GLS
Classic Southern Gentleman
Thus went my spring season which was short and efficient in a sharp contrast to last year which was long and woefully inefficient having missed two birds within 40 yards. First bird I detailed earlier here and was my River bird having crossed a flooded river swamp to get within 35 steps. Shot with the “pop” of my .410. Next bird was a SC bird distinguished by my having had to call him in twice, each time with a mixed flock of hens and jakes. First time in he was hard right to my right shoulder with a half dozen jakes at 15 yards between us. He was on the other side of the jakes at 35 yards. The flock walked off out of sight, and I called back one of the hens and the rest followed. Buster was crossing right to left behind a tree which I had earlier ranged at 40 yards. When he cleared the tree, I shot and he fell at 42 yards, with another “pop” from the .410 shooting 13/16 oz. of #10 TSS. Last bird closed out both SC and GA which was shot on April 29th in Ga, the last day of SC and my close out bird of Ga. He left at least two hens, half circling me for an hour, most of the time in sight. I was in a narrow dark bottom and when I first saw him he was walking the far edge with hens outside the bottom and was framed by the bright greenery outside of the bottom. At 80 yards, the birds looked as if cut out of black paper in silhouettes as they paraded against the bright green of new growth. He fell to the “boom” of my Yildiz TK12, 12 gauge, a 4.25 lb. single-shot shooting a handload of 1 3/8 oz. #9 TSS. The shot was within 35 yards. All red dot mounts rigged and barrels choked by Sumtoy. Stock artwork done by Oregon stock specialist and painter, Mark Larson. I don’t shoot these guns costing $150 and less at Academy to save money. I shoot them because as I become shorter, wider and older, I like my guns lighter and there is nothing I am aware of lighter than these two guns in their gauges. The 12 is lighter than any 20 ga. I am aware of. Over the past 12 seasons, I have grown to appreciate the spirit of “one shot, one kill” hunts which require more patience and discipline than with repeaters. Nicodemus, Gadget and Gaswamp were shooting single-shots long before me and their guns and successes were the impetus to my ditching repeaters for turkeys. I don’t shoot over decoys and I range trees with my Burris laser rangefinder to check distances before the bird arrives. The guns below are rigged with and without red dots. The ones without all have adjustable Skinner peep sights and Marble posts. The .410 needed a fabricated collar fitted by a Colorado gunsmith to support the front sight ramp as the muzzle was too thin for screws. The TK12 has a solid rib which facilitates both front and rear sight mounting. The bases were made by Sumtoy and the 12 gauge base is solidly mounted with an exact fit notch on the solid rib. While I have had success with the Skinner peeps, I missed both birds last year with them and I shoot the red dots far better. Gil
River Bird, April 2nd.
SC bird, April 12th
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Last Ga. bird, April 29th.
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Yildiz TK 12 (4.25 lbs.) and TK 36 (3.25 lbs.)
[URL=https://lunapic.com]
River Bird, April 2nd.
SC bird, April 12th
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Last Ga. bird, April 29th.
[URL=https://lunapic.com]
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Yildiz TK 12 (4.25 lbs.) and TK 36 (3.25 lbs.)
[URL=https://lunapic.com]
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