A Fox hunts for turkeys

[Silvers]

I hunted the mountains again today, looking for a good gobbler. We have a two week long season in that area and I had a particular place in mind where a friend told me he saw some acorns about a month ago. Mast is pretty scarce this year and I haven’t found anything in the way of grapes, bush berries or even apples on the old trees left from the lumbering days. I was carrying kind of a special 12-gauge Sterlingworth Ejector Brush gun (26-inch) with a hook & eye setup for a sling, it's a heavy-weight gun for heavy loads and was formerly used by a dedicated fox hunter.

The acorns were in about 1 mile along an old timber RR bed that my gang calls “God’s Road” (no disrespect intended). It had rained again overnight making for very quiet walking. Part way there some jakes and hens were feeding on a side hill. About 12 birds and I have no idea what they eating. They spooked and I passed on setting up and trying to call one back. Gobbler or nothing, at least this first. I continued on to the scrub oaks where I found scratchings. Sat there for a while and did some calling. Then coming back another way I switched shells before I went through a grouse cover and had a clean miss on the one bird I raised. A good day anyway.

Besides this Sterlingworth Brush Ejector gun, the other pics for those interested are the start of the old RR spur, a vista view on one very steep part, and a nice buck I was able to catch with the camera before he disappeared. An eight-pointer eastern count with very small G-I’s but definitely a shooter.

[Jeff S]

Great pictures, and that is a good looking Sterly. Frank, I suspect that you walk "stealthily" through the woods. You always seem to find game.

[abner]

Frank, I love those short barrel Brush guns and ejectors a plus. That looks very original.

[Silvers]

Thanks gents. Jeff, yes the woods were pretty wet and quiet while walking due to even more rain overnight on Thursday. I have different methods when walkup hunting for turkeys than for grouse, and with the latter I can often get relatively close before the flush. Ralph, I like Sterly Brush Ejector guns too. The hook & loop swivels connote a gun made for a lot of carrying and of course they could be installed on most any Fox. In addition this one has heavy Mod and Full chokes, weighs 7.5 pounds (way over catalog specs), was built on a frame with extra wide spacing on the breech balls - about 1/2 way between ordinary 12-gauge Foxes and the Super-Fox. Lastly it has 3-inch chambers. Nice Fox for duck hunting on remote beaver ponds, chasing eastern turkeys in the deep woods, and as I'd written, fox hunting with trailing hounds. There's an article on it in queue at the DGJ.

More rain overnight and it's still raining again now. No mountain hunting today.

frank

[Stan Hillis]

Beautiful pics again, Frank. The colors may be less than most years because of all the rain y'all have had, but they're still very pretty. I love old roadbeds and railroad beds through the woods. "Slippin'", as I call stealthily moving through the woods, when the leaves are wet, is a great way to spend the day. Some of my most memorable hunts have been doing that. Very gracious of you to go to the trouble to take pics and post these brief "write-ups".

Neat Fox, with the tight chokes and short barrels. Looking forward to the article in DGJ, as always.

Best, Stan

[Mike of the Mountain]

Nice pics Frank. I think we walked that RR bed a few years ago? 'Tis the season. We need to venture out a time or two before the season is over.

[Woody]

Nice gun. A tight choked short barreled gun is on my list of wants. I would use it for the same. Turkeys and calling Fox/coyotes.

[Foxnut]

Frank, thanks for the pics and details. Assuming that the gun was ordered w/the sling studs/fish eyes? That’s pretty cool and rare at that. Ejector brush gun w/tight chokes and the slings. Someone new what they wanted!! Very cool to see that old RR bed also. Brett

[Jim Cloninger]

Nice country!

[Silvers]

Thanks Brett and Jim. I'm pretty sure the Sterly was factory fitted with hook & eye sling swivel studs. Two surprises as well. There's a story on this old Fox that's in an article in queue at the DGJ; it's supposed to be in the upcoming Winter issue.