Notches made in a rifle stock to record success is usually not considered that interesting or adding much to the rifle but this one was different. There is a series of small notches along the top edge of both sides of the forestock made in the same spaced pattern which appeared to be the tally of two hunters.  The left side had the more coarse notches in a 10-1-2 pattern with ten at the front of the stock, one halfway to the receiver adjacent to the rear sight base, and two just in front of the receiver. The right side had the same pattern spacing with much finer notches recorded as 6-2-2.

According to the store owner this was a local rifle from a couple towns over being sold by a young guy needing the money. It appears to represent the numbers of three species taken by two  of his past generations. The only big game found in VT would be deer, bear and moose so I'm assuming the 23 notches represent a combination of these but wish I knew the rest of the story. Before I did any more work on it I did take it hunting for a week in the big woods of N. VT and I sensed the rifle felt quite at home out there.

 

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