My first exposure to a side by side shotgun was when I was in 8th grade. Would have been October 1949. School bus dropped me off at home and in a field behind the house were 2 guys hunting. They had dropped a pheasant but couldn't find it.
My dog Spot, an English Springer Spaniel mix, and I offered to help and soon found the bird. One of the guys carrying a side by side asked what I was doing Saturday. Wanna go hunting with us? I did but I didn't own a shotgun.
That man, Bill Brown, took Spot and me hunting several times. He hunted with a side by side shotgun that I thought was cool. I got my first double, a 12 gauge Ithaca Nitro Special for $20.00 2 years later and that started it.
One of my Fox's, an early A 12 gauge, I got in September 1968 and still have it. That will be 55 years next month.
A wonderful ride for sure.
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