Pheasants on hammergun

[Brent Francis]

A parker hammergun on gunbroker item 258121627 caught my eye. It has pheasants engraved on the sideplates but its serial number puts its manufacture in the early 1880s. I didnt think that pheasant hunting took place until 30 or 40 years after this gun was produced. Anyone have any insight on this?

[Rick Losey]

Although there were many early attempts at stocking (I remeber mention of George Washington trying) the first successful stocking was about 1881 in Oregon, were the first season was held about 10 years later, by 1908 there were seasons in the Dakotas.

So - for a 1880's dated gun - the engraving would most likely be a later addition or the gun belonged to Nostradamus

[Drew Hause]

Damascus Grade 2s usually have a 'D' or 'D3'. I've not seen a 'DH'?
And what in the world is the brass inlay for???

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17227428/399300348.jpg

[Bruce Day]

According to Wikipedia, pheasants were introduced in North America in 1857.

The Gunbroker gun is interesting. A 3 frame 10ga might be a bit heavy after a long walk.

[Brent Francis]

Thanks I hadnt noticed the brass it also looks like the serial numbers on the barrel dont match the frame. Must be an assembled gun. Ive got a couple of early parkers from the 1890s and 1900s and no pheasants just things that look like prairie chickens and ducks. My G from the 1920s has pheasants so it caught my attention when I saw these nice looking pheasants on such an old gun.

[Dave Suponski]

Brent, The number visible on the barrel flats is the order number. These are commonly found on early guns.

[Jeff Mayhew]

The last three digits of the serial number (257) are stamped into the rear of the barrel lug. You can just barely make it out in picture 20. Note also what appear to be the initials "J.S."

[Bill Murphy]

The gun is not an assembled gun. However, back to the original question; Judge Denny brought the first birds over in 1881, the second batch in 1882. The first batch was observed with young the first year. The gun was apparently built in 1882. I have a feeling that the pheasant importation was pretty big news in the hunting press of the day. I have some mention of Judge Denny in sporting papers of the 1880s. I think he was pretty well known. Is the 1882 Parker the first engraving of a pheasant on an American shotgun? I don't know, but it's something to investigate. There couldn't have been more than a few hundred pheasants in this country when that gun was made.

[Brent Francis]

The engraving looks like parker style although the pheasants are acutally better than on my 230xxx G hammerless. I hadnt looked at enough engraved hammerguns to know whether these birds were unusual or the norm.

[Brent Francis]

I remember my great Uncle who was probably born in the late 1890s told me about going hunting for pheasant on the first day that they were legal game in the part of Indiana where he lived. I guess by that time (not sure of the year) they were really common and a nuisance. He describe the first hunt was more like shooting chickens than game birds. By the time I got to hunt them they had learned alot.

[Brent Francis]

It would be something if that old gun turned out to be Judge Denny's PS it is not mine and I dont know who is selling it.

[Bill Murphy]

Nothing stopping someone from ordering a letter on it. Let's dig out our early eighties Parkers and look for pheasants.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

From what I understand, a lot of the engravers at Parker were of european extraction. They'd have been very familiar with the pheasant, my guess is that's your explaination.

DLH

[Paul Ehlers]

Destry,

I think you have it nailed.

[Dean Romig]

I've seen a lot of gamebird engraving on grade 2 Parkers and the majority of those that exhibit long pointed tails are actually a rendition of prarie sharptail grouse but there is no mistaking that the birds on the gun in question are pheasants.

[Brent Francis]

Yes, I am not surprised that Parker could engrave pheasants back them just wondered who would want them. They Dont look like the birds on the few other grade 2s and the early GHs Ive seen. I wonder if it was a special order for someone who shot in europe

[Austin W Hogan]

The Parker Story indicates many Parker engravers were new to this country and not outdoorsmen. A copy of Audobon was kept in the engraving room. The " looking back bird" is a direct lift from Audobon.
A leafing through Audobon may find this bird.

Best, Austin

[calvin humburg]

I always enjoy Austin's insight, always very helpful. One of the Greats on this Fourm !!!Thanks ch

[Bruce Day]

According to the US Geological Survey, pheasants were released in New York state in 1733 and later in the 1700's in New Hampshire and New Jersey. The USGS characterizes the 1881 Oregon release of 100 breeding pairs as the first release to "really gain a toehold in North America".

[Brent Francis]

It doesnt take much to get me on a new research project. so I went off to find the Audubon pheasant. Audubon's famous book The Birds of North America was compiled between 1827 and 1839. I found a website that had all the prints. I found beautiful pictures of all our native game birds but I couldnt find find any pheasants. Not surpriseing since there were no established populations during Audubon's life.

[Bill Murphy]

The best research is looking at engraved Parkers before 1881.

[Brent Francis]

Bill, Ive been looking but I havn't found one with any pheasants yet. Lots of sage grouse and quail but nothing I think looks like a pheasant before the late teens. but im sure there are guys out there who've seen alot more early parkers than I have

[Bruce Day]

Bill, Ive been looking but I havn't found one with any pheasants yet. Lots of sage grouse and quail but nothing I think looks like a pheasant before the late teens. but im sure there are guys out there who've seen alot more early parkers than I have


Here are sage grouse. You've seen these on Parkers? I've seen sharptailed grouse but never sage grouse. I'd love to see photos.

Several years ago, Charlie and I made a special trip to Montana in pursuit of sage grouse. We never did bag one, pheasants yes but no sage grouse. Sage grouse are about the size of small turkeys and live only in sage.

[Brent Francis]

Bruce Im not sure but I thought that these looked more like sage grouse than sharp tails on a 1901 parker G It has some birds on the bottom I thought might be sharp tails.

[Brent Francis]

Here is the bottom of the gun with what I thought were sharp tails however I guess they could be quail the G engraving is usually pretty abstract.

[Bruce Day]

I'm not sure what they are. They are not correct for either sage grouse, prairie chickens, sharptailed grouse, or any quail species I am familar with. But, its still nice that we got gamebird engraving of probably a prairie grouse species rather than just repeticious scroll .

Now I know this one is ruffed grouse.


(owned by a friend)

[Brent Francis]

Yep, Cant mistake that one. what a nice gun. I guess if you spring for an A grade you dont have to guess the species

[Leighton Stallones]

My 37911 made about 1885 has two Pheasants on the left Lockplate and
two Ducks on the right lock plate/

[Jack Cronkhite]

Here are some "Parker engraved" sage grouse on the under-side of VH 145522. "Engraving" courtesy of my Dad and CIL Imperial #4's. Late '60's near Manyberries, Alberta.. No need to add sage seasoning when eating these birds.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/Dad_with_Sage_Grouse001.jpg

[calvin humburg]

Hey now "thats what i'm talkin about", he isn't wearing any gloves. Great pict jack suppose you still got the VH? Old School bought all gone.

[charlie cleveland]

biggest engravings i ever seen and i did not need my glasses... do those big birds eat good....lovey picture jack.... charlie

[Jack Cronkhite]

Charlie: I know they eat sage, sage and more sage. These were taken in a sage flat that was miles and miles of nothin' but sage.

Calvin: Still got it and that's the one that got me into PGCA and ultimately doublegunitis. Dad figured gloves just got in the way, unless it was really cold.:rolleyes:
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/HPIM6768.JPG

[Fred Preston]

Jack, I have found that if my hands don't get cold with any gloves that are useable with a DT shotgun, it's not unbearable without them.

[Jack Cronkhite]

Back in the day, a much younger me, got by without gloves - but then there was no snow for me on this day. :) These Sage grouse were "Savaged". Still have the 755A as well.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/Jack%2C_Savage%2C_Sage_Grouse_1960_s.JPG

[Bruce Day]

It doesnt take much to get me on a new research project. so I went off to find the Audubon pheasant. Audubon's famous book The Birds of North America was compiled between 1827 and 1839. I found a website that had all the prints. I found beautiful pictures of all our native game birds but I couldnt find find any pheasants. Not surpriseing since there were no established populations during Audubon's life.

The Audubon work was intended to present North American native birds to British and European learned society . Pheasants of course are not native to North America.

Audubon spent time in Ste. Genevieve, MO, but there are no reports of him shooting with the famous bird hunting Herzog clan of the area.

Nice photo Jack. No matter how much I exercise and how slim I stay, I still don't look like I did in my 20's. Maybe its time for a hair transplant and a face lift.