A TROJAN DAY

[J. A. EARLY]

My son mistakenly contaminated a half-pound of Hodgdon HS-6 with a small amount of a similar burn rate powder while reloading .40 S&W. Rather than throw it away I loaded it all into 1 1/4 ounce 7 1/2 loads for doves, the only load Hodgdon had data for with HS-6. Backed off 10% on the powder and they worked fine.

I am enjoying the third/late dove season and wanted to use up the 150 rounds I loaded so I picked two of my Trojans to handle the heavy loads. Not knowing which gun would be best today I took one with cylinder/light modified and another modified/full. Started out with the open gun and the shots were long so i switched. Then the shot became closer but I stuck with the tighter gun.

It was about 25 degrees this morning at daybreak and a heavy frost. Killed my limit Monday and again today. This is seven times in a row I've gotten my limit of fifteen going back to the second season in October. Lots of birds. I take a different gun each day so some days I am on and others I am not. But I can't blame the guns. At flying birds I can adjust most of the time to the gun. Some days less than a box, but some days almost two boxes. Going again Friday morning for the first hunt of 2021. Different gun again.

Mosby loves it. When I get home I can't get him out of the passenger seat. If I leave the door open he climbs in waiting to go again. Season in until January 15. Sure beats sitting waiting for a deer that never shows at this time of year.