Brent: My very first shotgun was my great-grandfather's '97 Winchester, essentially the sister gun to this 1886. It was pretty used-up before it was modified for use during a fairly violent coal-mining strike in the 1970s and was rendered non-huntable after that. My brother bought a very clean 16 gauge version to replace it.

Ted: Funny you should mention venison dinners of late, I made two giant burgers from some older grind that I found while rearranging our freezer to make room for the most recent addition. It was something I called my DEA mix (deer, elk, and antelope) and my boy and I had them for dinner Friday last. Still good, even after a long haul in our freezer.

Skeettx: It should all be fun. Going over Rabbit Ears pass at night and in December, eating dinner at a very authentic Mexican Restaurant, staying in a cosy-but-tatty hotel, gearing up at zero-dark-thirty in the morning, stepping out of the truck with a rifle into the bitter cold, scouting and stalking game. If I can let him take the shot, I certainly will.

Last edited by Lloyd3; 12/13/20 08:12 PM.