Since squirrel hunting the other day the trade gun was still fouled. This bad cold just had me beat once I got home. Besides I don't worry about cleaning like most. Not when my muzzleloaders are slavoured in natural fats and oils. It was still loaded too. I in the rain a couple of days ago cleared the prime, cut a dry twig of hazel, sharpened it and poked it in the vent. Removed the flint and stuck a warning flag in the muzzle.
So this morning well before light I prepped the dirty gun and set out in the dark primarily to wait for a fox. I've shot several fox's here for several weeks now and I think they have destroyed my local population of pheasants!
I have not heard them for months going upto roost!
My lands boundary is a small river. On the other side there is following the river a strip of wild growth. Willow, hazel and birch have made a long strip of heathland. My pheasants go in there. Unfortunately a lot of grain is grown that side to and the fox's live there too! It is never disturbed! So I think my birds have been snapped up!
Anyway, no fox came by as I watched it come light. I refreshed the prime twice, the trees were dripping from early rain. I also pricked the vent desperately trying to get some dry prime in the vent me fearing a miss fire.
Giving up on a fox I made a half mile walk over a hill to where I had spied a couple of roosters a week ago. I crept through the oaks and hollies to the edge of a fresh sown barley field. It was a hen I saw first then a cock, another cock and a few more hens. I watched which way they were headed and stealthily made my way to head them off.
I just about pulled it off! Had I delayed a few seconds more they would of seen me sliding into position! The wind blowing the leaves helped and I watched them come closer and closer to my edge of the wood.
Finally at around 27yds the big cock bird turned side on and the hens were safely out of the way, I took aim and dropped the flint.
There was a whoosh, fizz and a crackle! I flinched awaiting recoil from a hangfire! Didn't happen. No discharge. I held my nerve whilst my bird wondered what he had had just witnessed. Fortunately he started feeding again! I reached for the flask, reprimed, put flask away, cocked the cock, aimed again at the cock, dropped the cock and instant BOOM, bird down. #1rooster 2021/22 pheasant season has started!
Nope, not the so called traditional pheasant shooting conducted here in the UK but I'm not in that scene no more. The hooray Henry's and bragging blow hards I tired of a long time ago. I'm a pot hunter. I got out before light and brought food home.
I spoke no manure to no one and heard no manure from no one.
I was in creation, made by someone far more wise than us!
So this morning well before light I prepped the dirty gun and set out in the dark primarily to wait for a fox. I've shot several fox's here for several weeks now and I think they have destroyed my local population of pheasants!
I have not heard them for months going upto roost!
My lands boundary is a small river. On the other side there is following the river a strip of wild growth. Willow, hazel and birch have made a long strip of heathland. My pheasants go in there. Unfortunately a lot of grain is grown that side to and the fox's live there too! It is never disturbed! So I think my birds have been snapped up!
Anyway, no fox came by as I watched it come light. I refreshed the prime twice, the trees were dripping from early rain. I also pricked the vent desperately trying to get some dry prime in the vent me fearing a miss fire.
Giving up on a fox I made a half mile walk over a hill to where I had spied a couple of roosters a week ago. I crept through the oaks and hollies to the edge of a fresh sown barley field. It was a hen I saw first then a cock, another cock and a few more hens. I watched which way they were headed and stealthily made my way to head them off.
I just about pulled it off! Had I delayed a few seconds more they would of seen me sliding into position! The wind blowing the leaves helped and I watched them come closer and closer to my edge of the wood.
Finally at around 27yds the big cock bird turned side on and the hens were safely out of the way, I took aim and dropped the flint.
There was a whoosh, fizz and a crackle! I flinched awaiting recoil from a hangfire! Didn't happen. No discharge. I held my nerve whilst my bird wondered what he had had just witnessed. Fortunately he started feeding again! I reached for the flask, reprimed, put flask away, cocked the cock, aimed again at the cock, dropped the cock and instant BOOM, bird down. #1rooster 2021/22 pheasant season has started!
Nope, not the so called traditional pheasant shooting conducted here in the UK but I'm not in that scene no more. The hooray Henry's and bragging blow hards I tired of a long time ago. I'm a pot hunter. I got out before light and brought food home.
I spoke no manure to no one and heard no manure from no one.
I was in creation, made by someone far more wise than us!
From the Bird to the Rum 
