Special Day in the Coverts of northern NH
 

I much prefer hunting the uplands with friends rather than alone. But this week other family and work duties have called my 4 buddies home and for a few days my pups and I have the camp and coverts to ourselves. Today was special. I decided to follow a run of alders up a sweet stream. It was mid 40’s, the air was damp with a slight come and go breeze. The outdoors was as quiet as can be. The only noise was dog collar bells, sniffing and snorting sounds of our 2 Griffs as they worked the leaf covered muddy stream bottoms. And the bird dogs and bird Gods graced us with many points.
Quite unfortunately I left my bird vest back at camp. It has my ammo, spare layers of clothing and safety gear (compass, first aid for dogs, headlamp ect.) So I pulled out an old green worsted wool hunting coat that at least had a small game pocket and 2 shell pockets and we made do. I happened to have 11 rounds of RST 20 ga in the truck. Off we went. The pictures tell the rest. What a special day with pups “Arcas” and “Fish.” And yes, all 11 RST’s were put to use- some hit, some didn’t. Such a lucky and special day.

Very nice.

Great post, Chris. Every hunter should have some solo hunts with his own dogs. You’re never really alone when you have dogs to hunt with.

Sounds like one of those wonderful days afield that makes us what we are. The hope of such days springs eternal in us and when realized, provide a range of emotions impossible to describe to the uninitiated. Congratulations!

Don't know what I'd do without my setter in the field

I love the spent shells in your post. SXS Ohio

Thanks for posting your hunt! Growing up without siblings in rural SE Tennessee most of my days afield were solo (aside from my dogs). I roamed the fields and the woods for hours and never thought any different about it. Dad hunted on the weekends and we often hunted with relatives but I have a lot of special memories of solo hunts.

Beautiful description of your day and situation. Likely, most of us have been in that predicament with leaving some gear at home or the camp. Fortunately, you had just enough on hand to make the day perfect. I could almost smell the cover!

Glad to hear that you had a good hunt in spite of getting some bad shells. I am sure that several of us have had some bad shells from various makers.

Good thing you didn't leave your Parker back at camp. Nice gun is that a VH 20, cant enlarge it enough to tell. I enjoy hunting with good friends, but also greatly enjoy hunting by myself.
Leaving tomorrow for a 3 week grouse hunting trip, usually go for 2 weeks, hope I can hold up for 3.

Yes- a VH 20, 26" barrels, skeet and imp. No PGCA info available and reportedly worked on by DelGrego many years ago. Just love the fit and it's perfect for early season woodcock and grouse. Like an old Lacrosse coach used to say about his Lacrosse stick- "If I wern't happily married I sleep with her."

It's not early season anymore because 90% of leaves are down here but I just can't put the 20 away yet. Typically by now I would have switched to my 28 repro (26" w Imp and Mod.) Probably will switch in next few days.

Please keep us posted on your grouse trip, birds or not. I really enjoy folks hunting pictures and stories of their experiences. Best of luck, have fun!

Ha! I can't blame the RST shells for the misses! It was the sun in my eyes! :) I've consistently had good performance from RST and appreciate their availability.

On the other hand, I did pull out a new box of factory 28's the other day from a different manufacturer in anticpation of using my 28 repro and low and behold found this nasty little bugger. See photo. Anyone else have this problem?

Chris, yes I have encountered this same issue on a couple of occasions with 28 ga. ammo from a manufacturer in MN

Chris, I have a flat of those same 28 gauge AAs. I'll send them to Winchester one of these days. I have an address around here somewhere. Maybe they'll send me a case of uncracked shells.

Sheesh - that looks like a reload that found its way into that case. The brass looks pretty dingy too.





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Dean that is a factory primer. I have a friend i shoot clays with who gave me once fired 28 hulls probably 20 years ago that when i loaded them 1 in a hundred would be split ,although not that bad. Winchester had a bad run of 28' s and there are still questions on them on the reloading forum at shotgun world. I still have around a thousand of them and they sometimes will split on the first loading and some times go until the end of hull life. I am seeing much less quality control in the factory ammo shot at my clubs.