remington 1100 old film with Long Island boats
- Thread starter bob welsh
- Start date
Did anyone notice just how lethal the shots were, especially in the Arkansas timber? Good old lead. Too bad it's toxic, because it is absolutely the perfect density for putting a suitable number of pellets downrange with energy to kill.
Eric
Eric
I reached out to Michael Braun he has something very similar to this he's working on. Boat looks like a Nellist converted to a layout. If you look closely at the stern you can see it's very similar.. looks like they made a custom enclosed cockpit tapered to the opening...
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Bob~
Sweet little vessels - Connecticut Scull-boats. This is from Ray Camp's DUCK BOATS: BLINDS: DECOYS and Eastern Seaboard Gunning (1952).
Here is how he presented them in The Hunter's Encyclopedia (1948). Note the credit for the upper photo.
Although designed for slowly "sculling" - with a single crooked oar through the transom - into range of rafted fowl, they were also put to use, anchored in the open bay (or Long Island Sound, in this case) with a big rig of decoys for divers, especially Broadbill.
I believe one reason for the flat decks - not crowned like most gunning vessels - is to hold either seaweed or ice for camouflage.
I was struck in the film to see them anchored with the transom upwind. I can only conclude that these Nutmeg State Gunners stole the idea from us Great South Bay fowlers on the South Shore of Long Island - where most good gunning ideas were born - but missed a few key details. We always rig our Scooters with the bow upwind and the stern greeting the incoming birds.
In any event, Mr. Camp explains on p. 87 that the boat pictured was designed by none other than Charles "Shang" Wheeler. Shang won the first-ever decoy contest in Bellport (East end of Great South Bay) in 1923. We are commemorating the Centennial at the LI Decoy Collectors Show on March 4. Otherwise, I do not know Connecticut builders of yore.
BTW: I also enjoyed the tender/stool boat in the film. It would be called either a skiff or dory-skiff - depending upon how the bottom planking ran; crosswise for the former, lengthwise for the latter.
All the best,
SJS
Sweet little vessels - Connecticut Scull-boats. This is from Ray Camp's DUCK BOATS: BLINDS: DECOYS and Eastern Seaboard Gunning (1952).
Here is how he presented them in The Hunter's Encyclopedia (1948). Note the credit for the upper photo.
Although designed for slowly "sculling" - with a single crooked oar through the transom - into range of rafted fowl, they were also put to use, anchored in the open bay (or Long Island Sound, in this case) with a big rig of decoys for divers, especially Broadbill.
I believe one reason for the flat decks - not crowned like most gunning vessels - is to hold either seaweed or ice for camouflage.
I was struck in the film to see them anchored with the transom upwind. I can only conclude that these Nutmeg State Gunners stole the idea from us Great South Bay fowlers on the South Shore of Long Island - where most good gunning ideas were born - but missed a few key details. We always rig our Scooters with the bow upwind and the stern greeting the incoming birds.
In any event, Mr. Camp explains on p. 87 that the boat pictured was designed by none other than Charles "Shang" Wheeler. Shang won the first-ever decoy contest in Bellport (East end of Great South Bay) in 1923. We are commemorating the Centennial at the LI Decoy Collectors Show on March 4. Otherwise, I do not know Connecticut builders of yore.
BTW: I also enjoyed the tender/stool boat in the film. It would be called either a skiff or dory-skiff - depending upon how the bottom planking ran; crosswise for the former, lengthwise for the latter.
All the best,
SJS
If a manufacturer would produce quality duck gear in that old canvas brown, I'd buy it instead of camo for sure. I bet a lot of other old guys would too. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I'm sure it would work every bit as well as the current camo offerings. I don't think many birds flare from your clothes anyway, it's your shiny face or motion normally. Remember the snipers rules of concealment...shape, shadow, shine, silhouette. If you're in any kind of blind you probably have three of four covered.
tod osier said:
Yes, Sir! They knew how to hunt. Those Cree Indian guides were awesome, too! I like the idea of the wings as decoys.
Capt Rich Geminski
Well-known member
My first parka was a Hodgman 3/4 length canvas brown coat, state of the art.
Vince Pagliaroli
Well-known member
Capt Rich Geminski said:
That's all we needed back then, a good hat to match, don't move, keep yer head down and "There They Are". Good Times.
Capt Rich Geminski said:
I was really young when I started going, so don't recall what my first jacket was. The first one I recall, we stopped at Bean's and I picked it out. It was brown waxed canvas, with a zipper. Maybe it was a Bean's brand jacket but can't be sure. I was about ten so it only fit for a short time, then was passed down.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
SJ~
I avoid buying camo whenever I can - but have long worn fingerless gloves - and more recently (last 25 years?) a face mask.
My first parka was the old rubberized canvas in Dead Grass Tan. I believe it was Korean war surplus. I tlasted me many seasons but finally disintegrated. (The B&W photo ain't great for color rendition - but you get the idea. The Jones cap was, I believe, a Duxbak in a similar hue.) And, yes, I shot more that that one Black Duck so attired....
Also, I had never seen the "sniper rules" so succinctly stated - but they surely ring true.
All the best,
SJS
I avoid buying camo whenever I can - but have long worn fingerless gloves - and more recently (last 25 years?) a face mask.
My first parka was the old rubberized canvas in Dead Grass Tan. I believe it was Korean war surplus. I tlasted me many seasons but finally disintegrated. (The B&W photo ain't great for color rendition - but you get the idea. The Jones cap was, I believe, a Duxbak in a similar hue.) And, yes, I shot more that that one Black Duck so attired....
Also, I had never seen the "sniper rules" so succinctly stated - but they surely ring true.
All the best,
SJS
Steve,
You are very lucky (or have great foresight) to have a collection of photos. My family rarely thought to take them. Always got put off til another day. It is amazing we took so many blacks back then, isn't it? [
] I couldn't guess how many we shot sitting in the open on a tidal rock, hunting broadbill.
You are very lucky (or have great foresight) to have a collection of photos. My family rarely thought to take them. Always got put off til another day. It is amazing we took so many blacks back then, isn't it? [
] I couldn't guess how many we shot sitting in the open on a tidal rock, hunting broadbill.James Woods
Active member
Me too
