Great story Mark. Yea we talk about Churchill method of instinctual shooting, gun mount, gun fitting, footwork, etc. etc. The old timers just did it and could probably out shoot most standing on their heads if they had to. Those old heavy gas operated 1100's were some soft shooting guns. What was the old saying, a 1100 is a 12 gauge that kicks like a 20. Did your dad happen to wear glasses? Even if he didn't it sounds like he was not shooting a whole lot of followup shots in succession, which is easy to do with an 1100.

Since a lefty myself and not optically challenged yet I never shot with glasses when I had an 1100. I don't think they ever made a lefty version of that gun until maybe in the last 10 years. Since nowhere as good a shot as your dad I shot a lot more chasing them doves. After an afternoon hunt I would look like I came out of a Kentucky coal mine. Ya know your suppose to shoot with your eyes open but after more than a few of those spent cartridges with slow burning powder flies across your face with some still smoldering residue blowing into your eyes, you can't help but close your eyes and almost develop a flinch.

Still remember the first time I shot my dad's Parker VH 16 in a dove field. It was heaven not having powder burns, been hooked since.

Tom do you hand pluck every single bird you harvest or do have one of those power pluckers?

Later in life, I gave my Dad a lefty 1187 Premier 12. He shot it just as well as any other gun he handled. I shot it a few times, and just cannot imagine shooting like that all the time!

Dad did wear glasses, but very rarely shot twice, he would just call a miss a miss. Also, although he always had one of our Setters trained to retrieve, they were never good enough to be reliable on doubles, as they were primarily “sight” retrieves, and Dad was serious about not getting up from that bucket. Funny, shooting quail, he would walk all day! But I think he considered Dove “hunting” a combination of target shooting and beer drinking! Those auto’s he used only for dove hunting, quail hunting was a German Empire grade Daly 12 O/U with the ejectors disabled, he also shot skeet with that gun. He had a rabid opinion about spent hulls, and it was an anathema to him to leave a spent hull on the ground. It was a rule for my brother and I to bring back at least as many empties as shots we took, and the old man would count them every time, and if they didnt add up, we were sent to find either the shells we didnt pick up, or some someone else has discarded.

Those trigger safeties on right handed autos most of the time are set and you can't switch them since built into the to trigger guards, at least we never tried to. Had to learn to carry or hold that gun cross chest and push safety over thumb and then mount the gun. Lots of barrel movement, but hey you adapt and overcome.

My dad still has a bunch of humpbacks and we will bang with them some and its like riding a bicycle. As matter of fact I don't think I have ever shot a true left handed auto loader with a safety in the trigger guard. That would be weird for me since have never thought to use my trigger finger in shooting sequence. I guess it would be easy enough though since putting safety on used trigger finger.

BTw I know it is frowned upon but some of finest people I knew and true sportsmen could sit on a cooler of beer in a dove field and wear them out. Personally I have only been to Mexico hunting a few times in early 90's on a hunts where there was no limit. They gave me a cooler of beer and flat of shells and pump 12 gauge shotgun. I went off to corner by myself down a road covered with mesquite. It was so hot I lost count but sitting there knocking back cold 10 oz carta blancas and nailing anything flying by was almost Zen like, until a you touched the barrel. Had to tear the bottom of the T-shirt I was wearing wrap it around my hand so not to touch barrels when working action. All I had to do was make the effort to pick out the dove and then the gun would seemingly mount it self to shoulder and fire and work that pump. That was a lot of fun then, but going there now, I don't know.

I hand pick them Todd. Always have, always will. You have to be very careful with grouse since the skin rips easily. Woodcock are easy and you don't have to worry about the skin ripping. Ducks and geese take some time because of the down and all but when you see them roasting in the oven with skin and legs intact, its worth the time spent. The skin helps to hold in the moisture of birds and is wonderful eating.

Picking is easier when the birds are warm but I always age my birds in my aging refrigerator with feathers intact. So they are a bit harder to pick. One thing I always do is gut my birds before they go in my pouch. This lets them cool down quicker. Quick cooling is important for any bird or big game animal. I am very particular about how I handle and cook my game. Turkeys take about a week to age properly, grouse I leave in the aging refrigerator for about three or four days. Then I freeze the ones that I can't eat within a week. I hate to freeze them but when you get a lot of birds there is no other choice. Aging comes before freezing because meat will not age in a freezer. I have found 38 degrees to be best for aging birds and venison.

Light 20 A5's Turn
 

Took Mosby for his second hunt today. Took with me a Sweet 16 and a mint condition Light 20. Decided on the 20 when I got there at daybreak, with an extra Poly-Choke barrel I picked up at a gun show last year. Mosby got to retrieve all fifteen birds, with my help on about three of them. He sure saved me a lot of wasted time since they are hard to find in a cornfield.

A little over a box for the fifteen birds.

Holy smokes you actually put a barrel with a poly choke on that gun. Awesome. Good job. Close to 60% shooting on a dove field is a good day, even better when a bit handicapped working with a young dog. That handicap clearly moves you into the 75 percentile and maybe 80% since you put that poly choke on there.

BTW I have a 16 gauge A5 in the quiver with a polychoke that was wife's grandfather's gun and holding for my kids. It ugly but the dang thing shoots well.

You have inspired my choice for Saturday morning (if we aren't drowning down here) I'm going to pull out my old 11-48 28 ga, no rib, that proudly sports a factory cutts compensator!!

The gun is 99% and I found the Belgian barrel with a new poly choke at a gun show. It had a little rust and a few pits so I reblued it. I keep the original VR 27" modified barrel off it when hunting so it does not get the two rub marks from the forend.

I am glad we got opening day in before the hurricane this year. Last year, it all but ruined our season.