I (probably) fired my final shot for 2006 from my H&R Mdl. 088 12 ga. yesterday. It was the last pheasant hunt of the season for me here in Wyoming.
First, realize that my buddy and I were hunting "the Governor's birds." There is little opportunity to hunt wild birds in Wyoming but the state runs a bird farm and releases birds. This was the last release week of the season. We knew the released birds would likely all be hens as the roosters are used on privately owned "walk-in" areas where hens aren't legal.
We hunted for several hours, seeing only two birds. Both were pointed by Xena, a German shorthair pointer, and both offered no shot for me. My buddy, Eric, missed the first bird twice. Hours later the second bird dropped at one shot.
Less than 30 minutes before the end of legal shooting we got a couple more chances. I clipped the first hen as it rocketed straight over my head and Eric knocked it down with his shot. A short while later I got a wide-open shot over a point and cleanly killed the last bird of the day.
We saw four birds for the day and bagged three. I fired two shots with my H&R (high brass #4s): one wingtip and one fold. Not bad for an area where birds are scarce. I knew that shots would be rare and left my heavier pump guns at home. I was perfectly happy to be carrying a light, dependable and efficient single-shot for over six hours of tramping the brush. It was the perfect shotgun for the day.
The H&R has been cleaned and returned to its "home duty station" in the bedroom closet with a couple for rounds snugged into the butt cuff. The book closes on another successful hunting season.
