Fox Collectors

We still have plenty of leaves on the trees, a very unusual year with lots of rain here in northeast PA. I finally got out to the mountains today with a Syracuse Lefever DS 16 bore that came out of NC earlier this fall, a 1912 gun Also took my familiar Fox Sterlingworth Ejector 16 but was carrying the Lefever when I got this bird. Both are 26-inch guns. The bird was taken at a place I call "Lilac" where a big lilac survives next to an old fieldstone house foundation and remnants of a small barn way back in the woods. It was pretty warm this afternoon, 65-degrees. I hunted 5 hours, had three flushes and one shot. The Lefever is chambered true 2-9/16" (not short) and the grouse was taken with a RST Spreader, with a vintage Federal Hi Power paper 2-9/16" shell on standby in the left barrel. A tough bird to get at; it fell into a big patch of greenbrier on a steep side hill and it took me about 10 minutes to work in. Overall a memorable first hunt with the Lefever and her first shot fired at live game (for me).

Here are a few pics of the fantail and guns as well as some random ones taken while hunting - an old timber RR bed that runs through an unnamed cover, a place we call the "Bubble Up" and a small but legal buck on the move.

Beautiful pictures Frank. Thanks for sharing them. How close were you to that buck?

Thanks Jeff, the buck was about 35 yards and pic was taken by zooming in. Later in the day I talked with some archery deer hunters with Maine plates on their truck. They asked about deer and I showed them the pic and where that was. Wished them good luck, that buck was on the move lookin for love and who knows where it is this morning?

I saw just a few vehicles while moving between covers, probably more archery hunters or maybe out for turkeys. No trucks with dog boxes or obvious signs of grouse chasers.

I've noticed in a few pictures that those Lefevers have very nicely checkered, round pistol grips. They look nice.

I love your pictures, Frank. They remind me of growing up in Minnesota and hunting Ruffed Grouse, the 1st gamebird I ever hunted. Jim

I always enjoy your pictures, Frank. I well remember the "Bubble Up" from previous pics over the years. I never tire of them.

Lefever, eh?

SRH