Hunter/Collector. I enjoy the hunt and the guns, the guns more than a straight shooter.
I just came back from a weekend in southern VT where I did 2 days of waterfowl in the early morning followed by woodcock and grouse after that.
I loved it all, waiting in the boat with the dog for the ducks to come in, fighting the upland underbrush, the points, the shots and even the bird plucking.
While doing it all I enjoyed contemplating the two guns I brought, each chosen for a specific task. I admired the work and balance of the Chas. Hellis 2" 12 bore that I carried for the afternoon hunts and I wondered about the upgraded Stevens 5000 that was knocking around the boat with me in the morning. Who went through the expense of adding upgraded wood, ivory beads and a Red Head pad on this gun? It all made for a great weekend.
On the other hand my guide had just gotten his Beretta 686 back from the Beretta shop in MD and while doing a repair they must have put the forend in a vise and really crunched the wood. He didn't seem upset, said the gun was working well and that's all that mattered. Hunter.
