This morning I combined the old with the new. I set out to hunt with my 19b SxS percussion smoothbore. I was wearing my HECS suit that I have wanted to really test out. HECS is like the mesh on the door of your microwave, it blocks your body's electrical field. Animals think you are an inanimate object instead of a living thing. What is nice about the HECS is that you can wear it over or under something, as long as it is between you and the animal it blocks your electricity. So, you could put it under traditional attire and nobody would see it. I was not attempting to be fully traditional so I just wore it over a T-Shirt and shorts.
I loaded 70 grain FFFg Goex, a card wad, a 1/4" cardboard wad, 70 grain volumetic measure of shot (just over 1 ounce) and a overshot card. In the open choke barrel I loaded #6 lead shot because it patterns best in that barrel out to 30 yards. In the tighter choked barrel I used something new. I bought a bottle of Smart Shot Excite BB's that are marketed to the airgun crowd. They are copper coated lead 4.5mm BB's that are said not to richochet and meant to be shot from air powered BB guns. I wont use 25# of big shot so this little bottle is plenty for my needs. This load will get me slightly more than 5 more yards for turkey over the first barrel based on patterns. CCI Mag #11's were used.
I picked a spot where a turkey was seen last Thursday and set out a Jake decoy at 20 yards. I sat right on the ground with a bush behind me but no blind, as I wanted to test the HECS. I clucked 3 times and immediately heard a gobble. The gobble was followed by the sound of wing beats. The Tom landed about 50 yards out and upon seeing my decoy he made a beeline for it. I cocked both hammers and when he arrived at the decoy I put the bead under his chin and squeezed the front trigger. Done deal! It took longer to type this than the actual hunt. Later back at the camp I shot the other barrel to pattern and confirmed that it is tight enough for 35 -38 yard turkeys.
I cleaned up everything from the turkey hunt and later that afternoon decided to hog hunt where they were coming to water. I loaded the right barrel with 70 grain Triple 7 FFFg, a card wad, a fiber wad, a .626 ball and an overshot card. The left barrel was loaded the same except with a .610 ball as that barrel has a tighter choke. No patching - just wad and ball.
I sat where trails intersected next to a tree - again kind of out in the open with no blind in order to test the HECS. After a few minutes, a bird landed on my gun barrel. I was scratching my ankle and when I looked up a small black hog was standing not 6 feet from me. When I cocked the hammer it heard the noise and wheeled around and ran. About 10 minutes later I heard a crunch very close. 3 whitetail deer joined me under the canopy of the tree within 15 feet. They looked curiously at me but did not spook. The deer fed away and in another half hour I saw a light colored hog cross the field and eat in a little oat patch. After a while he started my way down one of the well worn trails. He was coming straight at me and I guess he was 25 yards so I put the bead on his nose and pulled the trigger. He dropped right there. I did use my rangefinder after the shot and it was actually 31 yards. Back at camp I used the truck lights to fire the other barrel into a target at 25 yards and it was dead on.
Upon inspection I noticed the ball hit the hog right under the right eye. When I field dressed and skinned it I discovered the ball broke its neck, took out a lung and travelled darn near the whole length, lodging in the left ham at the bone. The ball was football shaped.
Overall, I enjoyed the outing and really appreciate the diversity of the smoothbore. The HECS suit seems to work! God has been sending me favor lately in noticeable ways and I am humbled and thankful!
I loaded 70 grain FFFg Goex, a card wad, a 1/4" cardboard wad, 70 grain volumetic measure of shot (just over 1 ounce) and a overshot card. In the open choke barrel I loaded #6 lead shot because it patterns best in that barrel out to 30 yards. In the tighter choked barrel I used something new. I bought a bottle of Smart Shot Excite BB's that are marketed to the airgun crowd. They are copper coated lead 4.5mm BB's that are said not to richochet and meant to be shot from air powered BB guns. I wont use 25# of big shot so this little bottle is plenty for my needs. This load will get me slightly more than 5 more yards for turkey over the first barrel based on patterns. CCI Mag #11's were used.
I picked a spot where a turkey was seen last Thursday and set out a Jake decoy at 20 yards. I sat right on the ground with a bush behind me but no blind, as I wanted to test the HECS. I clucked 3 times and immediately heard a gobble. The gobble was followed by the sound of wing beats. The Tom landed about 50 yards out and upon seeing my decoy he made a beeline for it. I cocked both hammers and when he arrived at the decoy I put the bead under his chin and squeezed the front trigger. Done deal! It took longer to type this than the actual hunt. Later back at the camp I shot the other barrel to pattern and confirmed that it is tight enough for 35 -38 yard turkeys.
I cleaned up everything from the turkey hunt and later that afternoon decided to hog hunt where they were coming to water. I loaded the right barrel with 70 grain Triple 7 FFFg, a card wad, a fiber wad, a .626 ball and an overshot card. The left barrel was loaded the same except with a .610 ball as that barrel has a tighter choke. No patching - just wad and ball.
I sat where trails intersected next to a tree - again kind of out in the open with no blind in order to test the HECS. After a few minutes, a bird landed on my gun barrel. I was scratching my ankle and when I looked up a small black hog was standing not 6 feet from me. When I cocked the hammer it heard the noise and wheeled around and ran. About 10 minutes later I heard a crunch very close. 3 whitetail deer joined me under the canopy of the tree within 15 feet. They looked curiously at me but did not spook. The deer fed away and in another half hour I saw a light colored hog cross the field and eat in a little oat patch. After a while he started my way down one of the well worn trails. He was coming straight at me and I guess he was 25 yards so I put the bead on his nose and pulled the trigger. He dropped right there. I did use my rangefinder after the shot and it was actually 31 yards. Back at camp I used the truck lights to fire the other barrel into a target at 25 yards and it was dead on.
Upon inspection I noticed the ball hit the hog right under the right eye. When I field dressed and skinned it I discovered the ball broke its neck, took out a lung and travelled darn near the whole length, lodging in the left ham at the bone. The ball was football shaped.
Overall, I enjoyed the outing and really appreciate the diversity of the smoothbore. The HECS suit seems to work! God has been sending me favor lately in noticeable ways and I am humbled and thankful!
Congrats
