Ball & shot.

[Britsmoothy]

What a grand winter day. Bitter cold breeze, frost and sun.

Ideal I thought for a black powder gun. My little caplock needed a walk so....

Loaded the 45 with ball first, just on a few thin cards and one on top to hold it in. The first shot, a forty yarder the ball just snook over its head, a belting looking rabbit as well. I stalked into the cold wind but was not seeing many rabbit but what I did see were out of the wind so I got to a sunny bank side out of the wind and sure enough in the sun was a bunny all of ten yards away!

A blackbird was betraying me and the rabbits ears were listening intently! I just needed it lift its head.

Eventually it lifted its head a little for me and that was that. Sorry for the gore!



The third shot was a 50yd shot and again I shot just over its head! The rabbit was a bit phased by it and I wondered if I had pruned it's ears with the ball!

I fancied a pheasant next so now loaded with shot.

I found some hens in bracken and I kept missing them as they lifted. I managed to control Jess enough to be able to reload and kick another one up.

The third bird fell.



I was happy with that so turned for home to light the stoves.

Thank you to the landowner for this priveledge, to hunt in some beautiful country.

Powder choice today was........oh nevermind

B.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Looks like you had a nice day afield.

This is the last weekend the Orange Army is out on deer maneuvers and I hope to get out soon.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Looks like you had a nice day afield.

This is the last weekend the Orange Army is out on deer maneuvers and I hope to get out soon.

Please take a camera and I hope you have a good time of it. Hope the weather is ideal for you too.

B.

 

[Shifty]

Nice and what is your PUP.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Nice and what is your PUP.

Her name is Jess, a whippet and bedlington terrier cross.

B.

 

[Shifty]

I would guess she is a fast little companion !

 

[jackley]

Looks like a fine day afield!

Jerry

 

[Skychief]

Great day!!!!!!

 

[Britsmoothy]

I would guess she is a fast little companion !

She is, holding her back can be testing sometimes.
She gets to blow off steam usually at some point.

Thanks y'all.

B.

 

[robinsroost]

Congratulations Nate, well done. It looks as if Jess has a bit of vampire in her soul with her love of blood. Keep yer powder dry...…….robin

 

[Britsmoothy]

Congratulations Nate, well done. It looks as if Jess has a bit of vampire in her soul with her love of blood. Keep yer powder dry...…….robin

Thanks DD.
Jess is a funny dog, one minute belly aching about a little bramble and the next piling into it to bolt something!
One minute she is begging to go out then the next minute changed her mind, it's to cold!

 

[Logcutter]

Good shooting Britsmoothy. Enjoyed your story of the hunt and the pics. I'm thinking that's not the first mixed bag for you and that caplock. Certainly won't be the last. Flintlock season starts here in PA in 10 days. Finally I can hunt with out the cursed blaze orange vest and hat. Good luck, good hunting.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Good shooting Britsmoothy. Enjoyed your story of the hunt and the pics. I'm thinking that's not the first mixed bag for you and that caplock. Certainly won't be the last. Flintlock season starts here in PA in 10 days. Finally I can hunt with out the cursed blaze orange vest and hat. Good luck, good hunting.

Same to you buddy. I hope you enjoy the times coming to you. Best wishes.

B.

 

[smo]

Congrats Brits

 

[renegadehunter]

Congrats on an enjoyable hunt and getting some good table fare!
I was wondering what it's like to see hits and recover birds when dealing with a cloud of smoke obscuring your vision? Is it shoot and then wait to see if a bird comes flying out of the cloud? A straight away would be the worst I'd think. I'd guess that it makes a dog very important. Back when I was a kid I used to pheasant hunt with my cousins all the time and we didn't have any bird dogs available to us. Even seeing where one went down in tall grass still led to some trouble sometimes in finding them. Just curious, I haven't ever tried it with black powder before.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Congrats on an enjoyable hunt and getting some good table fare!
I was wondering what it's like to see hits and recover birds when dealing with a cloud of smoke obscuring your vision? Is it shoot and then wait to see if a bird comes flying out of the cloud? A straight away would be the worst I'd think. I'd guess that it makes a dog very important. Back when I was a kid I used to pheasant hunt with my cousins all the time and we didn't have any bird dogs available to us. Even seeing where one went down in tall grass still led to some trouble sometimes in finding them. Just curious, I haven't ever tried it with black powder before.

It's not as bad as we would imagine. Even a gentle breeze soon wafts the smoke pretty quick.

In thick cover yes it can be a pain and going away birds pheasant wise are the hardest to kill and they can run on if no leg is busted.
A dog sure does help, even if they don't retrieve but give us a clue it helps.
All the best

B.