Whatever happened to Tick Licker?

[springfield art]

Read a book a LONG time ago, a teen-book called Kentucky Stand, but Jere Wheelwright. I was about 9-10 YOA at the time (I was an advanced reader) but found the book fascinating. One of the things that got me interested in ML rifles. Wheelwright apparently did a lot of research and had real historical figures, some minor characters of the era, (Mad Anne Bailey) but historical.

Anyway, the book was about Boonesboro and a young man traveling from Baltimore to Kentucky to claim land that belonged to his father. Boone was a central character in the book and there was a lot written about him, however fictional, I believed it at the time. It covers the capture/escape of Boone, and the siege of Boonesborough.

Several references to Boone's appearance and his ability with shooting, but no mention of the caliber of his weapon or him naming it "Tick Licker." It was a "heavy caliber" but I don't know what that means. I wonder now if that name is indeed historical or fictional.

I'd think heavy caliber means above .45 cal.; maybe 50, 54, even 58. Although the idea of hitting a tick, you'd think a little squirrel rifle, 32 or 36 cal. Book sounds interesting! I'll see if my library has it, thanks for the tip!

 

[spudnut]

View attachment 9188

I know this is a late response, but the rifle was first seen in Drums Along the Mohawk with Henry Fonda. It was a heavily carved up Northwest trade rifle with about a 48” barrel. I’m building one myself.

A stunt version of the rifle was recently sold at auction: https://www.proxibid.com/Firearms-M...uot-daniel-Boone-quot/lotInformation/43646543

Thats no flinter in the link

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Gene L , still got my copy of that book !

 

[Einsiedler]

Look what I found! I got this 8x10 glossy at the Southwest Exposition and Fat Stock show in Ft. Worth, I think it was January 1967. Fess Parker was the featured entertainment at the rodeo that year. Got to shake his hand and all!!!





This was during the Daniel Boone TV days. (Dunno if you can tell this gun in photo had a round bbl and you can see a rear sight about 3 or 4 inches back from muzzle. A sweated on blade like on a fowling piece. Look like it might be and oct. to rd bbl too!

 

[rickystl]

Einsiedler: Great find !! From what can be seen of the gun seems to add more confirmation that the original gun used by Parker in the series started life as one of those Belgium assembled guns per Bill Hughes post on page two of this Thread.
I could swear I saw one of the long barreled versions of this for sale on the famous gun forum a few years ago. Should have bought it.

Rick

 

[Einsiedler]

I sure dunno nor am I going to speculate about the ol’ gun. All I know is he was a bad azz with a tomahawk every week when the show came on!!!

 

[toot]

he was bad because we were young'uns and didn't know any better!

 

[Bill hughes]

Well my version of TV Boone’s Tick Licker is under construction. Gonna get it as close as I can...

 

[Bill hughes]

And the main work on my replica project is being produced by Kashtuk Bowcraft. After it’s all in the white, I will go about carving it up. I requested a 44” barrel, but pretty sure the original was 46”... course Fess Parker was about 3” taller than I am, so the 44” is more than enough for me! Will share more pictures as the develop.

 

[Capnball]

Well my version of TV Boone’s Tick Licker is under construction. Gonna get it as close as I can...

That musket looks as long as a summer day. Nice inletting. You should do a build thread. I watch guys build stuff on YouTube all the time. It's become something of a hobby in itself!

 

[Capnball]

View attachment 13504 View attachment 13505 View attachment 13506

I gotta party with that dude

 

[Marshhawk]

Hmmm. I thought his rifle was named "tip licker", cause often before shooting he would lick his thumb and touch it to the tip of his rifle. Watched that show as a kid. Bought that gawd-awful Davy Crocket toy rifle that "fired" a cork bullet propelled by a cap under the hammer -- the kind of caps that came on a roll for cap guns. Gee, on the commercial it seemed to work fine. Ha!

 

[Einsiedler]

I always heard it was yet another name. That I won’t go into. Surprise no one else has brought it up. (Least I don’t think they have).

 

[F.G. Ford]

View attachment 9188

I know this is a late response, but the rifle was first seen in Drums Along the Mohawk with Henry Fonda. It was a heavily carved up Northwest trade rifle with about a 48” barrel. I’m building one myself.

A stunt version of the rifle was recently sold at auction: https://www.proxibid.com/Firearms-M...uot-daniel-Boone-quot/lotInformation/43646543

No offence intended, but that is one butt ugly representation of a Hollywood screw up of a classic and historic gun of yesteryear.
UGLY does not describe it well enough.
Fred

 

[Bill hughes]

No offence intended, but that is one butt ugly representation of a Hollywood screw up of a classic and historic gun of yesteryear.
UGLY does not describe it well enough.
Fred

Well Fred, we will do our level best not to make one for you. I love it. Been on my mind since I was a kid. I’ve got some others that are in the “pretty” category, but this one has just been at the top of the nostalgia list. I’d suggest you not follow this thread.

 

[Bill hughes]

Latest photos of the Tick Licker replica...

 

[tenngun]

Just watched Disney’s Davy Crockett last week. Most of the guns were the same old Hollywood manure, but the gun given to Fess Parker that would later be used in the Alamo scene Looked to be a pretty fair rifle.

 

[Joe B.]

I was carpentering in downtown Chicago and heard about an upcoming appearance of Mr. Parker at the Museum of Broadcast. Late 70's, early 80's. I left work and hoofed it there in a hurry with my Dixie Gun Works Powder horn. Met him at the door with felt marker in hand. Security tried to shoo me away, but I persisted and he graciously signed my horn. At least 100 people in the auditorium and he took some questions after his yarn. I foolishly asked if ol' Betsy was real and he hemmed and hawed. Probably didn't want to disillusion all the other fans there, but I got the impression it was a prop gun.

 

[Lee44ShooterCnB]

Read a book a LONG time ago, a teen-book called Kentucky Stand, but Jere Wheelwright. I was about 9-10 YOA at the time (I was an advanced reader) but found the book fascinating. One of the things that got me interested in ML rifles. Wheelwright apparently did a lot of research and had real historical figures, some minor characters of the era, (Mad Anne Bailey) but historical.

Anyway, the book was about Boonesboro and a young man traveling from Baltimore to Kentucky to claim land that belonged to his father. Boone was a central character in the book and there was a lot written about him, however fictional, I believed it at the time. It covers the capture/escape of Boone, and the siege of Boonesborough.

.

Take a gander at
http://www.fortboonesboroughlivinghistory.org/html/daniel_boone.html
OR
https://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-i-acquired-fess-parker-davey.html

 

[Lee44ShooterCnB]

In color, we had a black n white TV