Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How would you like to go varmint hunting with these guys?

Mike,
I believe that picture is also in an issue of OUTERS in 1911. It was rumored that Chas. Newton potted chucks with this bunch from time to time in those days, but wasn't really part of the "clique". Maybe they made him stand in the background until the photos were done with? Actually, I would think this is more likely one of the wives.

Jim,
That's the "picture sheriff" who accompanies this particular photo. It's how we trace the picture rustlers. The pictures published in the magazines also have some differences, if you have copies look at the potted plants to the right and compare.

"One of the wives", I have it on good authority that you spent the weekend in the same hotel room with that sheriff so he might not take kindly to be called a wife;-).

I wonder if any of those fellas realized their significance at the time.

I betcha that each one admired the others but didn't regard himself as special in any way.

I'd LOVE having the opportunity to hunt with that elete group.
WOW sums it up for me. Lots of brain power in that group.
Wood Chuck hunting with them would be THE ultimate hunting experience.

Kelly had HM Pope build a 32-40 on a stevens action complete with all tools to run the gun. Beautiful rifle but a heavy rascal ( 1 3/8 at the muzzle), a bit different than most of that time had 16 flats versus the usual 8 flats. I had the use of this rifle for a few seasons and it did shoot very well. It couldn't be bought at the time and then lost it through some not too well done estate planning. Not real sure where it is now...disturbs me greatly.......

Are these guys the hunters or, the varmints themselves?

I'd like a copy of the photo that bcp posted but don't really know how to open the linked image. Any help?

That may be due to the age of the post.

Here it is again.

Varmint hunters




Bruce

Thanks so much, Bruce

I wonder if they “dialed” or used Kentucky windage…..

A little History. That Bldg., in the 70's was Blake & Lamb Trapping Supplies owned by Sam Hart. I knew Sam somewhat, worked for him. Up the road a few miles was O.L. "Okie Butcher Trapping Supplies. Lee Wulff lived a few miles away in Eaglevile, on The Battenkill. Lee & Okie were landowner partners and my Father was friends and sporting with both of them. I remmeber My Father telling me that He had been Fly fishing with Lee a few times, Lee would write an artcle about the trip, but the other persons on the trip were never mentioned. Oh well. Met Lee in Lew Beach, in The Catskills at a dinner @ David Rockafellers Retreat. Lee said to say hello to my Father. That was in about 82.

Thanks. That was awesome..

Great walk down memory lane. I bought a lot of trapping lure from O.L. Butcher when I was a kid. A quite a few traps. Used to send off a handwritten letter with the order and a check. Dad would write a check to them but always kept me honest by making sure I had the money first. Either from fur sales or my allowance.

It would have been great to spend a day with those old shooters. Just to sit and listen.

Wonder if these men had any background checks done on them and their rifles.
They look as though they might enjoy the great outdoors.

Good stuff.

I would like to know what cartridges they were using.

25-20 SS or 28-30?

.25-21 and .25-25 were popular too, both long skinny straight-wall cartridges. .22-15-60 and .22WCF had a following too. You can bet they weren't taking 400,500,600 yard shots. E.A.Leupold once bragged in print about nailing a groundhog at a shade over 250 yards, with a Stevens .25-21 if I recall correctly. Not much in common between us and them equipment-wise, but lots in common between us and them in terms of desire to "shoot small, miss small" at distances that stretch the limits of equipment.

And yes, I would sell my left nut for a weekend of groundhog hunting with those guys!