Shovelbuck
Active Member
2010 has ended and it seems like it just started. What a rewarding year it was.
Started out in January trying to get some bunnies for the pot, but the nasty snows we had late in 09 really took it's toll on the rabbit populations. I covered a lot of ground that day and never cut a track.
About this same time, I was really starting to look forward to shed hunting as I had several bucks I really wanted to find sheds from.
Unfortunately, in February, I injured by back at work and my shed season ended before it even started.
I was laid up and still off work when spring turkey season started. Luckily, the spot I chose to hunt was just a short walk from the truck and it proved to be a great spot!
It was such a great feeling to kill the first turkey with the flintlock fowler that I had built the summer before. Text book hunt. Birds flew down at first light, some left, a few stayed around, and this tom came a bit too close trying to gather up his girls!
The next afternoon I was in the same spot when this beautiful tom made it number two for the season with the fowler.
A few days later this tom came in and I gave him a warning shot!
As I franticly reloaded, the tom wandered off into the timber behind me. I called a few times and got him to come back. This time there was no warning shot and number three was down.
Shortly after this time I started back to work. All the time off had really confirmed how much I could no longer take being forced to comply with their unethical and immoral business practices. Best thing I ever did was walk out of that place. My blood pressure went down and I was able to smile again.:way:
About this time I also started planning for the Shed Gathering for August. Those of us that showed up had a great time and are looking forward to this year.
In August, I picked up a flintlock pistol that i wanted to shoot a deer with. Nebraska law is a bit strange in the fact that they require the pistol to have 400 ft. lbs. of energy at 50 yards to be legal. I spent a lot of time, lead and powder to find a load that would satisfy those requirements.
Before I could hunt with the pistol though, I had some unfinished business with some doves and my flintlock fowler. The dove season of 09 was a bust......literally, as I had fallen and broken a rib opening weekend. I really wanted some wing shooting at doves with this gun. I wasn't disappointed. Had a real blast shooting and eating them!
The October doe only season arrived and found me out there with the flintlock pistol. I have to admit, it was a bit hard to commit myself to carrying only the pistol but I'm sure glad I did!
The only thing that disappointed me about the hunt was the photo. Not one of my best but it's all I have.
Muzzleloader season started December 1 and like a lot of other hunters, I struggled the entire season. Weird weather, bad wind, you name it, it happened. Oh well, I had a lot of fun anyway. Seen some deer, enjoyed the time afield and I hunted with a bunch of different muzzleloaders. Sort of rotated the stock this season.
There were plenty of other projects that kept me occupied. Restoring an antique revolver that had belonged to my Dad, building some powder horns and knives, restoring guns, etc. Most were posted on this site.
A friend asked me the other day what I liked the most about this past year. My answer was......a rock.
I put a new flint in my fowler the day I broke my rib in September of 09. The gun has gone through a pound and a half of powder since then and I'm still using that flint! That's around 150 shots from that 1 dollar piece of Missouri flint. Of course now that I've talked about it, I'm sure something will happen to it.
All in all, A great year filled with great memories and shared with friends.
It's always so much fun to read and see the hunts of members on this site and share mine.
Have a wonderful year everyone!:way::way::way:
Started out in January trying to get some bunnies for the pot, but the nasty snows we had late in 09 really took it's toll on the rabbit populations. I covered a lot of ground that day and never cut a track.
About this same time, I was really starting to look forward to shed hunting as I had several bucks I really wanted to find sheds from.
Unfortunately, in February, I injured by back at work and my shed season ended before it even started.
I was laid up and still off work when spring turkey season started. Luckily, the spot I chose to hunt was just a short walk from the truck and it proved to be a great spot!
It was such a great feeling to kill the first turkey with the flintlock fowler that I had built the summer before. Text book hunt. Birds flew down at first light, some left, a few stayed around, and this tom came a bit too close trying to gather up his girls!
The next afternoon I was in the same spot when this beautiful tom made it number two for the season with the fowler.
A few days later this tom came in and I gave him a warning shot!
As I franticly reloaded, the tom wandered off into the timber behind me. I called a few times and got him to come back. This time there was no warning shot and number three was down.
Shortly after this time I started back to work. All the time off had really confirmed how much I could no longer take being forced to comply with their unethical and immoral business practices. Best thing I ever did was walk out of that place. My blood pressure went down and I was able to smile again.:way:
About this time I also started planning for the Shed Gathering for August. Those of us that showed up had a great time and are looking forward to this year.
In August, I picked up a flintlock pistol that i wanted to shoot a deer with. Nebraska law is a bit strange in the fact that they require the pistol to have 400 ft. lbs. of energy at 50 yards to be legal. I spent a lot of time, lead and powder to find a load that would satisfy those requirements.
Before I could hunt with the pistol though, I had some unfinished business with some doves and my flintlock fowler. The dove season of 09 was a bust......literally, as I had fallen and broken a rib opening weekend. I really wanted some wing shooting at doves with this gun. I wasn't disappointed. Had a real blast shooting and eating them!
The October doe only season arrived and found me out there with the flintlock pistol. I have to admit, it was a bit hard to commit myself to carrying only the pistol but I'm sure glad I did!
The only thing that disappointed me about the hunt was the photo. Not one of my best but it's all I have.
Muzzleloader season started December 1 and like a lot of other hunters, I struggled the entire season. Weird weather, bad wind, you name it, it happened. Oh well, I had a lot of fun anyway. Seen some deer, enjoyed the time afield and I hunted with a bunch of different muzzleloaders. Sort of rotated the stock this season.
There were plenty of other projects that kept me occupied. Restoring an antique revolver that had belonged to my Dad, building some powder horns and knives, restoring guns, etc. Most were posted on this site.
A friend asked me the other day what I liked the most about this past year. My answer was......a rock.
I put a new flint in my fowler the day I broke my rib in September of 09. The gun has gone through a pound and a half of powder since then and I'm still using that flint! That's around 150 shots from that 1 dollar piece of Missouri flint. Of course now that I've talked about it, I'm sure something will happen to it.
All in all, A great year filled with great memories and shared with friends.
It's always so much fun to read and see the hunts of members on this site and share mine.
Have a wonderful year everyone!:way::way::way:
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