Working with Flintlocks

[Buck Conner1]

Who cares what a guide says? Anyone who uses one isn't much a hunter. I've heard all the excuses hunters give for using a guide. I'm not buying any of them.

I agree, but there are those that are new to the area they will hunt in (out-of-staters) that would get lost within the first few hours of being in the field. That can happen to any of us, plus without a guide in some cases access to some properties isn't available.

Hell I get misplaced (sounds better than lost) once in a while in places I haven't hunted in for years. The landscape has changed or old landmarks are no longer visible that can really make you work at finding the spot you use to hunt in. I moved off the families 300 acres 25 years ago, went up that way last year and everything had changed, buildings, fence lines, roads into the property and so-on. Some of the improvements I wanted to do 40 years ago but the ex-wife wouldn't go along with those ideas, now she has done many of them. I wasn't as stupid as she thought, she was one of those that (Can't Understand Normal Thinking).

 

[Muley Hunter]

Not knowing an area is the <a href='/tags/1' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #1'>#1</a> excuse, and is not a reason to let someone else do the hunt for you. It's why we have maps. 

 

[Mad Irish Jack ODonnell]

For the last 14 years I've hunted East Brady area, and before that it was in the Cherrytree Area of Clearfield County. I had always hunted Westmoreland County, my home range until 2012 when I moved to McDonald, in Allegheny Co, the area which I also am trying to learn. I attended Fairbury Jr Co in southeastern NE and Doane College in Crete, NE back in the late 60's. I started hunting, while there, at age 19. I hunted NE, KS, MO and Iowa. The license fees back then were reasonable. My mom was an anti gun, NO GUNS IN MY HOUSE. My father hunted as a youngster, for food with his brothers. I learned to shoot in the Boy Scout program. I work at the summer camp and our rifle instructor (EX Mil DI, NRA ,BSA and licensed instructor) gave myself, and a couple others, private lessons on the weekends. I have some college friends, in CO, WY,NE,SD, ND, KS, MO and Iowa, that I still have occasional contact with. I used to get invited to visit for a hunt vacation but never have accepted. When I got married in 1971, I got my guns and in '78, got bitten hard by the flintlock bug. I started rendezvousing and competition shooting in 1980 and reenacting the F&I to Corpse of Discovery in 1987. I go to outdoor shows to pick the brains of the guides and hunters and have exchanged thoughts and ideas with several. Everyone has their own self serving definition of guided. If you go out with a buddy or two to their haunts, they've placed you to watch a hollow or creek crossing a ravine with the, "Should be something along just after first light", etc, you've been guided. I have hunting buddies and have been there done that on both ends. The hunting styles in every state are different and the number of hunters has a lot to do with that. With PA's 943,836 licensed hunters, you hunt a little different than say in AR, CO, WY and some other western states. MI, MN, & OH all have the numbers that dictate your hunting methods. I've talked to out of stater's who only hunt here for the Eastern Turkey for their Grand Slam  accomplishment. At my age and physical condition I'm not going to risk my life for physical well being if I don't think it's possible. I left the Cherrytree area because I can't hunt with the Shoot 'n' Hopers'. They shoot and hope they hit something. Their practice is half a box of shells the Saturday or Sunday before first day.

 

[Buck Conner1]

Not knowing an area is the <a href='/tags/1' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #1'>#1</a> excuse, and is not a reason to let someone else do the hunt for you. It's why we have maps. 

Half the time the maps are out of date with some of the areas we hunt. With all the new development, breaking up of larger sections of ground and other changes talking place in northern Colorado Pete. As you know the front range is really changing with all the growth which is sad.

I have a friend that works for the government doing studies for new maps, lots of air time flying around. He said by the time new maps for an area are available to the public, they are out of date in some cases because of growth.

 

[Buck Conner1]

For ...........   I left the Cherrytree area because I can't hunt with the Shoot 'n' Hopers'. They shoot and hope they hit something. Their practice is half a box of shells the Saturday or Sunday before first day.

Man I hear you about "sound shots", I was 14 and my dad took me on a week hunt in Bangor MA. Second night back at the hunting lodge several of the guests started talking about the "good sound shots". Being young I had never hear the term and asked what it was.   Right off we were told "we wouldn't do any good hunting there with bolt action rifles, you need semi-autos with 10 round mags, don't ya know". I looked at the gun rack and everything was just that semi-autos, some military and others Winchester and Remington with extended mags.

The next morning my dad told me to start packing the truck, we were out of there. "Sound Shots" ......