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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ 16 gauge/quail book |
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Posted:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:28 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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Bird season is finally over. It wasn't the best one I ever had, but I got to kill a few Mearns for the first time.
Last fall, just before bird season opened here, I published a book about 16 gauge shotguns. Well, kinda about 16 gauges, as probably 98% of all the quail I've killed in my lifetime were taken with a 16. Actually it's mostly about hunting bobwhite quail, and pheasant, some ruffed grouse, and other upland birds.
There is a lot of nostalgia involved, as I used memory and a hunting journal to detail bird hunting all the way back to my youth in the 1960s, and bring it up to the present. While quail have decreased greatly in Arkansas, my brother and I have continued to have good hunts and killed decent numbers of birds in very limited areas of the state where good habitat remains. Thus, the dialog about our hunts over the past 50+ years is used to document the reasons for quail decline. As a retired biologist, I also have a lot to say about current quail restoration plans and efforts, the future of bobwhite hunting and other topics.
Recently, I have listed the book for sale on Amazon in an attempt to recover some of my printing cost. The link below should take you to that site, if you are interested.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a+life+with+gentleman+bob+and+a+few+of+his+kinfolk&sprefix=a+life+with+gen%2Caps%2C236&crid=35OK561VI3DBG
Better hurry, all that snow up north is going to melt soon and/or spring will be here, so reading will be way down the list of things to do!
And its only 249 days until bird quail season opens again here! I won't be reading much then--or trying to peddle quail books!
Mike Widner |
_________________ 16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke |
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Posted:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:44 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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Good luck with your sales! I hope you do well. I will be interested to see how this goes since I am working an a chukar book over the next year or so. I will likely have some questions to ask of you. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 3:56 pm
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Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401
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Is it possible to order a autographed copy from you? Makes a good book even better. |
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Posted:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:40 pm
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Member
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 749
Location: Kelso, Tennessee
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I’m signed up, Mike. I grew up hunting down around Lockesburg, Arkansas, behind a couple of pointers- Bell and Don. They weren’t very good at finding birds without running them up, and we weren’t very good at hitting them, when the rare opportunity presented itself, but I loved it anyway, and still find covering new country on foot behind dogs with a nice 16 in hand is most cherished time. Can’t wait to read your little book. Alan |
_________________ i reckon so. I guess we all died a little in that damn war. |
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Posted:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:39 pm
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Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 605
Location: Topeka, Kansas
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Just ordered one from Amazon |
_________________ Michael
Topeka, KS |
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Posted:
Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:02 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 1376
Location: Northern Illinois
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Just picked up a copy. I look forward to reading it. Best of luck with your sales.
Good Hunting,
Mike |
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Posted:
Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:21 am
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Mike, sounds like a good read! I just ordered one. Thanks, Dave |
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Posted:
Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:30 am
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Joined: 27 Jan 2016
Posts: 494
Location: Oswego, Kansas
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I just ordered a copy myself. I am looking forward to reading it and your thoughts on the decline of quail in the area. |
_________________ Sweet sixteen forever
LC Smith Field Grade
LC Smith Ideal Grade
CZ Ringneck
Win. Model 12
Rem M11
Stevens 235 |
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Posted:
Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:50 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 372
Location: Kansas
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I ordered one too. Great opportunity to read some fun stories and support one of our own 16ga members!
-Ben |
_________________ 1 Tim 1:15 |
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Posted:
Sun Feb 25, 2018 1:30 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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I'm on the road a bunch in the coming week or two, I wish I already had mine! Lot's of reading time ahead. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sun Feb 25, 2018 8:53 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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Thanks for the orders. I'll put the rest of the orders I've received so far in the mail tomorrow.
And yes, I am signing the books I send out. That, and 50 cents to ten dollars will get you a cup of coffee, depending on whether you fill your mug at a gas station in South Dakota before a pheasant hunt or you order a cup of "designer" coffee on Madison Avenue! |
_________________ 16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:56 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 1115
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Just got back from Alabama chasing Gentleman Bob through the piney woods shooting my 16 ga Zabala SXS, so I couldn't pass up a summer read of a book devoted to the love of my life (please don't tell my wife). My season will officially end the end of March on the local preserves, but starting 1 March the vets at Mizzou have given me clearance to hunt my 8 year old GSP, Bode, again, so I can finish the season with a pair of dogs doing what they love. Congrats on your Mearnes quail adventure. Those birds are so much fun, I have to get back down there before I truly get too old to hunt those side canyons. Looking forward to reading your book. |
_________________ An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world. |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:57 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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Riflemeister,
You've probably seen it, but Skeettx helped me post a couple of pics of the Mearn's hunt on the hunting pictures thread in the Guns section (page 15). Note that new A5 Sweet 16 in this old codger's hands! And a beautiful young French Brittany in the other pic! |
_________________ 16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:14 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9472
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Posted:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:48 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 1115
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Awesome. Looks like my tag line might also apply to you. |
_________________ An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world. |
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