Hunting With Pop

[Joe from MO]

My dad was an avid squirrel & rabbit hunter. Later on, he got me into ducks & geese.

Not too many deer around when I was a kid, so we didn't spend much time chasing them back then. My dad died way to young, he'd love my place in Macon MO, as it's full of squirrels, which was his favorite. Season closes Thursday, I don't get up there til Saturday so maybe next year.

[Andy]

Great post Garry and wonderful gun!

This world is a much crappier place because we can't do what we once used to do: get home from school at 4 o'clock, throw on your jeans and plaid wool coat, walk up the middle of the street to the woods with your dog and shotgun and hunt squirrels until dark, then get asked by neighbors if you had luck on the dark walk back. Now you just get pulled over or reported for carrying a gun.

The world today sucks.

[Big D]

My first day in a blind. Not shooting yet. Chester River, Chesapeake Bay, 1953/54?

[mobirdhunter]

I love these reminiscences, thanks for adding them here. Does it strike anyone that we likely sound like our parents?

[Reggie B]

First shotgun was a Stevens Arms single shot 20 gauge. I still have it. It will hardly break open and its beat up, but I still have it. Actually my 88 year old father has it at his house. He used it last to kill skunks that dug in his yard at night. This 20 gauge began my long-time favor of that gauge.

[Randy Roberts]

Mine was a Winchester 37A in 20 gauge until my senior year of high school at which time I bought with my own money a Rem. 541S Sporter that I still have. Used to get 75-100 squirrels a year when I lived at home. The bolt handle went silver on this one 30 years ago. I loved hunting squirrels (squirls for Charlie ) and Mom could make em tender. That was my first experience spending real money on a gun and boy was that ever real money to me then. If memory serves it was $168.50, I do believe times have changed.

[Brush Buster]

My first Squirrel gun was a Model 37 , Red Letter Winchester which belonged to my Grand Father who passed away a few months before I turned 12 and old enough to officially hunt ! But I did end up with Paps 37 and shot my first squirrel , grouse and rabbit with it and it is resting in the old Wooden and glass fronted gun cabinet ! That old gun kicked the daylights out of me then and still does !
I also have Paps old Deer Rifle ,a Model 99 300, Savage Take down Model !

[Jeff Christie]

Please post a picture of the 99. My favorite non bolt action ever made. Especially take downs pure cool class!

[Brush Buster]

I will take one tomorrow and post it , the wood is really nice but Pap or someone drilled holes for a scope that aren't correct but it is a real shooter with the thin blade open sights ! Pap died at 86 years old in 1967 ,my Pap always claimed he had the first rifle in our little town , must have been a special day when he bought it ,Pumpkin Balls were the thing before that !

[Bob Brown]

Mine was a Winchester pump model 1890 in 22 LR. We still have it. Dad was firm on the head shots only. I don't recall ever squirrel hunting with anyone shooting a shotgun when I was a kid. Sling shots occasionally, but not shotguns.