Bruce, that 16 G is doing just fine. As you remember, it's on a #1 frame (damascus) and weighs in at 6/11. A tad heavy for a subgauge but handles well and has good momentum. Let's see.....I've had the gun cleaned (guts were totally gunked up with dried grease), put back on face, bores honed, chokes opened, and three new engraved screws for the floorplate. All the work by David Yale. Got waaay more in it than market value but hey, it's a good 'un. I took it hunting yesterday along with Mike Shepherd and we had a fine day. Didn't try to do a lot of damage to the birds but saw some great dog work. It was a "Parker 16" day for us: Mike shot his VH 0 frame with black powder loads in brass hulls. Me? just plain ole RST's in the GH.
Bruce, something bad is happening to the quail throughout Texas. There's a die off in many areas and it is not due to weather or food. Probably some disease. It's sudden and widespread. Many regions in August and September reported large numbers of birds and today not a one can be found. Our ranch southeast of Lubbock has suffered this fate. Yesterday morning we hunted my cousin's ranch north of Alanreed (70 miles east of Amarillo) and I'd call the numbers very poor. Mike's country north of Clarendon (65 miles southeast) is still quite good but he's got a concerned frown on his forehead. Dunno. The dean of Texas quail researchers, Dale Rollins, is frantically trying to identify the problem. One possibility is West Nile Virus. Sorta makes sense. Stay tuned.......
Heading to southwest Kansas in January? You need a gun bearer? Or a fairly decent beater?
Here's the results of yesterday. Oh, we only shoot cock birds. Took me a long time to teach Mike to discern sex in 1/100th of a second but he's getting pretty good now.
