Fox Collectors

Here's the link to the DU video of the recent hunt with Bo Whoop at Beaver Dam:

http://www.ducks.org/news-media/du-film ... e=filmsurl

Great video! Thanks

I liked it too, but I would have liked it a lot more if they were wearing something like vintage Duxback or Filson instead of Sitka.

The modern camo just seemed a little out of place.

They were a sponsor so I don't want it sound like a complaint, it is just an observation.

I guess I'm in the minority, but I have an issue with this. The average DU member would never get to touch this gun, let alone take it out to shoot ducks. What is the level of privilege required to get to hunt with Bo Whoop? Who determined who was lucky enough to get to go on this trip and pull the triggers? Did everyone make a special donation to DU to get to go on the trip, or did they just take turns shooting Mr. Buck's Fox so they can say they have?

Can I submit my bona fides to take her for a spin this season, or was this just a, "well, we're going to do this once just because"? And "because" seems a lot like, "because we can..."

I get the idea and it sounds great, and I'm sure the article is well written and pays homage to Mr. Buck and makes everyone misty, but in reality it seems like DU being pretty irresponsible with something entrusted to them for the benefit of all its members.

I think I'll call the Ward Foundation and see if I can borrow some '36 canvasbacks for my rig this year...I promise I'll write a real good article and take pictures...

Excellent point and possibly a point shared by others. However, I would like to politely offer a different point of view. I once owned a Belgium Browning that was 25 years old and had never been shot. One day I realized that Mr. Browning had designed that gun to be used and that it was a waste for it to be sitting in my basement. So, I took it bird hunting (and of course, I missed). Here's my point, Bo Whoop is a beautiful gun and I'm glad that some of us were able to see it used to shoot ducks (in the video). I think Ansley and Nash would be glad that the gun was in use. It's a duck killing machine and it's okay to take it out of "mothballs". Just my thoughts.

rhpierce wrote:I guess I'm in the minority, but I have an issue with this. The average DU member would never get to touch this gun, let alone take it out to shoot ducks. What is the level of privilege required to get to hunt with Bo Whoop? Who determined who was lucky enough to get to go on this trip and pull the triggers? Did everyone make a special donation to DU to get to go on the trip, or did they just take turns shooting Mr. Buck's Fox so they can say they have?

Can I submit my bona fides to take her for a spin this season, or was this just a, "well, we're going to do this once just because"? And "because" seems a lot like, "because we can..."

I get the idea and it sounds great, and I'm sure the article is well written and pays homage to Mr. Buck and makes everyone misty, but in reality it seems like DU being pretty irresponsible with something entrusted to them for the benefit of all its members.

I think I'll call the Ward Foundation and see if I can borrow some '36 canvasbacks for my rig this year...I promise I'll write a real good article and take pictures...

I was able to spend an hour or so with this gun before it left Savannah, GA and was sent to Julia's for auction. It was a very special time for me. I shouldered it many times after disassembling it, reassembling it, and taking lots of pics and measurements of the bores and chokes, etc. Using the gun carefully only ADDS to the aura that surrounds this famous gun, IMO. I am not jealous because I didn't get to try it on ducks, and I don't feel sour grapes because some did. It's a great piece of Fox and waterfowling history, and my hat's off to DU for making the video. There isn't equality in this world in everything, regardless of how loudly some may cry for it.

SRH

rhpierce wrote:... "because we can..."

That's pretty much the way the world works, and more so all the time. Better get used to it !

Mr. Hillis,

I'm not worried that I didn't get to be one of the lucky few. I have my own HE with which to make memories; it was a lifetime goal for me, and when it finally arrived, I was (still am) extraordinarily happy. And I'm lucky enough to live in Arkansas where I can shoot it in a wide variety of places, even if the duck hunting here isn't as good as it was 30 years ago.

The gun was donated to DU so that everyone could get a chance to see it (and #2, which they've had for a while already) and experience a part of waterfowling history. I'm guessing all of us who read Buckingham and wanted nothing more than to see BoWhoop recovered were ecstatic when it turned out to be the real thing...I'm betting we all also dreamed of being the lucky bidder when the hammer fell.

The Smithsonian doesn't let the Wright Flyer out because someone wants to fly it and see if they can experience the same thrill of "first flight" that the Wright brothers did. The Corvette Museum in Bowling Green doesn't let someone take out a famous Corvette because it would be a fun ride. And I doubt the Ward Museum will let me have those '36 cans to put in my rig this fall.

My point was that Ducks Unlimited was given arguably the most famous waterfowling gun in history in trust, and one of the first things they do is get a few people together to go out and shoot it. Not a smart PR move at all from my point of view.

As far as life not being fair or equal, I'm well aware of it. But, while my question was mostly satirical, there is a legitimate question in there...what is/was the threshold to get DU to allow it to be taken out? As a member, and supposedly the administration of DU working for the members, I think it's reasonable to want to know what it was that made them say, "yes, this is a good idea...", even if the truth is, "well, I'm the head of DU, and my buddies wanted to do this, and I said yes".

Respectfully,

RHP

I don't think DU owns BW, it is on loan from the current owner, so I would guess the use of BW would have to be cleared with the current owner.

For what it's worth, when I saw the guns at DU, I noticed that the signage for Bo Whoop II said it was on loan, while the signage for Bo Whoop said it was donated.

OK thanks I stand corrected. Craig Larter

No disrespect intended. Those details jumped out at me at the time. They have a nice display. With the two Bo Whoops are a 20 gauge Fox that says it was owned by Hal Howard and modified by Burt Becker and the Model 21 presented to Mr. Buckingham by John Olin. I'm thinking, if I am recalling correctly, that the 21 is now in the DU museum at the Bass Pro Pyramid.