.58 Cal Lunch

[pab1]

I left the house this morning with a couple potatoes and some seasoning. I brought my .58 cal Cabelas Hawken along to see if I could get some meat for the pot. With luck I would be having stew. If Ma Nature didn't smile on me I'd be having potato soup. I went to an area that has a lot of snowshoe hares. We had a light snow a couple nights ago and there were hare tracks everywhere. I gave it my best but I couldn't get any to show themselves. The sky was clear and sunny which usually isn't the best hare hunting conditions. I was starting to lose hope and think it would be potato soup for lunch when I cut a fresh grouse track.

I followed the track and hadn't gone far when I saw the grouse ahead. I put the bead on the birds head and fired. The .570 patched ball pushed by 35 grains of FF black powder struck the top of its head and lunch was secured.

I wasn't far from one of my camp spots so I headed there to make lunch. I made some shavings for tinder and lit them with my flint and steel using char cloth.

There's a small stream right by this camp. I filled a pan with water from the stream and got the stew started. After the stew had simmered for about a half an hour I started some bannock bread.

Before long lunch was done. It looks plain but it was very good!

I finished lunch and put the fire out. After my failure to find a hare earlier I decided to see if I could at least see one. There was only about an hour and a half of light left so they should start getting active. I started working around likely spots and before long saw one dart from one patch of heavy cover to another. I slowly approached the last spot I saw him. When I was almost there he ran for the other side but paused at the edge of the brush. I made a quick shot and the ball hit the upper portion of the head. The hare will provide a few meals and I can use the back feet for fly tying. It was a great day in the woods!

 

[Michael Chambers]

Such fun! Thanks for sharing!

 

[extrema]

OOOORSUM :bow: Love the story and photos, makes me want to get out myself. You dont think you need a bigger cal just in case you see a real big wabbit. :wink:

 

[pab1]

Thanks guys!

You dont think you need a bigger cal just in case you see a real big wabbit. :wink:

I have the .62 cal flintlock on standby just in case. :grin:

 

[extrema]

:rotf: :rotf:

 

[Britsmoothy]

What a great time. Perfect.

B. :hatsoff:

 

[wattlebuster]

Great pics. :thumbsup:

 

[ron wehmeyer]

What a great way to spend the day. Enjoyed the photos and the story. Thanks . ,,,DT

 

[BrownBear]

I have the .62 cal flintlock on standby just in case. :grin:

Oh yeah. Terrific report on a great day. Gotta love getting out, especially when reduced loads mean you get field time with your big game guns.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Fantastic!.... :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[jrmflintlock]

Awesome!!

Great Pictures!! :thumbsup:

Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[flyfisher76544]

Nice way to spend the day! :hatsoff:

 

[Spikebuck]

Great story and pics! Really enjoyed "coming along" on the hunt.

You guys with your big guns on small game...darned if you aren't getting me geared up to work up my own small game load in my favorite deer gun! :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[BradCayton]

Great story and pictures of a great day. You've got me thinking. A buddy and I used to take potatoes and seasoning in a back pack and go brook trout fishing in the spring when ramps were up when we were young fellers. Fresh trout, fried taties and ramps sure was good fixed next to a stream. Going to have to try an in the woods meal similar to yours soon. :thumbsup:

 

[pab1]

Thanks everyone! :hatsoff:

Great story and pictures of a great day. You've got me thinking. A buddy and I used to take potatoes and seasoning in a back pack and go brook trout fishing in the spring when ramps were up when we were young fellers. Fresh trout, fried taties and ramps sure was good fixed next to a stream. Going to have to try an in the woods meal similar to yours soon. :thumbsup:

Sounds like some great trips! I used to backpack a lot and always enjoyed catching a couple trout for dinner.

 

[rushlake1]

outstanding day...great pictures..you have alot to work with.

hats off to you guys shooting those pumkin balls...with rb's that big how can you miss?

 

[BrownBear]

...darned if you aren't getting me geared up to work up my own small game load in my favorite deer gun!

Do it! Most years I average somewhere between 50 and 100 shots on game with my bigger rifles in addition to all the small caliber hunting. How many years would it take me to get the same number of shots on deer? All offhand shooting at targets smaller than my fist makes it real easy to poke deer. :thumbsup:

 

[pab1]

...darned if you aren't getting me geared up to work up my own small game load in my favorite deer gun!

Do it! Most years I average somewhere between 50 and 100 shots on game with my bigger rifles in addition to all the small caliber hunting. How many years would it take me to get the same number of shots on deer? All offhand shooting at targets smaller than my fist makes it real easy to poke deer. :thumbsup:

I agree, you'll enjoy it! The versatility of large bore guns is part of the appeal. There's something special about the simplicity of using the same gun you hunt big game with to hunt small game also. Kind of like a mountain man using one gun for all of his hunting and protection. I like my .32 cal Crocket rifle and pistol but their use for hunting is pretty limited. They're specialty guns as opposed to big bore guns that can handle most anything big or small.

 

[wtilenw]

Nicely done. Great story and pictures. Thanks for taking us along.