Books

[Phil Yearout]

I picked up a couple of interesting little books recently...

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The one on the right is Partridge Rambles and Partridge Adventures by William H. Claflin, Jr. This is a re-issue compilation of his original limited edition, privately published books from 1934 and 1951 which I mentioned in Dean's grouse book thread. I haven't read it yet and I'm not even a grouse hunter, but I'm a sucker for these little privately published books, even if this one is a re-issue.

The one on the left is Ward Allen, Savannah River Market Hunter by John Eugene Cay. Jr., about the turn of the century market hunter. I was unaware of this person and the story until someone on the doublegunshop site mentioned it. It's a very cool little story with lots of photos and old clippings and references. I also bought the movie (!) which I've yet to watch. They cast Jim Caviezel (who I like a lot) as Ward, but from what I've read, they've romanticized things; Jim doesn't look anything like the description of Ward in the book.

[Mills Morrison]

Thanks for sharing. I am not familiar with the grouse book but am well familiar with Ward Allen. I have the first printed edition as well as a copy of the paper presented to the Madeira Club. Ward's guns are still in Savannah and are owned by a friend. He was a real character in his time. Incidentally, my great uncle wanted to go to Oxford and my great grandfather said absolutely not, Ward Allen went there.

[Mills Morrison]

I am a sucker for privately printed books like these too

[CraigThompson]

I'd like to have a copy of the Ward Allan book myself !

I first saw the movie on a flight from Dubai to Dullus in February of 2014 and recently bought a copy of the movie for my wife to watch . Although I'm the first to admit I'm not a waterfowler as such , that gentleman had a way about him that makes the thought of it rather interesting to say the least .

[CraigThompson]

In all honesty I think it's safe to say only three duck guys have caught my attention and held my intrest !

1. Nash Buckingham

2. Fred Kimble

3. Ward Allen

[CraigThompson]

Just watched "Savanah" with my wife here in the Philippines !

She kept asking me if they had crocodiles in the water there . Told her nope no Crocs except for the shoes in USA but there might be a gator or two !

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I'd heard they were going to reissue that Ward Allen book. Anybody know where it's available?

[Mills Morrison]

Try Amazon, Destry

[Mills Morrison]

I wish they had made the movie about 45 minutes longer and really developed the story and included all of the book. The book is short enough to where that is possible. Oh well, still an underrated movie. That the Hollywood gurus didn't like it is a big vote of confidence for me.

[CraigThompson]

I wish they had made the movie about 45 minutes longer and really developed the story and included all of the book. The book is short enough to where that is possible. Oh well, still an underrated movie. That the Hollywood gurus didn't like it is a big vote of confidence for me.


Enlighten me please .

Were they trying to say he shot himself when he was out in the boat at the end or that he just stayed out on the marsh and starved to death or something along those lines ?

[Phil Yearout]

I'd heard they were going to reissue that Ward Allen book. Anybody know where it's available?

I got mine on ABEbooks; 12 bucks or so as I recall. They've added a dust cover that reflects the movie with pics of Jim Caviezel and the actor who plays Christmas, which is kinda too bad.

[Mills Morrison]

There is not much more about his death other than what is in the movie. It kind of looked like a suicide to me, but nobody has come out and said that. There was an early scene in the book where Christmas Moultrie and Jack Cay were hunting in the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. That would have made a good scene.

[Phil Yearout]

I read an interesting opinion on that. It was said that after his death his dog was found to be unfed and very hungry. Folks said they could see Ward committing suicide, but no way would he have left his dog to go hungry.

[Mills Morrison]

Shortly before his death, he went by Peeples Hardware and gave them his guns and I think some of his decoys to settle up his account. A member of the Peeples family still owned the guns until recently and another friend owns them now.

[Phil Yearout]

Mills, since you're in that area you probably know Roger Pinckney? He's one of my favorite writers and in fact it was his review of the book and movie that prompted me to seek them out. Nice guy too; I've exchanged a few emails with him.

[Mills Morrison]

I know of him, but have never met him. I hope to meet him someday.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Thanks, just bought it.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

I believe Roger Pinckney lives on Dafusque Island, just off Hilton head.

[CraigThompson]

Shortly before his death, he went by Peeples Hardware and gave them his guns and I think some of his decoys to settle up his account. A member of the Peeples family still owned the guns until recently and another friend owns them now.

What did he have gunwise ?

[Phil Yearout]

Supposedly he did much of his duck shooting with a big ol' 4-bore of some kind. He had a 12-bore Greener and a 12 bore Scott which he used for "jump shooting, pond shooting or field shooting". After breaking up the ducks with the 4-bore he had a seven shot 12-bore auto which he used "as they got off the water". There's a photo in the book but it's grainy and dark; hard to make out any particulars.

[CraigThompson]

Supposedly he did much of his duck shooting with a big ol' 4-bore of some kind. He had a 12-bore Greener and a 12 bore Scott which he used for "jump shooting, pond shooting or field shooting". After breaking up the ducks with the 4-bore he had a seven shot 12-bore auto which he used "as they got off the water". There's a photo in the book but it's grainy and dark; hard to make out any particulars.

What was that hammer forend lever Belgian looking thing he was shooting in the movie ?

Or was that just a prop and he had no such gun as that ?

[Phil Yearout]

I haven't watched the movie yet. The info I quoted above is from the text in the book. The pic in the book shows the 4-gauge to be a straight grip hammer gun; hard to tell from the poor repro photo but it doesn't look like it has a forend lever. Its make is not identified. There's another hammer double that's not identified; it has a pistol grip and a comb riser on it that appears to be leather with lacing around the edges and maybe even tooled. The auto is an exposed hammer model like a Win 97 with a pistol grip and a cheek piece stock