Fox Collectors

Last week Cousin Bill and I were out chasing grouse around the Pa. woods. We planned our trip to be a week later than normal because we have been hampered by to many leaves on the trees in the past couple of years. Well the leaves were long gone this year but it seem to have caused the birds to be more on edge than normal and we found the birds flushing out of range. We had 50+ plus flushes over 3 days and Bill did manage to bring one bird to bag. Yours truly missed a golden opportunity at a report double the first day but I was slow in getting on the first bird and could not even get the safety off in time. The second bird I have come to nickname "Grouse Vader" because he had a sort of "Force" around him that kept pushing my barrels behind him!!! there may be something to this "Grouse Gods" stuff.
Some of you may remember pics from last year in which Bill is sporting a Browning O/U . This year I brought along a couple nice SxS for him to choose from and he chose to carry an old Parker VHE 20 bore that some of you might recognize as a former PGCA raffle gun won by my late father. Bill had shot this gun at the Vintage cup a couple years back and liked it then. I have a picture below of Bill with this Parker and the first grouse he as taken with a SXS. Paul


Yours truly with my DE grade on a perfect fall morning.


Cousin Bill with a nice grouse taken with a nice Parker VHE 20 bore!


A couple old doubles out on a nice day. Top gun is a VHE 20 gauge Parker on an O frame with 28" bbls showing a nice honest 83 years of hunting. Below is A "Keystone" state native hunting within 2 hours drive of its birthplace. This old DE sports 28" #4 wt. barrels choked Mod/Full. The Fox is hunting its 88 season and shows some nice honest hunting wear.

Paul,
It looks like a great time in spite of the jumpy birds. Love that D grade thanks for showing the pics.

Paul: Nice pictures. I see ya got the DE out grouse hunting good job. Glad you enjoyed your trip.

Those are some impressive bird numbers. I assume since there were no photos of dogs, you were walking these birds up? Either way, it's good to see numbers like that outside of the lake states and far north. I also wanted to take a moment to express my thanks to all who have submitted shotgun and shotgun related pictures and stories in the last week or so. As a relatively new member to this club and one that doesn't post very often, I want to say I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing how other guys are taking upland game and waterfowl with these old guns. I certainly don't consider that stuff "off-topic" and look forward to reading and viewing such pieces in the future. Afterall, we are all in this club because we love American doubles and although some are probably strictly collectors, many are serious users too...... me included. Anything related to an old double will always be welcome in my book!

DSizemore
Yes we were walk up hunting with no dogs. I usually bring my yellow lab Bailey along but since she got the lime tick bug last year she has struggled to to keep up with the long days we put in after grouse. Bill and I cover 4 to 5 miles of ground and hunt from early morning to just before dark. I now use Bailey for my couple hour trips after pen raised pheasant here in Jersey. I do miss her grouse hunting!

Very nice Paul. Enjoy the good times. I frequently hunt with my cousins, who are like brothers to me, and their dad who is my dad's brother. Dad and my grandfather are deceased...but they live on in our memories and the stories we relive every outing we share together.

Mike

Geeeezze-Louwezzzzze Plunk!!!! After listening to all of your sermons, from the Church of Ansley H....Ol' cousin Bill, heads into the valley of darkness and takes the Meriden exit ramp??? He obviously needs to return to the Vintage Cup, for some more group therapy!!!! Poor bastard.....LOL...................TOOL