# Looking for Lost 12 Gauge!



## Brayden Arnett (Mar 12, 2018)

Ended up going duck hunting Saturday, Dec. 8 over in the North top half of Perdido Bay, till around about 4:20/4:30 and then started heading back to the location where my truck was parked when I looked behind me and noticed that while pulling my kayak my shotgun had fallen off ( For image of shotgun look at attached file) . Now I did try to look and feel around for it for just a little bit over the area that I thought it might have fallen off in but had no luck. (For location/area look at the attached file of the map.) So, I waited for the next day and Mr. Dave and I ended up going back out and waded around and felt around in the same area for it in a zig-zag pattern over the path that I had walked/ towed the kayak over, and that the shotgun might have fallen off on, but we had no luck in locating it and that my dad just passed it down to me for a late 17th birthday present just this Thanksgiving, and I would be hunting by myself for the first time this year, and need a gun to hunt with, and with it being the very first gun ever passed down to me, and of great sentimental value as a family air loom. If anyone might happen to know of its whereabouts or happens to actually find it if they would please tell me I would very very very much appreciate it.


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

Dang. I'm sorry to hear this Brayden.


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Time to go magnet fishing.
Seriously, go buy one of the large Neodymium magnets and 25-50 yards of stout cord.
$35-$40 on Amazon

Then go fishing for that shotgun.


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## Brayden Arnett (Mar 12, 2018)

what kind of Neodymium magnet? Cause I'm not familiar with magnets at all really?


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Borrow a metal detector quick! 
When i was 23 i laid a remington rifle and shotgun on the dog box, loaded up my girlfriend and headed off to the fair. Bout halfway there, i remembered the guns. Found them both laying in the middle of the highway, been run over several times. I cried - i really did! Ended up buying more and marrying the girl - 32 yrs ago. Hope you find it but its not the end of the world if you dont


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

Hnbour Freight has this magnet for less than $20. https://m.harborfreight.com/retrieving-magnet-250-lb-pull-36905.html


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Brayden Arnett said:


> what kind of Neodymium magnet? Cause I'm not familiar with magnets at all really?


Just go to Amazon and search fishing magnet.


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

man that hurts MY feelings reading this. good luck finding it, bud!


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Make sure you call ECSO and tell em you lost it too so if it was found and turned in, you can get it back...


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## llllllllll (Dec 31, 2010)

ChileRelleno said:


> Just go to Amazon and search fishing magnet.


You can check out on youtube people “magnet fishing” and get an idea
what to do. 
Dragging a strong magnet in the area where you think it may have 
fell out of your yak would be the first thing I’d try to locate a gun 
under water.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Go to harbour freight and get a small strong magnet, put it on a casting rod and start casting it out slow retrive it in the area
Forgot to ad if the magnet attaches go look and see what it hooked into it probably wont pick a shotgun up only locate it or something metal.


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## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

When we used to hunt Black River in Arkansas we always had floating gun cases when we were traveling in the boat. I can remember a few times jumping levees a gun bouncing out. Turn around and pick it up. Probly wouldn't be a bad idea to have a string with a small float attached hunting from a yak.


Hate to hear you lost it Brayden. Good luck finding it. Magnet is probably the best option. Doesn't need to be a huge one. Do what Sealark said, you can cover a lot of bottom that way.


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## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

How deep is the water where you lost it? Sounds really shallow so I would round up every friend that I have and wade the area.
Whatever you do, do it quick before the saltwater ruins the gun.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

How deep of water were you in...? Maybe on a very low tide it would be easier for you to find your gun....Sorry for your situation....


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## Brayden Arnett (Mar 12, 2018)

When it comes to depth in the area that is circled right off the beach, for me being that I wade that whole beach. That particular area when wading on a slick and calm day is normally at my waste or is in between my waist and chest, and me being about 5 ft 5-6 in I would have to say that the water is somewhere between maybe 2, 3 1/2, 4 ft; but you guys are right that part of the bay is mainly and normally really shallow.


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## MaxxT (May 9, 2015)

So sad, the magnet drag will be your best best, that and 4-5 friends, underwater metal detector that can be rented, mine is not waterproof or I would offer it.


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## huntnflorida (May 24, 2008)

I feel your pain! Valuable lesson learned! My gun stays in a floating case as mentioned earlier while traveling during that kind of hunting. If you can’t find, afford, or borrow a gun for the rest of the season, I got a pump Mossberg you can borrow.


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## Brayden Arnett (Mar 12, 2018)

No need to worry anymore guys. Ended up leaving school today ran by Harbor freight bought a magnet. Then ended up coming out here to the bay. Do you need even end up using it at all and ended up just walking out noticed something floating in the water that ended up being my sling attached to my gun. So all is good on her right now some sand, but all it needs is a little dissembling some real nice cleaning, and it’ll be ready to bust some quackers. HOORAY!!!!!!!


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## huntnflorida (May 24, 2008)

Brayden Arnett said:


> No need to worry anymore guys. Ended up leaving school today ran by Harbor freight bought a magnet. Then ended up coming out here to the bay. Do you need even end up using it at all and ended up just walking out noticed something floating in the water that ended up being my sling attached to my gun. So all is good on her right now some sand, but all it needs is a little dissembling some real nice cleaning, and it’ll be ready to bust some quackers. HOORAY!!!!!!!


Great! I’m glad the gun was found!


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## Brayden Arnett (Mar 12, 2018)

Yeah I didn’t really think about the typing very much. I was a little too too too excited to think really. I mean hell I just found not only a $800 Benelli Pump action 12 gauge, but also The family heirloom that my dad passed down to me as my first shot gun ever passed down and that it was very important to him so it means a lot to me also. Not only that but this also means I can go duckhunting again and shoot some Quacker’s. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Brayden Arnett (Mar 12, 2018)

And I also wanted to thank you for the offer of allowing me to borrow one of your guns. Thank you again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Glad ya found it Brayden!
Good to see a young man like you take a liking to waterfowl hunting. Where I am from EVERYONE is a duck hunter...............or at least thinks he is. Not so much down here..
I've been a DU member since 1968. My dad and some of his hunting buddies started the NE Arkansas chapter back then.


Wow 50 Years ago..
Yes I am old.


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## delta dooler (Mar 6, 2008)

Awesome!


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## MaxxT (May 9, 2015)

Congrats!


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

Great to hear


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## brianBFD (Sep 17, 2012)

Congrats


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Glad you found it........... You added to it's Heirloom Value if you ever get to pass it down to your own Son or Daughter. This Tale will likely be repeated many times in the Future.




.


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Brayden Arnett said:


> No need to worry anymore guys. Ended up leaving school today ran by Harbor freight bought a magnet. Then ended up coming out here to the bay. Do you need even end up using it at all and ended up just walking out noticed something floating in the water that ended up being my sling attached to my gun. So all is good on her right now some sand, but all it needs is a little dissembling some real nice cleaning, and it’ll be ready to bust some quackers. HOORAY!!!!!!!


Hooray! Is right :thumbup:


A really good freshwater rinse to start with.

Full disassembly, disassemble every last screw, spring and pin.

Another FW rinse of the parts, boiling water is very good as the parts will self dry very quickly.

Soak everything in a penetrating oil (do not use WD40) that has good water displacing qualities.

Wipe down, reassemble and lube as normal.


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## Outside9 (Apr 30, 2008)

Amazing, glad you found it.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

The Lord helped you out there I believe,glad all is good....


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Hey try the magnet. A couple years ago witnessed a stainless steel anchor get cut off a boat at the Gumbo Key mess. Went back the next day and dragged a grapple. Got an anchor. Not the one we were looking for but another one. Still have it. You never know.


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## FishinSpot (Oct 16, 2007)

Great success story here! And like mentioned before this makes the heirloom history even richer! This is awesome! Great history to add to the gun and your family! 

Congrats!


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## CurDog (Nov 14, 2010)

Glad you found it. Very lucky the water was shallow enough for the sling to float above the waterline. Hindsight is 20/20 they say, so just to be thinking of a possible "next-time". Maybe put a 2-3' string on the stock sling swivel with a small float (like one used for boat key) on it. It shouldn't get in the way even with quick shouldering it. Never know when it may go swimming again, but if it does, you'll be able to find it quicker. 
I have used 12' of line before with the little float before. It really didn't get in the way, but you being in a kayak, I'd at least use 2-4' line.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

You dont need a float just use small line that floates it comes in all kinds of colors.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Heck yeah, awesome news!!! Glad you found it!


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## vulkanman (Mar 16, 2015)

Vinegar mixed with hot water will help get rid of the salt, I'd wash it several times and give it a good soaking before you oil anything, the oil can trap the salt in places that you can get to. Glad you found it!


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## Capt.Ernie (Mar 4, 2008)

Brayden Arnett said:


> No need to worry anymore guys. Ended up leaving school today ran by Harbor freight bought a magnet. Then ended up coming out here to the bay. Do you need even end up using it at all and ended up just walking out noticed something floating in the water that ended up being my sling attached to my gun. So all is good on her right now some sand, but all it needs is a little dissembling some real nice cleaning, and it’ll be ready to bust some quackers. HOORAY!!!!!!!



Congrats!


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## Hopin4aboat (Jul 5, 2009)

Glad you found it, for next time if you carry decoys take a d ring with you and snap your gun sling to a decoy or two, I've found one decoy is enough buoyancy to float a submerged shotgun and it doesn't add anymore gear. I have a waterproof case that doesn't float so I always snap it to a decoy or two. Fell out once and just looked for the low sitting, odd bobbing decoy.


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