Frank Cronin's First Goose

[Pete Lester]

A miserable day weatherwise means good fowling. Frank Cronin joined us today for a NH goose hunt and Frank and his wonderful 5 frame 10ga hammer gun got their first goose.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/nhshotgunner/FranksFirstGoose.jpg

Scott Kittredge and Frank with their limit before leaving to go duck hunting and leaving me to guard the goose decoys. Took about half an hour after they left but another 5 came in and 3 left the field. A good day was had by all but the combination of rain and mud is hard on these on old guns! In spite of that nobody "grabbed the wrong gun" this morning either, all 10ga Parker's were used :)

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj57/nhshotgunner/FrankScottLimitGeese.jpg

[Rick Losey]

and for those who think you shouldn't take these gun out in rough conditions and bad weather


just look at that smile :cheers:

[scott kittredge]

yes , fun ,even after the 13 shots it took to get his 2 geese we went to a few woodduck spots and 36 shots later he did get 2 woodducks. nice drakes and the 1st one he killed is going to the taxidermy shop to have mounted. no his shooting was great!!:rotf: he will be back for a crow hunt in a few weeks. it should be dry than. scott

[Stephen Hodges]

Great pix and story guys, and congrats Frank.................:)

[Pete Lester]

Great pix and story guys, and congrats Frank.................:)

Of course they are great pics, they have Parkers in them :)

[Frank Cronin]

yes , fun ,even after the 13 shots it took to get his 2 geese we went to a few woodduck spots and 36 shots later he did get 2 woodducks. nice drakes and the 1st one he killed is going to the taxidermy shop to have mounted. no his shooting was great!!:rotf: he will be back for a crow hunt in a few weeks. it should be dry than. scott

I think your arithmetic Scott on the fired shotshell count is a little off :whistle: but like you said it was a fun time. Waking up at 3:30AM to get up there by 5 to lay in a field of mud in constant rain was all worth it. Hanging out with Pete and Scott with combined 75 years of waterfowling experience between them really made my first day out there the best. Learned a bunch, had some laughs, got our Parkers dirty, and looking forward to the next time.

[Pete Lester]

Hanging out with Pete and Scott with combined 75 years of waterfowling experience between them really made my first day out there the best

:shock:

[Mills Morrison]

Man, that looks like fun.

[charlie cleveland]

great storey..was really into the 5 frame...what loads did you boys use on those wild fowl..and those 36 shots sounds like me on the dove field...hope i get to go duck hunting before long and hope to shoot well like frank. ha charlie

[Dean Romig]

I sure hope Frank wasn't using those black powder, fire-breathin' loads he had at the New Years Day shoot... :shock:

Heck, those things will cook a goose before it even hits the ground :eek:

[Frank Cronin]

No worries there Dean.... no black was used. Saving the BP for tradition on the New Years day shoot and I got a couple reserved just for you to ring in the New Year for your real nice "yard sale" grade three lifter you got.... Give it a try... it might even bring back the patina on the side plates. :cool:

For Charlie... Uncertain what everyone else used for recipes for the short 10 but I am really liking this Longshot Powder with Nice Shot.

Federal hull cut to 2 7/8"; Federal 209 primer; 33.3 grains of Longshot; 1/8" fiber filler wad in SP10 wad go get a good stack height and crimp; 1 3/8 oz of #2's Nice shot with a six point crimp. 1335 FPS velocity; 8780 psi.

I missed my first four shots due to I am not used to mounting and shooting a real heavy gun while laying down and then sitting up to take a shot. Takes a while to get those long heavy barrels moving...... I noticed I was shooting behind the bird. On my next two I was able to get my bag limit shooting the first one like a skeet high house station eight shot, barrels vertical and follow through 20 yards in the air. Oh boy was this a solid hit. I really hurt him.... My second was a single goose that came in but was much further away. He had is landing gear ready and about 10 feet above the ground then Scott yelled, "Frank take him". I fired one shot and he was dead before he hit the ground. Retrieving him, Scott and I counted 43 steps.

[Pete Lester]

I sure hope Frank wasn't using those black powder, fire-breathin' loads he had at the New Years Day shoot... :shock:

Heck, those things will cook a goose before it even hits the ground :eek:

Although that would have been neat we don't wear ear protection when goose hunting. I think that would essentially have been like laying on the ground next to the battleship Iowa when it fires it's main guns. :rotf:

[Dean Romig]

From my experience Frank's 10 bore cannon could easily earn the monniker "The New Bo-Whoop"!!

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Nice work boys.

DLH

[charlie cleveland]

them crows aint going to stand a chance.... thanks for the info on the 10 ga load..it will go in with all of petes 10 ga loads... charlie