Usually when I hunt small game with a patched round ball I use my .54 or .58 caliber guns with a light powder charge. Yesterday I realized it had been years since I took out my .32 caliber Crockett rifle. I decided to take it on today's grouse/snowshoe hare hunt and brought along my Crockett pistol too. I've taken grouse and squirrels with the rifle before. The pistol has gone to the range many times but I've never carried it hunting.
Here's a look at the guns.
If you're not familiar with the Crockett pistol, it doesn't have a ramrod channel (or come with a ramrod). I made a ramrod for it and designed a holster that would hold the ramrod. Even though the pistols grip keeps the ramrod from coming out I added a thong to ensure it stays in place.
Back to the hunt.
I hiked up high and covered quite a bit of ground but wasn't seeing any birds. I decided to hike back down to my vehicle and try another area. When I was about 100 yards from the dirt road I was parked on I jumped a grouse. I raised the rifle, took a head shot and missed!
Luckily, I think the ball whizzing past the birds head confused it for a second. I quickly pulled the pistol and shot the bird. This is the first game taken with this gun. I went to my vehicle, cleaned the bird and put it in the cooler. Then I headed to one of my favorite snowshoe hare areas.
It was getting late. I only had about an hour of light left to hunt. I started working the cover, looking for a hare. After about 30 minutes a hare ran from a patch of cover and paused with a tree partially blocking its head. I raised the rifle, held just behind the hare's left leg and fired. This time I didn't miss. This is the first snowshoe hare I've taken with this gun.
It was starting to get dark so I headed back to my vehicle to clean the hare. It was a great day!
Here's a look at the guns.
If you're not familiar with the Crockett pistol, it doesn't have a ramrod channel (or come with a ramrod). I made a ramrod for it and designed a holster that would hold the ramrod. Even though the pistols grip keeps the ramrod from coming out I added a thong to ensure it stays in place.
Back to the hunt.
I hiked up high and covered quite a bit of ground but wasn't seeing any birds. I decided to hike back down to my vehicle and try another area. When I was about 100 yards from the dirt road I was parked on I jumped a grouse. I raised the rifle, took a head shot and missed!
Luckily, I think the ball whizzing past the birds head confused it for a second. I quickly pulled the pistol and shot the bird. This is the first game taken with this gun. I went to my vehicle, cleaned the bird and put it in the cooler. Then I headed to one of my favorite snowshoe hare areas.
It was getting late. I only had about an hour of light left to hunt. I started working the cover, looking for a hare. After about 30 minutes a hare ran from a patch of cover and paused with a tree partially blocking its head. I raised the rifle, held just behind the hare's left leg and fired. This time I didn't miss. This is the first snowshoe hare I've taken with this gun.
It was starting to get dark so I headed back to my vehicle to clean the hare. It was a great day!
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