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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Early years with a 16 gauge |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 29, 2018 6:05 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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An old friend of mine, Larry Dablemont with Lightnin' Ridge Publishers, recently sent me a photo of bird hunting in northwest Arkansas that he stumbled on to in his files. Larry probably took the photo. The shot was taken in the early 1970s, when I was in college, but came home to bird hunt at every opportunity. Bobwhites were abundant then, and my dad (obscured in the background) hunted just about every day of the season--when the weather was suitable. The gun in my hands (foreground) is Dad's M37 16 gauge Ithaca, which my brother still uses to this day. The setter in the foreground is Lady, to date the best birddog I've ever hunted over (and I've had birddogs all my life).
To bad I didn't have access to this photo when I was writing my quail book (A Life with Gentleman Bob and a Few of his Friends, 2017), as I could have used it to illustrate good bird habitat.
The picture was taken on my granddad's place. The pasture in the background is still there, but instead of native grasses, forbs, briers, etc., it is now green all winter with fescue, like most of north Arkansas. Quail are scarce in this area now.
Anyway, I hope some of you have similar photos from your younger days that bring back pleasant memories. Happy Holidays.
Mike
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dfvz2R]
[/url]PICT0086 copy by Michael Widner, on Flickr |
_________________ 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 Nov 29, 2018 8:29 pm
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Member
Joined: 03 Jul 2006
Posts: 290
Location: SW Arkansas
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Your photo sure brings back fond memories. The land looks so similar to my family farm in my youth. It too now host a carpet of fescue and Bermuda grass with nary a bob to be found.
Dad was first and only a “bird” hunter and missed few afternoons and NO Saturdays of the season. His old M11 sixteen with a Cutts and a brace of good setters led us both over many miles of fallow fields and old overgrown homesites in search of Mr Bob.
Thanks for refreshing those memories from the 50s and 60s!
Bob |
_________________ DEMOCRACY is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch---LIBERTY is a well armed lamb contesting the vote!
Ben Franklin |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:33 am
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Joined: 28 Oct 2015
Posts: 166
Location: SWMO
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Fescue, bulldozed hedgerows, no weedy fencelines and clean crop fields. Same story as southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri. I luckily grew up on the tail end of decent quail hunting in the early 90s in SEK and dad luckily had one of those “lifetime” dogs. More birds killed under his nose at 2 years of age than mine will likely see in their lifetimes. |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:35 am
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That's a great photo, Mike. |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:37 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9463
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Wonderful memories !! |
_________________
,
USAF RET 1971-95 |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:22 am
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Joined: 05 Nov 2016
Posts: 189
Location: Montana
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I had the good fortune to "come of (hunting) age" on the North Shore of Lake Superior in the early and mid 70's.
It was great to be a kid growing up in a small tight knit community. One where I got to hunt ruffs in the mixed hardwood and conifer public land forests of Superior Nat'l Forest with folks like my school principal, his kids and our football coach - all wandering abreast down old logging roads and through the hills ablaze with oranges, reds, and yellows.
Coach had an A5, and me - carrying my Marlin bolt action 20 gauge - thought that squared receiver auto was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.
Don't have, wish I did, photos of those hunts with those guys.
They do live on in my memories..……. |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:26 am
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Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 694
Location: MN
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The scent of paper shells came back when I saw your picture....great times. |
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Posted:
Fri Nov 30, 2018 10:57 am
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Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 1376
Location: Northern Illinois
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Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I have nothing but fond memories from my youth. I started walking along with my Grandfather on short grouse/woodcock hunts near our cabin on the northern edge of the Manistee National Forest. It was mostly aspen and scrub oak. As a kid I remember hearing bobwhite up there, but I don’t ever recall hunting them near the cabin. I was maybe 7 or 8 (’55) at the time and I started to carry a gun when I was 11 or 12. We had good pheasant hunting down by my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI in the 50’s and 60’s.
It’s neat to have pics from back then. I do have a photo album for hunting and it includes photos of my kids. Any more my best days afield are spent with my sons passing along the tradition.
Good Hunting,
Mike |
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