Troy Fields, Traditions Guide Service

Love those old guns!!! I have my pepere's .22 rifle and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!!!

Dan Blanchette 

John Gibbs 

Many times the hunt is not about the harvest but more about the firearm you use and the memories it possesses.  This 12 gauge pump made by Riverside arms Company, Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts was my grandfather, John D. Gibbs’, gun.  He died long before I was born from consumption, also know as, Tuberculosis.  My father,  Derol John Gibbs, was very young and was transporting him to Arizona to a drier climate when he died along the way.  My dad had to bring his body home with him by himself.  I can’t imagine how he dealt with that.  I believe this was around 1950.    As I was growing up my dad called this gun, “The Old Corn Sheller”.  I still don’t know why.   Earlier this year (2020) before my fathers passing, at age 93, I was supplied with a book of notes that my grandfather wrote to my uncle Nolan, whom was fighting the Germans in World War II.  My father was in army boot camp at the time.   These letters were of hunting trip that my grandfather and uncle Neil Gibbs took to the family camp at MaCamp in Jackman, Maine.  These letters were dated November 1944.   They talked about hunting ducks on the moose river and shooting doe deer on Sunday when they arrived at camp.   He even mentioned the old corn sheller. This was when I learned how much history this old gun had. No, you couldn’t hunt on Sunday then either but they did.  The sole picture of this trip shows my uncle Neil and my grandfather standing next to an old studibaker  with a deer draped over the hood and some ducks as well.  It also shows my uncle Neil holding this gun dated November 1944. I hunted with this gun throughout my childhood and have many fond memories. Eight years ago my father gave this to my son, Andrew, for Christmas.  He also gave a single shot 12 gauge, with cracked stock, to my son Brody and a .410 bolt action shotgun, that belong to my mother, Helen Marion Gibbs,  to my daughter McKenna.  These guns all have great memories and there are many more to be made.   Both Andrew and I took birds this moose season with this gun and it was fulfilling.  I even used some old paper cartridges to maintain the nostalgia.   It’s humbling holding a firearm that has memories so much older that you are. I am sure Andrew will pass this gun down to his grandchildren and the memories will continue.     

90 pts · Upland bird — John Gibbs

200 pts · Miscellaneous — John Gibbs

600 pts · Deer — John Gibbs

187 pts · Saltwater fish — John Gibbs

90 pts · Waterfowl — John Gibbs

Early season goose hunt near limestone Maine, September 2, 2024 with my son, Andrew, Grandson, Leland, and close friend Jared Hughes. Leland got his first…

60 pts · Saltwater fish — John Gibbs

Today I had a couple hours to kill. I rolled some rocks, found some worms and headed to my favorite childhood early spring fishing spot. I caught five tro…