16ga.com ~ View topic

Back from my west Kansas jaunt, four days hunting (and tiling my bro-in-law's kitchen floor, which darned near killed me!). Mostly just me, one brother-in-law and a nephew. We averaged about four roosters per day in the bag; the Sterlingworth 16 accounted for five total. We missed a bunch too Sad

. Weather warm at the start and the birds were flushing pretty far ahead; turned cooler and windy toward the end and the birds were rockets! Moved several nice quail coveys and threw a lot of lead at them, but nobody connected Embarassed

. I bought a new memory card for my camera so I was all ready to come back with some wonderful pictures to post, but I didn't even take it out of the bag; sorry.

All in all a fine trip, and I had roast pheasant for dinner last night Very Happy

!

Fin

Guest

Fin sounds like a good trip, less the hard labor.

Were you able to use both Sterlingworths, you know the one of the guage not to be mentioned around here?

What kind of cover were you hunting?

The birds up here aren't holding for anything. When you can find the little buggers they are flushing wild at 100 to 200 yards.

I was surprised we had so many close flushes out in Montezuma. We saw few hens and many of the cocks seemed, by their spurs and tails, to be holdover birds from last year. Heard the same thing from a guy hunting around Russell. What were your experiences Fin and TB?

Rev,

Strange; we felt that a good many of the birds we bagged were young birds, and we saw several roosters with tails almost as short as the hens. Maybe the ones that got away were older (smarter Very Happy

!)? Lots of hens up our way too.

TB,

Yes, I also shot the unmentionable Sterlingworth but only on quail and only took 4-5 shots. Kinda silly, as it was the first time I'd fired it. I loved the way it handled but I didn't hit anything with it! I'm assuming operator problems as opposed to equipment malfunction Very Happy

. We were mostly just pocket hunting; there was lots of uncut corn and milo which were just too big for us. The birds seemed to be in the weed pockets that were near the feed. The CRP draws we walked weren't too productive. We had moved the coveys earlier in the week so by the time the season opened on Saturday we kinda knew where they were.

With the 16 I started out with Kent Ultimate Upland 1oz 6's in the right barrel and Winchester 1-1/8 oz 6's in the left. By the end I had Winny's in both. Probably just my shooting, but I sure did better with the 1-1/8's! Just old Remmy Game Load 7-1/2's in the "other" ga.

Guest

Just got back from a 3 hour hunt. Moved 9 birds, 5 hens and 4 cocks. All the birds were flushing wild again today. By the time we were through my pup was totally unnerved and wanted to chase everthing. I need to get him back into some quail in the morning to settle him down.

hi Fin we tried our luck in rice co. and came up short jumped just three birds all day the weather was hot and windy bad for the dogs.
have a chance to hunt in the north end of the state this weekend around washington co.have to get a bird with that new 525
Dennis

Hi Dennis,

My buddy and I were going to try out around Kingman today but with this beautiful weather I'm going to pass. We need some cold weather, and a little snow wouldn't hurt! Plus the Shockers are on TV later, and there's Ohio State/Michigan... Very Happy

. I've heard pretty good reports from up north, so hope you have good luck, especially with the new gun!

Fin

Hey Fin: If you get over to Kingman, look in on Troy Smith, the Wildlife Biologist at Byron Walker. He goes by the handle Prairie Drifter on SS BB, has some great looking setters, and is a good guy.

Brad,

College football is my sport; my wife says I'd watch NE South Dakota A&M against the Sisters of the Poor if it was the only game on; she's right Very Happy

! But I can't miss this one. Next to a Husker game (GO BIG RED!) #1 v #2 is as good as it gets, and this should be a classic!

Fin

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

I'm with you on that, Fin. College football is downright addictive. Kinda like this whole 16 ga thing.

I guess as vices go, they're relatively benign.

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 7

Hey Fin: Got to agree with the Doc concerning Troy Smith. Had the pleasure to hunt with him and his dogs last year. Actually, he used to have one of the Grandmother's to my Gordon Setter. He has good dogs, and is VERY knowledgeable of area conditions. The only trouble is, he has a 20 ga. O/U. I tried to explain to him that if God had WANTED him to shoot an O/U, he would have stacked one eye OVER the other one. Seriously, if he starts talking about dogs, or birds, PAY ATTENTION.

Thanks guys; sounds like I'd better look Troy up sometime!