Mr. Hartman,
Well, I wasn't going for somewhat sarcastic-in fact, I was being downright smartassed.
Ted:
“Some folks, like, say, me, or Larry Brown, have access to pheasant hunting where the birds are truly "living off the fat of the land". Those birds never look like the birds in your photo.” I am envious of your access to wild phez. They are gone from here and, though we have ruffed grouse, etc, I must travel to hunt wild phez. With respect, I don’t agree with your statement at all. I have killed countless wild phez in 48 straight years (except 3 years spent overseas as a prisoner of the US Army in the late 1960’s) of holding a hunting license, both here in the glory days and all over the country. In my experience, wild phez tend to have more spectacular plumage than pen-raised birds. Both are pretty, but I’ll take a wild bird every time for appearance and other factors. Here’s a late season limit on Iowa birds – they look pretty good to me.
Since you can tell the difference, I’ll let you tell me whether this brace is pen-raised or wild:
How about these?
These?
“I was being downright smartassed … I called you on that. I was right, too. “ An interesting mindset. Why did I need and deserve to be “called out” by a self-appointed BB cop in a “smartassed” manner no less?
“Further, use of a 410, and, usually, a 28, on birds that have to earn their living everyday, is not use of the best sporting judgement (sic).” Well, I agree in part. For the typical casual hunter, you are clearly right. For someone who is good enough to be reasonably sure of centering the bird in the pattern and who is experienced and restrained enough not to take any marginal shots, there is no doubt that a .410 can be used humanely on wild birds within its limitations. I like to think I’m a decent shot (average 80-90% on SC and shoot many, many birds in a year) and most shots over my pointing dogs are very easy to begin with, but I work too hard to get a point on wild birds, like a jittery Greater Prairie Chicken for example, to simply watch them fly off if they flush beyond 20 yards or so. Therefore, I like a bigger gun – generally use a 20 here in the east and a 12 out west. FWIW, to my mind a 28 is THE perfect tool for pen raised birds - it provides clean kills out to 30 yards or so even on big birds - but it is a bit light for the wild bird hunting I do.
“I've shot a few game farm birds in my day-I say shot, because it isn't really hunting, as I define it, anyway” Obviously, you are fully entitled to your opinion. Game farms can provide everything from a rather pathetic poultry-shooting experience to an experience that gets pretty close to wild bird hunting, so usually folks who will tell you of good or terrible experiences are telling the truth as they witnessed it. It all depends on how the club is run. Also, there is a huge difference between hunting planted birds and scratch hunting – where you are chasing birds that have survived any number of hunters, dogs, predators, etc. Before you finalize your opinion on this subject, Ted, you might want to broaden your experience a bit.
Regardless of all that, hunting clubs allow me to feed my addiction. I hunt wild birds here, in the west, etc, etc, but the wild bird seasons aren’t enough for me. By virtue of belonging to a hunting club, I can hunt two or more times a week for a full seven months out of the year. It may not be “real hunting” to a purist such as yourself, but for a fanatic such as myself, it sure is better than sitting at home or cleaning the basement.
“I noticed you said you guide on the game farm. I've done some guiding for wild birds in my past, and I didn't realize people would hire a guide at a game farm-I learn something new everyday, it seems.” Yep, they do. You are pretty much lost without a good dog – not everyone has dogs. We get all sorts of folks – some rookies who have never picked up a gun before, like this fine young man who killed his very first birds over my dogs:
Some folks like this gentleman, whose older dog had died and his puppy wasn’t ready yet:
And lots of regular guys just out for a good day:
Guiding in addition to my regular hunting (wild and pen-raised) allows my dogs to kill at least many hundreds of birds in a year, plus it helps keep the Old Man in top physical condition and it keeps him smiling – isn’t that what this is all about?
“from what I've seen, game farm birds don't cling all that tenaciously to life.” I’ve often heard that and do not agree at all. However, conditions are usually more controlled so that you don’t need or want to take longer shots, plus few wounded birds escape - retrieving is usually much easier than in wild bird cover like this:
“But, like I said, I've been trying to do right by the game animal with as quick and humane a kill as I can” There we agree. The fact is a .410 in the hands of a competent shooter and used only within its range is a humane killer.
“… it would cost more, and be less efficient FOR ME, at this point in the ball game, to consider a 410. Something about getting almost 2 rounds of 20 or 12 gauge ammunition, for the price of 1 round of 410 just chaps my hindquarters, too.” Well, I don’t get too concerned about the cost of ammunition for hunting. Especially when you think about the costs of travel, maintaining good dogs, nice guns, a motorhome, etc, etc, the cost of ammo is an insignificant factor. I burn many thousands of rounds (including .410) at targets and cost becomes a real factor there. That said, it is clear you don’t reload. If you did you would know that the .410 is the cheapest gauge to load – it uses only small amounts of powder and shot. It is much cheaper to shoot a .410 than a 12 or a 20.
“Don't even get me started on the price of the guns. My Dad says that's the Barvarian (sic) cheapskate ancester (sic) in us, which others may/may not be afflicted with.” Each to their own. I hear you about ethnic background. I was raised by my poor rural PA Dutch grandparents who spoke only some English – talk about frugal!! Nonetheless, I like nice guns and am able and willing to pay for them because they make my time in the field even more enjoyable. Others don’t. Each approach is just fine because it’s all about how you have fun, as some other have noted.
“Use the 410 in good health. Did I mention it's really cute? The dogs, too.” Thanks! I do mean that, truly.
Greg
