Day off today, delivered venison, first drop was to my old keeper mate. A wizard with horses he is, he grew up working them. Can you recognise the breed of this beautiful horse?
View attachment 450492Next place was the land owner where last week's doe came from then I loaded the strange Beretta!
It's strange in the sense that Berretta to celebrate 300 years of gun making 45 years ago had made by others, not themselves, make a muzzleloader.
They came fully equipped with all manner of accessories and soon got a bad reputation for mis fires on the bottom barrel. The main cause was actually using oil after cleaning which dampens the long flash channel. If it wasn't that it was a poorly sealed flash channel easily recognisable by the scorching of the inletting. Once I fixed the leak the gun became absolutely reliable.
Anyway 17,547 steps today hunting proper wild birds. I got two and missed one.
Chuffed as punch. Old Jess worked well for an untrained old delinquent finding me a lost bird. No retrieving but if I watch her I can nearly read her nose as good as her.
Also, if it's a runner she catches it for me.
So thank you Jess.
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After much walking and hunting and shooting a few squirrels, Jessy's favourite...
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I happened on a marsh, it was raining now but I knew there was birds in the marsh, what I didn't know was that the marsh was full of snipe and a few woodcock. What an absolute joy to lift those birds.
I didn't shoot at them but thought the next pair I will mount the gun as if I was to shoot.
Sure enough two lifted to my right and as I mounted the gun two pheasants erupted with them! Brilliant, I got my second bird.
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I've had a grand day and must clean the gun.
Boiled water will soon have it clean and dry, ready for another exertion soon I hope.