C.O.B.,
First, I’m envious that you will be spending 5 weeks “Up North”!! That alone is a treasure. Oh...then the decision on the guns!! I’ll be taking my A Grd. 16 Fox 2 barrel set for most of my Grouse/Woodcock trips this year. With two barrels/choke configurations is a good all around choice. Excited as this is Rosey’s first year in the woods and the excitement that comes w/a new pup!

Gary I woke up in the recliner at 2:45 am went to the bathroom then to bed. I laid there thinking what 20 gauges would make the trip to the U.P. I was still awake at 3:30:eek:

OK, I want to be sure I'm clear. I said I scheme for which gun to use for which season to help get me to sleep. I never said this strategy worked!:rotf:

Hey, if ya gotta stay awake, ya might as well be productive.

BTW, I've just about settled on what guns to take to MN for grouse and woodcock: my Dickson 28 bore (it's gone with me for 31 years), and my Parker DH 16 (this will be its 2nd season with me in MN). Both have very similar stock configurations and fit me well, and both have the straight/splinter/two trigger features I like best. I may (fingers crossed) have my AH 16 back and ready to go also.

Now, as for the dove opener, I'm still sleepless about this decision.:banghead:

Heff I have no idea how you can manage a 32 inch gun in the grouse coverts my max is 28 and sometimes that's more barrel length than I care for.

The only hunting I can manage with a hammer gun are quail. I've tried it always alone and just can't manage it comfortably. For those that do my hats off to you. Brett I think your next 28 should be a hammer gun,:)

Gary the Dickson sounds like a dream gun. I don't hunt doves so I can't help you there but if I did a grade 1 32inch 16ga hammer gun would be a top pick for me.

28 and 26 are the lengths I shoot for quail and woodcock. There is talk of grouse hunting in the Southern Appalachians too, so we'll see. Lost count of the new ones, but here are a few of them.

Mills if you have lost count of the new ones then your on the right track my friend:bowdown: I haven't bought a shotgun in quite a while. I'd like a 410 hammer gun preferably with 30 inch barrels and an open choked 20 hammer gun as my Boss is pretty tightly choked. I am however working on yet another rifle on a single shot Winchester High Wall action. I'll be picking out the stock blank today.

It's an easier decision for me. I have two GHs, a 12 and a 20 both with 26" barrels, and each will get time afield. I'll bring along my old Browning lightning 20 ga which I just can't make myself leave home. The Parkers that I think about at night are the ones I don't have...yet. What keeps me awake is the scheming on how to get them.

I am not buying any more right now and enjoying the new ones. I am thinking about getting some Spanish guns next. AyA and Arrieta 28 and 410s maybe. Also want to add to the rifle collection which is basically one right now.

A friend of mine just bought a Parker hammer gun -- his first. We shot some black powder loads out of it on the skeet field. It was a lot of fun. We got to talking about hunting with a hammer gun. I assume you carry them with hammer's uncocked and when a bird flushes you cock and shoot one barrel at a time. Is that right? Or is it possible to cock bother barrels as you bring up the gun?

If the terrain permits, I prefer hammers cocked with the action open. Fast shots seem easier that way.