Pawn Shop Shotgun Dave Owens

The Epic Hunting Stories Of The Pawn Shop Shotgun: Episode 11 – The Pinhoti Project

Outsider’s rewind through the Pawn Shop Shotgun video series is winding down. Only one hunt remains in the epic 11-part series. Episode 11 features a hunt with Dave Owens from The Pinhoti Project. The word “Pinhoti” is derived from a Creek Indian Tribe word that means “turkey home.” According to their website, The Pinhoti Project exists “to showcase a more simplistic way of hunting, more specifically the hunting of the wild turkey. A way that is available and easily obtainable for all of us, achieved through effort- not fortune and gadgetry. The focus remains on the quarry, as it should.” Sounds like a brand that fits in great with the others highlighted in the series so far.

The 11-part series kicked off with Jay Siske from Out Here Co. and Gary Stanton from Muscadine Bloodline picking out an old pump action 12-gauge from a Tennesse pawnshop.  Then they sent it on turkey hunts with notable brands and people around the country.  To get caught up on all the previous hunts the gun has been on, take a look back at Episode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7, Episode 8, and Episode 9.

 Episode 10 put the gun in the hands of Jake Huebschman with The Hunting Public. That adventure took place in Iowa. He was able to smoke a gobbler with the old hand-me-down pump action. After slapping his signature on it, he sent the gun back down to Tennessee with Jay Siske to wrap up the series with one last hunt. Without further adieu, let’s introduce Dave Owens and take a deeper dive into The Pinhoti Project.

More Information About The Pinhoti Project

The Pinhoti Project brand includes a few elements. Recipes make up a major part of the content they deliver. Though this particular video series doesn’t dive too far into it, the culinary aspects of cooking wild turkeys is a huge motivating factor for many hunters. The brand’s website also sells a variety of Pinhoti branded gear, including choke tubes, turkey calls, and apparel.

The Pinhoti Project has also built a profound following on YouTube, with more than 40,000 followers. Owens has racked up almost 11 million views across his almost 400 videos. In addition to just turkey hunting, it also includes footage from deer and elk hunts too.

Dave Owens And The Pawn Shop Shotgun Go Hunting

The action starts off a little slow at the first property they hunt, so he and Siske move to another hunting spot. There they encounter perhaps the most fascinating part of the whole video series. A wild peacock. That’s right. They encounter what’s likely a domesticated peacock gone feral that now lives amongst a flock of Tennessee wild turkeys. However, that dang peacock actually winds up ruining a hunt and spooking a gobbler away before Owens can get a shot.

The next morning they’re back at it again. The peacock can even be heard squawking from its roost at sunrise amongst the gobbling toms. It’s honestly some of the most remarkable turkey hunting footage ever recorded. The peacock honestly thinks it’s a wild turkey. As the hunt progresses, a long beard comes strutting into range and Dave Owens makes the gun go bang. The Pawn Shop Shotgun does its job and the series ends on a high note with another successful hunt. It’s a big-spurred old bird that any hunter would be proud of.

The final conversation of the series is a good one too. After recapping their hunt, Siske and Owens dive into a discussion about wild turkey conservation. Owens touches on the fragility of wild turkey populations and the importance of the turkey hunting community leading the way in conservation efforts. He really puts an emphasis on how important turkey hunting is in the big picture of wild turkey conservation nationwide. With that, he adds a final signature to the gun.

NWTF / YouTube