John,
I was thinking like you but had an unexpected great opening day in Unionville. Drizzle all day and actually chilly (don't remember that ever in over 45 years). Hope all my Parker friends overlook the fact that I used a 16ga 30" Sterlingworth.

Best
Tim Thomas

We had drizzle and a few birds all day.They started early.15 guns killed around 30.We are going to try again tomorrow after the rain quits.

Set the alarm for 5:00 AM woke up at 5:45 realizing i set my Iphone to PM. Needless to say a late start. The areas I had scoped out had hunters so I cruzed around for the first 1.5 hours. Actually a great way to scout for next week when I can get out when many will be at work.
Around 8:15 i found a small tank that looked promising and tucuked under a mesquite tree. I had promised my wife I would be home by 10:00 so I had 45 minutes to shoot. In my younger days i would have kept shooting and made up an excuse, truck wouldnt start etc. but I have used up all my excuses and my wife has become to wise. Ended up pulling the plug and headed home.

Luck was on my side and I managed to take 11 birds and did make it home in time. Pretty happy considering how the day started.
I took the 1 st Parker I ever bought. A DH with original Vulcan steel barrels made in 1896. I could not have shot any gun better.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/...attach/jpg.gif

Beautiful stock, who did that?





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Wood is original it was so black I could not see the figure when I bought it.. It was refinished by a local guy Frank Wells many years ago.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1504319356

http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/...attach/jpg.gif

We had a pretty good first day, all things considered. Geese moved in to our field and chased the doves away for a while. But we did ok with 6 guns taking 79 doves and probably 20 pigeons.

First time I used my 12 ga Parker P 1 frame with 26" twist barrels on doves. I did well with it shooting 7/8 oz loads.

Going again today but remnants of Harvey moving in so we are not expecting a repeat of yesterday.

Dove
 

I hunted doves for the first time yesterday in southeastern Colorado. The day started with a beautiful sunrise over the prairie, and ended with five birds (I only took a picture of the first). We won't mention the fact that it took three boxes of shells to get those five birds. My little Trojan 20 was fantastic, and I look forward to chasing other winged creatures with it this fall.

Paul I'd like to hear more about your vent rib gun. Is it an original rib?

We have doves but no dove season so it's just wait until the 15th for Grouse opener.