Del,
Thanks for having me out! I had a ball even with the bad weather on Sunday and Monday. You sir are a gentleman of the first order. Next time I'll bring my waders! We are having Pheasant Friday night for dinner.
The pellets you see here make up the content of a pre-production sample of Federal’s new Prairie Storm pheasant loads, a lead version of their Black Cloud. The normal looking shot is copper-plated 4s. They are mixed with “Flitestoppers,” which are also 4s but have rings around them that look like Saturn, or like WWI helmets. The white stuff is buffer, which helps the pellets keep their shape as they go down the barrel.
We could have used some of those in Kansas Monday and Tuesday. The birds were flushing long in the rain, snow, sleet and wind! As you said the old fashioned #5's in a high brass load worked well for standard duty.
With all due respect to the many great Marlins of the past, this rifle bears an uncanny resemblance not to them but to the cult favorite Winchester Model 71. Both rifles are lever guns that deliver Serious Thump—in fact, the ballistics for their respective cartridges are almost identical. The main loading for the 71’s cartridge, the .348 WCF, is a 200-grain bullet at 2,530 fps. The sole loading for the .338 Marlin Express (developed and loaded by Hornady) is 200 grains at 2,500 fps.
So many rifles and so little space in the gun safe... I'll stick with my .338/06 bolt gun.
Had a great time in Kansas with Del and his friends! He is a true gentleman and a pretty good wingshot himself. He took the head off a rooster with a 28 GA at about 12 yards on the wing!
Robert Ruark, writing in his journal about some particularly good African trophy that he had hammered, noted that it was “…collected, but not earned.” He believed, as many hunters do, that there should be a certain amount of work you put into bagging an animal or else you don’t really deserve it. This is a nice sentiment, but of course it is nonsense. You expect to have to work, and if you do work very hard and get something good as a result it is more rewarding, but that’s as far as it goes. Despite our touching belief that hunting is a matter of skill and perseverance, a lot of it is sheer dumb luck.
Happy is correct, the joy of the hunt is the payback for the hours and dollars spent. Sweat, blisters, insects, heat, cold and the rain are all as much a part of a hunt as camo and a firearm or bow. So are the economics involed in license fees, guide fees, trespass fees, etc.
I leave Wednesday on a coastal hunt which those who attend call three days of heaven sandwiched between 2 days of hell. Moving ones gear onto and off of the island is a royal pain in the butt, however one is paid off in beautiful scenery and good hunting. The mosquitos are big, the deer are small and feral hogs are tough to hunt but it is fun and well worth the effort. In the case of this hunt the trophy is certainly in the heart and eye of the hunter.
I will cetainly be glad to "collect" an animal anytime the opportunity is available, because there have been many miles of briers, ticks, mosquitos, sand gnats, snakes, sweat and effort expended in between.
This past summer, a geezer friend of mine was railing at the current generation of hunters who roost in trees like so many spavined turkeys and rarely walk anywhere.
“They haven’t sweated up ridges like you and I have,” he snarled.
Sometimes, you gotta walk uphill, and if you haven’t done much of it, here are some tips from someone who has done a lot it and hated every yard.
Dave,
I don't think any of the backpacks I tested for F&S could accept such a large and ponderous item as Madam Secretary, although the amount of hot air she routinely generates could be used with the aid of an adequate gas bag to help lift those ample hindquarters into a low orbit...
WMH,
I'm in training for October 2010. The air I'm used to breathing is as thick that cotton honey. I thought a head start on more efficiently processing that thin stuff they call air in Colorado along with lightening the load a bit would help me stay within a couple of hundred yards or so behind you!
I too have found a walking staff, light but sturdy boots and as I've gotten older, stopping to glass more (and more) a big help in getting up hill without having to be carried down! The walking staff also provides a good, stable shooting support.
Even in the light rolling terrain I live and hunt in most often I've found that stripping down and taking off the lid when going to the stand assures a warm and peaceful time rather than shivering in my own sweat...
Some of you expressed disappointment that the new Beretta A400 -- billed as a dinosaur gun -- turned out to be a mere 3 ½ inch 12 gauge. While I think the A400 should be a dandy gun for ducks, geese and pheasants, it is admittedly on the light side for one-shot kills on larger sauropods. I would want more gun. In fact, I would want one of these.
Changing your mind at this stage of life is a lot harder than breaking up.—David E. Petzal, 2009
Over the past decade and a half I’ve been braying to one and all about the pernicious effect that high-tech gadgetry is having on hunting. Now, however, I think it’s time to re-think things. A couple of weeks ago I went on a mule deer hunt in southeast Oregon, and while I and my rifle made it, my sense of distance did not. For whatever reason I was misjudging ranges by 100 yards or more, even at 300 and under.
That’s me with skeet shooter Chiara Cainero at dinner in Brescia, Italy. She is holding her gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which she won in a three-way shootoff in the rain.
Cainero shoots way better than she speaks English, and I shoot better than I speak Italian (which is not saying much), but we were still able to talk about how she trained to deal with Olympic pressure.
My friend Walter sent me this picture a while back from the Iowa State Fair. The fair is perhaps best known for the life-size butter cow and other butter sculptures* but you see all kinds of neat stuff if you wander around the exhibit halls. Walter spotted this trap-table in the 4-H hall. It won a blue ribbon for Marc Fullerton of Nora Springs in the Science, Mechanics and Engineering category and is solid evidence that 4-H still supports hunting, shooting and other wholesome activities.
4-H is still a remarkable organization even though political correctness has started to creep in. For instance shooting sports programs are to be referred to as Project SAFE now and most award ribbons presented are Blue, Red and White instead of First, Second and Third place.
As for PETA, it would figure that they would promote rampant deforestation in Brazil and other South American countries to continue to produce subsidy soybeans necessary for the production of margarine. I will remind them again, no cows are harmed to produce butter fat. They line up at the barn and beg to be milked...
Finn Aagaard, who was a hugely popular writer on guns and hunting and who left us, much too early, in 1999, was a great storyteller as well. Not long before his death, he sat down with a tape recorder and recounted his early days in Kenya, as a kid, in the bitter campaign against the Mau Mau, and as a professional hunter.
Aagaard, who loved to hunt, and was responsible either directly or indirectly for the death of who knows how many animals, imposed strict limitations on himself about pulling the trigger. He did not hunt predators for himself, either in Africa or later when he moved to the U.S. He did not allow shooting to see something die. By the time he recorded the tape, as he says, he simply was not interested in seeing anything more dead animals on the ground.
As I have gotten older I don't pull the trigger as often nor as easy as I once did, especially on big game animals. Limiting out doesn't mean much anymore either. Method means a great deal to me now days, as I often hunt with traditional blackpowder arms. I also gain a great deal of pleasure from giving back, or from introducing someone to the great outdoors, be it a young person or someone who finds hunting late in life. I also enjoy new places and new experiences.
I have always enjoyed watching animals, much of what I've learned has come from observation. I enjoy that more than ever now. Last year I didn't kill a deer. The freezer was still full of venison and I enjoyed just looking. I saw lots of deer and even a few nice bucks. My friends couldn't understand why I didn't kill. I just smiled and told them I didn't need to...
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OL' Beekeeper bagged a limit of KS Roosters4
Del, Thanks for having me out! I had a ball even with the bad weather on Sunday and Monday. You sir are a gentleman of the first order. Next time I'll bring my waders! We are having Pheasant Friday night for dinner.
Shotgun Shell Review: A First Look at Federal's New Prairie Storm Pheasant Loads26
The pellets you see here make up the content of a pre-production sample of Federal’s new Prairie Storm pheasant loads, a lead version of their Black Cloud. The normal looking shot is copper-plated 4s. They are mixed with “Flitestoppers,” which are also 4s but have rings around them that look like Saturn, or like WWI helmets. The white stuff is buffer, which helps the pellets keep their shape as they go down the barrel.
Both pellets and the buffer are loaded into ...
We could have used some of those in Kansas Monday and Tuesday. The birds were flushing long in the rain, snow, sleet and wind! As you said the old fashioned #5's in a high brass load worked well for standard duty.
Rifle Review: Petzal Tests the Marlin .338 MXLR69
With all due respect to the many great Marlins of the past, this rifle bears an uncanny resemblance not to them but to the cult favorite Winchester Model 71. Both rifles are lever guns that deliver Serious Thump—in fact, the ballistics for their respective cartridges are almost identical. The main loading for the 71’s cartridge, the .348 WCF, is a 200-grain bullet at 2,530 fps. The sole loading for the .338 Marlin Express (developed and loaded by Hornady) is 200 grains at 2,500 fps.
The rifle I got to try out is ...
So many rifles and so little space in the gun safe... I'll stick with my .338/06 bolt gun. Had a great time in Kansas with Del and his friends! He is a true gentleman and a pretty good wingshot himself. He took the head off a rooster with a 28 GA at about 12 yards on the wing!
Petzal: Collecting Versus Earning Your Game50
Robert Ruark, writing in his journal about some particularly good African trophy that he had hammered, noted that it was “…collected, but not earned.” He believed, as many hunters do, that there should be a certain amount of work you put into bagging an animal or else you don’t really deserve it. This is a nice sentiment, but of course it is nonsense. You expect to have to work, and if you do work very hard and get something good as a result it is more rewarding, but that’s as far as it goes. Despite our touching belief that hunting is a matter of skill and perseverance, a lot of it is sheer dumb luck.
Happy is correct, the joy of the hunt is the payback for the hours and dollars spent. Sweat, blisters, insects, heat, cold and the rain are all as much a part of a hunt as camo and a firearm or bow. So are the economics involed in license fees, guide fees, trespass fees, etc. I leave Wednesday on a coastal hunt which those who attend call three days of heaven sandwiched between 2 days of hell. Moving ones gear onto and off of the island is a royal pain in the butt, however one is paid off in beautiful scenery and good hunting. The mosquitos are big, the deer are small and feral hogs are tough to hunt but it is fun and well worth the effort. In the case of this hunt the trophy is certainly in the heart and eye of the hunter. I will cetainly be glad to "collect" an animal anytime the opportunity is available, because there have been many miles of briers, ticks, mosquitos, sand gnats, snakes, sweat and effort expended in between.
Petzal: How to Sweat Up A Ridge59
This past summer, a geezer friend of mine was railing at the current generation of hunters who roost in trees like so many spavined turkeys and rarely walk anywhere.
“They haven’t sweated up ridges like you and I have,” he snarled.
Sometimes, you gotta walk uphill, and if you haven’t done much of it, here are some tips from someone who has done a lot it and hated every yard.
Dave, I don't think any of the backpacks I tested for F&S could accept such a large and ponderous item as Madam Secretary, although the amount of hot air she routinely generates could be used with the aid of an adequate gas bag to help lift those ample hindquarters into a low orbit... WMH, I'm in training for October 2010. The air I'm used to breathing is as thick that cotton honey. I thought a head start on more efficiently processing that thin stuff they call air in Colorado along with lightening the load a bit would help me stay within a couple of hundred yards or so behind you! I too have found a walking staff, light but sturdy boots and as I've gotten older, stopping to glass more (and more) a big help in getting up hill without having to be carried down! The walking staff also provides a good, stable shooting support. Even in the light rolling terrain I live and hunt in most often I've found that stripping down and taking off the lid when going to the stand assures a warm and peaceful time rather than shivering in my own sweat...
Bourjaily: Beretta’s Real Dinosaur Gun16
Some of you expressed disappointment that the new Beretta A400 -- billed as a dinosaur gun -- turned out to be a mere 3 ½ inch 12 gauge. While I think the A400 should be a dandy gun for ducks, geese and pheasants, it is admittedly on the light side for one-shot kills on larger sauropods. I would want more gun. In fact, I would want one of these.
Glad they are gone...
Petzal: Kind Words for High-Tech Hunting Gadgets44
Breaking up is hard to do.—Neil Sedaka, 1962
Changing your mind at this stage of life is a lot harder than breaking up.—David E. Petzal, 2009
Over the past decade and a half I’ve been braying to one and all about the pernicious effect that high-tech gadgetry is having on hunting. Now, however, I think it’s time to re-think things. A couple of weeks ago I went on a mule deer hunt in southeast Oregon, and while I and my rifle made it, my sense of distance did not. For whatever reason I was misjudging ranges by 100 yards or more, even at 300 and under.
I must concede that range finders are excellent pieces of plunder. Carry on Dave! Oh... Happy B Day Ralph!
Bourjaily: Some Gold-Medal Shooting Advice26
That’s me with skeet shooter Chiara Cainero at dinner in Brescia, Italy. She is holding her gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which she won in a three-way shootoff in the rain.
Cainero shoots way better than she speaks English, and I shoot better than I speak Italian (which is not saying much), but we were still able to talk about how she trained to deal with Olympic pressure.
Gentlemen...Gentlemen...
Bourjaily: A Trap Table Project from 4-H12
My friend Walter sent me this picture a while back from the Iowa State Fair. The fair is perhaps best known for the life-size butter cow and other butter sculptures* but you see all kinds of neat stuff if you wander around the exhibit halls. Walter spotted this trap-table in the 4-H hall. It won a blue ribbon for Marc Fullerton of Nora Springs in the Science, Mechanics and Engineering category and is solid evidence that 4-H still supports hunting, shooting and other wholesome activities.
4-H is still a remarkable organization even though political correctness has started to creep in. For instance shooting sports programs are to be referred to as Project SAFE now and most award ribbons presented are Blue, Red and White instead of First, Second and Third place. As for PETA, it would figure that they would promote rampant deforestation in Brazil and other South American countries to continue to produce subsidy soybeans necessary for the production of margarine. I will remind them again, no cows are harmed to produce butter fat. They line up at the barn and beg to be milked...
Petzal: The Conflicted Hunter61
Finn Aagaard, who was a hugely popular writer on guns and hunting and who left us, much too early, in 1999, was a great storyteller as well. Not long before his death, he sat down with a tape recorder and recounted his early days in Kenya, as a kid, in the bitter campaign against the Mau Mau, and as a professional hunter.
Aagaard, who loved to hunt, and was responsible either directly or indirectly for the death of who knows how many animals, imposed strict limitations on himself about pulling the trigger. He did not hunt predators for himself, either in Africa or later when he moved to the U.S. He did not allow shooting to see something die. By the time he recorded the tape, as he says, he simply was not interested in seeing anything more dead animals on the ground.
As I have gotten older I don't pull the trigger as often nor as easy as I once did, especially on big game animals. Limiting out doesn't mean much anymore either. Method means a great deal to me now days, as I often hunt with traditional blackpowder arms. I also gain a great deal of pleasure from giving back, or from introducing someone to the great outdoors, be it a young person or someone who finds hunting late in life. I also enjoy new places and new experiences. I have always enjoyed watching animals, much of what I've learned has come from observation. I enjoy that more than ever now. Last year I didn't kill a deer. The freezer was still full of venison and I enjoyed just looking. I saw lots of deer and even a few nice bucks. My friends couldn't understand why I didn't kill. I just smiled and told them I didn't need to...
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