BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

[Jerry Harlow]

It's hell getting old. I always pack up my guns the night before in a two gun case. Always carry a spare dove hunting, and try to take a different gun every time. Got twenty minutes from home after loading up the dog and remembered my brushed in goose blind was in the back of the truck in my Jet Sled in which I carry everything to the dove field. That meant one thing. I forgot my guns. Instead of being set up before light I was nearly an hour late. Doves already feeding when I arrived on the next to the last day of the late season.

Took a gun I had never shot just for the heck of it, a Lefever Nitro Special in 12, a beast. I bought one just to say I had one. Made by Ithaca of course and not really a fine double, but to many an old timer this was as good as they could afford and to some was their pride and joy. Took an early Fox A grade as a backup, the beauty, but never used it. Would have had an easy limit if I had not forgotten to take the most important item. Seems I always forget something. last week it was my bucket seat with all of my decoys and battery for the Mojo.

Today I noticed a neat feature on the Nitro Special, a Prince of Wales style grip. I can't think of any other cheap double from the period that had such a pleasing grip somewhere between a pistol and a straight grip. It was barrel heavy but I shot it well with M&F chokes.

[Phillip Carr]

Jerry the most important thing I ever forgot was my........3 dogs. Worst part was one of the members here was a witness.

[Garry L Gordon]

Ha! We are heading out to hunt Iowa quail today, and your post reminded me I'd not put my guns in the truck since cleaning them.:banghead:

Thanks for the timely reminder!:bowdown: You are not alone in your memory issues. I like to call it preoccupation.:)

(I love those old Nitro-Specials and have a pristine 16 and rode-hard-and-put-away-wet 12. Both work when I do my part.)

[Stan Hillis]

Great job on late season doves, Jerry. I hope you end the season today with a full limit. Oh ....... don't forget anything! :rotf:

SRH

[charlie cleveland]

yep you aint alone in forgetting things....if I put something were I wont lose it I might as well throw it away because I will never find it again...charlie

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

But Charlie look how much fun it is to find something that has been lost, just like Xmas morning! Gary

[Rich Anderson]

Now you have me thinking what haven't I thought of?? I'm leaving Monday for a quail hunt in Georgia and haven't looked at a shotgun since November:shock: Now where is the charger for the collars??
I won't forget the guns simply because I haven't decided which ones to take.:)

[Jerry Harlow]

yep you aint alone in forgetting things....if I put something were I wont lose it I might as well throw it away because I will never find it again...charlie

Charlie,

I did that with a Go-Pro camera two years ago. Still can't find it. Bought another one.

[Phil Yearout]

Nothin' wrong with that "beast"; according to Keith Crowley that's what Gordon MacQuarrie shot and he did OK.

[Erich Bretschneider]

I have a 20ga Nitro Special that someone built into a skeet gun for a small person, it fits me perfect, I did buy it for my wife. I shot my highest score ever in International Skeet at the state shoot when my 24gram ammo didn't show up for my competition gun they let me shoot the 20 with 7/8 oz loads.

[Dave Noreen]

From introduction in 1922 --

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up through the 1928 Lefever Nitro Special flyer they were shown with the half-pistol grip. Beginning with the 1929 Lefever poster the Nitro Special is shown with the capped full pistol grip. Don't have a picture of the 1929 poster on file, but here is the 1930 which adds the vent rib double trap gun --

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The definitive work on the Ithaca Gun Co. Lefevers is Walter Snyder's article in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Thirty, Issue 1.

Similarly, J. Stevens Arms Co.'s low priced hammerless double their Riverside Arms Co. No. 315 had a half pistol grip from its introduction before WW-I through the 1927 catalog --

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By the 1929 J. Stevens Arms Co. catalog they had renamed their low priced line to Springfield Arms Co. and the No. 315 had a full pistol grip.

[John Dallas]

I picked up, and brought home the wrong dog from the boarding kennel (Black Lab) Don't ask how. My wife reminds Ms monthly, and it's been 3 years. Terrible price to pay

[Russ Jackson]

Jerry ,I can relate !!!! I keep a small boat , " Row Boat " that I put a 3 HP Electric Motor on at a Spotrsman Club Lake about 60 Miles from home !So a couple years ago I said to my Daughter , why don't you come up and You , Mum and I will drive down to the lake for some evening fishing ,spend the night with us and when we get home we will filet up some Blue Gills and Bass and have them for a late dinner like when you were a kid ! She thought that was a Great Idea so I spend the day lining up all of our fishing stuff ,along with a Cooler of snacks ,sandwich's and goodies ,bait etc. ! About Four PM we arrive at the lake put the boat in the water , we put on our life vests ,load our cooler of goodies ,bait etc. in the boat Sarah takes her place in the Front ,My wife in the center passing out snacks from the cooler and I am in the back heading out to our favorite spot when my Daughter asks if I didn't bring her a Rod ????? That's when it hit me ,I DIDN'T BRING ANYBODY A ROD they were still leaning against the stone wall 60 Miles away by the garage !!!!!! A quick trip to Walmart and a Hundred Dollars later , Three Rods and a nice evening fishing !:rotf:

[charlie cleveland]

thank the LORD for walmart.....charlie

[Jack Cronkhite]

Been forgetful for a long time. Always something else whizzing through the brain when I should be concentrating on something more important in that moment. I call it Adult Attention Deficit Disease. Apparently a disease is better to have than disorder when it comes to health care so sticking with disease. Worst forgetting was as a young guy trying to get my fairly recent bride interested in hunting. Got up early to be in the foothills of the Rockies before sunrise to see if we might get a bull elk. About an hour from home it flashed through my brain that the rifle was still sitting by the door. Well that blew timing but we went home got the rifle and tried again. It was a good day in the hills but no elk seen. The girl never did take to hunting but cooked it all so life was good. Fast forward 50+ years and it seems there’s always something that gets missed - even lunch left in the fridge. I finally relented and no longer rely on memory. It’s not like I haven’t had hundreds of hunting trips in life so you would think a routine would be burned into the brain. I now use a check list that would rival a jet pilot's takeoff sequence. I use it faithfully and tick off every box once something is actually in the vehicle. That’s the important part as I was ticking things off in the house and found myself in the field still having left an item behind even though the box was marked. I’m good now as long as I can find the file in the computer to print off more sheets this fall. Too much fun surviving the senior years. Cheers Jack

[Peter A Van Tassell]

I used to get upset about forgetting, but nowadays I just sit back and enjoy it. I figured and empty brain and a full belly feels good. Besides. you work your whole life to get to that point, so why not?

[todd allen]

Dogs are one item that cannot be forgotten in our household. We have 3 GSPs, and they are hyper aware of any move that constitutes a hunt. A shotgun coming out of the safe, duffel bags of gear, hunting partner sipping coffee in the kitchen before dawn. You ain't getting anything past the dogs!
I had one camped out on top of my duffel bags once. No, not gonna miss taking the dogs. No siree!

[Larry Stauch]

I picked up, and brought home the wrong dog from the boarding kennel (Black Lab) Don't ask how. My wife reminds Ms monthly, and it's been 3 years. Terrible price to pay

Wives are good at that!:rotf: