New Toy Search, Part 2

     My search for a new gun continues. I'd like to thank everyone who voted in the poll. While there was clearly a voter preference for the Uggie, it was far from a run away victory. I haven't made up my mind yet, and a few new revelations and concerns have muddied the water. So, here is what I've been thinking, and why.

     I am heavily leaning towards my new gun being an O/U. Why? My only SxS is a short barreled Beretta, which doesn't fit me very well, and as a result, unless I shoot this gun exclusively and a lot, I don't shoot it well. Because this is my only experience with a SxS I am reluctant to spend a lot of money on a new one. That is, until I've had a proper gun fitting done to which I can compare my "gun script" to the measurements of the Beretta. I have never had a gun fitting, and would like to know what a proper fit should be. By knowing and comparing to the Beretta I will have a better idea of whether I have a fit issue with this gun, or if I'm just no good at shooting a SxS. For what it's worth, I've killed a lot of birds with this gun, but consistently struggle at skeet and sporting clays with it. The results of the fitting will also help me decide whether to have a new, custom stock built to my "script".

     I've also begun having second thoughts about spending big money on a 16 gauge gun. While 16 gauge enthusiasts swear it is the ultimate gauge I have a little trouble investing too much in a limited gauge. Finding 16 gauge ammo is not terribly easy, and I can easily see myself running out of ammo on a road trip, and being stuck without. None of this is meant to say that I won't be adding a 16 to my collection. It just won't be a terribly expensive one. Fortunately Browning makes a couple of 16 gauge O/U's that I would be happy to own. One is the Citori White Lighting, of which I currently shoot in 20 gauge and love. The other is their Citori Gran Lightning, which is a grade V gun, and offered at a very reasonable price. It also bear noting, that Browning has begun offering many of their field guns with 30", and 32" barrel options for those who either prefer shooting game with longer barrels, or shooting clays with lighter guns.

Browning 16 gauge Citori Gran Lightning

     So where does that leave me? Quite honestly I am still very much thinking of getting the B. Rizzini, but rather than getting it in 16, I will probably get it in 28 gauge. I've got a short barreled 28 gauge Gamba O/U, and I like it quite a bit, but I simply shoot longer barrels better, so I believe the 30" barrel option on the Rizzini is the way to go. But,.....

     There is one factor I haven't laid before you yet. There is a very high likely hood, in the 90%+ range, that I will be having a wrist surgery that will keep me from shooting any gun for several months. Because of this I've got time to think about it, and consider my options carefully. 

Trials, and.......

     With summer behind us, and opening day upon us hopes and expectations are high. I like to think of all the dog days of testing, and trialling as nothing more than preseason preparation, and while I enjoy them greatly, I am never as excited before an event as I am the final lead up to the grouse season. This season is no different.

     The build up began in August when I brought home a new Browning 20g over-under to accompany me in the woods. I've been shooting a 20g side-by-side, which I like a lot, but it's got 26 " barrels which I find too whippy. Not having a 28' barrelled 20g, nor an over-under 20g I figured I'd fill that hole in the gun safe. I'm glad I did, too, as I've been shooting this gun to pretty good effect at skeet.



     The build up to the season continued when a couple of weeks ago I ran Ginger in the Patriot Sporting Spaniel Club's fall springer trial in North Conway New Hampshire. Spending the weekend in New Hampshire, watching lots of good spaniels flushing and retrieving, and conversing with other club members, many of which I see regularly in grouse camp was quite enjoyable. The trial proved to be a bit of a milestone, too. While Ginger has been doing well in the hunt test arena, trials have been difficult. As such I entered with the humble goal of being seen by both judges. In this way we were successful, but a third series was not to be had. Ginger was a bit sloppy in our first series, and despite Ginger making a fantastic retrieve of a running, fighting bird in the second series, I was the one who was sloppy. Still it was fun, and I look forward to attending this trial again next year. Unfortunately, in a very un-journalistic way I failed to make note of the winners, and thus can not report them here.

Ginger and I getting ready for our second series.

A participant gives his dog it's final instructions before casting it on.

A steady dog honoring it's brace mate.



     Moving closer towards opening day I assessed my schedule, and began adding days away. This year a promotional exam at work, for which I have been studying for, as well as a family obligation and a wedding will keep me from taking to the woods in November, and the beginning of December, so finding a way to spend a lot of time away in October became all that much more important. My one week in grouse camp was stretched out to 10 days, and I added a 5 day cast n blast, for which I will be departing in just a few days. Life with dogs, especially those stuck in high gear, can present you with trails of another sort, and that's what happened on Sunday night when we found it nesseccary to rush Ginger to the animal ER. Somehow Ginger managed to impale herself on something while playing in the yard and presented with a large, deep, penetration in her chest. Though initially the injury looked devastating, by the next morning, with fresh stitches and a drain tube, Ginger seemed to be well on her way to recovery and is back to herself.  Despite bouncing around here at home like nothing happened, she will be on light duty for our first trip north. Rather than  cast n blast, it'll be a cast n scout. Until Ginger has had ample time for her wound to heal she shall be restricted in her upland duties. Rather than hunt in our traditional manner, I will hike some trails, and explore some new territory, hoping to get shots at road birds, Ginger at heel until needed for the odd retrieve. She may not like the arrangement, but she is needed, and we will still have 10 more days in the great north woods for her to do her thing.



Things You Should Check Out- A Bit of British Media

     Continuing along the recent Anglo angle I've been writing about after my trip I thought I'd share a couple of Youtube gems from Britain I came across while researching a bit more about the shooting sports in the UK.


     Of particular interest to me, being a spaniel guy, is the Youtube channel by Nick Ridley. Nick has posted quite a few videos of his crew, and their spaniels shooting pheasant and woodcock in England. His videos, some done with a Gopro, and others with what seems like a much higher quality camera feature lots of good shooting, and lots of good dog work, as well as what looks like a good bunch of guys really enjoying their sport. Check it out.

The other bit of British Youtube media I came across is The Shooting Show. The Shooting Show features some serious high quality production video of the many different kinds of shooting in the UK. If it is shooting, and it is happening somewhere in Britain (and other parts of Europe too, I think) it has probably been featured on this show. While I have watched this show on Youtube (haven't seen every episode) based on the quality of the production I believe this to be a regular network show. Check it out.

    I'd like to know what you think of the products and media I link in Things You Should Check Out. If you see something you like, don't like, or have an idea of something that needs to be spread around, let me know.

Pre-season Prep Talk

     Here in New England The Grouse and Woodcock season are just around the corner, as are the waterfowl, and Archery deer seasons. In some states one or more of these seasons may already be underway, but as a whole most of us are in prep mode. If You're at all like me one of your preparations is looking back at a few of last season's mistakes, and doing what you can to not replicate them. Whether it be a shooting error, dog training lapse, or poor vacation management there is some latent pressure that lingers over us as we head into the fall. One mistake we can all easily make is forgetting why we take to the wood and streams in the first place. Because of my involvement in hunt tests, and field trials I put a premium on good dog work. I also enjoy helping people find ways to enjoy the outdoors more, which is why I started this blog. Both of these things can often influence how I see the day, and make me too serious.

     I came to realize this the other day while I was at the skeet club. I'd like to say I was bust lots of clays, but for some reason it wasn't until my last round that I finally looked like I had shot skeet before. Last week at skeet, and sporting I was in the zone, but on this day it wasn't to be. But I really didn't care; I was enjoying myself. And realizing this I started to reflect on other days when I've felt that way. This spring and summer I had a few pretty good days on the river fly casting for trout. I also had a few days where I caught nothing. I enjoyed every one of those days, and on some of them I even took the time to just sit streamside with a cigar for a bit. It was relaxing and enjoyable. That's how hunting season should be, and I'm going to make sure it is. I hope you, too, do the same.

     So, whatever you do this season, do it your way, for your own reasons. Don't get caught up in popular beliefs, and trends. Carry whatever gun you feel like, in whatever gauge you wish. Hunt over whatever dog you want, in whatever cover looks good to you. Sleep in at camp, or quit early when the mood strikes you. Wear whatever boots, or hat, or gloves make you happy. Stay in if its raining, or go out in the rain. Be it a grouse covert, a deer stand, a duck blind, or a trout stream (or anything I've missed) you find yourself in, do it on your own terms, and enjoy the day.

     I've compiled a small list of things I'm going to do this season to help make the season a little less serious. I'm taking a complete newbie grouse hunting, I'm going to spend a day or two carrying my 12 gauge just because I like it, I'm going to spend a day or two not carrying a gun; others can shoot over my dog just as well as I can, I'm going to let others carry one of my guns for a day if they want to. I'm going to take a day or two off to do some fall trout fishing. I'm even going to take a couple weeks off to leave the country and travel (got a wedding over seas so why not make it a vacation). I'm going to enjoy these things. What have you got in mind?

A Shooting Sport Rant

Last week while grouse hunting up north I found myself needing to buy a box of shells. No problem, I'll just pop into the local sporting goods store, and grab a box off the shelf. That's exactly what I did. But I was reminded of a conversation I'd had with my friend Sterling a week before while grouse hunting. I paid $17.50 for a box of 20 gauge, high brass 7 1/2s. But price isn't the subject of this rant. The fact that by next season any un-used shell which has been rolled in my pocket, thumbed, and been allowed to commingle with other shells will be indistinguishable from any other shell is my problem. For $17.50 per box, the manufacturers could at least mark their products with ink that doesn't wear off so easily. While I usually dedicate one pocket for 7 1/2s, and another for 6s, by the end of the season shells often end up mixed together some how. When it comes time again to use these shells, I sure would like to know that it's a 7 1/2 I'm dropping in the right barrel, and a 6 I'm dropping it the left barrel. Is that too much to ask? Rant over.

Shotguns, Shotguns, and More Shotguns

     What is it about shotguns that makes us wingshooters want more? Take me to an outfitter, and guaranteed the first place I go is the gun rack. There really isn't anything better than cruising a used gun department, navigating the endless variety of gauges, barrel lengths, and actions, to finding a hidden little gem that you just can't believe someone parted with. Of course, it isn't long before the glimmering light reflecting off  the wall of perfectly polished new guns behind a counter draws you in as if caught in a tractor beam straight out of a sci-fi flick. I find it's best to approach the new gun counter when the sales person is busy with another customer. Usually the glow of new gun finish kind of hypnotizes me and I stand there unable to form any rational thought, my brain completely over-loaded, let alone able to muster up a complete sentence, should I even comprehend whatever the sales person may have said.

     What's most interesting about shotguns is that with so many configurations, endless really, that even though a shooter may have a preference for a particular type of gun, we're always able find something else that'll make us happy. While I prefer guns with two barrels, whether stacked or juxtaposed, I find myself really wanting, no,... make that needing, an auto-loader. I haven't any idea what I'd use it for, but I'm feeling it's pull. No doubt it'd find it's way to the clays course, and probably the duck blind too. Not that I don't have guns for those purposes already. I recently made the mistake of putting my hands on a .410 double. What a sweet little creature, with an English style straight stock, and double triggers. I'd never thought about owning a .410 before I touched this one, and I don't believe they have any place in the field, but it has injected me with it's poison, and I'll no doubt be adding it to my collection. I have, however, thought of a good reason, or excuse if you want to call it that, to buy one. I'm getting a new dog this spring, and a .410 is the next reasonable step in gun breaking a dog after you've accustomed it to the .22 blank pistol. Yeah,.. I'm good. Of course, getting a .410 presents a problem too. The gap in my collection, where the 16 gauge should be, will be clearly evident.

     Some guns work better for us than others, and I'm not talking about fit, or configuration. Some guns have a special something about them that makes us shoot them better. I recently found a replacement for my old 12 gauge over-under, that I primarily waterfowled with. The gun fits well, and I shoot it pretty good, too. It doesn't hurt that it's got some nice engraving, making it a step up from the old fowler, but I'd still not call this a nice piece, just a utility piece that won't cause me to sweat over carrying it into the salt marsh. As I shot it today, 100 round of sporting clays, I was aware that I was maintaining a better score with this gun than with my 20 gauge double I usually shoot. Of course, stupid. It's a 12 gauge. But the truth is, I shoot this new gun (yeah, it's still new) no where near the level I shot my old gun.

     The old 12 gauge was a Stoeger, Uplander. The Stoeger weighed about 10lbs, with a trigger pull of about 8lbs, but it had something magical about it. One friend described the way I shot the Stoeger as "money" in my hands. In reality, the gun probably wasn't blessed with any super powers, but having shot so much game with it I was confident whenever I carried it. And confidence goes a long way in the shooting sports. It instilled the kind of confidence that allowed me to shoot 6 birds in 8 rises one day a few seasons back.  I shot 3 Woodcock, 2 pheasant that may have been wild, as I wasn't hunting a WMA or anywhere near one, and a Ruffed Grouse. I'd like to say it was done with 8 shells, but it wasn't. One of my misses was on a grouse, and one was on a Pheasant. It instilled a similar confidence on the skeet field.  Though I've never been one to post high scores when it comes to shooting clays, I did post a 22 shooting a low stakes game of Doubles one afternoon.

     In the end, it comes down to this; If the gun did, however, have any magical powers it probably wouldn't be buried in mud on the bottom of a river, the result of a duck hunting mishap. In the absence of a gun actually being the recipient of a supernatural incantation, I'll have to continue shooting what I have regularly (or semi-regularly) and hope to find the same mystical confidence I found in the Stoeger. I'm betting it's out there somewhere, too.