Tower artillery

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Sunday, January 26. 2020

Tower shoots (not "hunts") are the American version of British and European driven shoots. High birds, flying fast although they have never really flown in their lives - pen-raised birds. Disney shooting.

Supershoots throw up 1000 birds in a morning.

When I was younger, I enjoyed these shoots a lot. Plenty of fun for the "sports". Now, not so much because it just feels like slaughter. I do enjoy the nice lunches and drinks afterwards. I now prefer real bird hunting in the north woods. Killing birds is fun, but hunt is a real thing. Good exercise, and you miss most of the time.

An inside look:

Posted by The Barrister in Hunting, Fishing, Dogs, Guns, etc. at 14:22 | Comments (12) | Trackbacks (0)

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Went to one. That was enough. Went to a pen released duck shoot in NJ. That was enough. My wife and I won a Chukar hunt. The day we went it was raining and the birds had been set out early. They were wet and cold and would not fly. The guide said it was OK to shoot them on the ground. The wife, wisely said to me, lets go home. We did.

#1 Peter j parks (Link) on 2020-01-26 15:03 (Reply)

Yeah. I get it.

Had a great hunt in Maine one time in sleet and snow. Looking for grouse. Slipping and sliding over hill and dale and marsh. After 4 hrs of cold and wet, we flushed a family covey of 6. Got 3. Called it a day.

There are few things better than a whiskey by a fireplace after a time like that. A perfect day. Grouse, then moose filet for dinner.

Heaven might be like that.

#1.1 Bird Dog on 2020-01-26 15:20 (Reply)

Nah! Would rather shoot wild skeet that farm-grown birds.

#2 Stargazer on 2020-01-26 15:33 (Reply)

Had a preserve near me and gave lots of thought to going there after the wild ringneck population dropped. Then I helped release some for my hunting club that were raised by 4-H kids. Birds were too stupid to avoid getting killed by hawks within mere minutes of release. I decided I wanted to hunt birds, not just shoot them.

#3 Alex G on 2020-01-26 18:19 (Reply)

“Killing things is fun!”

Yikes

#4 Anon on 2020-01-26 19:29 (Reply)

“Killing birds is fun!” ????

Yes, that's a bit of a worry.

I wonder if they'd feel this way if they HAD to make the kill for their family to eat that day.

#4.1 Confused Old Misfit on 2020-01-26 20:03 (Reply)

Try it. It's a fun outing.

If you don't kill them, some other critter will.

#4.2 Bird Dog on 2020-01-27 08:18 (Reply)

It wasn't "just feels like slaughter"- it was slaughter. Nothing sporting about that practice, not at all.

#4.2.1 Herbert (Ron) Snyder on 2020-01-27 08:53 (Reply)

Here is the deal.
A good hunting partner, or two. If you have one, you are blessed; if two, you have hit the jackpot.
A good dog...harder to find than a good hunting partner. But if it is your dog, it is a good one. If some someone else's, the rule is you never criticize the dog. The hunter, yes; but never the dog.
A day in the field with a good hunting partner and a good dog (remember all dogs are good) is a good day, no matter the weather or the bag. A good whiskey and a cigar are additive.

#5 rocdoctom on 2020-01-26 21:35 (Reply)

Killing things is easy, which is why I don't hunt unless I need the food - which I never do - or unless the varmint is damaging my property (etc.)

Before compound bows, and sniper rifles, hunting was sporting. At that time, it was also very much for food (typically).

Now? Every time I need to cull an animal from my property it's as easy as falling off a log. It's as sporting as washing the car. I do it because it has to be done, but I see no pleasure in it.

Viva la difference, I suppose

#6 RobM1981 on 2020-01-27 10:58 (Reply)

In Texas, the custom is to set up a comfortable blind in an area with cleared sanderras and take a comfortable seat, waiting for the deer to wander in to the feeder. I don't call that hunting, really, it's more like provisioning. When I used to hunt, it was more a matter of picking up a gun and going for a long walk through the brush. If a decent opportunity came by, I might take it. But I let much more game pass then I ever took, and only killed when it felt right, and never for a trophy - always, for the pot. Bird hunts with dogs are very exciting and also very challenging, when the birds take wing. It is not slaughter, far from it. Taking game, dressing it out, butchering it, and finally the feast are all part of life's cycle. So is giving thanks. Not necessarily pleasant - but fulfilling.

#7 Aggie on 2020-01-27 12:41 (Reply)

You know, it's worth mentioning that drones could be the best clay pigeons ever. Of course, you couldn't use lead shot or steel. Maybe plastic beads. But you could have a drone fly past, change direction, and climb. You could even have a group of drones fly past, in formation. Maybe you would earn points, based on the total number of drones you hit; or have some of the drones light-up at the last minute, to test your reflexes. You could even have attack drones that fly right at you. The only real problem is that shotgun shells are expensive. I can't believe what they charge nowadays. Maybe it would be better to design a Tippmann Co2 powered shotgun. Most people don't know it, but before the Tippmanns got into the paintball gun business, they were in the real machine gun business in Fort Wayne. The made a belt-fed .22 caliber machine gun that was tremendous. Really good for close-up work. I can't remember exactly, but I think the belt could hold a thousand rounds of ammo. Anyway, those drone people better get cracking! We want them bulletproof, cheap, and fast!

#8 Ron Lieberman on 2020-01-27 14:41 (Reply)

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Sunday, January 26. 2020

Tower artillery