Really nice opening day. Modest statistics: 3 confirmed, 2 possibles. Possibles because I wasn’t about to walk into drippy wet soybeans to find them. I have a special photo for M12 Shooter (Ted), as he steered me toward an interest in ancient pump shotguns and finally, I was able to take mine out today for a field test. 1926 Model 12 Winchester with a Poly-Choke added some time during the 50’s I am told. Shooting this one is like driving a 1926 Packard (according to my dad, anyway); smooth but a few quirks at least in comparison with the Mossberg 500, which I brought along just in case; Murphy's Law, you know.
In preparation for this, the 2nd MI half-season (BH may disagree, but he's usually right), I thought often of the easy/speedy/lightweight blind problem, while reading of others’ solutions on this Forum. I've been thinking about my older, beat up doghouse blind with lots of roof holes, and often wondered what would happen if I simply cut the roof out. So yesterday, I did. Also added extra ties at the corners and top of each peak. Light, easy/fast to set up and works really well! It’s a little flimsy without the roof fabric to add support, but I will continue the experiment. Also, the first time use of the spinner seat atop the 5-gal bucket worked perfectly--best $10.00 my wife spent on me for Christmas! I added a carrying strap to the bucket in place of the handle. I acquired a 40' hotstick a few days before the first 2013 half-season ended and I got around to camo painting it last weekend. Looks a lot better now with the sentinel crow up there than with the florescent yellow paint job it had previously.
This opening day setup was a brand new location for me. Back to the sun and a finger of trees also behind me, leaving better than 270 degrees of high-angle vision. Hazy/overcast 65 degree morning that took a couple of hours to burn off. I only put up one piece of brush today. Will try more in coming days. Near perfect, except this is MI and I’m not in a flyway. As you can see however, I am about a mile from the local Wal-Mart and 4 miles straight-line, from home. So, not too bad a commute. I set the red-tail hawk up for the last half-hour using “crow and hawk fight” and it brought in one more group that resulted in one possible kill (in the soybeans). And, for the first time, I noticed that my home made plywood decoys are so realistic, that they poop!
The fog this morning permitted me to shoot a spider web with dew upon it, just as the sun was breaking through. What better way to begin a season! Good set-up, great coffee, God’s handiwork before me, and a few dead bandits.
Good luck to all of you!
-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Friday 2nd of August 2013 02:11:55 AM
Thanks Ted. Yes, it sure does point nicely. I got lucky and got one that fits reasonably well. The quirks: After a bit of gunsmithing by the previous owner's pal (a real gunsmith), to replace the cartridge cut off and broken firing pin, I figured out the difference in loading technique between this and the Mossberg 500. The other is the requirement for the pump handle ("corncob") to be absolutely fully forward so the action locks into place in the receiver roof and is ready to fire. Thursday and today, I thought it was ready to fire when aiming at a couple of crows and they flew past, low and slow of course, as I was straining at the trigger. It's one of those brain exercise things, I guess. The Poly-Choke works fine. Will eventually figure that out too.
Picked up a couple more today. Another perfect morning BTW. I was situated beneath the edge of the overhang from some huge walnut and maple trees. I like it when they land about 15' away. Also, the roofless doghouse is looking better with more foliage and it withstands the weight better because I pinned the corners down. I will keep adding more to it as the days go by to see how much it will take. I think it needs a bit more. Otherwise, I think this setup works just fine.
-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Saturday 3rd of August 2013 08:53:46 PM
-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Saturday 3rd of August 2013 08:54:41 PM
OA, what is that crop, peas or beans? Looks a bit like poison ivy to me Further and not to be critical or anything of the sort but I would get my blind a bit into that crop if possible. Sir Common Crow has a very uncanny way of using overhanging foliage to his advantage
Regards, Ted
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Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid. John Wayne
Soybeans (and poison ivy to the rear, big-time). Agree on the overhang problem and the opposition's use of it. Was taunted today, but the one in the photo wasn't quick enough and bounced off of several branches on the way down. Very satisfying. I have always been antsy about setting a blind up in the middle of an open area, even though I have seen others succeed. Accessible bare spots are seldom seen. I will give it a try, however and report. Got to learn new tricks, and I have a place in mind. Thanks. Also for your previous Model 12 wisdom, Craig.
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"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
at the trigger. It's one of those brain 
exercise things, I guess. The Poly-Choke works fine. Will eventually figure that out too.
