The Door Nock Parker

[C.O.B.]

Over the July 4th holiday I was up at my "cabin" in the Upper Pennisula just relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet of no cell phone. I went out to look over the area for Grouse cover and to scout some potential hunting places for the upcoming season.

Everything practically was Grousy looking. The road followed a river which upon investigation revealed what looks like a nice trout stream and a powerline going up some rather hilly country revealed what might turn out to be a pretty nice place for a deer blind come November. A fire number marked a two track that headed towards the river and was flanked on both sides by popple stands that would hold Grouse and Woodcock. I eased down the two track (I had the car not the 4X4 truck) and Damn it there was a house! I was stuck as it was narrow and a I didn't want to just back out I decided to nock on the door and inquire as to the property status and any boundries that would need to be observed.

When the door opened I was greeted by a bird hunter and his two English Setters. I introduced my self and his reply was "I know who you are, you bought Vicki's house in Channing". He told me his name and I knew who he was from the U.P. SXS shoot. Well one thing led to another and the talk turned to damascuss barrels (he does some refinishing of them and does a nice job) and Parkers. I mentioned that I belonged to the PGCA and shot mostly Parkers myself. He excused himself went into the house and came out with the gun pictured. It was his wifes bird gun but she had found something she liked a little better and was thinking of selling the Parker which is a GH 16 on an O frame with 28 inch damascuss barrels. He inquired as to my thoughts on it's value, I told him and added I think I just might know someone who would be interested in just such a gun. We parted company but I met him and his wife and shot sporting clays with them that evening.

A couple of days later I called and told him the gun was sold and could he bring it to the Duluth Double Gun shoot with him in two weeks. This was agreeable and now I have another Grouse gun

It just goes to show you Parkers are where you find them. Here are a couple of pictures of the Door Nock Parker.

[Mills]

Nice find! The barrels look really good

[OH Osthaus]

Rich

great find, a really nice gun

whenever I got too far down a two track up there, the only things I could knock on were trees.

[DoubleDown]

You're living right Rich! Nice find.

Mike

[Paul Stafford III]

Wow, nice gun. A person can never have enough 16ga "0" frame guns in the safe!

[Todd Schrock]

Congrats Rich! Wow, really nice figure in the stock.

[Brush Buster]

Nice !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great find Rich ,Congrats ! Now ,is that the opening day gun for this year ??

[Wild Skies]

Good find! Those barrels looks like some of Clark's work.

[C.O.B.]

Russ the opening day Grouse guns will be short barrels and open chokes. The DHE 20, H&H 20 and the Boswell 20 will get the first weekend.

[Harold Pickens]

Rich, you could fall in poop and come out smelling like a rose! Those barrels look great, cant wait to get mine redone. Im still happy with my O frame 16 GH damascus.
I may even know where you were at, you told me the route you had taken. I drove back a road in that area and came upon a house, so I turned around and drove out, and met a lady driving back in. I talked to her for a bit and she said that they hunted grouse and had dogs--that was a few years ago. There was a cut to the side and in back of their property that is public land.
If you come upon what looks like a power line without poles, it may be an ELF line(electromagnetic low frequency). This was an old military line that was used by submarines in the navigation of the North seas and under the pole--satellites are now used. Others (Mark?) may be more knowledgable about these ELF lines. Following these often leads to good hunting areas.
There may soon be another 16 damascus in my safe by the end of the week--more on that later.