Pheasants and Flintlocks

[jackley]

It was a beautiful day today. So the neighbor and I decided to go bird hunting. So I got out my dbl. bbl. 16 ga. flintlock. Neighbor ask "Are you going to hunt with that"? And I told him I was and he was too. Then I handed him my 10 ga English fowler. Made by Patrick for Duke William in Approximately 1805, and said "Here's your gun".

We went to a friends pasture that has a creek and lots of cover. About a 1000 acres. I loaded the guns. Cliff my neighbor had never shot a flintlock before. Or for that matter any muzzle loader. But the cover was grazed off. So down to the creek in the willows and cottonwoods we went. The creek at this time of year is crystal clear. You could see the trout in the open water for along ways away. After about half hour the dogs got real birdy, I could see the cock running about 50 yards up the ditch, When they got about twenty yards from him he took off. No shot! In another half mile the dogs were hot again, this time he busted 25 yards from me, I shot him and got a solid retrieve from Sage my 9 year old dragthaar.

Now it was Cliffs turn up. In alittle over an hour we had a nice solid point. Cliff went left of the dogs and jumped the rooster. Pulled up but no shot, he forgot to cock the lock in the excitement.

After two more hours of walking up and down the hills, no more birds. So back to the truck.

I found a plastic water bottle in the ditch. I let Cliff unload the guns while I threw the bottle in the air. He hit it on the shot from the fowler.

All in all it was a great day. Middle of Dec. in Wy. no coat, that doesn't happen to often. And I got one bird. Fried pheasant in panko breading with orange and onion sauce tonight. A meal fit for a Duke!!
Enjoy
Jerry

 

[Skychief]

Excellent Jerry!!!! I've hunted pheasant but not with a flinter. It's on my wish list. Maybe your neighbor will take an interest in our guns. Good on you for taking him out with one.

Thanks for sharing with us and best regards, Skychief.

 

[Nessmuck56]

Very nice !! Wish we had some ring necks around here. They do stock them ....just not that many.

 

[kemart17]

View attachment 1999 It was a beautiful day today. So the neighbor and I decided to go bird hunting. So I got out my dbl. bbl. 16 ga. flintlock. Neighbor ask "Are you going to hunt with that"? And I told him I was and he was too. Then I handed him my 10 ga English fowler. Made by Patrick for Duke William in Approximately 1805, and said "Here's your gun".

We went to a friends pasture that has a creek and lots of cover. About a 1000 acres. I loaded the guns. Cliff my neighbor had never shot a flintlock before. Or for that matter any muzzle loader. But the cover was grazed off. So down to the creek in the willows and cottonwoods we went. The creek at this time of year is crystal clear. You could see the trout in the open water for along ways away. After about half hour the dogs got real birdy, I could see the cock running about 50 yards up the ditch, When they got about twenty yards from him he took off. No shot! In another half mile the dogs were hot again, this time he busted 25 yards from me, I shot him and got a solid retrieve from Sage my 9 year old dragthaar.

Now it was Cliffs turn up. In alittle over an hour we had a nice solid point. Cliff went left of the dogs and jumped the rooster. Pulled up but no shot, he forgot to cock the lock in the excitement.

After two more hours of walking up and down the hills, no more birds. So back to the truck.

I found a plastic water bottle in the ditch. I let Cliff unload the guns while I threw the bottle in the air. He hit it on the shot from the fowler.

All in all it was a great day. Middle of Dec. in Wy. no coat, that doesn't happen to often. And I got one bird. Fried pheasant in panko breading with orange and onion sauce tonight. A meal fit for a Duke!!
Enjoy
Jerry

thanks for sharing your hunt with us

 

[Logcutter]

That's a great pic. That shotgun and pheasant just go together. Glad you posted about your hunt. When I was a boy we had pheasants here. Not any more. Hawks, eagles, coyotes and fox did for most of them I think. Way more predators than there once was.

 

[Brokennock]

Well done, a nice hunt and introducing someone new to hunting with a muzzleloader. And, a real good story well told.
We have stocked pheasant here. Some of the places I hunt have holdovers for a little while, but, eventually the owls, eagles, hawks, and coyotes get them. Seems like every time I bring a flintlock pheasant hunting we get no shots that my poor wing shooting ability can make with one. Next time I go and bring one of my cartridge guns the shots offered are ones I feel I could have made with the flintlock.
Thanks for sharing your great day.

 

[azmntman]

Great Day!

Here in AZ we actually have to get drawn to hunt them (least we did years ago). I hunted on a bird farm down south but that was dumb. Several of the grouse and quail just fell to the ground when the dog went to the bush, grabbed em live and brought em to us to "toss n shoot". BARF I killed a cock and a grouse and gave em to a buddy. I wont eat birds that wont fly.

 

[Britsmoothy]

That's fantastic.
Good looking bird.
You guys worked for it and that doubles the result instantly.

Hope your buddy wants to try again.

B.

 

[rudyc]

Thanks for sharing your hunt. Great looking shotgun.