Shooting Bag Setup for Fowler in the Field

[Flash Pan Dan]

Howdy,

I am getting ready for my first Pheasant season with my TVM 20ga. Fowler. I got it patterning just the way I like and shooting right where I’m looking. I’m using 65gr of 2F powder with an OP card, ¼ fiber wad rolled in olive oil and bee’s wax mix, 1 1/16 oz of No.6 shot, and OS card. But I need help setting all this up for the field.

I’ve been shooting out of a box and I want to purchase a good bag and accessories to shoot in the field. Once setup I’ll shoot as many rounds of skeet, trap, and SC as I can before the season. I know that from previous seasons of hunting Pheasant, with my cartridge guns, that I only need to take 5 to 8 shells for a day’s hunting. When I look at the shot flasks on the TOTW website, they look like you could carry a couple of pounds of shot in them, a lot more than I would need. Can anyone suggest some alternatives to those big shot flasks and also how do you carry the wads and other necessities in your shooting bag?

Thanks,

 

[BrownBear]

You're right about the capacity of those commercial shot flasks. I made one myself about the size of my fist, and it holds over three pounds easily. My next one is going to be the size of a lemon, and I bet it will still hold a pound of shot.

As for alternatives? I only fill mine with a pound of shot.

Easiest way I've found to carry wads/cards in the field is in a small gussetted pocket on the front of my bag, but under the flap. It's right there on top and easy to get to without rooting around in the main compartment.

I basically have nothing in my main compartment but the shot flask and a tool kit, as my powder is in a horn attached to the bag straps. I've considered hanging the shot flask from a bag strap, but then there'd be no reason for a bag at all.

 

[gizamo]

 

[bucktales]

I carry my shot in a small antique flask with an English charger.
I carry my lubed wads in an "Altoid" tin and overshot cards in another.
Powder in a brass flask, tools, flints in an old change purse, powder measure and another shot measure are found in my bag with a few other items I can't remember at the moment.

That usually covers my needs for an afternoon pheasant hunt.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I use my jacket pockets and don't carry a bag in the field.

 

[Leatherbark]

Make yourself some paper shot cartridges with a tail that you can rip off with your teeth and pour the shot down the barrel.

You may have read about people wrapping shot to help tighten up the pattern. I do it just for a way to carry the shot. I have heard of someone putting their shot in itty bitty baggies that can be torn open to pour the shot.

Sometimes I use a shot bottle made from and old medicine bottle that used a cork stopper. I formed and sewed a leather cover around it and carry it in the pouch.

What about a revolver flask with a spout that will dump the correct amount of shot? Unless you want to hunt period correct there are a lot of options......................Bob

 

[George]

Can anyone suggest some alternatives to those big shot flasks and also how do you carry the wads and other necessities in your shooting bag?

I tried several ways of carrying my gear while shotgunning and finally ran across some gear which solved all my problems. That was long, long ago and in a galaxy far, far away, so I don't know that any of this gear is available now, but maybe it will give you some ideas. It could all be duplicated without too much effort.

All gear is carried in a canvas bag called the Miami bag, made by the company E. Christopher. It has 3 compartments on the front for overpowder, cushion and overshot wads, two pockets inside on the back wall and a main compartment for carrying tools, caps, flints, lunch, whatever. The two-flap arrangement keeps the trash out and the gear in very nicely.

Shot and powder are carried in a "double snake" over the shoulder. It has Irish measures which can each be set for 3 amounts, it holds enough powder and shot for a long day of shooting. Well, maybe not for doves.

Carried on opposite shoulders this outfit is very well balanced, extremely comfortable and handy, easy and fast loading. You can retrieve wads without looking, and powder/shot are available simply by swinging the snake up.

Spence

 

[Capt. Jas.]

A half dozen or so of these are great for pre-measured shot and powder

A small belt pouch for tow or your wadding if you don't want to use your pockets

Wallet for flints, turnscrew, scour, etc.

These work good for shot and fit in a pocket nicely

 

[paulvallandigham]

Dan: One of the reasons that Iron Jim Rackham developed his idea of using OS Cards, only, in the field, was so that he didn't have to carry so many different wads/cards, and in different amounts. Instead of the OP and Cushion Wads, he uses 4 OS cards( each with an off-center hole to let air go through the card, rather than break an edge and destroy the seal of the card. The cards are .020" thick, made from shirt back.

He puts a ball of lube, a mix of beeswax, and vegetable oil, that he carried in a small tin in his shirt pocket, where it stays warm enough on even cold days so its soft enough to spread under pressure, between his 3rd and 4th OS cards. Then the shot goes in next, followed by two more OS cards, turned 90 degrees from one another, so that the holes are not aligned with each other.

The holes allow air to quickly separate the Cards, so that the fall out of the line of fire of the shot load.

If you only carry OS cards, you can put these in a bag- paper, plastic, leather, canvas, etc. in a cargo pocket in your hunting vest. I have a shot snake on the strap of my hunting pouch, and it too carries way too much shot. I use the Irish dipper that comes with it, but pour the shot into a separate measure to make sure I am loading a consistent amount. I use a common shot Dipper for my measure.

If you are going to carry a large hunting bag, you can carry tool kits in the bottom, along with a shot bag, with no more than 1 lb. of shot- please!-- and a powder measure and small horn. I would rather have a couple of shot bags carrying small amounts--even on a dove hunt--- than to be lugging around a lot of unneeded weight. I feel the same about powder horns. Mine can carry about 2 lbs of powder- medium sized. I rarely need a tenth of that. Even hunting doves, I would rather carry in the two horns in my bucket seat, than have them digging into my shoulder all day long.

Cleaning patches are kept in a separate pocket, where available, in the pouch, or in a small plastic bag, to keep them dry and clean.

If you choose to not use a hunting bag/ pouch when hunting, there are plenty of pockets in your jacket and shirt, and vest to carry everything you need.

I carry my range rod down the middle of my back, held by the strap to my hunting pouch, with the jag stuck under my pants, or belt. The handle is above my head, and does not interfere with any movement I make unless I am traveling through wooded areas. then, I just carry the rod along the length of my barrel, and dump it to the ground, at my feet, if a bird gets up, or a dog gets "birdy". I much prefer using my range rod to clean and reload my shotgun than the short rod that came with the gun. If you hunt with modern hunters, expect them to gather around to watch you clean and load your gun after every shot. They seem to be fascinated by how we load MLERS. I guess a lot fewer hunters reload than I thought. :hmm:

 

[August West]

Lots of good ideas and gear here, thanks. The method I have developed for hunting with my smoothies is not PC or HC but it works. I make quick loads out of dime or penny rolls, the flat ones you can buy for really cheap. I fold one end and staple it, pour in a measured amount of powder or shot then fold that end and staple and you are done. I carry the powder loads in my right vest pocket and the shot in the left. I use only shot cards as Paul described which I carry in my left breast pocket.I carry a bit of lube and a few cleaning patches in the inside pocket of my vest.

Might sound complicated but it works for me and I know exactly where everything is and can load by feel if I need to. I very rarely carry loose powder and shot when I am hunting. When I do I carry them in plastic bottles that I believe lotion originally came in, I know some of the PC guys are cringing but it works very well and I am not a reenactor just enjoy shooting and hunting with muzzle loaders. Chris

 

[August West]

CPT Jas,
If I may ask, where did you get those shot flasks?

Wanna sell one? Chris

 

[George]

I went looking for my snake and bag in today's market and found both at TOTW. The bag is BAG-UPLAND-C Possibles bag, which appears identical to mine except for the strap. The snake is Shot Snake, adjustable Irish head, and is single, for shot only, apparently. They also have a very upscale bag and snake combo, the Gentlemen's fowler bag.

Spence

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here's my grouse and bunny hunting kit. No bag a'tall.

The tin holds wads (overpowder, fiber cushion and overshot) for nine rounds. Flask is an original Hawksley and the shot shake has an Irish head and holds about 24 charges. Since that and the flask are more than nine I also carry a dozen more sets of wads in my haversack/gamebag/coat pocket.

Note that there is a brass powder measure not seen on the flask rope.

I also often carry a shot pouch instead of the snake - which has a tendency to hook brush. The bag holds a pound of shot.

 

[Supercracker]

All gear is carried in a canvas bag called the Miami bag, made by the company E. Christopher.

Where did you get that bag at? I've ran out of possible searches to do with no luck. I really like it

 

[Chilidog]

TOW has one similar http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...catId=1&subId=6&styleId=22&partNum=BAG-GAME-C

 

[George]

Where did you get that bag at? I've ran out of possible searches to do with no luck. I really like it

Track of the Wolf has a bag essentially identical:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/cate...tId=1&subId=6&styleId=22&partNum=BAG-UPLAND-C

Spence

 

[mazo kid]

Stumpy, I like your set-ups, especially that small shot pouch with the combo stopper/measure.

 

[Chilidog]

Where did you get that bag at? I've ran out of possible searches to do with no luck. I really like it

Track of the Wolf has a bag essentially identical:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/cate...tId=1&subId=6&styleId=22&partNum=BAG-UPLAND-C

Spence

:redface: Yeah, I coulda sworn I saw that there. I just didn't look far enough. Sorry :redface:

 

[Jason Lewis]

october country has some really nice shotgun bags as well. i have the deluxe one with a shot snake and i love it.

 

[Supercracker]

Where did you get that bag at? I've ran out of possible searches to do with no luck. I really like it

Track of the Wolf has a bag essentially identical:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/cate...tId=1&subId=6&styleId=22&partNum=BAG-UPLAND-C

Spence

Cool. Thanks