Rick Pierce
Well-known member
Eric,
As has been shown on here, the most common in the Midwest, specifically Wisconsin, is the Poygan Box (for Lake Poygan...one of the traditional gunning areas). They were utilitarian, each hunter making them from what he had on hand. I've seen them with old ceramic knobs, brass or black iron handles, drawers, angled lids, flat lids...you name it. A lot like duck decoys, they were "the same", but differently interpreted by each person who made them. They were made to keep the gun up out of the water and out of the way in a duck skiff, and keep it at the ready. Many of them had "feet" also.
I always thought a box like this would be very classy for a dove shoot.
A loooooong time ago, I think it was Steve Sutton who posted up a gunning box used by Worth Mathewson that is a simple, rectangular box. Top side has a board held by a wooden peg for gloves/maps (if I remember correctly), bottom compartment held shells, calls, and sundries. The box was built "tall" enough and sturdy enough that it could be used as a seat in a sneakbox for rowing....obviously, no gun cradle to get in the way. But it also made the most of the area in a sneakbox...storage, seat, etc.
I am in the process of trying to figure out a gunning box for a client who has 6 dove decoys of mine...build it so he can put the decoys, stakes and a couple boxes of shells into it. And he wants 6 more decoys, too...so it needs to hold a dozen...
As has been shown on here, the most common in the Midwest, specifically Wisconsin, is the Poygan Box (for Lake Poygan...one of the traditional gunning areas). They were utilitarian, each hunter making them from what he had on hand. I've seen them with old ceramic knobs, brass or black iron handles, drawers, angled lids, flat lids...you name it. A lot like duck decoys, they were "the same", but differently interpreted by each person who made them. They were made to keep the gun up out of the water and out of the way in a duck skiff, and keep it at the ready. Many of them had "feet" also.
I always thought a box like this would be very classy for a dove shoot.
A loooooong time ago, I think it was Steve Sutton who posted up a gunning box used by Worth Mathewson that is a simple, rectangular box. Top side has a board held by a wooden peg for gloves/maps (if I remember correctly), bottom compartment held shells, calls, and sundries. The box was built "tall" enough and sturdy enough that it could be used as a seat in a sneakbox for rowing....obviously, no gun cradle to get in the way. But it also made the most of the area in a sneakbox...storage, seat, etc.
I am in the process of trying to figure out a gunning box for a client who has 6 dove decoys of mine...build it so he can put the decoys, stakes and a couple boxes of shells into it. And he wants 6 more decoys, too...so it needs to hold a dozen...
] Thank goodness. 
