He’s also put the shotgun to work on big game animals like deer and hogs as well. Old Betsy has claimed numerous small game animals, including squirrels and rabbits as well as most ducks and geese that call these states home. He grew up in Oklahoma and Texas and now lives in Georgia. Since that time, he’s taken nearly 100 different species of critters from all across the world. Murphy purchased the Mossberg 600AT 12-gauge shotgun in the early 80’s at age 15 with money earned from mowing lawns. Murphy tightened the trigger on Old Betsy and claimed yet another critter with the gun he’d hunted with most of his life. A moment later the bird was in the food plot and closing in on Murphy’s hide. The gobbler immediately fired back and started a quick march in Murphy’s direction. He plopped down behind a brush pile and made a few calls in hopes of turning the gobbler back in his direction. Murphy walked up on a gobbler and hen just as they were exiting a food plot. It was one of those flash hunts when everything falls into place, and the action was fast and furious. I had the chance to hang out with Murphy, and Old Betsy, while in turkey camp during the 2021 spring season. My first encounter with this gun came after the evening hunt when Murphy killed his Georgia turkey shortly after leaving camp. One common theme to Murphy’s stories was the tale of his Mossberg shotgun, affectionately named, Old Betsy. We ate like kings, shared experiences and insight, and swapped lots of hunting stories from days gone by. Murphy and I shared some good times in turkey camp despite the birds being few and far between over the course of our few days together.

Murphy spent much of his career as the boss man for the Quality Deer Management (QDMA), and is now working with the crew at HuntStand, makers of the popular hunting app. It was a Georgia spring turkey hunt that led me to my first time in hunting camp with Brian Murphy.

Old mossberg shotguns