Back in the early 80’s I would go to SE Iowa for for some pass-shooting near the DeSota National Wildlife refuge. The several hundred thousand geese were maybe 95% “snows and blues” as we would phrase it. Guys would line the roads and ditches bordering the refuge for the morning fly-off.
The geese however would lift off in widening circles in the early grey minutes before the sun would lip the horizon so that by the time they where crossing these roads they were 70 to a couple hundred yards high. They “knew” the drill. However, there were always a few, maybe The young or just slow learners, that would suddenly emerge out of the steel-grey fog at thirty or forty yards, or fifty or sixty yards.
Guys could be ready for those because their calls were clearer, louder than their much higher compatriots and their progress was plotted and prepared for by their honking.
What is always clear in my mind is one guy had an old SxS 10 ga. I wish I had taken note of the make but did not though I’m am quite sure it was not an expensive double. Clearer still is he had his right thumb, and the knuckles of his index, middle, and ring fingers taped with white athletic taped which even then would often be bloodied by the trigger guard and the action release-lever just forward of the tang.
I’ve often been intrigued by SxS doubles in 10 ga since though have no conceivable use for one even if I didn’t have to carry it. Thus it’s the only gauge shotgun of the five currently in common use I’ve never had or even shot.
But I sure do like that Beretta Silver Hawk 10. I would just have to walk up some pheasant with it. Or posting with it at the end of a SD sorghum strip taking “driven” birds coming high and fast.
