16ga.com ~ View topic - First hunt with Grandpa's Ithaca M37 16ga

Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 166

I inherited my grandfather's M37 16ga this year, it was built in '41 and had been retired for around 30yrs. I had a new stock installed, as the original was cracked...and intended to use it on preserve pheasant this year. My only apprehension was that it's a full choke model. I've shot a bit of 5 stand with it, and it will absolutely ink the 25yd crosser they have set up on that course so I know it's a bit too much for close birds.

Anyway, I actually took it out squirrel hunting. Didn't see any squirrels, as I found out that the deer hunters running dogs will probably make this difficult. But, as my buddy and I were BS'ing and walking back to the truck we jumped a couple Woodcock. I was very surprised by the flush and luckily it took a bit to get the gun to shoulder, the bird was out to 35yds or so and wasn't hit too bad by the 1 1/8 of #5s Golden Pheasant that I had loaded up in the old Ithaca. The gun is nothing to look at, but it's shoulders and points great for me. Most importantly, it was my Grandfather's gun and I think he'd be happy to know it's still being used as intended. Anyway, a few pics...

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Oh my lord, you dusted a poor little woodcock with a Golden Pheasant load, 1 1/8 oz. of #5s. Wink

Good shooting. Smile

I have 2 model 37's in 16 gauge. One was my Dad's, the other was my first real shotgun. Make sure you leave some of those woodcock for seed. I'm looking forward to hunting them again next fall in Michigan. As warm as it's been here this winter, they could have stuck around another 2 months. Sad

Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 166

Well, luckily I'm a crack shot and was able to just graze him with the pattern on purpose you know Laughing

Lucky I didn't center him at 20yds or I'd need to see the bill to identify what it was. Busted wing, few pellets through the breast, but he was basically intact.

I'd never expected to see a Woodcock in this area, so it was a neat surprise, it's the first I've shot. I will say, after slow roasting the bird in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.....it was still horrible to my palate. I know people like them, but I can't say the same, so this will be the last one I shoot. Tasted just like liver to me. Too bad, compared to pen raised Pheasant that I've hunted, they're quite a bit more lively and would be fun to hunt. I'm going back out this weekend with a buddy's Brittany to see if she can work some points.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

It is always special to hunt with a gun that has been passed down Wink

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

Best story I've read here this month. My Grandpa left me a watch, as he was a lifelong NY city resident. Hence, the old guns in my safe belonged to someone else's Grandpa.

I share the opinion on woodcock. The only way I can honestly say I enjoy them is chopped with onions, green peppers, and garlic, fried, and then used with stuffing mix inside a roasted grouse. Since the numbers are down so bad in MN, I don't shoot them unless the dog handles it perfect.

Good luck and good hunting with the 37. I own two and the seed model 17 Remington. Haven't used any of them for hunting this year. But, I will.
Best,
Ted

I recently bought somebody's Grandpa's 16 ga Ithaca. It was what I wanted, and the price was right with little blue left and a Poly Choke. It came from an estate sale in NY and I figure it was a grouse chaser many years ago, and then was apparently relegated to the closet and stayed there. Compared to my crowd's fancy gas loaders and such, it looks like quite the relic, and I actually refer to the gun as Grandpa. So far it has bore down on 3 grouse, with 2 in the bag and one wounded that fluttered off a bluff and away from the dogs to sadly go unfound.

I much prefer a good old piece of American steel and ingenuity with character and stories to tell. The faded blue, the nicks and scratches, are honest wear from honest pursuit of a noble bird. (Or so I prefer to think.)

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

I agree - hunting with a well maintained old gun with honest wear is very cool and when I accidentaly put a scratch in the stock it fits right in with the others. I once posted something stupid about the scratches and dents and gouges being "encrypted hunting stories" but you know what I mean.

Mike