OK, I’ll “brag away.”
“What game do you hunt?” I’m a rather fanatical dogman/hunter. We hunt all sort of species in all sorts of places. For example: local doves starting on Sept 1; a few weeks of early season prairie grouse; then, local ruffed grouse and woodcock; local phez; late season western phez; late season local ruffs; then, finally, preserve hunting at “my” hunting club until the end of March. I don’t know if this qualifies as “hunting” because others shoot the birds we find, but when we are home, the dogs and I also guide at the hunting club about once a week, Sept through March.
“Favorite gun?” Unlike many here, I don’t have lots of guns – I’m a shooter/hunter not a collector. What gun is my “favorite” depends on what I’m hunting and where. For most western hunting, back-up shooting, use when non-tox is required, etc, a 12 bore Famars Venere pinless sidelock, 30” bbls, 6½ lbs., choked loose and tight, Sabatti engraving:
For most eastern “wild” bird hunting, a 20 bore Bertuzzi hammergun, 28” bbls, 6 lbs., choked loose and tight, Torcoli engraving of Maggie with a stylized grouse in her mouth:
For shooting pen-raised birds, a 28 bore AyA #1 “Best”, 28” bbls, 5½ lbs., choked loose and tight, or a 1940’s vintage Model 42, 26” solid rib Briley chokes, with Bee engraving, Mixell stocked in Turkish:
“your dog of choice. Breed, dogs name, what makes him/her special to your hunting style” I like pretty much all of the breeds of bird dogs, but I will always be owned by Brittanys. Not that other dogs can’t be this, but I find them the perfect combination of loyal, devoted, loving companions and awesome predators. They will find, point and retrieve any species, any time, any where and in any weather. Given the guiding work we do, I must have more than one dog – usually try to have two – a master and a grasshopper. Right now my master is Maggie – orange and white; 8½ years old; with perhaps 3,000 birds under her collar. She is that very special once-in-a-lifetime dog you read about and a big part of my soul. The grasshopper is Chase 2½ years old; liver and white (so I know how to be mad at when they are ½ mile out on the prairie) and maybe close to 1K birds under his collar by now.
They hunt hard:
In addition, they are good for catching mice under the porch
And for playing dress-ups with the grandkids:
Here’s Maggie with a Greater Prairie Chicken:
Here’s Chase with a phez: