Eugene,
Thanks for a lot more in depth summary of punt gunning that I could ever give. I'm sure it won't keep Joe from further talking out of his anal orifice but at least it gets some real truth into the conversation.
As I said, I've never had the priviledge but I do know several punt gunners and have spent hours talking to them about it. I was in Alan Myers shop when he was working on the big gun for his new punt a couple years ago.
One thing you left out is the cost of making that "one shot", puntguns throw multiple ounces of shot at a time. You'd have to love it an awful lot to spend the money it would take to feed bismuth or tungsten matrix to those beasts.
When I mentioned night shooting I strickly meant that they really didn't punt at night anymore. Night flighting ducks and geese with a shoulder gun is something I've been lucky enough to do more than once on my trips over your way.
One of my fondest memories of gunning is shooting pinkfoot geese on a cloudy night in Scotland with a double 8 bore. The moon was out but you could only see them when they were directly over you because it was just a bit too cloudy. After the shot they'd be out of sight in a second and you just had to listen for a thump behind you to know you'd killed one.
I can still feel the recoil of the gun and remember how dark it was after the muzzle flash before my eyes adjusted again. Listening for the flocks to call and straining my eyes to see them when I knew they were close. All flying low, hundreds passed me to the sides probably well within gunshot but out of sight in the darkness.
The rush to get the heavy gun to my shoulder when I finally spotted a flock, the thrill of hearing that thump behind me when I'd gotten the lead right. And lastly the relief I felt when the spaniels brought it the same amount of birds as I'd heard thumps. I was keen to do it but didn't want the bad taste in my mouth of losing a cripple just because of the dark.
I'm sure Joe will have some trite comment about this as well but I could care less. I'd go back in a second.......
Regards,
Destry
Last edited by MarketHunter; 07/05/08 10:47 PM.
