Seasonal firearm related tradtions

[John Joseph]

There are certain tasks which come about when seasons change---changing wiper blades and checking tread on your car's tires in anticipation of winter driving, for example. It has almost become a rite.
Shooters have seasons too, with the attendant tasks---sighting in the deer rifle, or purchasing a supply of steel shells for waterfowling. Maybe there are annual tasks which are relegated to the "off season" as time allows (as well as being a good excuse for simply messing about with your firearm,) like applying a coat of polish to a wood gunstock or waxing a leather sling.

It all needs to get done of course, but have any of these tasks assumed the status of a "tradition" in your home?
I remember each autumn accompanying my dad to a real sporting goods store to purchase his supply of duck loads (still lead in those days) The trip to town always seemed to incorporate lunch at my dad's favorite hof brau, which curiously always had lamb shank for the lunch special of the day.

I think it is important that the next generation of hunters/shooters aren't deprived of what they'll one day look back on with fond memories.

What are your traditions? Do you plan of starting any?

 

[FROGO207]

My big thing is processing my fired brass in the winter months. I have enough of it that I can load and shoot what I want through the spring/summer/fall without doing, for me at least, that booring task associated with reloading.

 

[1911 guy]

Family tradition going back several generations. We all go hunting together Thanksgiving morning.

 

[.308 Norma]

My whole family hunts, but for years and years it was traditional that on Thanksgiving Morning, I took off and went pheasant hunting by myself, while my wife stayed home and prepared Thanksgiving Dinner. That came to a halt on Thanksgiving Morning 2 years ago when I slipped in the mud coming down a hill. I fell, broke my right ankle in 3 places and put a spiral break up my right fibula.
I managed to make it back to the truck (it was only about 50 yards) by using my shotgun as sort of a staff to lean on. By the time I got back to the house, our daughter and her family had already arrived. So they put me back in the truck and hauled me to the emergency room at the hospital in Pocatello - about 30 miles.
At the hospital, they had to call in an Orthopedic Surgeon to put me back together. And that jerk chewed me out for interrupting his Thanksgiving Dinner because I "didn't have sense enough to stay home and not go pheasant hunting on Thanksgiving!
At any rate, that traditional Thanksgiving Morning pheasant hunt of mine cost two surgeries, several hundred dollars (after insurance), 3 months of physical therapy, and our oldest grandson telling my wife, "Don't let grandpa go hunting by himself anymore." Besides all that - now my right ankle tells me when there's a storm coming!

 

[Mn Fats]

Our family tradion is, two or three weeks from deer opener we all bring our rifles up to the family farm and sight in.
Everyone makes their rounds with an atv or the farm's '45 army jeep and checks deer stands in case a board needs replacing.
Then back to the farm for clay pigeons. When that's all done, a few brewski's. Been that way since I was filling my diapers.

 

[Crawdad1]

Not generations but going back to 1984 or 85 on Thanksgiving morning we get together and go upland bird hunting. The wives love it because all of us are out of the house (most importantly the kitchen) and they can get dinner ready. A win win in my book.

 

[1911 guy]

.308Norma, I can relate, but it wasn't hunting. I played baseball. Catcher threw to the inside of third with a runner attempting to steal third. I stepped into the baseline to catch and tag the runner, the runner slid, the rest is history. Ended my serious baseball. Reconstructive surgery.

 

[Tirod]

In the day - getting the first Gander Mountain, Cabela's, and later Bass Pro catalogs. And before that the local LGS had one much the size of the Sears Roebucks one. Seeing the latest hunting gear coming onto the shelves - whadya know, there's another new camo pattern. What's wrong with Trebark?

The annual catalog dump was better than the Sears Wish Book.

 

[bannockburn]

.308 Norma

Great story though I'm sure it's a painful recollection from your point of view! Hope you're all properly healed and that you use the "Buddy System" when you go hunting from now on!

 

[.308 Norma]

.308 Norma

Great story though I'm sure it's a painful recollection from your point of view! Hope you're all properly healed and that you use the "Buddy System" when you go hunting from now on!

Thanks Bannockburn.
Yes, I'm pretty much healed up now, and I seldom, if ever, actually went hunting by myself anyway, even when I was young and in a lot better shape. What I used to call "pheasant hunting by myself on Thanksgiving Morning" is better expressed in the following quote:
“...outside somewhere… alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.” Anne Frank

 

[Armored farmer]

Sometime during the winter lull, I get my casting pot out and pour a years worth of bullets and balls. I have a nice shop heated with a woodstove. It has an overhead exhaust fan and a window fan to get rid of the fumes. I leave my gear on the bench for a week or two until I have everything cast that I think I'll want for the year.
I've been doing this for four or five years now. I really enjoy the solitude, and the homemade ammo supply.

 

[bannockburn]

My seasonal firearms tradition was I use to build and work on my guns during the long winter season. Building usually consisted of some black powder pistol or rifle that I got for Christmas. While sometimes a little trying, as in why won't this part fit like it's supposed to, it was always a great way to spend my spare time at night.

I also worked on an Essex 1911 frame on and off for several years. It was one of those builds where I had to put it down every so often and walk away, only to return to it when a cooler head prevailed (hope the kids didn't learn any new cuss words during this time). Started out as a .38 Super build with a Colt Government slide I found in a Shotgun News ad. Later I gave the slide to a good friend of mine (he's the one who turned me on to .38 Supers in the first place), and the Essex frame just sat for awhile waiting for my next great project. Had always wanted a dedicated .22LR conversion on a 1911 frame and finally found one a few years ago made by TacSol. Really like the quality of this unit and it fit and works perfectly on the Essex frame.

 

[.308 Norma]

Ended my serious baseball. Reconstructive surgery.

Ah man! I'm sorry to hear about that. Are you doing okay now? Did the surgery work?

 

[Count Les Neins]

Replacing the camo burlap in the stands, and looking over the sight lines, to see what needs trimming.

The annual hunt club steak dinner barbecue.

 

[DDDWho]

A bunch of my friends would go pheasant/quail hunting Thanksgiving morning. That was some years ago. Most of those have now passed or moved away. I'm 77 yo, all I have left is memories.

 

[Armored farmer]

My grandparents had an awesome tradition:
For several years, our family thanksgiving dinner consisted of quail and garden vegetables. All home-grown right down to the pumpkin pie.
My grandpa and dad were avid Quail hunters. We always had plenty of quail and gravy.

 

[JTHunter]

A bunch of my friends would go pheasant/quail hunting Thanksgiving morning. That was some years ago. Most of those have now passed or moved away. I'm 77 yo, all I have left is memories.

That's all I have left too. My hunting and fishing buddy died about 18 years ago in his mid 40s and he was the one who got me interested in old SxS double-trigger shotties. He was also a whiz at deducing car problems (on older cars) by the sounds he heard. I can't tell you the number of times he was able to either help me out of a jam with one of my cars OR he would "talk me through it" and have me learn what to look for and how to repair it.
I still miss him.

 

[1911 guy]

Yep, the surgery worked. Had a second surgery to have the metal (8 screws and a plate) removed. Got into the service on a waiver. That was almost 30 years ago now. I got lucky with a good surgeon who knew what he was doing.

Anyway, to keep this on topic, the only problem I had, after I could walk again, was that the metal got cold and stayed cold long after I'd gone inside from hunting or walking in the cold.

 

[captain awesome]

Thanksgiving morning (seems to be a trend here) my dad, and as many of my siblings as are in town and his grand kiddos all go out to the desert and shoot. we set up a range, go over the safety rules and then blast away. we shoot 22s and shotguns at clays primarily, and usually a couple handguns. its always a hoot, although more difficult during the ammo runs...but we always some how manage. this year i put together some fun reactive steel targets that i think the kids will like shooting.

 

[TomJ]

Ours is a year round tradition. We belong to a gun club that's out in the country, about an hour outside of Chicago. We found a fantastic barbecue place in a small town near the club. I'll head out there with either my two sons or a few friends, stop for barbecue and then head out to the club.

 

[TheSquire]

When my eldest son was at University we would go and bust a few clays together at a local shooting ground before having a good 'liquid lunch' once we had got home and locked the guns away.
Boxing day morning has also been a shooting tradition with my brother in law, going out on a pheasant shoot then back to a pub for few pints.

 

[Panzerschwein]

My seasonal firearms related tradition is shooting guns. As in every season.

 

[LoneGoose]

Starting in 2004, I join old Air Force buddies on a large farm in South Dakota during pheasant season. It's a long drive, but worth it. It's a total escape from everyday life and a great reunion. Our host puts his corn in 20-yard wide strips and puts soybeans around them. He has the beans picked before the season, so the open ground around those strips leave the birds nowhere to run. Mrs. Host lays out a feast for every meal, and the entire week seems magical. I'll be doing this until I can't.

 

[JR24]

Starting in 2004, I join old Air Force buddies on a large farm in South Dakota during pheasant season. It's a long drive, but worth it. It's a total escape from everyday life and a great reunion. Our host puts his corn in 20-yard wide strips and puts soybeans around them. He has the beans picked before the season, so the open ground around those strips leave the birds nowhere to run. Mrs. Host lays out a feast for every meal, and the entire week seems magical. I'll be doing this until I can't.

That sounds amazing.

 

[milemaker13]

Hey TomJ,
I'm in the Chicago suburbs... I usually drive all the way out to Ottawa for out door range time. What town is your club in? And how about the BBQ joint?