Ted will enjoy this. Of all my guns the most chosen for the coverts of the coveted Ruffed Grouse is the Darne V19. It came equipped for both the retractable and the clip in slings. I took the retractable mechanism out altogether thereby moving the balance point further forward. I use either black powder unbuffered loads without shot containing collar or spreader loads from Kent. Gun now has 2 3/4" chambers. Gun weighs under 6 lbs with chambers loaded - light for a 12 but with 27" barrels.
Has proven to be quick and yet not whippy. As to the season - best I have ever witnessed. Not uncommon to put up 20 birds per day. Have one friend who hunted for a full day and had 59 flushes - without a dog - Now how many were the same bird being flushed I have no way of knowing. I can tell you that pointing dogs still have a good chance of showing their stuff here as the birds have not reached post graduate level and still hold for a dog - not always but often enough - and a good grouse dog which can trail without flushing all the time pointing will provide an album full of memories. The birds are being hunted enough to get them past the wilderness naivity stage where they would sit and look at you with cocked head and black pea eye but not to the point where they flush at the sound of a footfall or breath to eagerly taken. Season is over here for this year and the snow deep. I hope they winter well and are again abundant next autumn.
