Late in the 19th century my grandfather purchased a block of land with a 30 acre pond on the northern edge of Michigan's Manistee National Forest. As a kid we go to the "Pond" nearly every weekend. The pond had nothing but large brook trout and shiners in it, and I have fond memories of going out in the boat with my grandfather and watching him fly fish.
The surrounding land had some great grouse and woodcock coverts, and that is where my passion for bird hunting began. My grandfather had a Fox 20 bore and an Ithaca that I think was a 12 bore. He had a number of other shotguns and rifles, but the Fox and Ithaca are the ones I best remember.
When I was about 10 my Dad took me to Manistee and bought me an Ithaca 22 to replace my Daisy. It was used to reduce the water snake population along the spillway that scared my Mom and sister, and on other small game. I still have that gun, although I have not shot it in probably 30 years.
I have hunted grouse and pheasant all my life, although from the time I entered the service in 1967 until the late seventies I had less opportunity. In 1981 my wife and I moved to Traverse City, Michigan primarily for a better lifestyle than the suburbs of Chicago provided. I immediately ran into a number of grouse hunters and purchased my first shotgun a 20 ga. Ruger Red Label. I did not like the 7 lb. weight or the funny feeling of looking down one barrel and soon purchased a used Sauer 20 ga. Well one thing led to another and since then I have purchased more side by sides than one man needs.
As an old grouse hunting partner of mine in Marquette, Michigan likes to say "I don't know how many shotguns I have, but I know I need one more".
RMC I really enjoyed the thread you stared on Grandpa and Dad's guns, and this one has been just as much fun? Saw a few responses to my thread on dogs we grew up with and that has also been great.
Maybe we need one on "Are we passing along the passion" - what do you think?
Thanks,
Chicago (Mike)
