Shotgun/Brittany Help!

I also have a Brittany. My first bird dog. I trained her myself and managed not to damage her. I used a blank gun to condition her she has been ignoring it for a month now so I took he for our first Pheasant hunt last Sunday. We got our first bird!. The first she has ever seen. She was perfect. The only problem you will have with a Brittany is all the other hunters pick on you because they must hunt with lesser dogs (JK) After hunting 1 time with my dog I cant imagine ever hunting without one.

Dave
 

Attachments

  • 111-1139_IMG.jpg
    111-1139_IMG.jpg
    109.1 KB · Views: 38
Shotgun progress!

Congrats Dave on your first, good team effort! Hope my "team" does as well. Well, I finally decided on a shotgun. Went back to Dick's one last time and nothing there seemed to really get me excited. They had the o/u Franchi for $900 the Franchi auto for $750 with a barrel a little longer than I wanted. An 870 Express that I wasn't very excited about and a Baretta that was more than I really wanted to spend. So I walked out with nothing. I did find, after much internet searching, in MI an extremely nice Remington 11-87 Premier in 20 gauge. It was manufactured in 1999. It looks immaculate, not a scratch on it from what I can tell in the pictures. The pictures allowed you to zoom in very close. My thought process was that everyone seems to have an auto in their gun closet, so I might as well get mine out of the way now. I can use it for pheasant, skeet, deer or whatever. If my tastes change down the road and I get the urge for an o/u or a sxs I'll see what else I have in the cellar to sell. ;-) I think this seems like a good place to start, and I'm excited to get it. I'll see if I can put up a few pics when I finally get the gun. Thanks guys for the input, much appreciated!
 
One silly point I will offer.Regardless of what looks pretty,or fits the budget,or seems like a great choice,it has to fit you.
If at all possible,before you spend your money,if there is any way you can do a round of clay birds or something,you will know if it is a good shotgun for you.
 
We're not virgins anymore!

Hi Guys, it's been awhile! Thanks for all your help. A little status report for you. In the shotgun department I purchased a really nice Remington 11-87 Premier. Used, made in 1999. I took it apart when I got it home and was amazed how clean it was. I fired a box of shells through it at the range and then cleaned it again. After seeing what it looked like after 25 shots I came to the conclusion this gun had never been fired by anyone but me. All those years and it probably sat in someones gun safe and never saw the light of day. Very happy with my purchase to say the least. As far as my brittany Lily goes, well she's not a hunting virgin any longer! Second time out she flushed this little beauty right in front of me, in my haste to not let her first one escape I kinda winged the little devil. Lily was after it in heartbeat. It was a runner, but she ran it down it the woods. When I finally caught up she had the bird on it's back and kicking Lily in the nose! Oh we laughed, we cried... Anyways, we dispatched the bird and later on that day it was cooked on the grill. When time to eat, I split the bird with Lily, one bite for her, one bite for me, even the little heart. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions. (Sorry, can't figure out how to have the damn picture show up!)
 

Attachments

  • 1st Birdie.jpg
    1st Birdie.jpg
    241.1 KB · Views: 45
Last edited:
THANKS!!! You just made my day better. I hope you, your fine dog and shotgun have many more memories coming.....
 
I really like dogs, most ALL dogs. My personal favorite was a Springer Spaniel who loved to hunt close and who hated rabbits. And my favorite shotgun was a M12 Win in 20 ga. ... until I picked up a brand spanking new Ithica M100 side by each in 20 ga 3". The Springer has passed on to that great grouse woods in the sky, but I still have the double 20. I have never felt a better shotgun when it flies to your shoulder and you get a double on quail out of one covey. Yeah, everyone has their favorite ... dog, gun, wife ... in that order. I like to buy used nowadays ... I can get two for the price of one new one. Wish I could get choke tubes for my side by each though. Bought it LONG before they became popular for shotguns. I like the double more and more as I get older and older. I have an 870 for the house, a Winchester double 12ga for pheasant and the 20ga for quail, partridge and woodcock. Got a good wife, good guns but sadly, no dogs. But, if I had the land and the wherewithall, I'd have another Springer.
 
Thanks Roy, this was a stocked bird in Southwick, MA. Lily and I have our limit for the season since this pic was taken. We go for 2-3 hours at a time in the late afternoons. I don't dare go on weekends, it's like a shooting gallery out there. Speaking of "season limits" I spoke with a Portuguese fella other day (they do love to hunt pheasant for some reason) that said he took 16 last year without a dog! What's up with that? Am I the dummy for stopping at 6? Is the season limit thing just meant to be approximate?
 
Are you confusing "possession limit" with "season limit"?
I've never heard of a state season limit. Season limits may be instituted on a private preserve, but the "possession limits" the state institutes only means that you can only have so many birds in your freezer. We eat our birds frequently enough that our dogs (Britts of course) get to hunt every day. So go out and get more birds!

BTW, too bad I did not see your OP because we have the Franchi Diamond and they are a great gun for the money. Some guys have over 5000 rounds through them and they keep on working flawlessly. We have over 1000 through ours.

When your Britt is older, maybe she will learn how to kill the wounded birds instead of getting kicked in the face. Our Britts usually dispatch wounded birds that fight too much.
 
6. BAG LIMITS:

(a) pheasant: the bag limit is 2 daily, 4 in possession, and 6 per season, except as provided below;

(b) ruffed grouse: the bag limit is 3 daily, 6 in possession, and 15 per season;

(c) bobwhite quail: the bag limit is 4 daily, 8 in possession, and 20 per season, except as provided below;

(d) Youth Hunter Training Program: the daily bag limit is 1 pheasant and/or 2 quail.

I take this to mean 6 total for the season. We did go out one more afternoon and got skunked, so no harm no foul I guess.

I have been thinking about the Franchi O/U lately. I mean, really everyone SHOULD own more than one shotgun, and preferably at least one from each different style, (pump, o/u, sxs, auto, ect.) no? LOL

You get the dogs to do the dirty deed? I thought that was something to maybe discourage? Things that make you go hmm...
 
Our dogs just started doing it themselves after a bird that was retrieved tried to fly away as soon as it was released on the drop command. Duke pounced right back on the bird, then wouldn't release until the bird stopped moving. Now, they both just do it as soon as they pick up the bird. I never discouraged it as long as they don't munch the birds. Occasionally, we get one back that looks like hamburger, but that problem is easily corrected. Recently, our female started munching since she is pregnant. She even swallowed a dove the other day. I'll cut her a little slack since she is pregnant and her hormones are definitely making her behave in some abnormal manners. This morning she had trouble staying focussed on the hunt, but she did retrieve well and found several lost birds.

Too bad about the season limits. That really is not a fair system since people do obviously ignore it.
 
We go for 2-3 hours at a time in the late afternoons. I don't dare go on weekends, it's like a shooting gallery out there. Speaking of "season limits" I spoke with a Portuguese fella other day (they do love to hunt pheasant for some reason) that said he took 16 last year without a dog! What's up with that? Am I the dummy for stopping at 6? Is the season limit thing just meant to be approximate?
Click to expand...
I just thought of something that we do after I limit each day. I put the gun away and just walk the dogs commanding find dead. They usually come up with a few birds and it really helps them work on their finding dead and wounded birds. I discussed it with a Game & Fish officer. She wrinkled her nose at first, but then said it would be alright as long as I was not carrying a weapon. We both agreed that the other hunters were just wasting the game and that at least this way some of the wasted game is recovered and put to good use. Sometimes, we go back out later in the day for a second "hunt" finding downed birds. The last 90 minutes of Saturday and Sunday always yield the most found birds. The dogs really enjoy doing that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top