A Parker Saves the Day (or a case of poor shooting and redemption)
 

Our bird season, hunting from home, has been decent so far with coveys found, a few pheasants taken, and enough beautiful weather days between the miserable ones to make things memorable. That we are seeing progress in our puppy has made things extra special.

The other day we were exploring a new-to-us farm just on the Missouri/Iowa border. Starting the day I was using my "new" 128 year old Dickson round action 12 bore. I'd been using it with good results for most of the season, and had confidence in the gun. We got up a covey wild not far from the truck and they scattered into an old, overgrown milo field -- a perfect set-up. We started to find singles and I missed the first couple of shots...and then over the course of the next hour I missed seven times, taking only one bird over a great point -- an easy shot. I just could not hit anything! I even caught myself closing an eye and aiming, a sure recipe to failure. I just got flustered.

I decided to lick my wounds, so we went back to the truck, had lunch, and sat in the sun to rest for a while. The rest did my psyche good, and I decided to change guns for a fresh start, having brought along a Parker as a back-up gun for this outing. This particular gun, a 1918 DHE 20 gauge, has 30 inch barrels and is choked lightly (55%/65%) and set up to "shoot 6-8 inches high" by the man who ordered it. A little research revealed that the gent who was so specific about the the gun in his order (he even requested a larger than normal grip) was a Kentucky field trialer (a setter guy from what I have found so far). This gun was obviously set up for quail, and I felt a kindred spirit with the original owner of 100 years ago. If I could have special ordered a Parker, it would have been like this one.

Not all stories of shooting woes end well for me, but this was the exception. I went 4 for 4 during the afternoon of our hunt. I usually don't take more than a brace of quail anymore, but after the morning's disastrous shooting, and the fact we found three large coveys (and I wanted to get my puppy as much bird work as possible), I decided that several more birds might exorcize my shooting demons.

The dogs were happy, except for the poor girl that was witness to my earlier shooting, and I can't help but think that there was a long forgotten old bird hunter smiling at having his gun take some 21st Century (very) wild Bobs.

That is some great looking cover Gary. Glad the Parker did'nt let you down.

A good day to remember and a fine Parker too. Congratulations Garry.

Nice pictures too Garry! I really like the oak background for your bird and gun display!





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Reminds me of Havilah Babcock's "Slim Boggin's Mistake"...do you shoot with one eye open or both eyes open?

Great story, nice recovery (and Parker save) and love the photos!

Doesn't get much better than this!

Great pics and great story, Garry. Beautiful dogs and Parker.

Is your gun stocked hi ? Maybe 1 1/4 x 2" How did parker make the gun shoot that high 6 to 8" I have learned to shoot guns that are stocked hi. I started out shooting Parker reproduction SXS guns about 20 years ago when I bought my first one. It was stocked hi and that is what I got used too shooting. The target is always visible right on top the front bead. I do not shoot guns that have drops lower than 1 1/2 x 2 1/2, even then have to cover the bird up to hit it. When hunting live targets that requires to much thought so I try to buy guns that point and shoot about the same. Old original guns are hard to find that are stocked 1 1/4 x 2 1/4 that I shoot well. SXS Ohio

Kenny,

The gun is stocked with a DAH of 2 1/2 inches according to the letter. I, as apparently do you, like my guns stocked high and I shoot so that there is space between the barrel end and the bird...actually, quite a bit of space. I was fitted this was and was able to get several guns custom stocked to fit my way of shooting. Although I have no idea that Parker adjusted the chokes to shoot high, I have read that in the boring of chokes guns can be made to throw their patterns high (if they can be regulated to throw patterns to the same point at X distance, they could surely regulate to have the patterns thrown high). Since shooting over dogs generally produces rising birds, it makes perfect sense to have a gun shoot high like this. It's like magic when the birds get up, but I have to concentrate to, for example, take a bird that is below me, or even a bird that truly flies straight away, as shot actually presents a target that is slightly falling.

All of us who shoot old guns learn to adjust to their stock measurements, etc (otherwise our arsenal would be pretty small...and that's no fun!). I like GBE's account of how he was less able to do this as he aged, and what he did to mitigate the issue. Foster's diagrammatic drawings in his great book have helped me to visualize how different shot angles call for pointing high and/or low. It sounds like you've considered all this pretty deeply too, and also have an intuitive grasp. You are probably a good shot. I am only a passable one.

I shoot with both eyes open and unless I'm in the throes of a shooting slump (like the one described on this particular day), I never see the end of the barrel while shooting. When I start calculating on the shot, I generally miss.

It would be nice to have all of our guns fit us perfectly, but we'd miss out on a lot of guns that are a joy to carry if we only shot under those perfect conditions.

I have come to believe that there is an alchemy to shooting. I'm an expert on absolutely nothing, but "know" that when all elements are in sync, there is a magic to shooting.

All very well said and obviously well founded!





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Love it! I can relate to so much of your experience. Miss a few and start looking at the gun. I think we all do it from time to time. Certain to bring on a fit of talking to myself with a degrading manner:cuss:

I once upon a time could find my way around Clark and Union counties in the Hawkeye, and quail seemed a bit thin late "90 when compared to a decade earlier. But your photos take me back to some of those draws of mixed growth the plow wasn't risked and quail would make a living.