doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Demographics-where you grew up, when, etc.

Born 1949 in Chicago. Never handled a firearm until the police job in 1972. Left that 1984, did not handle a gun until 1996 when one of my daughters took me SC shooting for father's day. Hooked on clays. Then took up upland bird hunting.

Born in Kennewick, WA. 1955. Never hunted until after college. Raised in Washington State. College in Oregon. Got into hunting when I started working for Kimber of Ore. in 1981. Took a job in MO for three years. Moved back to Oregon in 2000. First gun...1904 Winchester 22 LR.

Chuck,
I did come to SoCal when I was 3. I got a used single shot JC Higgins 22 when I was 12. My buddy and I would get one of our parents to drop us off near what is now the 60 and 215 interchange and pick us up at designated time for a little rabbit hunting. One time we wondered onto private property and the local constable came out and gave us a ticket and took all of our ammunition. The magistrate at the small local courthouse lectured us heavily and incarcerated our 22's all summer. We had to drop off and pick up our guns at his home each time accompanied by a stern lecture. He did leave an impression on me. I have continued shooting and hunting although more respectful of safety and private property.

Wow, was this thread a good idea! I was also born in 1947, in north Texas, we moved to east Texas shortly thereafter where I grew up on the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest. It was possible to wonder for hours and see nary a soul, tho I stayed home during deer season. Shot lotsa squirrels and some rabbits. While in UT in Austin a friend took me dove hunting for the first time and I've been bird hunting ever since.

No one in my family hunted or even owned a gun so I had to learn from doing it myself, reading and watching others. Really learned a lot while stationed in Germany, where I went roe and red deer hunting and small game hunting in beautiful Bavaria. Had some really great times there. Mein Herz ist im Bayern!!

Was moved back to the USA in the late 1970s and went out for pheasants, dove, grouse and woodcock in PA, ducks and geese on the Eastern shore of MD. After the pheasants disappeared in PA I began travelling to Iowa or Kansas for Phez - still go to ND and Kansas once a year for birds.

I was transferred back home to Texas in the mid 1990s, retired and live in central Texas where I shoot sporting clays (poorly) quail, dove and travel to ND and Kansas. When it rains on the lease, I shoot more quail in 2 days than I shot grouse and woodcock in a year. Love the dogs (mine are GSPs,) the doubleguns, the birds and the tactics of quail hunting more than ever.

Quailguy

Born 1946 – real father had been a Master Sergeant with the 101st and was badly messed up mentally and emotionally – was therefore raised by my PA Dutch grandparents. In the PA Dutch culture, kids are seen as small adults, so I was expected to pull my share. Guns and hunting are just part of life on a PA Dutch farm, though it’s more year ‘round food gathering and pest elimination than sport. One of my jobs was guarding the garden with my old blackpowder 10 gauge hammergun. If I shot, I best have something to show for the cartridge – two critters were better than one. Sort of a 19th Century childhood in the 20th Century.

As a child I was taken under the wing of another WWII ex- Master Sergeant (but a kindly one this time) – Mr. Ibach. He was an early gun crank and the state pistol champion in the late 1940’s. Mr. Ibach taught me to shoot properly, to reload and about guns generally. When I was 12, my grandfather said he’d buy me the gun I wanted so bad I could taste it – a 16 gauge Model 12 - if I got all A’s in school. I did and he did out of his very meager money. I learned I could be a good student if I applied myself – not just be the typical goof-off rural kid, and eventually went on to a post-doctrate degree.

The rest is history. Other than my own three unhappy years overseas as sergeant in the Army in the late 1960’s, I’ve hunted every year since I turned 12.

After obtaining some financial security, I did a ton of competitive shooting, too. Followed that trail hard for 25+ years.

These days, I still shoot a lot, but no more serious competition - just for fun; and I’m a one-trick pony as far as hunting - I only hunt upland birds and only over my beloved pointy dogs, but the dogs and I do get to travel thousands of miles each year in a Class A motorhome chasing various species of birds around the high plains.

I still have the old 10 gauge and the Model 12.



Also still have the old Colt MT that Mr. Ibach used to win the state pistol championship:

Born in 1941 in North Carolina.Farm raised by my grandpa who was quite a hunter.Followed him from age 5 and received a Winchester 67 at age 10.Still have it.At 12,got a used Wards Hurcules 12 gauge nose buster.Many rabbits and quail taken with it for the table.Fell in love with the Ithaca 37 in 1955 and are still buying them.Hated to see Ithaca go under.

Born in '51. Dad was a civil engineer 'til he got sick of working at Savannah River Site, which was under construction at the time, when he moved back here to Grandaddy's farm in '53 and moved in the old farm house and built a big country store. I was raised half by him and Mama in that country store and half by Grandaddy on the farm. Great childhood. I still live in the old house, remodeled now, which was built in 1875, and have farmed the place all my life. My youngest son farms with me. I'm truly blessed.

Grew up hunting and fishing with Grandaddy and his friends. First gun was a .410 double. May have been a handicap but the hundreds of doves, quail, squirrel and rabbits never knew it. Neither did I. Just made me try harder I think.

Have shot competitively in several disciplines for about 25 years, but now only sporting clays. Have hunted all the game available to us in S.E. Jawja, but now only shoot things that fly ('cept stray housecats, and they can really jump high) and armadillos (they really jump high, too).

Good thread, Chuck.

Born in 1988, which likely makes me the youngest person on this forum. My dad hunted as a kid, but got out of it long before I was born. Grew up catch frogs and fishing around my neighborhood and hometown (5000 people). Have some uncles that hunt A LOT, and they got me hooked. Got a rescue GSP and did a lot of training and hunt over him every year. Got into doubles some how, and have been addicted since. Became close friends with John Mann, and he has only furthered my addiction. Expanded into big game hunting a few years ago. Going to Alaska this summer to hunt. I am in college now (Boston College) and love it.

I was born in 1934 on my Grandfathers farm in Vinton county, Ohio.grew up doing the usual things, fishing ,hunting with my Grandfather. after two years in the Army left the farm and was married in 1956. Have hunted with a double since about 10 years old. Now getting a little old for all the walking but still hunt deer in Vinton county. Graduated Miami University and have stayed in southwestern Ohio ever since.Have fond memories of hunting in the Dakotas for pheasant as well as here in Ohio in the 50s. Been retired since 1989 and still collect a few doubles when given the opportunity. Am now serving my most important position I have ever held as Grandfather to my grandson and grandaughter.

Born in 1931 on a rock farm in eastern Kansas. Dad died when I was ten. No fun. Managed to get through college in 1953. When to the army where I fired a high powered rifle for the first time. Discharged in 1955. Went to law school on the GI Bill. You can't have much fun on $110.00 per month. Finally, shot my first shotgun at age 28. When I got out of law school, I started to pick up some guns. Got interested in doubles. After a few years, I started shooting skeet with a partner in the law firm. All the time I was getting a few more guns, mostly antique collectable. Still shooting skeet and a little trap. I'm a retired judge but sign in here as a gun club janitor.