I never win anything! Until last night anyway. I attended the Three Rivers Chapter of Ducks Unlimiteds Banquet here in Dillon last night. Two of my close friends and Big Game/Waterfowl Hunting buddies came as my guests. I had never attended a Ducks Unlimited Banquet before (I am new to Duck/Goose Hunting) and I had heard they were fun. The food and company were just wonderful! Among the several "chances" I bought was an entry into a drawing for a Bennelli 12 gauge 3 1/2" Magnum Nova Shotgun. Well of all the firearms I own I only have one shotgun (a Remington 870 12 gauge 2 /34" modified choke) and it does a lot of things well like Pheasant and Grouse Hunting but for Ducks and Geese I have needed a magnum for a couple of years now! Anyway for 30 bucks I got one of the 30 numbered DU Hats that also gave me a chance at the Bennelli! Low and behold my number (#26) was drawn! Did I take a razzing from my friends!
My luck was to continue! I also won a camoflaged bucket seat, another DU hat, a $40.00 gift certificate for my favorite Dillon restaurant (The Lions Den!) and unbeknownst to me I got a neat DU print of two Wood Ducks, a set of beautiful wine glasses with DU logo with my entrance ticket. And I bought a set of 4 mugs with the DU logo! Fun night. I went to town today to do the paper work on the shotgun and I looked at some of the 3 1/2" Magnum waterfowl loads - uhhh... sticker shock ensued!
But I was just thrilled to win a firearm and amazed at the prices some of the auction items went for!
Can't wait for next years banquet.
Oohh I plan on taking some flying Varmints with this rig ASAP! Maybe even a Coyote or a Turkey come spring season!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, CONGRATULATIONS!!! Now sell the Benelli and put the money into a good piece of glass for one of your real guns!! Or a new barrel for one of your real guns!! Sell the print to a Dr. friend or a lawyer and even have more money to invest in "real shooting gear"!!! hahahahaha At least DU has a very good percentage of monies collected for going to the supposed recipients(ducks and waterfowl in this instance) rather than "administration"!! WAY TO GO VG!!! GHD

GHD: That is exactly the first thing that went through my mind after I won that fine shotgun - I wonder what kind of Varmint Rifle I could trade this for!
Obviously we think alike.
But no, maybe I should not risk insulting the Duck Hunting clan by trading this fine "gift" off. It might create bad karma on down the line somewhere!
I was watching a Turkey Hunting show on TV last night and the guy was using the same type shotgun I won and those 3 1/2" Magnums really did well on that venture. I should keep it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Wow VG sounds cool!! If that DU duck print is anything like the ones I see at the NWTF shindigs it's a keeper!! Of course, if you don't want it..well That's cool you got all that stuff. That Nova is a great gun for waterfowl and turkies. Know plenty that use the Nova and also the Mossberg 835(both 3�" pumps) for both.

Matt

I lucked out and won a 3 1/2 in.12 ga Bennelli pump gun on the 2002 Yr. DU drawing. Its unfired, may be trading stock or I may give it to my grandson who lives in North Dakota when he,s 16yrs old. Plenty of water fowl on their farm. First gun won after purshasing drawing tickets for years, but going to the DU meetings was fun.