16ga.com ~ View topic - A5 Sweet Sixteen--first feathers.

Been a busy week. Cutting up quality (eating) deer (fawn doe and button) Tuesday morning when the first two Sweets arrived in Little Rock, AR; went and picked mine up that afternoon. Thursday morning I buried the best bird dog I've ever had at 14, a setter named Sonny (and I've had a bird dog or two around since high school in the late 60s). A great covey dog and the best nose on a bird dog I've ever seen. This morning I finally got to go bird hunting with my older brother. and my new Sweet.

We found either 5 or 6 coveys, killing eight over two young pups. With older, seasoned dogs we would have had easy limits. This was their second hunt, and they did alright, pointing a little, and both got to hunt dead birds. Mine is the young setter (Nail'em) and his is the young pointer (BoDuke).

The S16 did great also. Since I was shooting mostly 7/8 oz steel #7 reloads (federal land) at 7800 psi, I wasn't sure the new gun would cycle, but it did fine. Since I mostly hunt quail with my Citori, the longer gun took a little getting used to , but I thing it will be great, especially on pheasants.

Whew, that stock stain is red. Did Browning find a 55 gallon drum of Herter's French Red Liquid Stock Stain in storage somewhere (Model Perfect, World Famous, etc.)? Wow.

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Great post!!! Thanks for the pics and report. We are going after pheasants Sunday with our new Sweet 16.

Guest

Good going 4setters! The wood on mine is pretty unremarkable, but I like the dark stain. Is yours a 26" or 28"? Glad to hear it cycles your 7/8 oz. steel.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Always sad to lose a fine dog---glad to see the 16's being released.

4setters,
Sorry sbout Sonny…always tuff.
Nice gun,
Nice birds,
Nice Day!

Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 827 Location: N. Shore, mn

It's hard losing a dog & your hunting buddy to boot.
RIP Sonny.

Guest

Just wanted to back up and pass on my condolences for losing Sonny. That's a much bigger deal than a new SW16. I say this as I'm sadly thinking of my 14 year old, "Jazz," who is getting pretty near the end.

Thanks for your thoughts on Sonny. My brother's Belle (GSP) is also turning 14, and I'm pretty sure this will be her last hurrah. Fortunately, watching the young pups and their excitement on the hunt helps out.

My Sweet is 26 inches, a length probably more useful for zigging and zagging quail in the thickets! Were I only a pheasant hunter, I would have went for 28 inch.

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1696 Location: Minnesota

Feel bad for you over Sonny. MY EC is in her 13th year and I know I'll be a puddle when her time comes. Hopefully 14 yrs of memories will give you solice. What a great run!

Loosing a dog is tough.

Glad you like the new 16.

Joined: 08 Mar 2016 Posts: 120 Location: South Dakota

Sorry for your loss of a good dog. Having some up and comers and new gun seems to have helped some great photo.