Christmas Hill Pheasent “Driven Shoot”
 

I did the Christmas Hill “Driven Pheasent Shoot” today . Sorry to say my picture taking was kinda lacking . There were 12 pegs and 24 shooters . A friend that was shooting with me got 17 birds using his K-32 Sporting Clays gun . I used my VH 16 gauge 28” M&F and was able to get 19 with 37 shots some I just plain missed , some I got with the second barrel , some with the first barrel and there were several I hit twice . I’d never done this before but was a little hesitant about the load to use . Initially I was going to take 16 gauge Express loads with 1 1/8 ounces of shot . Ended up carrying two boxes of Remington 1 ounce rabbit/squirrel #6 loads , a box of Remington quail/dove #7 1/2’s and a box of Remington Express 1 1/8 #6’s . Put a box of ounce 7 1/2’s in my left pocket for the right barrel and a box of 1 ounce 6’s in my right pocket for the left barrel . And had no problems that weren’t my own fault ! Brought home three dozen birds as many weren’t claimed . Just finished filleting all the breasts from the breast cartridge :eek:

Christmas Hill
 

I used to be a member at Christmas Hill, years ago. I would take my pointing dogs the days after a pheasant shoot and have a good time finding birds that got missed. They kept changing the rules on how often we could hunt and how many we could shoot so I dropped out. Patricia Kluege was a member then and I remember her shooting in the rain with a matched pair of 28ga. Holland &Holland guns that too nice for the weather.

I shot Christmas Hill the first time about thirty five years ago . I don’t think they had tower/driven shoots then but more of a club atmosphere . I was not a member but my grouse hunting partner was and we’d go their to work the dogs often . John Ambrose ran the place then . I went up their with a friend two years ago after a driven shoot doing the walk up thing . Killed nine that day out of eleven fired at . Used my little Parker VHE 20 gauge 28” M&F .

I’m going to meet a friend at another place Sunday to work his GSP on pen raised flight conditions quail . Gonna carry my Parker VH 28 gauge 26” F&F . I’d had thoughts about training a dog blah blah blah , but I’ve come to the conclusion once or twice a year of the tower/driven Pheasent stuff and one or two times a year doing the pen raised quail stuff and that’s about enough for me and even though the tower shoots are a bit pricey it’s a darn sight cheaper and less work than keeping a bird dog .

Take that Boykin with you tomorrow you will be surprised at what you get out of her. My puppy her sister hit the ground on her first last weekend. You could be amazed it just comes naturally.

It might be cheaper Craig but unless you are a dog guy (labs in particular) there is nothing that can describe the bond that you have with your dogs all year long. Dog ownership is not for every one but for those who own them they will know that they are worth every minute/penny spent on them. The old saying is "lock your dog and your wife/girlfriend in the closet then go to work. See who is happy to see you when you come home to let them out"

I’ve not tried to train a bird dog in about twenty years . Used to enjoy it but other obligations make it a bit impossible at the moment .

I’ve done virtually nothing with her . And of course that’s no ones fault but my own . Might take her we’ll see .

Hmmm, better be good doors, the wife will chew her way out!!!!:rotf:

My kind of girl.:)