16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 520 Location: South Eastern PA

It was one for the books. We had nonstop action in some of the toughest, thickest cover. Dense holly thickets, Boot sucking bogland and phragmite cover with plenty of green briar interspersed to pull, slash and tug at you from all directions. I needed my Fiskar pruners I keep in my game vest on more than one occasion to rescue me. Flushed birds disappeared fast on most flushes and we poured lead through the dense cover to even have a chance.

We went where nobody wanted to go and that is just where the birds were. About 30 flushes were needed to bring 2 limits to bag. Our butts were whipped when we were done, but it was an absolute blast.

I used my custom 16-gauge Fox I call Reynard while my friend Steve used his new to him Poli sidelock 20. All in all, a great day. Shells were a mix of paper RST's 8's, spreader RST 8's and few vintage red Winchester skeet loads in 9.

ROMAC,

Great hunt with some beautiful SXS double guns, man I love to see that still happening. Great Woodcock gunning with some very serious old guns. Congrats on an outstanding day in the Woodcock coverts. I am sure you will recover from the scratches and the memories of this day will last for ever!

RST 16 gauge SpredR shells are great stuff!

Great pictures also.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith/Westley Richards Man

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 2180

Woodcock hunting in the thickets......boy does that bring back memories of hunting in CT. Not too many woodcock here in ND.

Nice work!!!

Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 267

Great pictures .The shotguns are beautiful really like the fox.

Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 267

Great pictures .The shotguns are beautiful really like the fox.

Joined: 22 May 2020 Posts: 355 Location: Ky

Great pics looks like lots of fun. Thanks for posting

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1185

Great looking guns and looks like you worked hard for those birds.

Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 520 Location: South Eastern PA

Thanks. The custom Fox is my pending retirement gift to myself. I got it a few years early so that I'd be healthy enough to enjoy it rather than just look at it. It is a 2-barrel set the shorter barrels are about .003/.010 and the longer barrels are .008/.015.

Getting fitted for the stock has made a good bit of difference, since I'm left-handed and need 15 1/8 LOP, not much out there off the shelf comes close to fitting. I feel like my shooting has improved a good bit.

I like Foxes and unlike PC Dave, don't have any family legacy guns to inherit so I had to create my own.

Great to hear of your success with the doodles, and thanks for the pics of those beautiful guns, especially that Fox! Who did the work? That is exquisite! I love the engraving of the birds.

There is definitely something special about a hard won limit of woodcock with a sxs. Congratulations.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 2180

Gorgeous!!

ROMAC,

Really beautiful Fox gun, one great retirement gift for sure! I know how lucy I am to have our family L.C. Smith guns, however my retirement gun is a Westley Richards side lock and I love it also. I also love the Fox guns my buddy Mac liked them big time and would have loved your gun!

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith/WR Man

My Grouse hunting buddy Ken Grafts Fox A Grade with upgraded wood.

Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 520 Location: South Eastern PA

ROMAC,

Geoffroy was a Pa transplant, met him several times, a world class gentlemen with outstanding talent! Your gun is beautiful!

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith/Westley Richards Man

Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 520 Location: South Eastern PA

Geoffroy did my LC Smith Crown upgrade (16 gauge) on a cheap budget, and I guess he just kept whittling away. because he out-performed my expectations.

ROMAC,

Your custom Crown grade gun is absolutely fantastic also, Geoffroy was a true Master Engraver and his work was always top level. Both your Fox and your L.C. Smith Crown grade custom guns are fantastic. Geoffroy offered to upgrade one of my L.C. Smith guns, however at the time I did not have the money to let him do the job, seeing your gun really makes me wish I would have had the money at the time, I have a 00, 20 gauge gun that I wanted him to up Grade to a #7, it would have been a very serious custom L.C. Smith gun.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
l.C. Smith/Westley Richards Man