Scott, you, Pete, Bob and Bill were missed. We thought you guys were all out in the turkey woods yesterday morning.

*post modified to include Bill... sorry Bill*

I was and it was great fun with an old friend, and I have another story about the one that got away :rotf:

Only one??

Five got away from me in one morning this season.

Please tell it Pete... we will always doff our hats to the ones that are wily enough to elude our shots.

OK, i was out with bill janelle for awhile too, call in 2 big toms for him. it took 45 mins or so, and at 32 yds and a great show the big ten went off. and than again, than as bob would say" they done run off" :crying:. than i went to work, scott

Long story kind of, I went hunting with a friend, Frank, we worked together for many years and used go hunting before work together often. He has had some great tragedy in his life, his 20 yr old son was killed in a car accident this past January. I have stayed in touch and been encouraging him to get out so when he called and said he wanted to take me Turkey hunting there was no way I was going to say no. He lives in Nashua NH and hunts in Peterborough NH so I had be on the road at 2:45AM. Peterborough NH is beautiful and tons of open land. Frank has hunted the area for decades and has some great places. We hunted an old clear cut using a pop up blind at the edge of the woods, tight quarters for two shooters. We were in the blind from before sun up, hours went by but Frank was sure we would get action. Well patience pays off as single Jake came in silently about 9AM. Frank was adamant about me taking the shot but the bird was on the right and I was on the right side of the tent and bound up. I told him to shoot and he refused. I insisted again and about this time the jig was up. The bird bolted and I took a fast off hand shot at about 45 yards holding the gun at an angle due to the small tent window and my poor position to look through it. A few feathers and spent wad was all I had to show for it.

It was still a great day, we had action. Best of all Frank was acting like himself for the first time in months, he didn't cry but did have one sad moment reflecting on a past hunt with his son. Weeks ago I would not have been surprised to hear he had killed himself as he was so depressed. He told me he had been seeing a Counselor and I could tell it had helped greatly. I stopped in Nashua on the way home and visited my last remaining Uncle who is 83. I called first and he was standing on the side of the street in front of his house waiting for me. He looked so much like my father...... He is a little forgetful but in pretty good health for a man that age. All in all a good day, but I missed going to the shoot. I have been shooting clay pigeons real good lately, not sure when the goodness streak will end as I am on borrowed time :-) Sorry I missed a good time at Addieville, but yesterday was a real good day for me.

I can see the Dumpster Diving battles at Hausmanns now. I saw that one first....no it's mine....you get the next station:eek:

I echo Deans comments. You boy's were sorely missed but we will see you all in PA.

Pete, You did the right thing. There will be more shoots. Helping out a friend comes first...

PS....You guys go easy on Hodges this is his first big event/shoot....:whistle:

Pete,
Being there for your friend was far more important than breaking clays at Addieville. We did miss you guys and look forward to seeing the NH crew at Hausmans in a couple of weeks.

Larry,
There is no shame in dumpster diving for once fired AA's or STS's. Welcome to the wonderful world of reloading. Soon you will be scanning the terrain around the shooting stand and the shell bucket in front for those coveted "once fireds". They will soon look like a shiny new quarter did when you where a kid. You can't wait to pick it up and shove it in your pocket. Don't fret, I still bend over to pick up pennies. I don't care what people think, times are tough! Wish I could of made Addieville. Looking forward to Ernie's more than ever. Good luck with the new Mec- nice deal by the way.
D

we will give Hodges all the help he will need in his "first big event":eek::rotf:

Yeah, I was afraid of that.

Poor, poor Steve... :biglaugh:

To begin with, glad you could make it to the shoot Edgar and also sharing your old photos and map of Meriden. Really interesting stuff! Lugging the big 5 frame is not so bad when you have electric powered carts driving you, ammo, and guns around.... Our squad consisted of Chris T, Chris' cousin, Mike from the Fox Collectors, Edgar, and myself. We didn't keep score.... just good people getting together to burn some powder, have a some laughs, and enjoy the day Mother Nature granted us this past weekend.

Halfway through the course, panic set in when we noticed the plug from Chris' Jostam pad came out on his newly acquired 34" DHE straight grip. :shock: Sure enough, Edgar, confident where he thought he saw it last still on the gun, recovered it from the third station in the dirt under the gun rack. :bowdown:

Anyway.... here are some pics with the few I took with the camera.

First pic - Chris T and Mike from the AH Fox Collectors Assoc.
Second pic - Edgar and Dave
Third pic - Chris' cousin shooting a gun with funny looking barrels....
Fourth and fifth pics - Chris T pulverizing some clays with his 34" DH
Last pic - Mike from the AHFCA cleaning the station with his Fox Sterlingworth.

I'm really glad to learn that Chris got his pad plug back. Good work Edgar!!

Chris, I would not change that pad. It is a very unusual Jostam pad that I'm certain must be original. Put that plug back in with a bit of adhesive and shoot the daylights out of it! That is a wonderful competition Parker.

BTW, that was one tough station!!