
(Menacing Mobile MutPac) First day of the season. River in flood stage covering old coverts, but got lucky and found more on the hill. As usual, dog work better than gun work.

Well done Gil!
Beautiful dogs too!

Need any help cooking your timberdoodles?

Good work Gil...Geo

Adam, congratulations on bagging your 1st greenwing! Beautiful little birds. I see great flocks of them sometimes in Saskatchewan. One year I decided to forego the usual 16 bird mallard limit to bring home and kept greenwings instead. It was a good decision, best eating duck I've found next to summer ducks, of course...Geo

Nice job, Adam. Remind me to tell you a story about teal next time we meet up.

Gil, you scored well Saturday! You're right about the river being high. You were way out on the hill, I'd imagine.

SRH

Very nice Gil. It's been years since I've even seen a woodcock.

Third phase dove season is open in Georgia now, and the slow low-rollers are gone. Much tougher shooting and my results show it.

My gun is a 12ga hammer badged E.Reese&Son, Christchurch with "Symonds Keeper Gun" on the rib. I googled E.Reese&Co and it was a New Zealand Hardware store. It has Birmingham proofs:



My friend Murray's gun is a Fox A-Grade:



Yes, I know my dove decoy is actually a green-winged teal but the doves don't seem to see any problem with that...Geo

Beautiful gun MilRob. Probably my favorite grade of Fox. Early C grades....just about perfect.

A gorgeous gun!! Very, very nice.

Thanks for the kind words. I really like that little CE

Played hooky with Floyd today and hunted a new location. Found a covey of wild birds in the thickest woodcock tangle imaginable. Not used to hearing a roar in woodcock terrain. 16 ga. A. Ilsley. MutPac + 1 (Sadie)

Gil great picture.Glad you had a great hunt with that beautiful double. Bobby

Got in a little duck and goose hunt yesterday. It was balmy 37 degrees in the morning got into the 50s, one of the warmest hunts I have participated in.
Im always amazed at the beauty of God's Creation!
The Fox CE performed great with my 1992 stash of bb bismuth but the triggerguard hammers my fingers everytime I pull the trigger. Thats what I get for using one of the few non damascus guns I own!

That second picture is mighty fine Reb, Way to go!
There's still 30,000+ mallards sitting up here, and our season is closed. We have a couple days coming up to get some real fine shooting in.

Again, great photos.

Some beautiful Foxes the last few days....

How about an old Remington 722 in .300 Savage. This is the second deer my son has dropped in its tracks with the old girl.

Hi all, some really great pics you guys are posting, just beautiful! My hats off to each of you, your photographic skills make me look like a 3rd grader!

Anyway, Will & I went out today after we got 4" of snow yesterday, didn't see a lot of birds.....just one of those days, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Anyway, I managed 1 and was using my 16ga FN



Best!

Greg

Greg,
I enjoy the pics of that FN every time I see it.

1918 BE Fox

Having to shoot a few doves between harvesting days. My shooting has had a hurt put on it this season because of all the rain down heah'. This was last Saturday afternoon. Eight of us tried to shoot a 45 acre peanut field. Hard to hem 'em up with that few people. I took a bad stand to begin with and finally moved to a stand where there were more birds moving. Several shooters got a limit. Big, mature birds.

RIOs, 1 oz. 7 1/2s.

SRH

Stan, a worthy participant in the parade of Foxes. Big ole birds. Gil

Yesterday, amazing December weather, fun public land hunt in SD. Dogs are 3 year old Piper and 10 year old Zuni.

Jay

Driven Hunt season comes to the end here in Germany and yesterday I shot two Foxes with my Custom made Mauser 98 Stutzen. DWM System, Kal. .308. This is Fox number 2

Cheers,
Gunwolf

That is a beautiful rifle.

That is a beautiful Mauser.

That is a beautiful rifle. I would love to have a Mannlicher stocked rifle, but most seem to have the butter knife bolt which I don't especially like. Yours is just right. The only thing I would do differently is use the Talley type quick release rings and bases.

Yellow Lab Stella, a pair of Wood Ducks she retrieved, an old hammer-gun that took them, and an aging duck hunter:



I hope I never tire of dawn in the South!...Geo

George, tell us about the gun and what loads you used.

Rio Bismuth 1 1/16th oz #5 loads, 12ga, 2 3/4". The gun is Birmingham proofed built and badged for a New Zealand hardware store in Christchurch called E. Reese & Son. The name on the steel barrel rib is 'Symonds Keeper Gun'...Geo






Maybe someone can decipher the proof marks to determine when it was proofed?

Interesting! I have a Birmingham (Cashmore) gun also badged for New Zealand, though no particular hardware store like yours. It is a damn good "meat gun".

Gunwolf, my compliments as well on your full stocked Mauser. My reason for posting though is the picture of your red fox.

It may be the angle of the photo, but to me it appears that the animal has abnormally short legs; almost like a dachshund. Is that normal for European foxes?

I've seen foxes in Argentina which had such short legs; perhaps European transplants. Our foxes in the USA seem to have much longer legs...Geo

Brent, your New Zealand shooter is a lot nicer than my "Keeper Gun", but you are right, they make great knockabout guns. Is your dog an English Cocker? Looks like a fun dog to be around!...Geo

Yes, mine is pretty nice condition and overall make but it's a long way from a "best gun".

The dog (the same in both pictures) is Gus and he is a 72# golden retriever. That second picture was taken opening weekend just shy of his 4-month birthday, so he looks like a little tyke. He is hell on the birds though.

Here he is again with a little bit of an Evans 16b

Very nice dog, BrentD !

@Geo:

Of course the legs of our Foxes are not as long as those of our girls...
But indeed there came several points together. 1. the angel of the picture. 2. all Foxes are very well fed this year. 3. they have a very thick Winter pelt. On the picture you can see some more of that day, and their legs seem to be "normal"...
But indeed my Fox (last picture) seems to be a bit short legged.







Cheers,
Gunwolf

Geo, thanks for the compliments for my Mauser, but all the credit is due to him:

http://www.waffen-velser.de

Cheers,
Gunwolf

That's for damn sure.

I generally hunt in the evenings for 30-45 minutes and rarely shoot more than one bird. This evening Annie was working a mixture of Multiflora Roses and Reed Canary Grass. I couldn't see her, but could track her movement by her bell and the movement from the tops of the grass.
After her bell went quiet and the grass quit moving, I waited. I was about to throw a rock into the tangle when Annie bolted out the cover and ran along the edges for about 20 yards and then dove into the heavy stuff again, but this time she was coming to me.
Her bell sounded for a few seconds and then all was quiet and I could see her head and shoulders in the Multiflora Roses. She was on point facing the opposite direction from her original point.
She had run in front of the bird and headed it off. I've had only one dog that has performed that feat. As I stood there with a smile on my face the rooster cackled and went airborne. I shot the bird with my 16 Ga. using 1 oz. of #6 NP shot and bird folded, dead in the air.
I asked Annie to fetch and as soon as I said it I knew there was going to be a problem. The fence that she had to go through is a very tight 7 strand barbed wire fence with only about 6" of space between the wires.
She managed to get through the fence and scooped up the bird. Getting back was difficult with the bird in her mouth. She manage and added a few more rips to her vest, delivering the bird to me with tail buzzing.

If you want to teach a dog to circle birds, hunt them in strip cover with the wind at your back. After a couple of screw ups the light will come on. How many depends on the dog. Most of mine, but not all, have learned to do this.

HTH

Why kill a fox?
JR

A no name Belgium hammer gun,31 inch blued Damascus barrels weighting slightly less than 6 lbs with a Pa.late season chocolate phase grouse taken over my setter Emma.

Well, there are several reasons:

1. It is a great hunting experience shooting a Fox (small, quick, smart) with a rifle. Much more difficult than to shoot a wild boar or deer.

2. The Fur is not only a trophy, but also welcome with my wife and suitable for many purposes.

3. In only wood hunting grounds the Fox normally is useful, but if population increased, they become ill with scabies, so it's better to shoot some in time.

It's always important to held the balance. In the region where the pictures are taken, they shoot Foxes only once or twice a year on about 3000 ha.

Cheers,
Gunwolf

BTW, in former times the Fox was shot for food. It was a quite desired delicacy on the Courts. Times and taste have changed!

And in many places, like here in CA, red foxes are an invasive species that causes havoc with ground nesting birds that aren't adapted to avoid them, as well as pushing out our native gray foxes ("tree foxes" where I come from).

In some areas, the resurgent coyote has solved this particular environmental problem (to supplement its ordinary diet of alley cats, Chihuahuas and senior citizens....).

Gunwolf, that was an amazing pic with the day's bag laid out on the ground. I'm curious, how many shooters were involved? You said driven? I assume that means beaters were involved? I ask as I've never participated in something of that nature, and the logistics intrigue me.

Mergus

Mergus,
this is an old tradition in Germany. The game was laid on the floor on the right(!) side. Some of the hunters play a special signal for each kind of game, in this case: Wild Boar, Roe Deer, Fox and after that the signal "Hunt over". This is a moment of reflection for all of us.
I think in this hunt with beaters and of course several dogs, there were involved about 30-35 shots and about nearly as many beaters. We had 35 Wild Boar, 22 Roe Deer and 11 Foxes. It was a good hunt!

Cheers,
Gunwolf

Gunwolf, that is so interesting. Thanks for posting. We have some traditions, but not the same as yours. How about noodling for catfish, hunting raccoons with a jumping mule, using predator calls, or using a whistle to attract Sitka Blacktail deer ? All fun.

Did you save any of those early red fox recipes ? Daryl

You gotta see a South Georgia deer drive with dogs....

That is...dogs, rednecks, pick-em-up trucks with mud tires and radios complete with tall antennas and a big dog box to sit on so as to stay off the ground and away from loose buckshot rounds!...Geo

A South Georgia dog drive might involve 25 people or more and if anyone kills anything, the horns, if any, go to the lucky shooter, and he or she gets a hind-quarter. The rest is cut up and everyone goes home with some meat...Geo

Dollysods, I've heard of red and gray phase ruffed grouse, but never a chocolate phase. Are they common?...Geo

sounds a little like an Iowa deer drive, where, if more than one of the shooters survive, they often divide up the deer as well.

About ten years ago all my cousins decided to do a deer drive. I asked them to do it on one of my farms. There are three sections of woods, marsh separates them on the small peninsula the farm sits on. River to the back , open field cover the front two thirds. They drove two sections of woods which forced the deer into the fields as they ran from wood to woods. The brighter cousin pointed out that they had killed 21 deer after two sections and maybe they ought not drive the third.

After a few beers they kind of agreed. They drove the last section but did not shoot anymore deer. Now the number of deer goes up every year but the smartest and most likely most correct cousin counted over sixty deer that flameout of here. They were busy until well after dark dealing with all the deer they harvested. I got two tenderloins and the farmer got a lot less deer to feed the next year. Deer drives can be very effective but it took 20 people to make it work and then the real work started.

Gunwolf, I had the pleasure of hunting when I was in Germany 1966-67. I became friends with a German fireman who worked on our kaserne and I was invited to hunt on his father's place when I told him I had bought a Remington 11-48,.410. He asked what I was going to shoot with this as he had a Franchi 20ga. I told him I could kill as much as he could with his.
In the mornings we hunted just with myself, my friend his son and the father. The afternoon is when hunters arrived to go on a big hunt for Hungarian partridge, hares but too early for pheasant as they would not bring as much at the market if not fully plumaged. All the game was sold and you could buy it from them if you wanted.

I was wondering if that is still the tradition.

Jon, does Maryland issue deer depredation permits to farmers who have excessive crop damage?

I know exactly how your farmer feels about being happy to see 21 deer gone.


SRH

Stan we can get permits. They used them for that harvest. I had 75 permits that year. Deer numbers were getting out of hand. A hunter could harvest 12-16 deer that year if he used bow, rifle, primitive long gun and took advantage of all the special seasons and special permits.

We had about a 40% die off last year. Not information that is widely spread. In fact the DNR will dispute those numbers but I saw the dead deer with my own eyes. we had forty in one ten acre section of the woods. And total number of deer this year are down but far from down enough. The real problem is/was that deer were becoming so concentrated in some areas that if any disease were to enter the heard the entire heard might be wiped out in days to a week. My one farm is a small peninsula that deer go to hide in the thick woods and marsh areas. Too concentrated and too locked into their little hidden hole.

On one other farm we can no longer raise soybeans. You don't just loose the outside six to ten rows you loose them all by the harvest time. The problem should be better next year. The hunters were given an ultimatum, harvest more deer or loose the lease. They shot seventeen bucks last year and three does. You know the harvest of does is critical to heard management. If they don't remove 24 does this year along with at least a dozen bucks they will not be allowed to return. They have from Sept until Jan with bow, long gun and special primitive seasons. And if they can not show me 36 checking tags for that farm they will be gone. I am tired of deer numbers going up almost every year.

All told my three farms and my fathers farm should have 80-120 deer harvested. Anything less and they will eat us out of house and home unless deer (aids) hits them and they suffer a major die off. I am really afraid that that is coming, some viral infection outbreak that reduces the heard by half or two thirds. You just can not have ever increasing number of animals for ever without some check by mother nature.

Shoot all the does you need to take out of the herd as early in the season as you can. Shoot your bucks late, but get the does out of the herd as early as you can. That way they have to eat every day until you shoot them. Dramatically thinning your doe heard will raise bigger bucks too.

A friend of mine approached a big land owner nearby and asked if he ever let anyone hunt his ground. The guy said, yup. You have to cut down thirty cedar trees and shoot five does before you can kill a buck.

No they are rare, but in my area of Pa.(southcentral) any grouse can be considered rare.

David that's a great idea. I may incorporate it into my lease. I don't care about the cedar trees, but the sweetgums really fill up my pine plantations as they are being thinned and allow light on the ground...Geo

South Georgia deer dogs are not on equal footing with the glamour hounds of a French Chateau. While well treated by some, they are the cannon fodder of the canine hunting world, at least around here. There are exceptions. Dolly, a pitiful looking skin and bones beagle, was found by me in a remote river swamp while woodcock hunting over 12 miles and a week from where and when the pack was released. Fortunately she was collared with a phone number on a tag. The owner was overjoyed to get her back as she was his daughter's favorite and a pet as well. Abby was glad to see her exit my truck's floorboard as Dolly had wolfed down Abby's Milk Bones. Walter told me the story of a man he once hunted with who emptied the local dog pounds for prospective deer dogs. While hunting with the motley pack, one lagged behind. The man pulled out a ball peen hammer from his pouch. "What are you going to do with that hammer?" "Kill that worthless dog." Walter begged him not to do it and the man didn't. At least not while Walter was around.

That's horrible. I'm not a great shot, but I've never had a dog come at me with a hammer as a result.

Daryl, her you find a recipe of today. In Switzerland they use to eat the so called "Fuchspfeffer", a special meal as you can see in the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQscFhF5iiQ

But they made a mistake in my eyes, because they didn't look for trichina, which is very, very important, because the Fox is an all eater as well as the Wild Boar!

Will look for an old recipe and let you know.

Cheers,
Wolfgang

Wolfgang, is trichina the same as trichinosis here. ? A disease from pork , here, but mostly eliminated today. We loved your youtube cooking adventure, but I am not sure, yet, if I would order fox in a restaurant. Thank you for your effort. Look forward to an "old" recipe. Daryl

Yes Daryl, it is. The old recipes for Fox all included a 3 day long watering of the meat in a running water...After this, the procedure is like with hare.
I'm not really curious for the taste and beside this, in Germany it is prohibited to eat "Caniden" But I'm happy to get the wonderful fur of those Foxes. My latest Fox gives together with a Raccoon a nice background for the new Mauser Custom Rifle of a friend:



Cheers,
Wolfgang

David, in some regions it is still so - but of course in general there is much less small game today in Germany! In contrary the number of big game, especially Wild Boar but also Red Deer has increased.
But the german hunting tradition is always the same. We lay it on the ground, called "Strecke legen" and bid farewell to the game with horn signals:



And be sure: All is organized very well, no matter if hunting in the woods or in the fields.

Cheers,
Gunwolf

The Signal "Fuchs tot":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sf5UUtpfy0

Cheers,
Gunwolf

Hi all, Will and I went out for a 1/2 day hunt, saw birds, but getting wild, that time of year. Anyway, Will tickled one, but didn't bring him down. I was able to get 2 so it was a good day for me. Will see what tomorrow brings.

I used my 12b Henry Atkin, sure like this gun!



Best!

Greg

What a lovely gun! Waidmannsheil!

http://mp3songpreview.com/hans-rastetter-fasan-tot_mp3-song-download-12167430

Cheers,
Gunwolf

Gunwolf, thanks for sharing the photos of the hunting tradition of your land. Greg, nice Atkin. I have his boxlock stepbrother. Had some spare time today and looked for ‘doodles for several hours. Only had two flush and got the gun on one. It was just me and my best girls, Willa and Abby. Here’s typical woodcock habitat down here. This is ideal as the rivercane mixed with palmettos is about chest to shoulder high.

This one is just 3 hours old. It isn't a great picture. The light was lousy and then some, but it was a GREAT afternoon with some excellent dog work.

Gil, a moment of truth: you are too old for tramping around in that jungle. Hire some assistants to go ahead of you with machetes and chop out a path. Especially for a 2oz. piece of liver on a stick. Cool gun though...Geo

Brent, no question in that picture about your dog being a Golden...Geo

Yup, one that had to through ice today. But damn, he was good. Had particularly bad runner that he took down to complete the bag. He has also begun to "set" birds for me. He held 6 hens for me and one of the roosters so I could move in to flush them. He is getting rather good at this.

George, I'm working on a solution to this age thing. I have feelers out for a Thomasville Mule Wagon washout to carry the top half of an electric golf cart (with surrey) that will accommodate 2 to 3 shooters-a South Georgia Howdah. Also consulting a vet to determine if there is reliable genomic testing of mules for the intransigence gene. Gil

Gil's in very good shape, Geo. I've tramped around with him in these cane patches, and I can vouch for it. Just kinda tough on him when we've had lots of rain and the cane is taller than he is. Sometimes the only way I know it isn't a hog is that mop of bright white hair.

SRH

Wolfgang, you and your buddies sure do have some impressive rifles.

Thanks treblig,

indeed we love the classic Mauser system. This one was built by Günter Reetz in Suhl. Interesting is the caliber, .375 Hoelderlin. Yes , you read right, Hoelderlin not Holland & Holland.This cartridge was designed by my friend Claus Otterbein (who owns this rifle) for hunting in Africa with a german cartridge. The 9,3x62 is not allowed in some african states, so he made the .375 Hoelderlin rimless for bolt rifles as well as the Hoelderlin .375 R for Double Rifles. It is based on the 8x68S, because it should fit the normal Mauser System. The rifle above has the Argentino Mauser 1909 system, which is even a bit shorter than the Mauser Normal System. I hope, neyt year the Mauser will meet the right buffalo in Africa!

Cheers,
Wolfgang

Mein gott, that's a beauty, Gunwolf.

Most, if not all of the shooting world loves the Mauser action.

Wolfgang, you know we'll need a report after that Africa hunt complete with pictures!!!

Do you have a picture of his .375 Hoelderlin rimless round?

For sure! The -375 Hoelderlin is here:

http://www.deutsches-jagd-lexikon.de/index.php?title=.375_Hölderlin

and here:

http://www.cartridgecollector.net/375-hölderlin

Cheers,
Wolfgang

Too much water and the rain keeps falling. I rarely have two poor seasons back to back so I'm hopeful that next year will be better.

Sad how the high water is killing all those old flat top pines near the lakes...Geo

Mr. Newbern, most of the trees along that stretch were planted. About twenty years ago most of the area in the frame of that picture was planted. It's a gamble that the trees will mature before the water comes back. I have never seen it completely gone for more than 4-5 years so it is a gamble I would not take. I'm always looking for a different photo prop so that tree drowning worked out well for me.

Hi all, got out today for a short time prior to family activities today. Saw a few birds, roosters were wild, but Raina was able to pin one down. She also had some great points on hens (which of course held rather well!)

Anyway, I used my 12ga Buhag "Hubertus"



Merry Christmas to all!

Greg

Greg, that pheasant and your gun really look great against the snow. Thermometer outside says 83 degrees here and the humidity is 100%; Bah!...Geo

On the other hand, we once had a white Christmas here. Every car in town had been wrecked at least once before the snow melted the next day...Geo

We've got the air conditioner on this afternoon! On Christmas Eve! I was out cleaning a limit of doves after lunch and came in sweaty. Oh well, that's the South. I druther that than subzero.

SRH

Hi George, thanks for the kind words! The temp here is 18, but very low winds and cloudy, to be honest a nice day hunting here.

Thanks again!

Greg

Hi all, went out with Will today, it was a cold one, around 3 above, but not much wind so it was not too bad. Anyway, only saw 2 birds today, 1 rooster which I got and 1 hen. Really odd, hunted thick stuff, wood lots and other cover, just like they up and disappeared. Just a matter of timing I guess as we saw plenty of tracks. Oh well, that's hunting!

I used my 16ga Dickinson



Best!

Greg

A pair of Black ducks with a pair of Short Ten's, Remington AE and Parker NH.

Now, that look's like a great day in the field. A pair of nice old guns doing what they were built for. Would you mind giving out the loads you were using? I have a nice old "short 10" and am looking for suitable loads for it when hunting geese and ducks. Would you also happen to know the weights of those two?

20 Bore and Two Texas Cock birds from a late afternoon rise......Only true Right and Left I executed in the entire limit....
Last Wednesday evening Dec. 23.....
My year old Pup nailed this covey on a hillside as I called the dogs in to quit for the day....Glad I was able to put two down for her on the rise....

........and it's nice you only shoot roosters too!

Winter Dove limit taken Christmas Eve morning with the same gun....I had it out and decided to give it a try...
Our Winter doves usually will try your skill set with a well choked 12 bore, however I shot the 20 better than I expected, but was forced to pass up numerous chances I would have tried with a Big gun...

Fortunately the birds cooperated and gave me enough reasonable shots to fill my game strap....
This weather has played Havoc with our Dec. Dove days.... Only three left and the forecast looks much more favorable....

I intend to give the Mourners a run in the morning, then roll the dogs out in the afternoon to take full advantage of this most bountiful of Quail Seasons since 1987....

I am truly " living the life" this season.....and Trust me, I know how Fortunate I am........

Very nice pics, Paul. Nice twenty, too. Fabbri?

SRH

East Germany and South Texas
Merkel 201E in 20 Gauge
Yesterday Afternoon South of Falfurias

Stan:

Yes it is a Fabbri, 28" 6 lb. 3 oz. , and a demanding mistress she is.......I struggle to shoot it as well as some of my guns of the past..... could be a number of reasons, I'm older, more infirm, yet still have 20/15 vision uncorrected......

I have never been a top level performer with light guns.....but I'm giving this one a pretty good bit of exposure, it may improve....
There are certainly plenty of birds this year to try and master it.....
Just came in from a great outing .... lots of keen dog work/ interaction, plenty of birds in a 2 1/2 hour hunt , a limit killed ( with none lost, a real treat this year), but only shot it slightly over 50 %.... Regardless of my eye chart/ exam vision scores, dark skies/backgrounds cause me a lot more distress than 40 years ago...

Buzz, I wish i could tell you that I shoot cocks only , like some character from a Babcock yarn, hardly the case.....

I did though on this rise ( as is my usual practice) look for white cheeks for my primary target.....The second was shot with the sole intention of shooting a bird in the line of sight of the puppy....

I am not too fastidious as a trainer, but I have strong experience to support my desire to help pups "connect the dots" by making the triangle complete..point, shot, and a bird for her to get to mouth....

Mel, rtenenbrow, lovely guns and photos. you seem to be living the good ole days of hunting Mr. Bob. Gil

We re in the midst of the best quail season Texas has seen in a very long while.
Some say the best since the 1950s, In my experience certainly the best since the 1980s. Bob White is a very resilient creature and South Texas habitat has a way of protecting the game. The drought broke for the 2014 season and the birds responded to the improved conditions dramatically. They really came into their own this season. We are truly lucky to be able to hunt great birds in their native habitat.

Hi all, well today was Will's day! He was able to get 2 nice roosters and I was able to get a late season grouse. Was a tad windy today, about 18mph or so. Not bad temps, so a very enjoyable day. Tomoorow is the last day of our season, so I hope we do well.

Will used his 12ga Fabarm



I used my 12ga SIACE



Best!

Greg

Beautiful Fabbri Mel, just beautiful.

Another glorious morning well spent in the longleaf pine and wiregrass of Southwest Georgia. But hunting wild birds was bit slow this morn. 3 pairs of hunters spread across the property for a half day hunt. 2 of the groups found 1 covey each and 1 group found 4 coveys. We found one nice covey and had some decent dog work. I thought the conditions would have provided more birds but I guess that's hunting. We ended the morning at the old farmhouse for sandwiches and relaxation.

I used my Dickinson Plantation Grade .410 and was very pleased. I think its going to become my go-to quail gun.

In the field


The quail rigs


Point!


Copper on the retrieve


Yours truly with my Dickinson 410 and the mornings bag

New Year's Eve morning on the L 'Anguille River near Caldwell, AR. Grandson Jackson (of dove shooting fame ) and I after his first foray into the waters of the L 'Anguille after mallards. He was shooting a 390 Beretta, I was using my 32" Super Fox with #4 HeviShot Classic Doubles loads. They work really good over dekes, I went 4 for 4 that morning with it.



Next morning, New Year's Day, we waded into a flooded milo field and threw out a couple dozen dekes, then backed into the edge of the timber. Jackson with a handful. He was shooting the 390 with RIO Blue Steel #4s. I was using my old 30" BSS with #4 RIOs in the right and #2s in the left. Yes, it's unloaded and No, it's not pointing at his head.



Yesterday morning was slower, four of us only managed to fool 5 into range and killed them all. Here's the floating blind's kitchen.



Part of the shooting area.



And a view from a shooting hole of the layout and hole, looking north.



Best part was that I got to spend three days and nights with my oldest grandson. What a blessing that was to me. I'm very thankful. I apologize if my post is too lengthy.

SRH

Thanks Stan. Neat pictures of you and your grandson. Today is our last day of the season. Depression is already setting in so I cleaned and oiled all of my shotguns this afternoon. See ya'll next season.

Most would term your flyrod's grips as reverse half wells rather than full wells.

Hi all, well this will be the last picture I post as our upland season ended today. We went out and got skunked royally! Saw a couple birds, but nothing to bust a cap on. Wish could have closed the year with a bird or two, but still we were able to get out from the opener to the end. It was a good season, not great, but good. Had some memorable days and some not so memorable. But that's hunting. It was a safe season, no close calls or incidents, I'm thankful for that. The most important thing was I was able to get out and was able to hunt with my boys. I consider myself to be very blessed with them and where I live. I just want to thank God and St Hubert for another year in the field.

My three best hunting partners, bar none! Jim, Will and Raina.



Until later, for those of you who can still hunt, I trust you'll have a great and safe rest of the season!

Best!

Greg

Dang Stan, what a nice report. Thanks for the great pics. You're going to fool around and talk me into working out a rendezvous up there next season. Maybe.
JR

Stan, you could have gone on for several pages about that hunt as far as I'm concerned. A great trip with one of your favorite folks for sure. Gil

Very nice Stan! I thought about you when joe and I went duck hunting with SXSs a couple weeks ago. We hoped for some greenheads but only saw woodies. Guess the weather was too warm to send any down. Still had a good shoot and limited out. I used my Miroku and joe used his Parker. I wish I'd taken pictures.

And Greg, I hate to your season has come to a close. I always enjoy your posts and the wide variety of guns you hunt with. If you get the itch to come down South to escape the cold, you have an open invitation for Georgia quail hunt.

Adam

Stan, those pics are just great! What a wonderful set up! Would be nice to hunt from something like that. Here all we do is plank our ass down on the shore and wait in the cold. My hats off to you for hunting with your grandson....ah the memories.

Good show old boy!

Greg

Thanks Adam for the kind words! My turn to invite for you to come up here. Just let me know.

Have a great rest of the season!

Greg

Stan, I agree to what Gil said, you could have posted more and I would have enjoyed reading it and looking at the pictures.

Greg, you are very fortunate to have birds by you and be able to hunt with your boys. Nothing could be better.

Adam, always nice to read your posts and see your pictures. As said before that is a good looking Dickinson and a .410 to boot. That would be my favorite for quail, woodcock also.

Nice Duck Shoot/Family post Stan
This may have been covered in prior post , but if you have time,would you give me/us a little more info about your big Fox gun.... Weight , chambers, bores and chokes........

Thanks,
PM

Sure, Paul, glad to. It was shipped from Fox in 1927. 32" barrels with .739" bores and .048" choke in each barrel. It letters as weighing 9# 5oz., as shipped. The Hawkins pad is not mentioned in the Callahan letter, so I assume it was added at a later date, which may add a few ounces to the weight. Seems like I weighed it once at about 9# 9 oz. It has another buttstock, which is a Monte Carlo, numbered to the gun, and which may possibly have been built by Savage for it. Can't prove that, tho', and if so, the pad looks to have been replaced.



Ready to rumble:



This gun came from a great friend and fellow member of this and the Fox Collector's board many years ago. I am still very grateful to him for offering it to me.

SRH

Chamber walls are thickest I've ever seen on a 12 ga. double, Stan.
JR

It was built to shoot a steady diet of 3" shells in a time that duck clubs self-limited to 50 ducks per day. That's a lot of recoil to soak up.

Thanks Stan, Each and every one of those guns is a study unto itself....I am intrigued by the many similarities they exhibit , and also the unique character of each individual....This specimen has undeniably found a worthy caretaker.....

I am so glad you got to put it work on such an enjoyable outing.

PM

Thanks Paul. The heavy breech walls that John mentioned are part and parcel of the 9 1/2# weight, but the amazing thing is how well it handles for it's weight. With so much of that weight being there, and in the larger receiver that HEs have, it is right where it needs to be to not cause the gun to be slow to move. Weight right between the hands, and even more so back toward the butt, enables a gun to still exhibit some "liveliness". It's not the deal for trying to run down a woodie that catches you by surprise streaking through the trees, but for old big, fat mallards it is fine.

SRH

Dove hunting with Browning Superposed.

Duck hunting with the Super Fox

Mills, familiar looking spots. Good to see your posts again. Nice looking Fox. Tell us about it. Gil

I bought it from a friend earlier this year after doing some horse trading with some other guns. It is great and does well with long shots out on the marsh.

A promise of things to come:



This pup was quite ill the first year of her life. 2015 really counts as her first season, and while she has a ways to go, I think she will get the hang of it. The auto-immune disorder she suffered hasn't hurt her nose, from what I can see.
Special thanks to my hunting buddy, Lloyd, for tolerating the two of us on this trip.

The Darne 20 gauge R10 was purchased from it's elderly owner this fall, and was built in the late 1940s, and had never been fired or used in all those years. I had to dismantle it and clean oil and grease that looked for all the world like hard varnish out of it before I could use it. But, use it I did, and will continue to do. A spectacular find with useful 25 1/2" barrels with IC and MOD chokes. The gun gods owe me nothing, that is for sure.
The look on her face seems to indicate she is ready for more. But, this was the end of a wonderful trip to Lake of the Woods county.

Best,
Ted