Grouse Camp 2009

[C Roger Giles]

Fred;
Too bad Robert Service is long gone as I think if he were alive there's a poem in that picture of your chicken camp.

Roger

[Dean Romig]

In case anybody's interested, I came across this yesterday evening while doing a little light reading just before we departed "deer camp'.
I didn't actively search for this but sort of stumbled onto it in the same book where Dave read the "Last Day" by H. P. Sheldon of his son's last day bird hunting with his dad just before WW II broke out.
This is taken from a story by Nash Buckingham called Red Letter Days With Quail written by request of Noel Sheldon, H. P.'s son and was included in the 1947 book Great Hunting and Fishing Stories.

He begins -

Dear Noelly:*
My red-letter day on quail? The one incident high-lighting more than fifty years staring down shotgun ribs at exploding bevies? The one such day I'd prefer re-living? Lad, you almost sent me scurrying to Kodak-books and diaries out-dating the turn of the century. . .

*Noel Sheldon is Hal (Col. H. P.) Sheldon's son. In Nash Buckingham's Derrydale book "Ole Miss", a collection of unpublished stories, is one titled "Surrender to Youth". The Christmas before Mr. Buckingham had given young Noel his old ruck sack, skinning knife and several other "possibles" including a mess kit that had gone through two hot corners in WW I. "Surrender to Youth" tells the story of the ruck sack and Mr Buckingham's reasons for giving it to young Noel Sheldon.

"Noelly" is now full-grown, six feet two, 195 pounds and served in the Army Air Corps.-ed

[Harry Collins]

Dean,

I am away from home today and am running on a shoddy memory. A story I like to reread by Nash Buckingham is "The Playhouse". A poigant tale of post Civil War quail hunting a posted farm with the owner and his grandson. Nash returns to the area post WW I. It is tough for me to read, but I love the story to much not to.

Roger,

Robert Service's "The Men That Don't Fit In" must have had me in mind.....

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Harry, that is a wonderful story. I have read it a couple of times but not for several years now . . . in fact, I hadn't even remembered the title but definitely remember the story. Now I'm going to find it - I know I have it in my library somewhere - and bring it to deer camp to read in the evening.
Regards, Dean

[Harry Collins]

Dean,

If you have a copy of "The Best of Nash Buckingham" you'll find it there...

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Yes Harry, I have that book. I have been thinking that's where I read it so I'll bring that book with me.
Thanks, Dean

[Dean Romig]

Harry, I just dug out my copy of "The Best of Nash Buckingham" and in Evans' introduction to Buckingham's story "Play House" he tells us that it was included in Buckingham's 1934 Derrydale, "De Shootinest Gent'man", which I have and will, instead of "The Best of Nash Buckingham", bring to deer camp. It's kind of nice to have an old classic along whispering to me all day from the duffel bag back at camp as I sneak through the shadows of the hemlock and cedar tangles.

[Dean Romig]

Harry, I want to thank you for reminding me of "Play House" possibly one of Buckingham's most nostalgic and emotion-evoking stories. I really can't think of a better writer of the stories of our grandfathers' and great-grandfathers' sport. I read it at deer camp last weekend in the evening by the fire with a little sip and when I finished it I went back to the beginning and read it all over again. What days those must have been. Thanks again Harry. Dean

[Harry Collins]

Thanks Dean, as I mentioned that is a tough story for me to read. I nearly just wrote why, but as I get older I learn to just keep these things to myself. I do love to read Nash and how they would take the train here and there and I think that is one of the reasons I shoot these old Parkers. This last summer my horrid attorney friend would not shoot with me unless I shot my fathers Browning 425. So I beat the snot out of him every time we shot hopeing he would invite me to shoot my Parkers again. It never happened so I just went back to shooting the Parkers anyway. I do shoot the over and under better, however the Parkers are just me. I know this makes no sence, so take into consideraion that I have only been up for three hours.

Kindest, Harry

[Autumn Daze]

Harry,You are not alone my friend.I shoot my Beretta 682 better than my Parkers but 9 times out of 10 it stays home and the Parkers come out to play.Happy Thanksgiving to ya Harry.