Woods walk

[Britsmoothy]

All day in the woods, totally beat :snore:
Gathered some squirrel in to make a pie with.


I scored a great shot on a jay at speed on the wind, not bad for 5/8oz of shot!


Found a resting hare(brown)so got the camera out.
I was sneaking up on a pheasant at the time which got away whilst I studied the hare.



I had a good day with this 45 smoothrifle and never felt under gunned :thumbsup:

Brits.

 

[BrownBear]

I had a good day with this 45 smoothrifle and never felt under gunned :thumbsup:

That's the ultimate test of a gun, isn't it?

I certainly admire your 45 smoothy. I'm a lifetime user of small bore breechloaders and really respect their capabilities along with the easy carry.

But the difference for me (and it's clear for you as well) is that I also respect and live withing their range limits. :hatsoff:

 

[JeffG]

That's a great time! Love those smoothies! :thumbsup:

 

[will5a1]

A day afield, with some meat fairly taken to bring home for the pot is such a simple, pure pleasure; thanks for sharing it.

 

[Patocazador]

Oooh, you'd be in trouble here shooting a jay.
Your jays are quite a bit different than ours.

 

[Vaino]

How do your jays taste? Nice looking bird.

Years ago when I was 12 yrs old I would go by this pond in northern Minnesota and many times a Great Blue Heron would take off. All I had was a single shot Sears and Roebuck .22, but the following year my Dad had bought me a SXS 12 ga. and I again went by the pond and sure enough the heron took off and down it came.

Walked over to it and after looking at the crumpled bird had a pang of remorse....such a beautiful bird when alive and next to nothing when dead.

At 13 I already realized that I'd only kill animals if they were to be eaten. This was also "brought home" that same year when 3 woodchucks were shot one afternoon and gave them to the cats, but they didn't know where to start. Partially skinned them out and shortly approx. a dozen cats were feeding on them. That slightly salved my conscience, but I again realized that only animals that are "food" will be shot.

Can truthfully say that I've strictly adhered to "my rule"......Fred

 

[Britsmoothy]

How do your jays taste? Nice looking bird.

Years ago when I was 12 yrs old I would go by this pond in northern Minnesota and many times a Great Blue Heron would take off. All I had was a single shot Sears and Roebuck .22, but the following year my Dad had bought me a SXS 12 ga. and I again went by the pond and sure enough the heron took off and down it came.

Walked over to it and after looking at the crumpled bird had a pang of remorse....such a beautiful bird when alive and next to nothing when dead.

At 13 I already realized that I'd only kill animals if they were to be eaten. This was also "brought home" that same year when 3 woodchucks were shot one afternoon and gave them to the cats, but they didn't know where to start. Partially skinned them out and shortly approx. a dozen cats were feeding on them. That slightly salved my conscience, but I again realized that only animals that are "food" will be shot.

Can truthfully say that I've strictly adhered to "my rule"......Fred

That's interesting Fred, so you would not shoot a rat, or a coyote eyeing up your cats?

B.

 

[Vaino]

You answered w/ a question and I don't hunt rats or coyotes and don't have a cat....but you never answered my question. "How do your jays taste?" People can shoot any animal they choose and if not eaten, then it was killed for "sport" only. I prefer to not do this.....Fred

 

[Wes/Tex]

Looked and looked but couldn't find Sprocket in those pics! :wink: Miss seeing that sweet face and (sometimes) loving eyes...that girl can sure look at her 'daddy'! :haha: Good shot too, by the way.

As for the jay...the old fly fisherman in me sees blue feathers and goes, "Ooooh!"...I know, I'm hopeless!

 

[Vaino]

Using the feathers at least is using some part of the bird.....instead of just throwing it away......Fred

 

[Britsmoothy]

You answered w/ a question and I don't hunt rats or coyotes and don't have a cat....but you never answered my question. "How do your jays taste?" People can shoot any animal they choose and if not eaten, then it was killed for "sport" only. I prefer to not do this.....Fred

The jay was a challenging shot and I don't eat them. Over here they are prolific and help themselves to many a song bird nest in spring. They are on what we call the general licence, in other words no closed season and their existence is not threatened.
I don't see how all killing is for sport other than for food Fred. Over here we have pest species that are killed not for sport but for management purposes. Shooting rats on a local farm here soon seems like a chore, not sport!

B.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Looked and looked but couldn't find Sprocket in those pics! :wink: Miss seeing that sweet face and (sometimes) loving eyes...that girl can sure look at her 'daddy'! :haha: Good shot too, by the way.

As for the jay...the old fly fisherman in me sees blue feathers and goes, "Ooooh!"...I know, I'm hopeless!

Sprocket was there, don't worry :thumbsup:

By the way the feathers are in my hat.
Do you put the fish back or eat them :hatsoff:

B.

 

[Vaino]

I guess rationalization make things justified in the minds of some. What people kill only for sport is their choice and I'm not saying it's wrong.... just that I don't do it.

I've hunted for 73 yrs, have killed a lot of wild animals, but they were utilized as food...living on a "survival farm" in northern Minnesota during our "Great Depression" etches in one's mind that to hunt means to hunt for "food".

Judging from what's shot today, it's sometimes "sport killing" in which the animal isn't utilized but somehow satisfies whatever urge needs to be satisfied.

Even sanctions by the gov't wouldn't convince me that "sport killing" is what I would do...but, others for whatever reasons are reassured that it's OK.

I don't think "killing for only sport" has moral connotations whether it's sanctioned by the gov't or not, but I it's a past time I don't partake of.

The "jay" was your only "mistake" and all the other game you've posted "is for meat".....so, keep posting and good luck on your next hunt.....Fred

 

[Britsmoothy]

I guess rationalization make things justified in the minds of some. What people kill only for sport is their choice and I'm not saying it's wrong.... just that I don't do it.

I've hunted for 73 yrs, have killed a lot of wild animals, but they were utilized as food...living on a "survival farm" in northern Minnesota during our "Great Depression" etches in one's mind that to hunt means to hunt for "food".

Judging from what's shot today, it's sometimes "sport killing" in which the animal isn't utilized but somehow satisfies whatever urge needs to be satisfied.

Even sanctions by the gov't wouldn't convince me that "sport killing" is what I would do...but, others for whatever reasons are reassured that it's OK.

I don't think "killing for only sport" has moral connotations whether it's sanctioned by the gov't or not, but I it's a past time I don't partake of.

The "jay" was your only "mistake" and all the other game you've posted "is for meat".....so, keep posting and good luck on your next hunt.....Fred

Fred, you make some worthy points but on some have me perplexed. Would you have me believe you never or have never rationalised anything? You sound like a man of high morals, righteous virtues for sure but please watch that rafter jutting out of your eye Sir as you attempt to remove this straw in mine!
It may be Fred that sometimes we are better served keeping our own opinions to ourselves, just so we don't come over too self righteous!

B.

 

[juancho]

Jay?????What about the hare? I just don't get it :idunno:

 

[Britsmoothy]

Jay?????What about the hare? I just don't get it :idunno:

Pheasants taste better! Buzzards give young hares a hard time around these parts, it would not take long to be devoid of them so I leave them, mostly.

B.

 

[Mickc01]

I don't get it either, why shoot a blue jay? Did it offend you in some way? :idunno:

Dude, we're not in high school shooting BB guns anymore. How about Leaving the non-game birds alone.

 

[necchi]

Over here they are prolific and help themselves to many a song bird nest in spring. They are on what we call the general licence, in other words no closed season and their existence is not threatened.

It's not a big deal B, it's just a minor cultural issue.
Over here there are some area's where they are protected.
It's the Michigan state bird, in that state possession of even a feather found on the forest floor could get you a big$$ fine.
A band of Jay do indeed cause havoc to other lesser bird species and are dispatched with prejudice here in Minn.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

A pigeon, is a wild game bird, or a tick infested lice covered flying rat, or something so tame it eats crumbs from the brim of your hat at the park, or the cause of the collapse of a million dollar roof due to tons of its droppings, or a grain thief at the dairy.

& that's just here in the U.S.

I would hazard a guess that a jay is not seen in the same light everywhere as well.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I just love a civilized argument among friends. :thumbsup:
That hare looks just like my pet Flemish.
Great pictures Brit, please keep posting. :hatsoff: