Hunting Season(s) Approaching - What gun(s) will go with you for opening day?

[Silvers]

This morning I had a change of plans when my hunting partner had to cancel out, and I scouted a new area while hunting grouse with my 20 bore straight grip Sterlingworth "Vixen" that’s pictured here earlier. It's been really dry for about a month now and the fallen leaves make for noisy walking. Flushed only one grouse that flashed across an opening with no time to get on the bird and shoot. Such is chasing "The King".

I switched gears for the afternoon and hunted pheasants. Our season opened last Saturday and this was my first pheasant hunt and first time out with a new to me Parker GHE 16 bore, restored by DelGrego some years ago and little used since then. All told, I had four ringnecks dead to rights - a pair, then one, then one - but they would barely fly, apparently just "stocked" this morning. My Nitro had a blast getting them to lumber off, but no shooting for me. Tame birds and not what I'd want to remember on my first hunt with the Parker.

Well anyway, here are some pics of the GHE taken today. Kind of like travelling back to 1924 when she was made. Love those straight grippers. She's factory choked IC and I-Mod, stock dimensions just about perfect for me. frank
,

[Rbishop]

That's a really nice looking Parker. I could like that one myself!

[Maggiemollie]

Nice gun and agree on those pheasant.

[Silvers]

I was out in the mountains again yesterday; it continued dry and unseasonably warm with a daytime high of 65. Also very windy. I decided to hunt low and bagged a grouse in a big area of bittersweet during mid-morning and using my Fox 20 bore "Vixen". Kind of interesting that the witch hazel catkins are out; they're a winter grouse food hereabouts and I usually don't see them until December-ish. Weird weather for sure. I hunted pheasants during the afternoon with the Parker 16 in a lesser known area away from the stripmine reclamation fields where stocking and heavy shooting take place, the other area is where survivors of volleys often end up and become a little more acclimated to the wild. Two other hunters were already there. Found three cock birds traipsing along on or just off the access road. Again, not my cup of tea and I passed on them in turn. Overall a good day out in the mountains. Here are some pics from yesterday. Last pic taken through my windsheld. This was cock bird number 8 of 10 that added to 4 hens. That made 14 I've had close up over three afternoons, though four of them were seen while grouse hunting last Friday, one day before the pheasant opener. frank
.

.

.

.

[Foxnut]

Frank, great pics. Like PA we’ve had extremely dry warm weather until a light rain overnite Thursday into Friday morning and more to come this week. Last Tuesday and Wednesday it was over 75 both days. Finally a cold front last night and woke up to our first sub 30 degree temps of the Fall. It’s made our grouse hunting challenging and woodcock have not flighted down from the UP yet in any significant numbers. The MI Woodcock season went out Tuesday, October 30th. I’m sure this upcoming week as we grouse hunt we’ll be moving a lot of woodcock also!

[jimmartin]

Frank nice bird,I always liked the brown phase more , I really like the wood on Vixen.

[Stan Hillis]

Always love your hunting photos, Frank. The one of Vixen and the grouse is especially nice!