Any hunters?

[longbowman]

Johnnyreb, I'll only take a "runnin' shot" on rabbits. Big game, it's a stalk-or-still deal. To put the arrow where it needs to be, they really should be standing still. I know of some bowmen that took runnin' shots on deer and they got to spend hours looking for that animal. But if a bowman knew his bow better than he knew his own self and knew that one arrow as well as he knew his own self, it can be done. But he's got to be real sure of that or he's going to spend some time tracking that animal.
When I was with the 101st Airborne, a deer wandered out on to the M-60 range during a live fire. Before the rangemaster could call a cease-fire order, that deer took off running and two 60 crews opened up. Cut that deer to shreds at the head and front and they said they only led him by a "hair in front of the nose", whatever that meant to them. I know they cheated, though. They had every 5th round a tracer on those belts and just "walked" the rounds up on him by sight line on the tracers.

 

[Perique]

A hunter checking in. Deer, ducks, goose, turkey, and plenty of varmint (coyote and fox).
Mostly now I just hunt deer and coyote. And I shoot at least a half dozen possums each year, but that's not hunting.
I look forward to deer season each year and usually fill up the freezer. I'm a meat hunter more than a trophy hunter, so I'll take a doe or two each year. I process myself and save the organ meat to mix into dog food.

 

[puffdoggie]

I primarily like to annoy geese, grouse and spring turkey. Every once in a while a really stupid deer will walk in front of me and I'll fulfill my civic duty (they are everywhere here) and put it in the freezer, but the birds are my main fun.
Saturday the first grouse flushed, the "twenny" barked and the bird fell. The second bird flushed low in the noise so no shot. The third flushed, the "twenny" barked and it kept going. @$%#!! The fourth flushed and I just watched, still stunned by the result of my second shot. All four birds flushed from the same spot over about 30 seconds.
Another flushed on the walk out from a spot we worked already. I'll bet it was flush number three that doubled around behind us. Our favorite orchard covert always has birds even if it is tough elsewhere. We work spring turkey in the same place!
Save your electrons, the spot is in Pennsylvania and that's as much as I will divulge. ::

 

[drwatson]

Used to go duck hunting all the time. Till one time my brother brought along some young kid from his work, and the little jack-hole shot me!!! Obviously I lived.

 

[av8scuba]

I hunt mostly deer and squirrels on our homestead here in Missouri. Even on a day when they hide really good and I don’t take any, it is still a good day in the woods.
As for smoking a pipe while hunting, I don't think it would matter much. I sit on my porch at night smoking strong latakia and they walk within 10 yards of the porch like nothing is wrong. I guess I'm more old school. I don't buy into the "masking all scents" thinking. But I know others that do. To each their own I guess.
Safe and happy days afield. ::

 

[petes03]

"And the little jack-hole shot me!"
How did that happen?!

 

[panagiotis]

I want to start hunting with my father cause it's like the only thing we can do together. I mean we have different interests and we never hanged out much and that's something I deeply regret... Problem is that getting the licenses for guns and hunting is very expensive here in Greece, not to mention the guns, plus we cant afford it cause I m studying in a university away from home and live with rent ,so yeah it kinda sucks :/

 

[drwatson]

How did that happen?!

Well we were sitting in different areas about 25ish ft apart. Me on the left him on the far right, acouple of straggles flew by and low. He raised his gun started following/leading and next thing I knew BAM! Right at me! The pellets ripped up my coat, and gave me some welts. Luckly he was low and not at my eyes. Basically I was lucky that day. I should have known, this same kid shot at the decoys earlier too! He NEVER went with us again!!!!
This was 15 years ago, and was actually alittle more than 25 ft though

 

[petes03]

Damn Watson! That was close!

I've been peppered myself a few times, but not at that close of range!

 

[texmexpipe]

I've never been peppered. Though I was shooting sporting clays with my father-n-law one day, and we were with a group of other people who had payed for the round as well. Kind of like a communal pick up round. There is a certain cadence that happens when shooting clays. It goes like this, "pull-boom-boom" and so on. All of the sudden there was a boom when there shouldn't have been and everyone ducked! The guy in front of us had his bimbo of a girlfriend on a date, and she had discharged the gun right between her feet. I might add that she was wearing flip-flops, and shorts. Between her dainty painted toes was a small .5inch round by .25 deep hole in the concrete where the round had hit. She was lucky she had all her toes, and we were lucky we didn't have chunks of concrete in our faces.

 

[puffdoggie]

Today is the migratory goose opener and I spent the morning in a goose pit with some of my goose hunting (and flyfishing) friends. My Parker 10 gauge 1889 Damascus barrel scattergun still gets the job done. Two birds for my pot. As a group (5 hunters) we took 9 of a possible limit of 15 geese. A good start for the season and some good eating ahead. Time for a pipeful. ::

 

[petes03]

@puffdoggie. That sounds like a great time!

Got any pics of that Parker? It sounds like a beauty!

By the way, what loads are you shooting in it? Being a Damascus gun, I hope they're low pressure loads! Also, what length loads are they, 3-1/2" or 2-7/8"?

 

[puffdoggie]

petes03, they are low pressure 2-7/8" loads from RST. 1-1/4 oz. #2 non-toxic "Nice Shot". Velocity = 1200 fps. RST specializes in low pressure loads for vintage shotguns. I had a gunsmith specializing in vintage guns disassemble, clean, re-lube, and vet the gun before using. I paid $1500 for the gun and after servicing the gunsmith reckons I could get $3000-3500 for it! 8O I'm not ready to part with it yet. I'll see what I can do about pix but no promises.
Dave

 

[petes03]

That's awesome! $1500 for a working Damascus 10ga. Parker is not bad at all!

If you don't mind me asking, where do you buy your 2-7/8" shells, and how pricey are they?

I have an American Arms SxS 10ga. that I shoot regularly. The only loads I can find around here are 3-1/2" steel shot, turkey loads, buckshot and slugs. The average price is about $35 for a box of 25 steel shot, and about the same for a box of 10 turkey loads.

I'd like to have some milder loads to use for smaller game, and not just be relegated to geese and turkey.
I actually take mine to the local sporting clay course every now and then, lol!

You should see the reactions I get when everyone around me is shooting 28ga, 20ga, 16ga, & 12ga, and then I pull out my SxS 10ga with 3-1/2 magnum loads to shoot clays!

It's always fun!

 

[puffdoggie]

petes03, the "Nice Shot" non-toxic loads are very pricey - $40/box of 10. It's four bucks every time I pull the trigger. But it allows me to keep using my Parker for goose hunting and I only go through 2-3 boxes per season. I also use other guns during the season (including a Super Fox) so I use other loads as well. I get a lot more pleasure out of using the gun than the price of the shells.
However, 1-1/8 and 1-1/4 lead loads are "only" $13 per box of 10 available in 4 through 8 shot. Check them out online at rstshells.com. Disclaimer: I have no connection with RST. I am just a satisfied customer recommending something I think others may be interested in using.
Dave
P.S. Some loads (including Nice Shot) are sporadically available. Call them. They are very helpful. The last time I called the website said the 10 ga #2 Nice Shot loads were out of stock but the gentleman checked and he had just a few cases left so I bought a case.