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I am new to this site, and this the 3rd time I've tried to post this. Not sure what the problem is. You may be reading 3 slightly different versions of the same story!

My Dad had an old 16 ga. sxs hammer gun when I was very young that I never got to shoot. 50 years ago my Dad bought me a used Marlin Model 90 o/u 12 ga. 28 in. barrels, choked IC/M. (paid $37.50 for it) He shortended the stock and then added a piece back on as I got bigger. I still have that gun. It doesn't look like much, but over the years it has remained my favorite upland hunting gun.

I had been looking for a nice Marlin model 90, 16 ga. for some time and finally found one with 26 in. barrels choked IC/M a few months ago. (paid a whole lot more than $37.50) I got to hunt with it for the first time in January on my Dad's farm and a neighbor's adjcent propery while visiting family in cental Illinois a few days before the end of quail season. It was only the second time I had hunted that land in over 30 years. All of the fence rows are now gone. There are a few osage orange hedge rows bordering corn and soybean fields left, some grassy waterways through the fields, a couple of small stands of timber and 40 acres of pasture along the creek that is now mostly scrub brush, briars and thorn trees.

I remembered where there used to be quail, but was not sure if there were any left. My nephew Scott, along with Lucy, his 1 year old Vishla, and I hunted for about 3-1/2 hours. It was a great day to be out. We found 4 small covies. The first three flushed in heavy cover. By the time I had clear shots they were 35-40 yards out. I missed the first three I shot at, and was beginning to think I had made a mistake taking the 16 ga.

As we were heading back, along the railroad right-of-way about 1/4 mile from my Dad's house, Lucy came on point. We flushed 5 quail. I shot two and Scott also got one. It had been some time since I was lucky enough to score a "double" on quail.

Two days later I went out by myself without the dog for about 4 hours. I didn't find any quail but I did kick up 3 hens and one cock pheasant that I got with the first shot (using 1 oz. #8 game loads).

Some may think it was a lot of effort without a lot of success. But those hours in the field provided a wonderful opportunity to be out with my nephew, watch his young dog work, and partially relive the many great times I had growing up there. It also confirmed that I had not made a mistake buying the 16 ga. I think it is a great gun, and it will definitely be my first choice when I go quail and pheasant hunting this Fall.

Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 972 Location: Keller,TX

Barkley, once you have been bitten by the 16 bug, you have it for life. Please become a member and join the most famous niche of shotgun shooters in the world. You won't be sorry you did. Wink

Welcome BarkeyVa. Great story. As we grow older most of us learn that's its not as important to shoot a sack full of birds but the real pleasure comes in spending time outdoors with a dog, a nice gun(16 ga of course Laughing

), and a good friend.

I could not agree more. I saw some wild quail, made a couple of nice shots and got to share my nephew's excitement ( and pride) about how well his dog performed. We did not get that many birds, but I guess that's why this kind of activity is called "hunting."

Great story, thanks for posting and welcome to the fire!

Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 72 Location: SE Wyoming

Welcome BarkeyVA, thanks for taking us along on your hunt.

Cap

Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 24 Location: Louisville, KY

BarkeyVA,

Wonderful story! I too have a 16ga Marlin 90 (and a 12ga). Small world... I also have family in central IL, in and around Canton. Glad to hear of your hunt!

chris

Chris,

Small world indeed! My Dad, who will be 91 in July, still lives on the farm that is located near Farmersville, about 25 miles south of Springfield. (My great-grandfather bought the original 80 acres in 1892.) Dad doesn't hunt any more other than shooting sparrows with his trusty old Stevens bolt action .22 rifle (he bought it new in the 1930's and mounted a scope on it a couple of years ago) or starlings with his Winchester Model 42, .410 pump.

He still enjoys skeet shooting. He hit 18 out 25 on his 90th birthday with his Beretta 28 ga. using 3/4 oz #9's that he reloaded himself. He was a little irritated that he only got 18. I just hope I can hold a gun when I'm 90!

The day before I went quail hunting we got out a small portable trap that he has rigged up on an old emery wheel frame so he can sit down while cocking and loading it. He added a platform to keep the clays within easy reach. We each shot a box of shells with my "new" model 90 16 ga. It was great.

My wife has family in KY about 80 miles south of Louisville.

Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 24 Location: Louisville, KY

BarkeyVA,

Your dad sounds like he has his priorities in line... and I'm with you, I hope I'm still shooting skeet when I turn 91. The portable thrower sounds cool. At my dad's place we use a Do-All, the truck hitch model. This was before they built them with leg guards. I ended up in the ER for stitches in the knee one Thanksgiving Day a few years ago when I wasn't paying attention.

South of Louisville is some good turkey hunting... hook me up Razz

I'm trying to wrangle an invitation myself. My wife's great nephew is an avid turkey and deer hunter. I have not hunted deer or turkey much. When I was growing up in our part central Illinois in the '50's there were no deer or turkey around. Now deer are all over the place and turkey's too.