A 1930 newspaper ad shows the prices of hunting equipment back then

With the dove and early goose hunting season a mere two weeks away, this may be a good time to reflect on small game hunting as it was in the past. 

Many moons ago I recall the story about the late Charles Nehf, a local outdoor writer, who would write about hunting for pheasants and rabbits in the Fogelsville area and he traveled there by taking a trolley from Allentown to those Lehigh County farm fields. In so doing, he was all decked-out in his hunting clothes and carrying his 12-gauge shotgun. Imagine doing that today on a Lanta bus? The SWAT team would be called.  

Aside from that, it would be interesting to know the cost of hunting and equipment back then. In fact, let’s refer  back to 1930 when a Witwer Jones Sporting Goods store, located then at 949 Hamilton Street, ran an advertisement in the local newspaper listing prices for shotguns, shot shells and hunting clothes. The ad listed shotguns from Lefever priced at $24.85, a Fox shotgun for $32.10, an Ithaca for $33.00, a Smith for $35.10, a Winchester for $43.25, a Parker for $48.40 and a budget-minded Springfield double barrel shotgun for $15.75. 

Checking these similar shotgun prices in the 25th Edition of Gun Trader’s Guide, they list the Springfield Arms Company’s (built by Savage Arms in Utica, NY) double-barrel hammerless shotgun at $325, a Lefever plain ejector 12-gauge double barrel now goes for $3,188, a Fox single-shot double-barrel, $294, and their Skeeter model $4,494. Checking further, an Ithaca, Model 87 Ultralite in 12 or 20 gauge goes for $369; an (L.C.) Smith, made from 1890-1945, double-barrel Field Grade fetches $1,119, and their Pigeon Grade for $3,563. A Winchester Model 12 Field Gun is priced at $688 and a Parker, 12 or 20-gauge at $3,119. 

Many of these are now collectibles and difficult to find, and their prices would likely increase since Gun Digest printed their guide. Especially since the models listed are no longer made. 

As for shotgun ammunition, the ad lists Remington Shurshot box of 25 for 85 cents. In checking recent ammo pricing, a box of Winchester 12-gauge, #8 shot is $13.00 for 25 rounds at Outdoors Limited’s website, and $34.99 for a box of 12-gauge Aguila #7.5 shot at Boyers Hardware in Slatington. 

And for hunting adult general hunting licenses, they were $2 back then, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Today, the same general hunting license costs $20.97. 

The ad also lists hunting coats for $3.25, hunting boots for $6.35, vests for $1.85 and Red Top Socks for .75 (I still have  a pair). The latter brings back memories going back to the 50s when red was the safety color that was worn and before blaze orange became the law. 

Going back to those days when prices were cheap and pheasants were truly wild and plentiful in fields, is now merely a cherish-able memory.   

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