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Woods walks
- Thread starter Capnball
- Start date
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My local club, no longer doing woodswalks, did them for several years. Its a small club and we would average 15 to 20 people for the blackppwder shoot woodswalk.
1 shot at a paper target from a pre determined distance.
And 18 or 20 steel targets of various sizes and shapes and distances in the woods.
You could shoot smoothbore with no rear site, or rifles with a rear site. Everybody entered $10 to start and the top 3 shooters for each category would win something, usually meat. Alot of fun.
1 shot at a paper target from a pre determined distance.
And 18 or 20 steel targets of various sizes and shapes and distances in the woods.
You could shoot smoothbore with no rear site, or rifles with a rear site. Everybody entered $10 to start and the top 3 shooters for each category would win something, usually meat. Alot of fun.
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My group ran a woods walk one year. All of the targets were steel, if I recall correctly. This was at least 25 years ago, so the memory is a little fuzzy. One station was a running bear. We ran a steel cable up the side of a hill and suspended the bear from it. One of the group would release the bear and there was a "window" through the brush which you could see the bear and shoot at it. Many, many times climbing the hill to reset the bear, very tiring. Very few hits, a most challenging target.
Back years ago I was on a job in New Hampshire and just about all of New England, plus eastern NY and parts of PA and NJ were active in a group called the First Congress of New England Muzzleloaders. Clubs in all those regions participated, and scheduled their shoots so as to avoid conflicts. There were shoots almost every weekend and a few really big ones that drew shooters from all over. Every one I went to, and that was many, included a version of what we're calling the Woods Walk here. They called them Seneca Runs and Trapper's Runs and the tough ones got called a lot of other things I can't put in writing here, but they all included multiple targets at various ranges, plus `hawk and knife throws, trap sets (metal, snare, or deadfall), flint `n steel fire making, sometimes firing from behind a barrier like a fallen log - which required that you load and fire while laying flat - finding the targets along a primitive marked trail - hauling a bucket of water to put out the fire the last runner started, pistol targets, etc. Targets were usually created from biodegradable materials like the charcoal briquets and crackers already mentioned here, plus thin softwood lath to mimic Indian feathers, penny lollipops, fruit and vegetables, and other things. There were pop-up targets and moving targets too. All the events I attended were timed, with an average time established by the host club. Points added to your score if you did the run in less time, points taken away if you were slower. All loading was from pouch and horn, using the ramrod that lived in your rifle's (or musket's, or pistol's) under-barrel pipes, and you were required to carry everything you needed on your person, and sometimes extra like a pack with weights, a small keg, or a sack of rocks.
One Trapper's Run I helped to set up here in Texas had a route marked through the mesquite and cactus, with a spot along the trail where each runner had to cross a small dry wash, climb the far bank, and then cross a log about 1 foot in diameter that had fallen across the trail right at the top of the bank. To add a twist, ol' Two Bears took a recently deceased Copperhead snake he found and posed it coiled with it's head propped on a twig, on the far side of the log where it could only be seen if you either stepped up ON the log or stepped OVER the log. Points off your score if you stepped over. There were no actual heart attacks but quite a lot of colorful comments --- until one of our more experienced hunters stepped on the log spotted
the snake, tomahawked it, and ran on without realizing it was part of the course.
Advice? Sure. Try the Woods Walks. You'll have fun, learn things, and come away with a better understanding of your gear and the conditions that existed back in the day too. Then practice, and remember not to get flustered. The key words are "deliberate haste." There floats my stick.
One Trapper's Run I helped to set up here in Texas had a route marked through the mesquite and cactus, with a spot along the trail where each runner had to cross a small dry wash, climb the far bank, and then cross a log about 1 foot in diameter that had fallen across the trail right at the top of the bank. To add a twist, ol' Two Bears took a recently deceased Copperhead snake he found and posed it coiled with it's head propped on a twig, on the far side of the log where it could only be seen if you either stepped up ON the log or stepped OVER the log. Points off your score if you stepped over. There were no actual heart attacks but quite a lot of colorful comments --- until one of our more experienced hunters stepped on the log spotted
the snake, tomahawked it, and ran on without realizing it was part of the course.
Advice? Sure. Try the Woods Walks. You'll have fun, learn things, and come away with a better understanding of your gear and the conditions that existed back in the day too. Then practice, and remember not to get flustered. The key words are "deliberate haste." There floats my stick.
Two more great tips.... practice judging distances in different lighting and loading from you bag.
Hey all, Our club here in Western Oregon shoots what we call a "Trail Walk" very often. most of our monthly club shoots are paper targets for score followed by a trail walk. When we are out on the trail we call it "shooting from the bag" vs shooting from the "bench".
Our group is focused on Fur Trapping, so our "Trail" will include trap setting as well as Hawk and Knife. At a Rondy, we will have specialized trails for Rifle, Pistol, Squirrel and Trade Gun. Then there will be specialized things like including fire start or hawk and knife with "rifle in hand" or some targets being clays for trade gun etc. Most targets are steel silhouettes, but some times it is a fun shoot and like potatoes, charcoal, etc are used.
The only timed events are the Senica Runs as mentioned in the thread here. When available this course is in a creek!
During these Covid times, when we get together, all are encouraged to space themselves and some prefer to not use the shoot shed at all and only shoot from the bag. I strive to have a shooting bag ready to go for each firearm I use. All items needed are in a bag.
One thing I am looking for is a pistol to match my .40 rifle... Then one bag for both.
Damn, I want to go shooting!
Our group is focused on Fur Trapping, so our "Trail" will include trap setting as well as Hawk and Knife. At a Rondy, we will have specialized trails for Rifle, Pistol, Squirrel and Trade Gun. Then there will be specialized things like including fire start or hawk and knife with "rifle in hand" or some targets being clays for trade gun etc. Most targets are steel silhouettes, but some times it is a fun shoot and like potatoes, charcoal, etc are used.
The only timed events are the Senica Runs as mentioned in the thread here. When available this course is in a creek!
During these Covid times, when we get together, all are encouraged to space themselves and some prefer to not use the shoot shed at all and only shoot from the bag. I strive to have a shooting bag ready to go for each firearm I use. All items needed are in a bag.
One thing I am looking for is a pistol to match my .40 rifle... Then one bag for both.
Damn, I want to go shooting!
FishnRod
40 Cal
Where are you located? Would love to find a local club and do some shoots. I am in S Oregon, along the coast.
I still haven’t gotten to link to a you tube page but I’ll give you what to look for.
Black Powder TV. It’s put on by one of our boys and if you go to his channel he does a vid on loading out of a bag. It’s all full of little tips to make it quick and easy with no nonsense
fillwa
40 Cal
Woods Walks are more about shooting, socializing, having fun, and yes keeping score. Most are Blanket Shoots where each participant brings a prize related to muzzleloaders worth about $10 to place on a blanket. Picking a prize from the blanket goes in order starting with highest score.
For the most part experienced participants are very willing to help a new shooter, you just have to ask questions.
I run WW shoots for our club in NY and have a lot of fun doing so. Other clubs in the area also have WW shoots that I participate in.
Pay attention to your loading routine. It’s easy to get distracted and forget to load powder before loading a patch & ball.
Enjoy the sport and have fun!
For the most part experienced participants are very willing to help a new shooter, you just have to ask questions.
I run WW shoots for our club in NY and have a lot of fun doing so. Other clubs in the area also have WW shoots that I participate in.
Pay attention to your loading routine. It’s easy to get distracted and forget to load powder before loading a patch & ball.
Enjoy the sport and have fun!
Some of these sound great, but beyond my physical abilities at this point. Still wouldn't mind a walk, not timed, just to get some shooting in and socializing without a mask.
Ben Meyer
40 Cal
I generally use drylubed patching and swab between shots. With dry patching, I NEED to! But I can see that being a pain on a woods walk. Next time I go BP shooting, I'm gonna take Mr. Flintlocks lube for my patching and see if I can get off 30 shots without swabbing. I usually cut patching at the muzzle. A woods walk might be a good reason to precut and prelude some patches and keep them in a tin in my possibles bag.
To those who use Mr. Flintlocks lube, how much do you put on each patch? 5 drops or so???
To those who use Mr. Flintlocks lube, how much do you put on each patch? 5 drops or so???
I use a solid or simi solid grease like mink oil, pure lard and just rub across the one side
I think we're on the same page, lol. I'm not bull wrestling buffalo or anything. I just want to shoot at something more challenging then a paper target at a state run range.
Neil
Most of my Woods Walks have been a team competition as a member of a British Grenadier Company. We carry our Brown Bess Muskets and 38 paper wrapped cartridges. Sometimes I will spit on the ball before loading to keep fouling soft. I have a ball of tow on a long linen string. After a few shots the bore is warm enough that running that damp ball of tow down the barrel pulls out the fouling and dries quickly. I rinse the tow with water from my canteen and I have a damp ball of tow ready for the next quick wipe of the bore.
Of course, we simply put a lot of lead down range. Hitting the target is simply a bonus.
Of course, we simply put a lot of lead down range. Hitting the target is simply a bonus.
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As do I. Question is, on my .18 pre cut pillow ticking, there is a smooth side and a rough side. Which side do you lube and face outwards? I always face the rougher duller side out.
I never paid attention
With your 3/16" patching (0.1875"), it doesn't matter much which side is out. In fact with my 0.018" cotton drill cloth, it doesn't matter either.As do I. Question is, on my .18 pre cut pillow ticking, there is a smooth side and a rough side. Which side do you lube and face outwards? I always face the rougher duller side out.
And yes, I believe that you meant to refer to 18 thousandths of an inch thick pillow ticking. I don't recall a rough side on the pillow ticking I bought at JoAnn's Fabrics.
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I guess I'm overthinking patches then. At least it gave me something to blame my poor aim on.
