doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com A little story,

After Townsend Whelen�s 1922 trip to the Athabasca Country of Alberta where he and his guide & friend Stanley Clark hunted, Whelen reported on it in a four part series starting in the December, 1923 issue of Outdoor Life. This was the trip where Whelen gave his Wundhammer to Clark. (See Petrov Vol-II page 17)

Following in Whelen�s footsteps the next hunting season three men hired Stanley Clark to guide them into the same hunting field on a sixty-five day trip. There was Frank Conger Baldwin, Harry Snyder and Edwin H. Lupton. The story of this hunt was written up by Frank Conger Baldwin and published as �With Pack Train and Tepee in the Rockies of Alberta� June, 1924.

Harry Snyder was the owner of Hoffman Arms Company.


"Clark had told us that several months previously he had some correspondence with a certain doctor in Reynolds, Illinois. Having in view a trip which was to have been identical with ours, and that the negotiations had terminated because the doctor was apparently unwilling to pay the usual rate which Clark asked for his services. The correspondence had, however, been carried on to such an extent and in such detail as to give the doctor a very good idea of the location of the game pocket to what he was to have been taken. On Sunday, September 2, as we were loafing about camp we were surprised by the arrival of a hunting party consisting of a white man and two half-breed Indians with a pack horses. Introductions disclosed the fact that the man was the aforesaid Dr. The party proceeded to make themselves perfectly at home, pitching their tepee within 100 feet of ours and unabashedly questioning us about the amount of game in the neighborhood. The following morning they all turned out in hundred in different directions, exhibiting an utter lack of concern as to whether or not they might be interfering with our plans are intruding upon our territory which, by all laws of good sportsmanship, was ours by right of prior occupation. We were much disgusted by this manifestation of selfish indifference to the interest of others, and as our new neighbor apparently intended the remaining camped on our doorstep, we felt that we did not desire further companionship of this sort and decide to return to our base camp on ship Creek, which we did the following day.�

Now fast forward seventy-three years to November 1997 where one Mr. Petrov misidentifies a rifle claiming that it was made by S.R. Griffin. I don�t believe that I was ever able, in print, to correct this mistake and to make matters worse Volume One, page 23, carried the same misinformation. This might have been a good thing in the long run because it makes me look at everything I think I know a little harder. Any first year student of the American classic rifle will recognize the stock work as that of John Dubiel.

John Dubiel stock,caliber 35-Whelen. More later, everyone should believe in something, I believe I'll take a nap.

Michael,
Long ago an engineering instructor of mine told me that he who never makes a mistake, never makes anything. If we are honest we have all been there once or more likely several times. That's life. A man who can admit his mistakes in any field of endeavour is an honest man indeed, and one to be heeded.

Harry

Mistakes?? Let me sell you my attempt at carving a Scheutzen stock for my Low Wall.....complete with 2 lb brass hook buttplate. Resembles Rosie O'Donnell....

Thanks guys and now back to the rifle .

What I do know about the rifle is the bottom metal was engraved by Kornbrath and came off a S.R. Griffin stock. The barrel is consistent with other barrels I have seen on Hoffman rifles.

Because Dr. Knutson was a minor player in the overall scope of things I have not done any in-depth research on him. I know he was a Physician & Surgeon in Reynolds, IL which was, and I think still is a very small place.

I think, but don't know for sure, that this is the same Dr. who meet Snyder and the others in the wilderness but the odds are good.

It is an interesting story but I sure wish it were possible to hear the doctor's interpretation of events. One can only wonder.

Nice rifle though.

Thanks, it is a nice rifle with a interesting history. If there is any sort of local paper near on in Reynolds I'm sure they would have reported on his trip.

I guess I can try to find all the rifle that were on this trip, should keep me busy.

This is not mine and for the life of me I can remember who has the rifle.

A full length view of the other side, I never get tired of looking at John Dubiel's work.